Shows
Mercatus Policy DownloadSNAP Waste & Fraud: A Conversation with Keith HallIn this episode, Veronique de Rugy, a Senior Research Fellow and George Gibbs Chair in Political Economy here at Mercatus, chats with Distinguished Visiting Fellow and former CBO Director, Keith Hall, about his latest research documenting SNAP waste, explain why fraud exists in the program, and present solutions for reforms. This episode features audio from a recent Mercatus webinar. If you would like to connect with a scholar featured in this episode, please email the Mercatus Outreach team at mercatusoutreach@mercatus.gmu.edu. Check out Keith's research on SNAP: https://www.mercatus.org/research/research-papers...
2025-06-2441 min
Top of MindTackling America’s Housing Crisis with Mercatus Center’s Salim FurthIn this episode of the Top of Mind podcast, Mike Simonsen sits down with Salim Furth from the Mercatus Center at George Mason University to explore America’s housing affordability and supply crisis and the optimistic changes that are under way.About Salim FurthSalim Furth is a Senior Research Fellow and Director of the Urbanity project at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. His research focuses on housing production and land use regulation. He frequently advises local governments and testifies before state and federal legislatures. He earned his Ph.D. in economics from th...
2024-08-141h 02Mercatus Policy DownloadDr. Bruce Yandle's December 2023 Economic Situation ReportOn this episode, Patrick McLaughlin, a Senior Research Fellow and Director of the Regulatory Studies Project here at Mercatus, chats about the latest economic situation report with Dr. Bruce Yandle, who is a Distinguished Adjunct Fellow here at Mercatus. They discuss interest rates, rising household wealth, growing debt, and much more.If you would like to connect with a scholar featured on this episode, please email the Mercatus Outreach team at mercatusoutreach@mercatus.gmu.edu. Bruce's report.
2023-12-1927 minMercatus Policy DownloadDr. Bruce Yandle's September 2023 Economic Situation ReportOn this episode, Patrick McLaughlin, a Senior Research Fellow and Director of Policy Analytics here at Mercatus, chats about the latest economic situation report with Dr. Bruce Yandle, who is a Distinguished Adjunct Fellow here at Mercatus. They discuss recession predictions, federal debt, the role of money in the economy, and much more.If you would like to connect with a scholar featured on this episode, please email the Mercatus Outreach team at mercatusoutreach@mercatus.gmu.edu.Check out Bruce's latest report here.
2023-09-1231 minMercatus Policy DownloadDr. Bruce Yandle's June 2023 Economic Situation ReportOn this episode, Patrick McLaughlin, a Senior Research Fellow and Director of Policy Analytics here at Mercatus, chats about the latest economic situation report with Dr. Bruce Yandle, who is a Distinguished Adjunct Fellow here at Mercatus. They discuss Bruce's rollercoaster economy, subsidies and tariffs and how they fit into the bootlegger-Baptist theory of regulation, predictions for the remainder of 2023, Bruce's reading recommendations, and much more.If you would like to connect with a scholar featured on this episode, please email the Mercatus Outreach team at mercatusoutreach@mercatus.gmu.edu.Check out Bruce's report here.
2023-06-2033 minMercatus Policy DownloadDr. Bruce Yandle's March 2023 Economic Situation ReportOn this episode, Patrick McLaughlin, a Senior Research Fellow and Director of Policy Analytics here at Mercatus, discusses the latest economic situation report from Dr. Bruce Yandle, who is a distinguished adjunct fellow here at Mercatus. They talk about inflation, what to expect from the Fed for the remainder of 2023, and if we can expect a recession in 2024. If you would like to connect with a scholar featured on this episode, please email the Mercatus Outreach team at mercatusoutreach@mercatus.gmu.edu. Check out Bruce's report here.
2023-03-1432 minMercatus Policy DownloadDr. Bruce Yandle's December 2022 Economic Situation ReportOn this episode, Patrick McLaughlin, a Senior Research Fellow and Director of Policy Analytics here at Mercatus, chats about the latest economic situation report with Dr. Bruce Yandle, who is a Distinguished Adjunct Fellow here at Mercatus. They discuss inflation, regulatory accumulation, money, employment, and much more. If you would like to connect with a scholar featured on this episode, please email the Mercatus Outreach team at mercatusoutreach@mercatus.gmu.edu.Check out Bruce's report here.
2022-12-2033 min
Macro Musings with David BeckworthPatrick Horan and David Beckworth on *The Fate of FAIT* and the Future of the Fed’s Monetary FrameworkIn this special episode of Macro Musings, David Beckworth and Patrick Horan join guest host Carola Binder to discuss their newest paper, *The Fate of FAIT: Salvaging the Fed’s Framework.* Patrick Horan is a research fellow in the Mercatus Center’s Monetary Policy Program and Carola Binder is an associate professor of economics at Haverford College as well as a visiting scholar at the Mercatus Center. In addition to their paper, Pat and David also talk about the basics of flexible average inflation targeting, how it compares to temporary price level targeting, the differences between the Fed’s old an...
2022-11-2151 minMercatus Policy DownloadDr. Bruce Yandle's September 2022 Economic Situation ReportOn this episode, Patrick McLaughlin, a Senior Research Fellow and Director of Policy Analytics here at Mercatus, chats about the latest economic situation report with Dr. Bruce Yandle, who is a Distinguished Adjunct Fellow here at Mercatus. They discuss inflation and unemployment, the misery index, what to expect from the Fed, and much more.If you would like to connect with a scholar featured on this episode, please email the Mercatus Outreach team at mercatusoutreach@mercatus.gmu.edu.Check out Bruce's report here.
2022-09-1330 minMercatus Policy DownloadDr. Bruce Yandle's June 2022 Economic Situation ReportOn this episode, Matthew Mitchell, a Senior Research Fellow and Director of the Equal Liberty Initiative here at Mercatus, chats about the latest economic situation report with Dr. Bruce Yandle, who is a Distinguished Adjunct Fellow here at Mercatus. They discuss inflation, gas and oil prices, the possibility of a recession, and much more.If you would like to connect with a scholar featured on this episode, please email the Mercatus Outreach team at mercatusoutreach@mercatus.gmu.edu. Check out Bruce's June 2022 report here.
2022-06-2129 minMercatus Policy DownloadThe American Housing CrisisOn this episode, Dan Rothschild, the Executive Director here at Mercatus, digs into housing policy with Salim Furth, a Senior Research Fellow and Director of the Urbanity Project here at Mercatus. They chat about why Auburn, Maine is the perfect example of an American city getting housing policy right, and expand upon what policymakers can do to correct the housing crisis and make their cities flourish.If you would like to connect with a scholar featured on this episode, please email the Mercatus Outreach team at mercatusoutreach@mercatus.gmu.edu.
2022-05-3116 min
Mercatus Policy DownloadDr. Bruce Yandle's December 2021 Economic Situation ReportWelcome to the Bridge Policy Download produced by the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. Today, we’re bringing you a conversation between Matthew Mitchell, Senior Research Fellow and Director of the Equal Liberty Initiative here at Mercatus, and Dr. Bruce Yandle, Distinguished Adjunct Fellow here at Mercatus. They discuss Bruce’s latest economic situation report for December 2021, including the hot topic of late, inflation. They also talk about expectations for GDP growth and output, import competition, environmental regulations, and some financial advice Bruce received from his father that is still worth heeding today. If y...
2021-12-2130 min
Macro Musings with David BeckworthScott Sumner on The Money IllusionScott Sumner is David’s colleague and the Ralph G. Hawtrey Chair of Monetary Policy at the Mercatus Center. Scott is also a returning guest to the podcast and joins David on Macro Musings to discuss his new book, The Money Illusion: Market Monetarism, the Great Recession, and the Future of Monetary Policy. Specifically, David and Scott discuss common misconceptions about the 2008-09 Recession, why bubble narratives too often miss the mark when explaining rising asset prices, whether the Fed’s adoption of average inflation targeting signals that it is moving toward a level target, and much more.
2021-10-1150 min
Macro Musings with David BeckworthChris Russo on the 2021 Debt Limit Fight, Its Potential Impacts, and Solutions for ReformChris Russo is a post-graduate research fellow in the Monetary Policy Program of the Mercatus Center at George Mason University and is a former economist at the New York Federal Reserve Bank. He re-joins Macro Musings to talk about the growing concerns over the US debt ceiling, what it could mean for the economy, and how to fix the issue. Transcript for the episode can be found here. Chris’s Twitter: @RussoEcon Chris’s Mercatus profile: https://www.mercatus.org/scholars/christopher-russo Chris’s Github site: https://christop...
2021-10-0453 minMercatus Policy DownloadDr. Bruce Yandle's September 2021 Economic Situation ReportWelcome to the Bridge Policy Download produced by the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. Today, we’re bringing you a conversation between Matthew Mitchell, Senior Research Fellow and Director of the Equal Liberty Initiative here at Mercatus, and Dr. Bruce Yandle, Distinguished Adjunct Fellow here at Mercatus. They discuss Bruce’s latest economic situation report for September 2021, including the role of risk and uncertainty in what Bruce calls the Frankenstein economy. They talk about debt forgiveness, corporate tax and antitrust reform, the exploding demand for building materials, and much more. If you’d like to...
2021-09-1425 minMercatus Policy DownloadAntitrust, Christianity, and Market RegulationWelcome to the Bridge Policy Download produced by the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. Today we’re bringing you a conversation between Alden Abbott, Senior Research Fellow here at Mercatus, Daniel Crane, the Frederick Paul Furth Sr. Professor of Law at the University of Michigan, and Kenneth Elzinga, the Robert C. Taylor Professor of Economics at the University of Virginia. They discuss the connection between the world of antitrust and Christianity, capitalism as a vehicle for good, protestant moral theology and antitrust policy, Dan and Ken's latest co-authored book chapter, and much more. Check ou...
2021-08-0350 min
Macro Musings with David BeckworthScott Sumner on What Milton Friedman Would Think of Monetary Policy TodayScott Sumner is the Ralph G. Hawtrey Chair of Monetary Policy at the Mercatus Center. Scott joins David on Macro Musings to discuss Milton Friedman's views and what he might say about some of the recent developments in monetary policy. Specifically, Scott and David talk about nominal interest rates as indicators of the stance of monetary policy, fiscal austerity as means of reducing excessive aggregate demand, Friedman’s critique of the Phillips curve and wage and price controls, what Friedman might have said about the recent inflation numbers, and much more. Transcript for the episode can...
2021-07-1953 minMercatus Policy DownloadThe Future of America's Workforce--Innovative, Mobile, and IndependentWelcome to the Bridge Policy Download produced by the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. Today we’re bringing you the audio from a recent webinar we held between Karen Czarnecki, Vice President of Outreach, and Liya Palagashvili, Senior Research Fellow, both here at Mercatus, on independent workers, the gig economy, innovation, labor law, economics, and much more. With the rise of independent work--whether app-based, contracting, consulting, and beyond--and new flexible arrangements like fully distributed teams or hybrid office environments, barriers to entering the workforce are falling and workers are embracing this newfound flexibility.
2021-07-0640 minMercatus Policy DownloadInflation and What to Expect from the FedWelcome to The Bridge Policy Download produced by the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. The executive director of the Mercatus Center, Dan Rothschild, has a conversation with Mercatus scholars David Beckworth and Christopher Russo about inflation and deflation, supply side bottlenecks, spillover effects, base effects, the velocity of money, the US debt/gdp ratio, black swan events, and why we shouldn’t fear a repeat of 70s-era inflation. If you would like to contact a scholar involved in this episode, please email mercatusoutreach@mercatus.gmu.edu.
2021-06-2218 minMercatus Policy DownloadDr. Bruce Yandle's June 2021 Economic Situation ReportWelcome to the Bridge Policy Download produced by the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. Today, we’re bringing you a conversation between Matthew Mitchell, Senior Research Fellow and Director of the Equal Liberty Initiative here at Mercatus, and Dr. Bruce Yandle, Distinguished Adjunct Fellow here at Mercatus. They discuss Bruce’s latest economic situation report for June 2021, including turning the corner on the COVID-19 pandemic economy, current inflation stats, the difference between crises and serious problems American’s are facing today, and much more. If you’d like to contact the scholar involved...
2021-06-1530 minMercatus Policy DownloadLessons from Liberalism: Insights for the Current Immigration DebateWelcome to the Bridge Policy Download produced by the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. Today, we’re bringing you the audio from a recent webinar we co-hosted with the Classical Liberal Institute on the current immigration debate. The panel shares insight from their recent books and working papers on the topic and then go on to discuss the benefits of immigration, reform options for our current Congress, how and why reform efforts should be informed by policy research, and much more. If you’d like to contact the scholar involved in this webi...
2021-06-081h 27Mercatus Policy DownloadLand Use Without Zoning: Putting Ideas into PracticeWelcome to The Bridge Policy Download, produced by the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. Zoning and land use policy regulations present the greatest barriers to affordable housing and increased urban density. Understanding how to navigate and remove these barriers allows for a dynamic housing market and paves the way for successful community development efforts. The study of the impact of land use and zoning policy began with Bernard Siegan in his pioneering 1972 study, "Land Use Without Zoning." In his book, Siegan first set out what has today emerged as a common-sense perspective: Zoning not only fails t...
2021-05-2555 minMercatus Policy DownloadDigital Platforms: Antitrust or Regulation?Welcome to the Bridge Policy Download produced by the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. Today we’re bringing you the audio from a recent webinar we held on Antitrust. Antitrust and other regulatory authorities around the world are busily assessing potential enforcement actions against big digital platforms, including Google, Facebook, and Amazon, among others. The panel addresses the following questions: Should governments establish regulations that sets clear rules of conduct for digital platforms? Can existing “consumer welfare” standards guiding antitrust enforcement effectively curb abuses by digital platforms? Are proposals to heighten antitr...
2021-05-041h 22Mercatus Policy DownloadIndia's COVID-19 CrisisWelcome to The Bridge Policy Download produced by the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. India's COVID-19 cases have been rising at an alarmingly rapid rate since mid-March, and the virus is now killing thousands of people each day in India. Dan Rothschild, Executive Director here at Mercatus, talks to Shruti Rajagopalan, Senior Research Fellow and leader of Indian political economy research and Emergent Ventures India at Mercatus, about the rising COVID-19 cases in India, if lockdowns are the answer to halting India's rising cases, India's vaccine distribution, their hospital capacity, and how the United S...
2021-04-2627 minMercatus Policy DownloadEconomic Benefits of the Patent SystemWelcome to the Bridge Policy Download produced by the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. Today, we’re bringing you a conversation between Alden Abbott, Senior Research Fellow here at Mercatus, and Daniel Spulber, Professor of International Business, Strategy, and Law at Northwestern University. They take a deep dive into Professor Spulber’s latest book, The Case for Patents, they discuss what we can possibly expect from policy makers regarding patents in the coming years, and much more. If you’d like to contact a scholar involved in this episode, please email mercatusoutreach@mercatus.gmu.edu.
2021-04-0635 minMercatus Policy DownloadDr. Bruce Yandle's March 2021 Economic Situation ReportWelcome to the Bridge Policy Download produced by the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. Today, we're bringing you a conversation between Matthew Mitchell, Senior Research Fellow and Director of the Equity Initiative here at Mercatus, and Dr. Bruce Yandle, Distinguished Adjunct Fellow at Mercatus. They discuss Bruce's latest economic situation report for March 2021, the latest COVID-19 stimulus package, forgiving student loan debt, the debate for raising the federal minimum wage, and much more. If you’d like to contact a scholar involved in this episode, please email mercatusoutreach@mercatus.gmu.edu
2021-03-1634 min
Macro Musings with David BeckworthChris Russo on Existing Fed-Treasury Tensions and Potential Solutions for Fixing ThemChris Russo is a Monetary Policy Program Research Fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University and has previously worked at the New York Federal Reserve Bank. He joins Macro Musings to talk about the work he is doing on tensions between the Fed and the Treasury’s management of their respective balance sheets. Specifically, David and Chris discuss what these tensions are and what fixes can be implemented to ameliorate the existing plumbing issues. Transcript for the episode can be found here. Chris’s Mercatus profile: https://www.mercatus.org/sc...
2021-03-1556 min
Macro Musings with David BeckworthDaniel Griswold on US Demographic Decline and the Case for Expanding ImmigrationDaniel Griswold is a senior affiliated scholar at the Mercatus Center and a nationally recognized expert on trade and immigration policy. Dan is also a returning guest is to the podcast, and joins Macro Musings to talk about immigration policy and the outlook for trade policy with the new Biden Administration. Specifically, David and Dan discuss the major demographic decline in the US, and how greater levels of immigration and can solve many of America’s economic concerns. Transcript for the episode can be found here. Dan’s Twitter: @danielgriswold Dan’s...
2021-02-0149 min
Macro Musings with David BeckworthScott Sumner on the Princeton School of Macroeconomics and Overcoming Inflationary FearsScott Sumner is the Ralph G. Hawtrey Chair of Monetary Policy at the Mercatus Center and a returning guest to Macro Musings. He joins the podcast today to talk about his ongoing work on the Princeton School of Macroeconomics as well as his thoughts on monetary policy in 2021. Specifically, David and Scott discuss the economic contributions of various different Princeton economists as well as how the central bank can overcome inflationary fears and establish further institutional credibility. Transcript for the episode can be found here. Scott’s automated Twitter: @MoneyIllusion S...
2021-01-1159 minMercatus Policy DownloadThe Best Arguments For and Against Paid Federal LeaveWelcome to the Bridge Policy Download produced by the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. Today, we’re bringing you the audio from a recent virtual congressional briefing we held on the best arguments for and against paid federal leave. It is often noted that the United States is the only industrialized country without a federal paid leave program. While true, Dr. Veronique de Rugy points out that this doesn't necessarily mean that women in countries that have such government-mandated programs are doing better than women in the United States. In this Congressional staff briefing, de...
2020-12-2934 minMercatus Policy DownloadDr. Bruce Yandle's December 2020 Economic Situation ReportToday, we're bringing you a conversation between Matthew Mitchell, Senior Research Fellow and Director of the Equity Initiative at Mercatus, and Dr. Bruce Yandle, Distinguished Adjunct Fellow at Mercatus. They discuss Bruce's latest economic situation report for December 2020, new life in the coronavirus economy, and much more. Check out The Legacy of Bruce Yandle edited by Donald J. Boudreaux and and Roger Meiners here.If you’d like to contact a scholar involved in this webinar, please email mercatusoutreach@mercatus.gmu.edu
2020-12-1527 minMercatus Policy DownloadInnovation Policy and its FutureWelcome to the Bridge Policy Download produced by the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. Today, we’re bringing you the audio from a recent webinar we held on the future of innovation policy. Adam Thierer promotes his research and perspectives on technology and innovation policy alongside one of the world’s foremost thinkers on the subject, Matt Ridley. If you’d like to contact a scholar involved in this webinar, please email mercatusoutreach@mercatus.gmu.edu We've changed our name! What was formally known at the Mercatus Policy Download is now Th...
2020-12-0858 minMercatus Policy DownloadWhat Does Progressive Social Security Reform Look Like?Welcome to the Bridge Policy Download produced by the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. Today, we’re bringing you the audio from a recent webinar we held on social security and progressive reforms. In a new research paper, “An Analytical Framework for Strengthening Social Security,” leading expert Charles P. Blahous details a number of problems facing Social Security and how they can be addressed. Ben Ritz and Jason Fichtner joined Blahous for a discussion to provide insight into the framework and share their research findings. If you’d like to contact a s...
2020-11-2456 minMercatus Policy DownloadState Regulation: Policy Solutions for State LawmakersWelcome to The Bridge Policy Download produced by the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. Today we're bringing you part 2 of our most recent webinar on regulatory reform. If you missed part 1, you can listen to that episode here. Our speakers today are James Broughel, Senior Research Fellow at the Mercatus Center, Matthew D. Mitchell, Senior Research Fellow at the Mercatus Center, Gretchen Conger, Deputy Chief of Staff for Arizona Governor Doug Ducey, and Jessica Cleveland, Oklahoma Deputy Secretary of State. If you’d like to contact a scholar involved in this webinar, plea...
2020-10-2757 minMercatus Policy DownloadState Regulation: The Case for ReformWelcome to the Bridge Policy Download produced by the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. Today, we’re bringing you the audio from a recent webinar we held on why states should undertake regulatory reform. This is the first of a two-part series on state regulatory reform. The second part, on how states can implement reforms, will release next week. Our speakers today are James Broughel, Senior Research Fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, Colin O'Reilly, Associate Professor, Heider College of Business, and Laura Jones, Visiting Research Fellow at the Mercatus Center an...
2020-10-2053 min
Macro Musings with David BeckworthShruti Rajagopalan on the Past, Present, and Future of the Indian EconomyShruti Rajagopalan is a Senior Research Fellow at the Mercatus Center where she leads the programs Indian Political Economy Research and the Emergent Ventures India. Shruti joins David on Macro Musings to discuss the past, present and future of the Indian economy. Specifically, Shruti and David discuss India’s mid-20th century experiment with socialism, subsequent reforms from 1980 through the 2000s, and how further reforms to manufacturing and to land and labor markets can accelerate its economic development. Transcript for the episode can be found here. Shruti’s Twitter: @srajagopalan Shru...
2020-10-191h 06Mercatus Policy DownloadRegulations and Inequality: How Government Overreach Hurts the PoorRegulations advance product safety, environmental quality, and sound business practices, but the consequences of poorly designed and implemented rules are more severe than previously thought. Regulatory accumulation has a disproportionately negative impact on the poorest and most vulnerable Americans. From increased poverty and income inequality to reduced entrepreneurialism and upward mobility, the consequences of bad policy are grave. Karen Czarnecki, Vice President of Outreach at the Mercatus Center moderates a discussion between Patrick McLaughlin, Senior Research Fellow and Director of Policy Analytics at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, Dustin Chambers, Senior Affiliated Scholar Professor of E...
2020-10-1343 minMercatus Policy DownloadDr. Bruce Yandle's September 2020 Economic Situation ReportThe US economy is currently operating along a bumpy path defined more by the coronavirus and reactions to it than by the inherent dynamics of the economy itself. Yet while the path is bumpy and GDP growth puny, America still has a large and active economy. Has the US economy reached a turning point? This week, we're very happy to be able to connect our listeners once again with Dr. Bruce Yandle, Distinguished Adjunct Fellow at Mercatus, Dean Emeritus at Clemson University, and author of the now-famous “Bootleggers and Baptists” model for understanding unlikely political alliances to help...
2020-09-2232 minMercatus Policy DownloadHousing, Zoning, and Transit Policies to Help Communities Recover after COVID-19The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a great deal of economic uncertainty at the state and local levels. Whether or not the virus is contained in the near future, local governments must provide flexibility in housing, zoning, and transit policies to help their communities recover. Karen Czarnecki, Vice President of Outreach at the Mercatus Center is joined by Emily Hamilton, Research Fellow and Co-Director of the Urbanity Project at the Mercatus Center, Salim Furth, Senior Research Fellow and Co-Director of the Urbanity Project at the Mercatus Center, and Jenny Schuetz, Research Fellow at the Metropolitan Policy Program at...
2020-08-2543 minMercatus Policy DownloadHow to Achieve Small Business Recovery During COVID-19The COVID-19 pandemic is precipitating an unprecedented economic downturn, and small businesses are likely to bear the brunt. Mandatory shutdowns and social distancing forced many small businesses to shut their doors. Even as governments begin lifting social distancing restrictions, the residual effects of unemployment and disrupted business operations will complicate the economic recovery of small businesses. The US government has taken some steps to lessen the damage to small businesses, but these steps impose large costs on taxpayers, and depending on how long the pandemic lasts, these steps may not be enough to keep many small businesses open.
2020-07-2842 min
Macro Musings with David BeckworthDavid Beckworth on Nominal GDP Targeting in the Wake of the COVID-19 CrisisIn this special Macro Musings episode, David is back in the spotlight, as he is interviewed by Claudia Sahm, director of macroeconomic policy at the Washington Center for Equitable Growth, as a guest on her *Stay-at-Home Macro Podcast*. David and Claudia discuss nominal GDP targeting at length, as they dive into what it is, why it’s important, and how it could be implemented in the wake of COVID-19. They also talk about the communication problems related to introducing NGDP targeting as well as David’s proposal for reforming the Fed’s current policies. Special thank y...
2020-07-2744 minMercatus Policy DownloadBehavioral Economics, Rationality, Paternalism and their Impact on Public PolicyOn today's episode, Shruti Rajagopalan, Research Fellow at the Mercatus Center, chats with Mario Rizzo and Glen Whitman about their latest book, Escaping Paternalism: Rationality, Behavioral Economics, and Public Policy. The three of them discuss the impact that behavioral economics, rationality, and paternalism have on public policy including, nudge paternalism, sin taxes, default rules, true preferences, and how behavioralists may be the new baptists. Check out some of the Mercatus Center's research related to this topic: For Your Own Good: Taxes, Paternalism, and Fiscal Discrimination in the Twenty-First Century by Adam J. Hoffer and Todd Nesbit...
2020-07-0740 minMercatus Policy DownloadDr. Bruce Yandle's June 2020 Economic Situation ReportAfter what may have seemed like an eternity to all who have suffered coronavirus pain and death, with June at hand, America has witnessed 19 brutal weeks since its first coronavirus case was identified on January 22. But while these 19 weeks may seem like an eon, it is still the case that owing to high social media speed, actions taken to contain the virus have occurred in record time. This week, we're very happy to be able to connect our listeners once again with Dr. Bruce Yandle, Distinguished Adjunct Fellow at Mercatus, Dean Emeritus at Clemson University, and author...
2020-06-2339 min
Discourse Magazine PodcastSpeaking to Each Other, Instead of Past: Arnold Kling talks to Martin GurriMartin Gurri doesn’t like to make predictions. But if you were lucky enough to read his groundbreaking 2014 book, The Revolt of the Public, when it was first published, you’d have an excellent guide for understanding much of what subsequently happened in the United States and around the world. Gurri’s thesis—that information technology, particularly social media, has helped to dramatically widen the distance between ordinary people and elites—has proven invaluable in explaining not only the election of Donald Trump, but other recent populist events around the globe. Arnold Kling was one of the first peop...
2020-06-121h 16
Macro Musings with David BeckworthThomas Hoenig on Bank Capitalization and Fed Policy after COVID-19Thomas Hoenig is a former vice chair of the FDIC, former president of the Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank, and is currently a distinguished senior fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. Tom’s research has focused on the long-term impact of the politicization of financial services, as well as the effects of government grant privileges on market performance. Tom joins David on Macro Musings to talk about COVID-19, the Fed's response to its economic impact, and the current state of banking in the United States. Transcript for the episode can be found her...
2020-05-2555 min
Macro Musings with David BeckworthScott Sumner on the Government’s Response to COVID-19 and the Future of Level TargetingScott Sumner is the Ralph G. Hawtrey Chair of Monetary Policy at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, Professor Emeritus of economics at Bentley University, and a research fellow at the Independent Institute. As a returning guest to the podcast, Scott joins Macro Musings to give his latest thoughts on the COVID-19 crisis and its implications for monetary policy. Specifically, David and Scott discuss how the Fed can conduct more aggressive monetary policy, what a level targeting regime should look like in the future, and the current progression toward negative interest rates. Transcript for t...
2020-05-2050 minMercatus Policy DownloadHow to Address Regulations Suspended During the COVID-19 CrisisAttempting to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, policymakers at the federal, state, and local levels are suspending or rescinding laws and regulations that hinder timely, sensible responses to the pandemic. The temporary departure from these rules is causing many to question the need to reinstate them post-crisis. A diverse cross-section of scholars has written on why this is an important time to evaluate whether or not some of these regulations are really beneficial and how policymakers can best make these assessments. This co-sponsored webinar will provide viewers with a grounded, non-partisan approach for doing so. The Mercatus Center published...
2020-05-1945 min
Macro Musings with David BeckworthScott Sumner on How Central Banks Should Respond to the Coronavirus ThreatScott Sumner is the Ralph G. Hawtrey Chair of Monetary Policy at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, and a returning guest to Macro Musings. Scott joins the show today to talk about the recent market turmoil caused by the COVID-19 coronavirus and its implications for monetary policy. David and Scott also discuss how the Fed should respond to a possible pandemic, why monetary policy is preferable to fiscal policy during a crisis, and how to approach the central bank credibility problem. Transcript for the episode can be found here: https://www.mercatus.org/br...
2020-03-0254 min
Plugged In#44: The Mercatus Center's Adam Thierer on the Impacts of the Precautionary Principle (2-20-20)Adam Thierer, a Senior Research Fellow at George Mason's Mercatus Center, joins the show to discuss how the precautionary principle has shaped today's energy landscape and the profound benefits of permissionless innovation.
Links:
• The latest from Adam:
https://www.mercatus.org/scholars/adam-thierer#0
• More about the Mercatus Center:
https://www.mercatus.org/
• More from Adam about permissionless innovation:
https://permissionlessinnovation.org/
• Get the book Permissionless Innovation: https://permissionlessinnovation.org/book/
2020-02-2041 min
Macro Musings with David BeckworthBrent Skorup on Autonomous Vehicles, Flying Cars, and Airspace as a Scarce ResourceBrent Skorup is a senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center where he specializes in transportation technology, telecommunications, aviation, and wireless policy. Brent also serves on the FCC’s broadband deployment advisory committee and the Texas Department of Transportation’s autonomous vehicle task force, and he has recent spoke on the topic of airspace design at the Global Air Traffic Management Conference in Dubai. He joins the show today to talk about the future of transportation, including flying cars and highways in the sky. Brent and David also discuss the concept of auctioning airspace, the macroeconomic implications of technological inno...
2020-02-1055 min
Macro Musings with David BeckworthMacro Musings Producers’ Special – A Recap of 2019 and a Glimpse into the FutureTo accompany the new year, David Beckworth is joined by the producers of Macro Musings, Marc and Carter, to talk about the highlights of the podcast throughout 2019, including their personal favorite episodes and the top episodes according to listener statistics. They also discuss some of the most important macroeconomic issues and events of the past year, including the yield curve inversion and ensuing recession speculation, the secular decline of interest rates, the Fed’s big 2019 review, and more. A massive thank you to all of our listeners who have tuned in over the past few yea...
2020-01-2056 min
Macro Musings with David BeckworthPeter Conti-Brown on *Restoring the Promise of Federal Reserve Governance*Peter Conti-Brown is an assistant professor at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and a nonresident fellow at the Brookings Institution. Peter is also a historian and a legal scholar specializing in the study of the Federal Reserve and is a returning guest to Macro Musings. He joins the show today to talk about his new paper, *Restoring the Promise of Federal Reserve Governance*. Specifically, David and Peter discuss the institutional history of the Federal Reserve Board, the lack of transparency in the Fed appointment process, and why we should consider raising Fed governor salaries in the...
2020-01-0655 minMercatus Policy DownloadTrade Wars, Tariffs, Impeachment Proceedings and their Impact in 2020Welcome back! On today’s episode, Mercatus scholar Matthew Mitchell and Mercatus Distinguished Adjunct Fellow, Bruce Yandle, discuss the recent hot button topics flooding the current news headlines and their influence heading into the 2020 presidential election. What will be the economic impacts of the trade wars and Trump's tariffs? Who's really losing when it comes to paying for these tariffs? What do the Trump impeachment proceedings mean for the economy? Matt and Bruce sit down to discuss these questions and much more. And to end their conversation on a lighter note, Matt and Br...
2019-12-1739 min
Grocery Is Your BusinessMercatus Radio - Interview with Zac Wilson of Raley’s. A retailer’s take on grocery eCommerceWe’re joined this week by Zac Wilson, Manager of eCommerce at Raley’s. Zac shares his experience launching eCommerce, what were the biggest challenges and how grocers can set themselves up for success.Everything from marketplaces to dark stores, we consider what innovations and solutions will best serve grocers and their shoppers. But in light of an ever changing retail landscape, Zac emphasizes, “remember why we're doing the business and who comes first, it's the customer, you have to center everything around your customer, your clientele and the areas in which you operate in.”Tune in now for the full...
2019-11-2725 min
Macro Musings with David BeckworthDavid Beckworth on the Facts, Fears, and Functionality of NGDP Level TargetingIn this special episode of Macro Musings, the roles are reversed, and David Beckworth joins guest host Cardiff Garcia, host of NPR’s “The Indicator from Planet Money”, to talk about his newest paper, *Facts, Fears, and Functionality of NGDP Level Targeting: A Guide to a Popular Framework for Monetary Policy*. David and Cardiff conduct a deep dive into the plumbing of this potential monetary regime, as they discuss some of the most the important questions surrounding it. Some of these questions include: what is nominal GDP level targeting, and how does it differ from the Fed's current inflation target...
2019-10-161h 00
Digital Grocer PodcastMercatus Radio - Grocers are sitting on the Holy Grail of dataMercatus Radio - Grocers are sitting on the Holy Grail of data
2019-10-1023 min
Digital Grocer PodcastGroceryshop 2019: Straight from the Mercatus booth - part 2Groceryshop 2019: Straight from the Mercatus booth - part 2
2019-10-1016 min
Digital Grocer PodcastMercatus Radio - If you're gonna be in business, you got to do the hard stuff.This episode features a wide-ranging conversation with Sylvain and Kevin Coupe, The Content Guy over at MorningNewsBeat.com. Sylvain opens the conversation by asking Kevin why retailers don't always think of themselves as a brand and don't use their own data to the greatest possible degree and using Walmart's evolution as an example. To a great extent, Amazon has woken everybody up to the value of customer data in growing customer affinity through suggestive selling. The conversation turns to a timely topic, which is the risks that come with using gig workers as an extension of the retailer's busi...
2019-10-1053 min
Macro Musings with David BeckworthAlex Tabarrok on the Elements of Economic Growth and the Decline of DynamismAlex Tabarrok is a professor of economics at George Mason University and holds the Bartley J. Madden Chair in Economics at the Mercatus Center. Alex has written widely on long run economic growth and joins the show today to talk about it. David and Alex also discuss how capital relates to economic growth, the impact of regulation on dynamism, and the important distinction between “catch-up” and “cutting edge” growth. Transcript for the episode: https://www.mercatus.org/bridge/podcasts/09092019/alex-tabarrok-elements-economic-growth-and-decline-dynamism Alex’s Twitter: @ATabarrok Alex’s Mercatus profile: https://asp.mercatus.o...
2019-09-0957 min
Macro Musings with David BeckworthThomas Hoenig on the Federal Reserve and the State of Banking in the USThomas Hoenig was vice-chair of the FDIC from 2012-2018 and in the 20 years prior to that he was also president of the Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank. Thomas is currently a distinguished senior fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University where he focuses on the long-term impact of the politicization of financial services, as well as the effects of government granted privileges and market performance. He joins the show today to talk about his career and some of the current issues in banking. David and Thomas also assess the effectiveness of quantitative easing, the advantages and disadvantages...
2019-08-2659 min
Macro Musings with David BeckworthAaron Klein on Real-time Payments and Financial RegulationAaron Klein is the director of the Center on Markets and Regulations at the Brookings Institution where, among other things, he focuses on financial regulations and real time payments. Aaron has written widely on real time payments and he joins the show today to talk about this issue, as they discuss the definition of real-time payments, how they could have a positive impact on limiting income inequality, and why the Fed is now interested in setting up its own real-time payments system. David and Aaron also discuss banking reform after the recession, the shadow banking system, and why a l...
2019-08-1258 min
Macro Musings with David BeckworthTyler Cowen on the Culture of Big Business in the United StatesTyler Cowen is a professor of economics at George Mason University and is the co-author of the popular economics blog, Marginal Revolution. Tyler has published widely in economics and is the author of numerous books including his 2017 book, *The Complacent Class: The Self-Defeating Quest for the American Dream.* As a returning guest to the show, however, he joins today to talk about his newest book, *Big Business: A Love Letter to an American Anti-Hero.* David and Tyler also discuss many aspects of big business, including its common critiques, the fallacy of the monopoly in America, and how income inequality...
2019-07-2258 min
Digital Grocer PodcastMercatus Radio: Interview with Barclays on “Dissecting the Instacart Addiction”On this episode, we’re joined by Karen Short from Barclays Investment Bank to discuss her team’s research findings on the strong affinity shoppers have with Instacart and how that impacts grocery retailers strategic business interests.In one example, when asked whether she felt that Instacart is a strategic fit for retailers or not, Karen comments: “More importantly, it was an instant solution, but longer term, the bigger and bigger Instacart gets, the less control you as a retailer have. And so you lose the control with the customer, you lose the customer data, or at a best c...
2019-07-0822 minMercatus Policy DownloadInterpreting CDA Section 230 and its FutureWe're back to bring you a special episode on CDA Section 230 or, as one of our guests put it “the 26 words that created the Internet." This law paved the way for the explosion of Facebook, YouTube, and numerous other internet companies by protecting them from being held liable for what users say and do on their platforms. This also allowed each platform the freedom to develop its own content moderation standards. But, as these platforms have grown larger and central to public discourse, some are worried that section 230 gives tech companies far too much influence in...
2019-07-0253 min
Macro Musings with David BeckworthSalim Furth on Land Use Regulations, the Rise of NIMBYism, and Options for ReformSalim Furth is a senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center where he studies regional, urban, and macroeconomic trends and policies. Salim joins the show today to talk about some of his work on housing supply in the United States and its implications for policy. David and Salim also discuss the problems that arise from rigid zoning laws, the rise of NIMBYism, and possible ways to conduct regulatory zoning reform. Transcript for the episode: https://www.mercatus.org/bridge/podcasts/06242019/land-use-regulations-rise-nimbyism-and-options-reform Salim’s Twitter: @salimfurth Salim’s Mercatus profile: https...
2019-06-2459 min
Macro Musings with David BeckworthDaniel Griswold on the USMCA, Tariffs, and the US Trade WarDaniel Griswold is a research fellow and co-director of the Trade and Immigration Project at the Mercatus Center. Dan is a nationally recognized expert on trade and immigration policy and is a returning guest to Macro Musings. He joins the show today to help get us up to speed on the latest developments in issues on the ever-expanding US trade war with the rest of the world. David and Dan also discuss the USMCA, the negative aspects and seriousness of the trade war, and US intellectual property disputes with China. Transcript for the episode: https://ww...
2019-06-1058 min
Macro Musings with David BeckworthRobert Graboyes on Monetary History of Small CoinsRobert Graboyes is a senior research fellow and health economist at the Mercatus Center and has formerly worked for the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond and Chase Manhattan Bank. Robert joins the show today to talk about monetary history and specifically the history of small coins. David and Robert also discuss a number of different coins and the history surrounding them, ranging from civil war tokens to early Roman currencies. Transcript for the episode: https://www.mercatus.org/bridge/podcasts/05132019/robert-graboyes-monetary-history-small-coins Robert’s Twitter: @Robert_Graboyes Robert’s Mercatus profile...
2019-05-1357 min
Digital Grocer PodcastMercatus Radio: What does the California Consumer Privacy Act mean for your grocery retail business?Are you wondering what the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) is and how it applies to you? Look no further, as we explore in a two-part episode, everything you need to know about CCPA and more. Sylvain Perrier and Mark Fairhurst are joined by Privacy and Security experts, John Tomaszewski and Ted Murphree from Seyfarth Shaw LLP.
2019-05-0435 minMercatus Policy DownloadDr. Bruce Yandle's March 2019 Economic Situation ReportWelcome to a special bonus episode of the Mercatus Policy Download. This week, we're very happy to be able to connect our listeners with Dr. Bruce Yandle, Distinguished Adjunct Fellow at Mercatus, Dean Emeritus at Clemson University, and author of the now-famous “Bootleggers and Baptists” model for understanding unlikely political alliances. Long-time Mercatus fans will know that Bruce has been providing regular updates on the state of the economy for some time now, and earlier this month he released the March 2019 edition. Last week, he was on Capitol Hill sharing his economic situation report with policymakers, and we thought we’d share...
2019-03-2655 min
Macro Musings with David BeckworthJames Broughel on the Social Discount RateJames Broughel is a senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center and an adjunct professor of law at George Mason University Law School. James specializes in state and federal regulatory procedures, cost-benefit analysis, and economic growth. He joins the show today to talk about a recent symposium he hosted on the social discount rate; what it is, its uses, and the controversy surrounding how to measure it. David and James also discuss cost-benefit analysis in the regulatory world and why the social discount rate matters for policy. Transcript for the episode: https://www.mercatus.org/b...
2019-03-181h 00
Digital Grocer PodcastMercatus Radio: The NGA Show 2019: Key takeaways for independent grocersBrought to you from the NGA Show floor, Sylvain Perrier and Mark Fairhurst discuss what key learnings independent grocers can take from the conference. We were excited to sponsor the Advancing Retail CART event, where the speakers included Sylvain Perrier, John D’Anna from Brookshire Grocery Company and Ron Bonacci from Weis Markets, among others. In discussing how independent grocers can strategically approach technological partnerships, Sylvain Perrier cites John D’Anna. “You have to really spend a good amount of time in understanding that picking a partner is not just picking a partner and connecting a bunch of techno...
2019-03-1031 minMercatus Policy DownloadMaking the Housing Market More Resilient for Homeowners, Neighborhoods, and the EconomyToday we start a special miniseries on the idea of economic resiliency. Over the course of several weeks, we’ll be diving into three distinct policy areas to talk about ways policymakers can help make consumers, specific markets, and the entire economy better able to withstand shocks and crises. To help guide us through the series, we'll be joined by a special co-host, Brian Knight. Brian is a scholar here at Mercatus, directing our work on financial regulation, and is the perfect person to both contribute policy expertise and ask some probing questions of our additional guests as...
2019-03-0535 min
Macro Musings with David Beckworth141 – Christine McDaniel on Trade, China, and Intellectual PropertyChristine McDaniel is a senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center and was previously the deputy assistant secretary at the U.S. Treasury Department and senior trade economist in the White House. Christine is a returning guest to Macro Musings and joins the show today to talk about recent trade developments. David and Christine also discuss the details of the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement, how Brexit affects trade issues in Europe, and the possibility of blowback from Trump’s trade policies. Transcript for episode: https://www.mercatus.org/bridge/podcasts/01212019/china-usmca-uk-and-more Christi...
2019-01-2152 min
Digital Grocer PodcastMercatus Radio: Season Finale - 2019 Grocery Retail Predictions with Brittain LaddIn this, the final episode of Season 1 of the Digital Grocer, Sylvain and Mark come full circle with interview Brittain Ladd who kicked off Mercatus' podcast journey earlier in 2018. The grocery retail industry continues its rapid pace of change. In the last year alone, Albertson's and Walmart have accelerated their robotics play, on the delivery side Kroger confirmed autonomous delivery using Nuro, and Amazon has announced plans to grow Amazon Go to 3,000 stores. The growth in eCommerce shows no sign of slowing. Quite the opposite. Grocery retailers are teaming up with third-party companies to extend their reach from the retail...
2019-01-1441 minMercatus Policy DownloadThe Future of Local, State, and Federal Regulations in 2019Even in the middle of a partial federal government shutdown, federal, state, and local agencies continue to play a huge role in the policy world and our everyday lives. Regulations help determine everything from the kind of toothpaste you used this morning to the music you listened to on the radio during your commute to rent prices in your neighborhood, and after an exciting year of regulatory policy in 2018, we're eager to hear more about how the regulatory landscape may change in the year ahead. Here to help walk us through that and to make some predictions...
2019-01-0829 min
Macro Musings with David Beckworth137 – Matt Mitchell on Rent-Seeking and Public ChoiceMatt Mitchell is the director and senior research fellow at the Equity Initiative at the Mercatus Center. He joins the show today to talk about rent seeking and how it affects long term economic growth and prosperity. David and Matt also discuss regulatory capture, the rise of patent trolls, and the economics of public choice theory. Transcript for the episode: https://www.mercatus.org/bridge/podcasts/12172018/macroeconomics-rent-seeking Matt’s Twitter: @MattMitchell80 Matt’s Mercatus profile: https://www.mercatus.org/matthew-mitchell Related Links: *Why Na...
2018-12-1756 minMercatus Policy DownloadHere's to Globalization and Free Trade!***Stick around until the end of the show to hear our latest What's on Tap segment and what beer we're drinking today! Check out the Twenty Three Anniversary beer by Avery Brewing Co. in Boulder, Colorado here.*** The last time we talked about trade was back in April, right about the time China had started to threaten new taxes on imported American products. That, of course, was a response to our own new taxes imposed on imported steel and aluminum. A lot has happened since April, including a planned replacement for the North American Free...
2018-11-2732 minMercatus Policy DownloadHow Regdata Is Powering Regulatory Reform, One State (And Country) at a TimeToday we have a special, behind the scenes episode for you. Earlier in September, the Atlas Network announced the finalists for the 2018 Templeton Freedom Award, and the Mercatus Center was fortunate enough to be on that list. Specifically, Atlas identified the RegData project and the way states have used the project to reform regulations. Since there’s a lot to unpack in that one sentence, Chad's joined by some Mercatus colleagues who have been instrumental in the project from day one to help explain what, exactly, RegData is, why it’s important, and how state gove...
2018-10-3022 min
Macro Musings with David Beckworth130 – Don Boudreaux on Free Trade, Protectionism, and the China ShockDon Boudreaux is a professor of economics at George Mason University as well as the co-director of the Program on the American Economy and Globalization at the Mercatus Center. He joins the show today to talk about the future of trade and globalization. David and Don also discuss the history of protectionism in the US, President Trump’s trade policies, and why the China Shock thesis may signal bad economics. Don’s blog: https://cafehayek.com/ Don’s Mercatus Profile: https://www.mercatus.org/donald-j-boudreaux Related Links: *Clashing over Commerce: A History of U.S. Trade Policy* by Doug Irwin https...
2018-10-2957 minMercatus Policy DownloadHow Healthy Are Your State's Finances?After more than a year of debating federal tax cuts, a return to trillion dollar deficits, and the fiscal condition of the federal government, you might think there’s not much more to say about fiscal solvency in the US. Of course, for those who follow state policy issues, there is still plenty to discuss spread out among 50 state government budgets. In fact, the Mercatus Center just released its fifth and final study of the fiscal condition of all 50 states. The study ranks each state according to fiscal health and discusses trends from a decade’s worth of d...
2018-10-1624 minMercatus Policy DownloadHere's to Occupational Licensing Reform!Over the past two years, Illinois has taken multiple steps to reform how it regulates occupational and professional licenses. Illinois’ reform efforts are part of a broader national movement reexamining the ways in which we license certain professions. In other words, how state governments decide who’s allowed to work in what jobs. Here to do that, we have the perfect panel for today’s topic: Secretary Bryan Schneider from the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation From the same Department, we’re also joined by the Director of the Professional Regulation Division, Jessica...
2018-09-1837 min
Macro Musings with David Beckworth124 – Brad Setser on Global Economic Imbalances and the Fed’s Role as a Monetary SuperpowerBrad Setser is a senior fellow for international economics at the Council on Foreign Relations where he works on macroeconomics, global capital flows, and financial crises. Brad also served as a deputy assistant secretary at the U.S. Treasury Department from 2011 to 2015 where he worked on Europe’s financial crisis, currency policy, financial sanctions, commodity shocks, and Puerto Rico’s debt crisis. Brad joins the show today to talk about global economic imbalances and why we should care about them. David and Brad also discuss emerging market tensions in Turkey, the implications of running current account deficits, and the economic dang...
2018-09-171h 05Mercatus Policy DownloadEmergent Ventures Launches at MercatusToday we have a special bonus episode for you, giving you a look inside the Mercatus Center’s newest project. Those of you who have followed our work over the past year or so may have noticed an increased attention to the idea of policy moonshots: high-risk, high-reward efforts aimed at dramatically improving the world. Today, we’re taking our own advice. This fall, the Mercatus Center will launch “Emergent Ventures,” an incubator designed to fund and support dynamic and promising ideas with the potential to improve society. To talk more about Emergent Ventures, we have a s...
2018-07-1810 min
Conversations with TylerVitalik Buterin on Cryptoeconomics and Markets in EverythingAt the intersection of programming, economics, cryptography, distributed systems, information theory, and math, you will find Vitalik Buterin, who has managed to synthesize insights across those fields into successful, real-world applications like Ethereum, which aims to decentralize the Internet. Tyler sat down with Vitalik to discuss the many things he's thinking about and working on, including the nascent field of cryptoeconomics, the best analogy for understanding the blockchain, his desire for more social science fiction, why belief in progress is our most useful delusion, best places to visit in time and space, how he picks up languages...
2018-07-1852 minMercatus Policy DownloadWhy Expanding Skilled Immigration Is Good for the United StatesEveryone seems to agree that America is a nation of immigrants. Beyond that, however, actual immigration policy remains a contentious and often partisan topic. From insistence on a border wall between the United States and Mexico to growing calls for the abolition of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, common ground hasn’t been easy to find lately. That may be because, as the Mercatus Center’s general director Tyler Cowen recently put it, “Immigration is hard,” and “it’s worth thinking about why immigration policy poses such tough dilemmas and how to fix them.” Here to do jus...
2018-07-1028 min
Macro Musings with David Beckworth113 – Dan Griswold on the Benefits and Myths of ImmigrationDan Griswold is a research fellow and co-director for the Program on the American Economy and Globalization at the Mercatus Center. He is a nationally recognized expert on trade and immigration and is a previous guest on Macro Musings. He joins the show today to discuss his recent policy brief, *The Benefits of Immigration: Addressing the Key Myths* in addition to some of his other work on the issue. Some of the topics Dan and David explore include immigration’s positive effects on economic growth, the importance of immigrants in maintaining demographic stability, and other false narratives surrounding their perceived fi...
2018-07-0258 min
Macro Musings with David Beckworth109 - Christine McDaniel on International Trade and Intellectual PropertyChristine McDaniel is a senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center with the Program on the American Economy and Globalization. Christine previously held several positions within the U.S. government including deputy assistant secretary at the Treasury Department and senior trade economist in the White House Council of Economic Advisors. She joins the show today to talk about the issues of intellectual property and trade. David and Christine also discuss the importance of reviving the Trans-Pacific Partnership, problems with patent systems across the globe, and the history and current scale of intellectual property theft. Christine’s Twitter: @christinemcdan Christine’s Merc...
2018-06-0452 minMercatus Policy DownloadHere's to Win-Win Regulatory Reform!The word “regulation” can be a pretty loaded one in the world of public policy. To some, it means health and safety protections necessary for a well-functioning economy and society. To others, it means unnecessary bureaucratic restrictions that kill jobs and favor large, established businesses. What just about everyone can agree on, however, is that there’s room for improvement in the existing regulatory system. Today, we’re talking about the idea of “win-win” regulatory reform. Or, put differently, how policymakers can approach improving the regulatory system to make sure it works better for everyone. To do that...
2018-05-0137 minMercatus Policy DownloadHere's to Dynamic American Cities!Just about everyone who lives in a metropolitan coastal area understands the value of affordable housing. It's a given that if you want the benefits that come with living near lots of people and businesses, you're going to have to pay more for your mortgage or rent.That might be most obviously true of California, where growing demand and stagnant supply have produced 10 of the 11 most expensive metropolitan areas in the country. The state is aware of the problem and at least one potential response, California Senate Bill 827, would address it by limiting the ability of local...
2018-04-1742 min
Macro Musings with David Beckworth99 – Edward Nelson on Money, its Role within Monetary Policy, and the Monetarist LegacyEd Nelson is a senior advisor at the Federal Reserve Board of Governors and formerly worked at the St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank and the Bank of England. Today, he joins the show to discuss his research on the role of money in business cycles. David and Ed also discuss nominal income targeting, Milton’s Friedman’s influence on monetary economics, and Australia’s successful monetary policy performance. [To sign-up for Mercatus’ NGDP prediction market, go to get.mercatus.org/ngdppredictions/. Just answer a few simple questions, and you’ll receive an email invitation to start forecasting!] David’s blog: macromarketm...
2018-03-261h 07
Macro Musings with David Beckworth[Rebroadcast] Daniel Griswold on the Basics of TradeDaniel Griswold is a Mercatus Center Senior Research Fellow and Co-Director of the Program on the American Economy and Globalization at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. He joins the show to discuss the theory of trade, dating back to Adam Smith, and his work on current US trade policy. Daniel and David discuss some of the misconceptions surrounding trade and why Americans should embrace free trade instead of protectionism. This episode was originally aired on May 1, 2017. [To sign-up for Mercatus’ NGDP prediction market, go to get.mercatus.org/ngdppredictions/. Just answer a few simple questions, and you’ll rece...
2018-03-191h 00
Macro Musings with David Beckworth73 - JW Verret on Rules-Based Monetary Policy and the CHOICE ActJW Verret is an associate law professor at the Antonin Scalia School of Law at George Mason University and a senior affiliated scholar at the Mercatus Center. Previously, he served as the chief economist on the House Financial Services Committee. Today, he joins the show to discuss his experience working on Capitol Hill and his thoughts on the CHOICE Act, the current legislation designed to replace the Dodd-Frank Act. David’s blog: http://macromarketmusings.blogspot.com/ Macro Musings podcast site: macromusings.com David’s Twitter: @DavidBeckworth JW Verret’s Mercatus profile: https://www.mercatus.org/j-w-verret JW Verret’s GMU profile...
2017-09-0457 min
Macro Musings with David Beckworth72 – Adam Millsap on Regional Business Cycles, State Fiscal Health, and Labor MobilityAdam Millsap is an assistant director at the L. Charles Hilton Center at Florida State University and a senior affiliated scholar at the Mercatus Center. Today, he joins the show to discuss how different regional economies can lead to business cycles at the regional and state levels, rather than the federal level. This creates difficulty for monetary policy at the federal level as looser monetary policy may be appropriate for states like West Virginia, but may not be appropriate for states like California. He and David also discuss the decline of inter-state labor mobility and how bad regulation deters people...
2017-08-2857 min
Macro Musings with David Beckworth68 - Scott Sumner on Fed Performance since the Great RecessionIn this week’s episode in front of a live audience, Scott Sumner, the director of the Program on Monetary Policy at the Mercatus Center and blogger at *The Money Illusion,* returns to the show to share his thoughts on the Federal Reserve’s performance from the Great Recession to the present. Scott explains how forecast targeting and price level targeting could have mitigated the economic decline in 2008 and 2009. He also shares his thoughts on how the cognitive biases of central bankers can cause them to make mistakes in evaluating the stance of monetary policy and offers some solutions to addr...
2017-07-3152 min
Macro Musings with David Beckworth65 - Stephen Miller on Financial Crises, Capital Requirements, and the US Banking SystemStephen Matteo Miller is a Senior Research Fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. He joins the show to discuss his work on the history of financial crises as well as the evolution of the U.S. banking system since the late 1800s. Steph stresses the importance of capital requirements (how much capital or equity a bank holds relative to its liabilities) in combating financial crises. Furthermore, he argues that higher and simpler capital requirements, rather than more regulation, are the keys to a more market-disciplined banking system. David’s blog: http://macromarketmusings.blogspot.com/ Stephen Miller’s Merc...
2017-07-1059 min
Macro Musings with David Beckworth61 - Steve Horwitz on Monetary Disequilibrium and Austrian Business Cycle TheorySteven Horwitz is a professor of economics at Ball State University and a senior affiliated scholar at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. He joins the show to discuss monetary disequilibrium (the condition when the supply and demand for money are not aligned, which leads to either inflation or deflation). David and Steve also examine Austrian Business Cycle Theory – a theory of how “malinvestment” caused by bad policy leads to an unsustainable boom and inevitable bust. Steve also explains how monetary disequilibrium led to the Great Recession and offers some solutions for minimizing business cycles in the future. David’s blog...
2017-06-1259 min
Macro Musings with David Beckworth55 – Daniel Griswold on the Basics of TradeDaniel Griswold is a Mercatus Center Senior Research Fellow and Co-Director of the Program on the American Economy and Globalization at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. He joins the show to discuss the theory of trade, dating back to Adam Smith, and his work on current US trade policy. Daniel and David discuss some of the misconceptions surrounding trade and why Americans should embrace free trade instead of protectionism. David’s blog: http://macromarketmusings.blogspot.com/ Daniel Griswold’s blog: https://madabouttrade.com/ David’s Twitter: @DavidBeckworth Daniel Griswold’s Twitter: @DanielGriswold Related links: “Plumbing America’s Balance of Trade” by...
2017-05-0159 min
Macro Musings with David Beckworth45 – Hester Peirce on *Reframing Financial Regulation*Hester Peirce is a Senior Research Fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University and director of Mercatus’ Financial Markets Working Group. She joins the show to discuss the new Mercatus book, *Reframing Financial Regulation: Enhancing Stability and Protecting Consumers*, which she coedited. The book examines the problems with the United States’ current financial regulation regime (including the Dodd-Frank Act) and offers alternative policies that rely less on a centralized regulation and more on market discipline. David’s blog: http://macromarketmusings.blogspot.com/ Hester’s Mercatus profile: https://www.mercatus.org/hester-peirce David’s Twitter: @davidbeckworth Hester’s Twitter: @HesterPeirce...
2017-02-2055 min
Tax Foundation's Tax Policy PodcastMatthew Mitchell of the Mercatus Center on State Tax and Expenditure Limits<p> This week Manager of Communications Richard Morrison talks with Mercatus Center research fellow <a href="http://mercatus.org/matthew-mitchell">Matthew Mitchell</a> about his recent look into the effects of state tax and expenditure limits. His study, <em><a href="http://mercatus.org/publication/tel-it-it">TEL It Like It Is: Do State Tax and Expenditure Limits Actually Limit Spending?</a></em> examines the various policies states have adopted to curb their budgets and how they've...
2011-03-2457 minTax Foundation's Tax Policy PodcastDr. Randall Holcombe of the Mercatus Center: VAT Too Costly for U.S.<p> There has been much discussion among policymakers and the media about the possibility of a value added tax, or VAT, in the United States -- either to help reduce the growing federal budget deficit or to offset other tax cuts. This week's podcast guest is Randall Holcombe, Ph.D., who has authored "<a href="http://mercatus.org/publication/value-added-tax">The Value Added Tax: Too Costly for the United States</a>," for the <a href="http://mercatus.org/">Mercatus Center</a> at George...
2010-07-1457 min