Economic Policy

Lessons For US Economic Policy From The Fall Of The Berlin Wall

Newsweek | Michael Hirsh | Posted 11.03.2009 | Politics


The abrupt and miserable end of the socialist experiment--it all happened so fast, with East Germany getting absorbed into West Germany on Oct. 3, 199...

Economic Crisis Compels Economists To Reach For New Paradigm

Wall Street Journal | MARK WHITEHOUSE | Posted 11.02.2009 | Business


The pain of the financial crisis has economists striving to understand precisely why it happened and how to prevent a repeat. For that task, John Gean...

Professor David Colander Tells Congress Econ Models are Flawed

Damien Hoffman | Posted 11.02.2009 | Politics


Damien Hoffman

In addition to exposing a few absurd underlying economic presuppositions, Colander is helping shift incentives for professional economists toward engaging in more useful studies.

Republicans Must Stop Playing Politics With Unemployment Benefits

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand | Posted 10.19.2009 | New York


Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand

Rather than do what is right, Republicans did what was politically convenient, twice blocking the unemployment extension last week in an effort to derail other economic recovery programs.

Exceptions To Derivatives Trading Rule Dilute Regulation

New York Times | GRETCHEN MORGENSON | Posted 10.17.2009 | Business


Derivatives regulation has been on the nation's financial reform agenda for months. Undoing the Clinton-era law that exempted swaps from oversight is ...

G-20: Regulations For Bankers' Pay Planned

bloomberg.com | Simon Kennedy and Gonzalo Vina | Posted 09.25.2009 | Business


World leaders are poised to crack down on banker pay and better coordinate economic policies as they seek to temper the excesses that helped trigger t...

Obama's America: What Is Economic Growth For?

Derek Shearer | Posted 09.19.2009 | Politics


Derek Shearer

Unfortunately, while Obama's words are bold, he acts cautiously when it comes to actual reforms that are necessary to create this new foundation for economic growth.

Making Workers the Catalyst for Economic Recovery

Thomas Kochan | Posted 10.20.2009 | Politics


Workers have good reasons to feel left out of stimulus efforts to date. Nearly 20 percent of the workforce is unemployed, unable to find a full time job, or has given up on looking for one.

Learning from Down Under: Where Labor Policy is Center Stage

Thomas Kochan | Posted 09.28.2009 | Politics


Our friends down under have set a benchmark for the U.S. We don't usually look beyond our boarders for lessons on domestic policy, but Australia has recognized employment relations as central to economic vitality.

Manufacturing and the Limits of Comparative Advantage

Ralph Gomory | Posted 08.08.2009 | Business


Ralph Gomory

Vague talk about future innovations, a post-industrial society, or an explosion of services exports is not the stuff on which to bet the prosperity of a nation.

The Babble Over Regulatory Reform, Cont'd

Robert Teitelman | Posted 07.17.2009 | Business


Robert Teitelman

Nobody just announces anything anymore. Before anyone in Washington can get lunch, it has to be leaked, briefed, previewed in speeches, summarized in ...

Reviving Pecora's Ghost

Robert Kuttner | Posted 06.03.2009 | Business


Robert Kuttner

With Summers, Geithner, and Bernanke working closely with major investment bankers to restart the system of securitization, there will be a titanic struggle over what kind of regulatory system to have going forward.

Christina Romer Gets it Wrong: "We Need Banks to Lend Like Crazy"

Steve Clemons | Posted 04.22.2009 | Politics


Steve Clemons

"Lending like crazy" is exactly what helped trigger the global financial crisis -- and reflating those trends would be a major mistake if that is what the Obama administration is pushing.

Obama Needs a Mortgage Default Plan Fast

Jeff Madrick | Posted 02.21.2009 | Politics


Jeff Madrick

As of today, we hear the Obama team is talking about a plan to stabilize the market by buying or insuring bad assets. No plan can be perfect, but we need some plan quickly.

Krugman on Obama and 'You 2.0'

Juliette Powell | Posted 02.15.2009 | Politics


Juliette Powell

There have been some proposed appointments in the national security area, or at least floated appointments, that have essentially been torpedoed because the online community said, "No."

How Globalization Set the Stage for the 2008 Economic Collapse

Robert Creamer | Posted 02.09.2009 | Politics


Robert Creamer

A good case can be made that the massive globalization of labor and financial markets, coupled with "free markets uber alles" policies, formed a toxic mixture that made the collapse inevitable. Here's why.

Get Business Tax Cuts Out of the Stimulus Plan

Ross Eisenbrey | Posted 02.07.2009 | Politics


Ross Eisenbrey

The money in this economic stimulus package is a small down payment on what is needed to give the U.S. the world class infrastructure we need.

2009: A Time for Real Economic Change

Mike Garibaldi-Frick | Posted 01.28.2009 | Business


Mike Garibaldi-Frick

America's anger and ingenious will is stoked and a new, more open administration is coming to power looking for innovative, far-reaching ideas.

Obama Economic Policy Snubs Small Business

Lloyd Chapman | Posted 01.18.2009 | Business


Lloyd Chapman

There appears to be a significant disconnect between President-elect Obama's campaign promises to American small businesses and the actual policies he is proposing.

Team of Rubins

Robert Kuttner | Posted 12.24.2008 | Politics


Robert Kuttner

There is no denying the plain fact that only progressive remedies, of large scale public spending and stringent government regulation, will fix what's broken.

Obama Needs an FDR-Style Public Works Program

Mike Papantonio | Posted 12.20.2008 | Business


Mike Papantonio

There is a fraternity-like mentality that exists among corporate CEOs. There is an illusory standard of what "moral" or "legitimate" actually means in decision making for that elite crowd.

Who Wasn't On Stage With Obama and Should Have Been?

Steve Clemons | Posted 12.09.2008 | Politics


Steve Clemons

I'm not satisfied with the roster of economic personalities and thinkers we see Barack Obama mixing with.

What Does Obama Mean for Generation Debt?

Anya Kamenetz | Posted 12.07.2008 | Business


Anya Kamenetz

Among his likely policy proposals, here's what stands out for me in terms of young people's economic future. Keep in mind that we're all in this together -- and we're in it for the long haul.

Will Obama's First Term Really Just be a Hybrid of Clinton III and GW Bush III?

Steve Clemons | Posted 12.07.2008 | Politics


Steve Clemons

There is a strong chance that Lawrence Summers is going to be returned to the post of Secretary of the Treasury. Larry will have to prove to us that he is different and not the harbinger of Clinton Term III.

Which Obamanomics?

Robert D. Atkinson, Ph.D. | Posted 12.06.2008 | Politics


Robert D. Atkinson, Ph.D.

What economic doctrine will "Obamanomics" be based on? Will it be Rubinomics with its focus on fiscal discipline and reigning in spending? Neo-Keynesianism? Or will it be Innovation Economics?