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Mercatus Center at George Mason University
Hosted by David Beckworth of the Mercatus Center, Macro Musings pulls back the curtain on the important macroeconomic issues of the past, present, and future.
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119 - Tim Lee on Technological Innovation, Productivity, and Economic Growth

119 - Tim Lee on Technological Innovation, Productivity, and Economic Growth

Tim Lee is a senior reporter for Ars Technica covering tech policy, blockchain technologies, and the future of transportation. Tim was formerly with Vox, where he covered tech issues and the economy. He joins the show today to discuss technological innovation, economic growth, and implications for policy. David and Tim also discuss the radical changes coming to transportation, the uncertain future of productivity growth, and how society should respond to the structural changes that may accompany further technological advancement. Tim’s Twitter: @binarybits Tim’s Ars Technica profile: https://arstechnica.com/author/timlee/ Related Links: *9 Radical Changes that are Coming to Transportation* by Tim Lee https://www.vox.com/new-money/2017/4/26/15363592/tesla-uber-google-waymo-spacex-innovation *Self-driving Technology is Going to Change A Lot More Than Cars* by Tim Lee https://arstechnica.com/cars/2018/05/self-driving-technology-is-going-to-change-a-lot-more-than-cars/ *Electric, Self-flying, Vertical Takeoff Taxis are Coming to New Zealand* by Tim Lee https://arstechnica.com/cars/2018/03/flying-taxis-backed-by-larry-page-could-come-to-new-zealand-in-3-years/ *The Productivity Paradox: Why We’re Getting More Innovation but Less Growth* by Tim Lee https://www.vox.com/new-money/2016/10/24/13327014/productivity-paradox-innovation-growth *The End of the Internet Startup* by Tim Lee https://www.vox.com/new-money/2017/7/11/15929014/end-of-the-internet-startup *The Complacent Class: The Self-Defeating Quest for the American Dream* by Tyler Cowen https://read.macmillan.com/lp/the-complacent-class/ David’s blog: macromarketmusings.blogspot.com David’s Twitter: @DavidBeckworth
01:00:0513/08/2018
118 - Kevin Erdmann on Housing Shortages and a New Understanding of the Great Recession

118 - Kevin Erdmann on Housing Shortages and a New Understanding of the Great Recession

Kevin Erdmann is an independent researcher and blogger at Idiosyncratic Whisk, where he explores economic and financial topics such as housing, investment, and speculation. He is also the author of an upcoming book titled, *Locked Out: How the Shortage of Urban Housing is Wrecking our Economy*, and he joins the show today to discuss it. Contrary to popular belief, Kevin argues we built too few houses not too many, during the housing bubble. David and Kevin break down this housing shortage problem, as they explore how the limited supply of housing in closed access cities may have helped fuel the Great Recession. Kevin’s Twitter: @KAErdmann Kevin’s blog: http://idiosyncraticwhisk.blogspot.com/ Related Links: *A Slide Deck on the Bubble and Crisis* by Kevin Erdmann http://idiosyncraticwhisk.blogspot.com/p/a-slide-deck-on-bubble-and-crisis.html *Housing: Part 238 – Home Price Changes Over Time* by Kevin Erdmann http://idiosyncraticwhisk.blogspot.com/2017/06/housing-part-238-home-price-changes.html *Housing Constraints and Spatial Misallocation* by Enrico Moretti & Chang-Tai Hsieh https://www.aeaweb.org/articles?id=10.1257/mac.20170388&&from=f David’s blog: macromarketmusings.blogspot.com David’s Twitter: @DavidBeckworth
01:06:5706/08/2018
117 - Morgan Ricks on the Features and Advantages of Federal Reserve Bank Accounts

117 - Morgan Ricks on the Features and Advantages of Federal Reserve Bank Accounts

Morgan Ricks is a law professor at Vanderbilt University and studies financial regulation. Between 2009 and 2010, he was a senior policy advisor and financial restructuring expert at the U.S. Department of Treasury, where he focused primarily on financial stability initiatives and capital market policy in response to the Financial Crisis. Morgan is a returning guest to Macro Musings, and he joins the show today to discuss his most recent paper, *Central Banking for All: A Public Option for Bank Accounts*. David and Morgan also discuss the features and changes that come with Fed bank accounts, how these accounts would positively affect low income families, and how this system could be created. Morgan’s Twitter: @MorganRicks1 Morgan’s Vanderbilt profile: https://law.vanderbilt.edu/bio/morgan-ricks Related Links: *Central Banking for All: A Public Option for Bank Accounts* by Morgan Ricks, John Crawford, and Lev Menand https://greatdemocracyinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/FedAccountsGDI.pdf David’s blog: macromarketmusings.blogspot.com David’s Twitter: @DavidBeckworth
55:5630/07/2018
116 - Ashoka Mody on the Origins of the Euro and the Euro Crisis

116 - Ashoka Mody on the Origins of the Euro and the Euro Crisis

Ashoka Mody is a professor of international economic policy at Princeton University and formerly worked at the IMF and the World Bank. He joins the show today to discuss his new book, *EuroTragedy: A Drama in Nine Acts*. David and Ashoka also delve deep into the history of the Euro, as they discuss its complicated political origins and why its creation may have been a mistake. Ashoka’s Twitter: @AshokaMody Ashoka’s Princeton profile: https://scholar.princeton.edu/amody/home Related Links: *EuroTragedy: A Drama in Nine Acts* by Ashoka Mody https://global.oup.com/academic/product/eurotragedy-9780199351381?cc=us&lang=en& *EMU and International Conflict* by Martin Feldstein https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/europe/1997-11-01/emu-and-international-conflict David’s blog: macromarketmusings.blogspot.com David’s Twitter: @DavidBeckworth
01:01:4119/07/2018
115 - Monica de Bolle on the Economic Challenges Facing Argentina and Venezuela

115 - Monica de Bolle on the Economic Challenges Facing Argentina and Venezuela

Monica de Bolle is a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics and an associate professor at Johns Hopkins University. Monica is published widely on the subject of Latin American economies, and she joins the show today to explain some of the recent financial and economic developments in Argentina and Venezuela. David and Monica also analyze the political atmosphere and policy environment that led to Argentina’s current economic hardships and discuss where the country might be if they had not pursued such policies. Monica’s Twitter: @bollemdb Monica’s PIIE profile: https://piie.com/experts/senior-research-staff/monica-de-bolle Related Links: *Argentina: Back to the Brink* by Monica de Bolle https://piie.com/blogs/realtime-economic-issues-watch/argentina-back-brink David’s blog: macromarketmusings.blogspot.com David’s Twitter: @DavidBeckworth
57:0716/07/2018
114 - Mark Copelovitch on the Political Economy of the Global Recession and the Eurozone Crisis

114 - Mark Copelovitch on the Political Economy of the Global Recession and the Eurozone Crisis

Mark Copelovitch is an associate professor of political science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and studies the politics of international trade, money, and finance. He joins the show today to discuss the politics of the global recession and the Eurozone Crisis. David and Mark dive deep into these topics, as they examine how policymakers failed during the Great Recession, and how effects of the Eurozone crisis varied across Europe. They also discuss whether the recent Italian elections can be viewed as a consequence of Eurozone failures. Mark’s Twitter: @mcopelov Mark’s University of Wisconsin-Madison profile: https://polisci.wisc.edu/people/faculty/mark-copelovitch Related Links: *This Time Should Have Been Different: The Causes and Consequences of Macroeconomic Policy Failure in the Great Recession* by Mark Copelovitch https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3059991 *The Monetary Policy Origins of the Eurozone Crisis* by David Beckworth https://www.mercatus.org/system/files/Beckworth-Eurozone-Crisis-v1.pdf *A Plan to Save the Euro* by Jeffry Frieden https://voxeu.org/article/plan-save-euro *Going to Extremes: Politics After Financial Crises, 1870–2014* by Manuel Funke, Moritz Schularick & Christoph Trebesch https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0014292116300587 David’s blog: macromarketmusings.blogspot.com David’s Twitter: @DavidBeckworth
01:05:1509/07/2018
113 – Dan Griswold on the Benefits and Myths of Immigration

113 – Dan Griswold on the Benefits and Myths of Immigration

Dan 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 fiscal impact. Dan’s Twitter: @DanielGriswold Dan’s Mercatus profile: https://www.mercatus.org/daniel-griswold Related Links: *The Benefits of Immigration: Addressing the Key Myths* by Dan Griswold https://www.mercatus.org/publications/benefits-of-immigration-key-myths *The Economic and Fiscal Consequences of Immigration* by the National Academies of Sciences https://www.nap.edu/catalog/23550/the-economic-and-fiscal-consequences-of-immigration *The Integration of Immigrants into American Society* by the National Academies of Sciences https://www.nap.edu/catalog/21746/the-integration-of-immigrants-into-american-society *Reforming the U.S. Immigration System to Promote Growth* by Dan Griswold https://www.mercatus.org/publications/reforming-us-immigration-system-economic-growth *Immigrants and Conservatives are Cut from the Same Cloth* by Dan Griswold https://townhall.com/columnists/danielgriswold/2018/04/25/immigrants-and-conservatives-are-cut-from-the-same-cloth-n2474499 *What the June Rate Hikes Mean for the Future of the Fed* by David Beckworth https://www.mercatus.org/bridge/podcasts/06262018/what-june-rate-hikes-mean-future-fed?utm_source=soundcloud&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=macromusings David’s blog: macromarketmusings.blogspot.com David’s Twitter: @DavidBeckworth
58:5402/07/2018
112 – Larry Ball on the Lehman Brothers Collapse and Its Role in the Great Recession

112 – Larry Ball on the Lehman Brothers Collapse and Its Role in the Great Recession

Larry Ball is a professor and department chair of economics at Johns Hopkins University. He is published widely in the field of macroeconomics and joins the show today to discuss his new book, *The Fed and Lehman Brothers: Setting the Record Straight on a Financial Disaster* and its implications for potential future crises. David and Larry also dive deep into the events leading up to the Lehman collapse, the effects it had on the broader economy, and the lessons that can be learned from the fallout ten years later. Larry’s Johns Hopkins profile: http://econ.jhu.edu/directory/laurence-m-ball/ Larry’s NBER archive: http://www.nber.org/people/laurence_ball Related Links: *The Fed and Lehman Brothers: Setting the Record Straight on a Financial Disaster* by Laurence Ball https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/fed-and-lehman-brothers/14BE6C2AD579DC4782EC27F2A6AF2FA6 David’s blog: macromarketmusings.blogspot.com David’s Twitter: @DavidBeckworth
58:3825/06/2018
111 - Nick Timiraos on the History and Economics of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac

111 - Nick Timiraos on the History and Economics of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac

Nick Timiraos is a national economics correspondent for the Wall Street Journal and covers topics relating to the Federal Reserve. He also covered the housing bust and the government’s response to the mortgage crisis during the Great Recession as well as the government-sponsored enterprises, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Nick joins the show today to discuss the long and controversial history surrounding the two GSEs on the 10 year anniversary of their conservatorship. David and Nick also discuss the evolution of the U.S. housing market as well as the advent and characteristics of securitization. Nick’s Twitter: @NickTimiraos Nick’s Wall Street Journal profile: https://www.wsj.com/news/author/5585 Related Links: *The U.S. Mortgage Market: Chart Edition* by David Beckworth (includes the market share chart referenced at 25:20 during the episode.) http://macromarketmusings.blogspot.com/2018/05/the-us-mortgage-market-chart-edition.html David’s blog: macromarketmusings.blogspot.com David’s Twitter: @DavidBeckworth
01:04:4718/06/2018
110 - Brian Blackstone on the ECB and the Swiss Referendum on Sovereign Money

110 - Brian Blackstone on the ECB and the Swiss Referendum on Sovereign Money

Brian Blackstone is a Switzerland bureau chief for the Wall Street Journal and previously covered the European Central Bank from the Wall Street Journal’s Frankfurt office as well as the Federal Reserve during the financial crisis. He joins the show today to talk about the Swiss referendum on sovereign money in addition to his insights on the European Central Bank. David and Brian also discuss the effects of an enlarged balance sheet at the Swiss National Bank, whether they should be the only national entity in control of money creation, and how the Swiss economy has fared since the Great Recession. Brian’s Twitter: @Blackstonebrian Brian’s WSJ profile: https://www.wsj.com/news/author/7515 Related Links: *How Switzerland Lost a Currency Battle, but Won the War* by Brian Blackstone and Pat Minczeski https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-switzerland-lost-a-currency-battle-but-won-the-war-1524216601 *Why Italy is Flirting with Euro Exit and Spain Isn’t* by Greg Ip https://www.wsj.com/articles/why-italy-is-flirting-with-euro-exit-and-spain-isnt-1528040526 David’s blog: macromarketmusings.blogspot.com David’s Twitter: @DavidBeckworth
55:3211/06/2018
109 - Christine McDaniel on International Trade and Intellectual Property

109 - Christine McDaniel on International Trade and Intellectual Property

Christine 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 Mercatus profile: https://www.mercatus.org/christine-mcdaniel David’s blog: macromarketmusings.blogspot.com David’s Twitter: @DavidBeckworth
52:2604/06/2018
108 - Sam Hammond on Welfare Reform and Social Insurance

108 - Sam Hammond on Welfare Reform and Social Insurance

Sam Hammond is a poverty and welfare policy analyst for the Niskanen Center and has recently published a new paper titled, *The Free-Market Welfare State: Preserving Dynamism in a Volatile World*. He joins the show today to discuss the paper along with some of his other research. Sam and David also discuss the repercussions of the China shock, how to reform America’s welfare system, and the design characteristics that would define an ideal social insurance state. Sam’s Twitter: @hamandcheese Sam’s Medium profile: https://medium.com/@hamandcheese Related Links: *The Free-Market Welfare State: Preserving Dynamism in a Volatile World* by Sam Hammond https://niskanencenter.org/blog/the-free-market-welfare-state-preserving-dynamism-in-a-volatile-world/ *From Tiananmen to Outsourcing: the Effect of rising Import Competition on Congressional Voting Towards China* by John Seungmin Kuk, Deborah Seligsohn, & Jiakun Jack Zhang https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10670564.2017.1363024?journalCode=cjcc20 *Populism and the Economics of Globalization* by Dani Rodrik https://drodrik.scholar.harvard.edu/files/dani-rodrik/files/populism_and_the_economics_of_globalization.pdf *Food Stamp Entrepreneurs* by Gareth Olds https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Publication%20Files/16-143_2cf7ba14-5bfa-4c34-85d9-0edc0ddc7ce6.pdf *If You Want to Rebuild Civil Society, Don’t Abolish Welfare – Decentralize it* by Sam Hammond https://niskanencenter.org/blog/rebuild-american-community/ *Diversity and Crowd-Out: A Theory of Cold-glow Giving* by Daniel M. Hungerman http://www.nber.org/papers/w13348.pdf *It Takes a Nation* by Rebecca Blank https://www.amazon.com/Takes-Nation-Rebecca-M-Blank/dp/0691004013 *Filthy Lucre: Economics for People Who Hate Capitalism* by Joseph Heath https://www.amazon.com/Filthy-Lucre-Economics-People-Capitalism-ebook/dp/B0058DTHNU David’s blog: macromarketmusings.blogspot.com David’s Twitter: @DavidBeckworth
57:1228/05/2018
107 - Michael Darda on Inflation, Market Monetarism, and Fed Policy

107 - Michael Darda on Inflation, Market Monetarism, and Fed Policy

Michael Darda is a chief economist and market strategist at MKM Partners. Michael is also a frequent guest on financial television and radio and is routinely quoted in “The Wall Street Journal”, “The New York Times”, “Barron’s”, and other financial publications. He joins the show today to talk about his work conducting macroeconomic market research as well as his views on the market itself. David and Michael also discuss his shift from supply-side economics to market monetarism, the Fed’s performance during and after the Great Recession, and the potential effects of a flattening Treasury yield curve. David’s blog: macromarketmusings.blogspot.com David’s Twitter: @DavidBeckworth Michael’s MKM Partners profile: http://www.mkmpartners.com/research/ Michael’s Bloomberg profile: https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=48822180&privcapId=40334090
01:01:3421/05/2018
106 – Razeen Sally on Protectionism, International Trade, and China

106 – Razeen Sally on Protectionism, International Trade, and China

Razeen Sally is an associate professor at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore and formerly taught at the London School of Economics. He is also the Chairman of the Institute of Policy Studies, the main economic policy think tank in Sri Lanka and a senior advisor to Sri Lanka’s Minister of Finance. Today, he joins the show to discuss the state of international economic affairs and how it specifically relates to Asia. Razeen explains why he believes the U.S. should stay engaged within Asia and also shares his thoughts on China’s demographic problem as well as the effects of the Trump administration’s increased protectionism. David’s blog: macromarketmusings.blogspot.com David’s Twitter: @DavidBeckworth Razeen’s Lee Kuan Yew profile: http://lkyspp.nus.edu.sg/our-people/our-faculty/faculty-profile/razeen-sally Razeen’s Twitter: @razeensally Related Links: *Why Global Order Still Needs America in Asia* by Razeen Sally http://ecipe.org/app/uploads/2017/07/Razeen-Sally-Quadrant-July-2017.pdf
59:0314/05/2018
105 – David Andolfatto on Inflation and the Phillips Curve

105 – David Andolfatto on Inflation and the Phillips Curve

David is the Vice President of the St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank, and has published widely in the field of monetary economics. He also writes for his blog, MacroMania, where he covers a multitude of economic topics. David joins the show today to discuss the economics behind the Phillips Curve, and to help provide a greater understanding of the debate surrounding it. They also discuss the mystery of low inflation in the United States, the excess money demand problem, and the important role debt plays within international monetary policy. David Beckworth’s blog: macromarketmusings.blogspot.com David Beckworth’s Twitter: @DavidBeckworth David Andolfatto’s Twitter: @dandolfa David Andolfatto’s blog: andolfatto.blogspot.com
59:0607/05/2018
104 - Jim Hamilton on Econometrics, Energy Markets, and Low Interest Rates

104 - Jim Hamilton on Econometrics, Energy Markets, and Low Interest Rates

Jim Hamilton is a professor of economics at the University of California-San Diego and the author of *Time Series Analysis,* a popular graduate-level econometrics textbook. Today, Jim joins the show to discuss his work in econometrics as well as his research on the role oil plays in the U.S. economy. He also shares his thoughts on how oil will continue to shape the economy in light of the rise of clean energy. David and Jim also discuss recent U.S. monetary policy and why interest rates have been so very low. David’s blog: macromarketmusings.blogspot.com David’s Twitter: @DavidBeckworth Jim Hamilton’s UC San Diego profile: http://econweb.ucsd.edu/~jhamilton/ Jim Hamilton’s Twitter: @JHamilton _UCSD Jim Hamilton's blog: http://econbrowser.com/ *Time Series Analysis* by James Hamilton https://www.amazon.com/Time-Analysis-James-Douglas-Hamilton/dp/0691042896
01:03:5330/04/2018
103 - Daniela Gabor on Safe Assets and Shadow Banking

103 - Daniela Gabor on Safe Assets and Shadow Banking

Daniela Gabor is a professor of economics and finance at the University of West England at Bristol and a monetary economist. She specializes in shadow banking, capital markets, and transnational banking. Today, she joins the show to discuss her new paper, *Chasing Unicorns: The European Single Safe Asset Project*. David and Daniela also discuss merits of equity-based banking, elements of the shadow banking system, and Europe’s quest for a safe asset. David’s blog: macromarketmusings.blogspot.com David’s Twitter: @DavidBeckworth Daniela’s Twitter: @DanielaGabor Daniela’s UWE Bristol profile: https://people.uwe.ac.uk/Person/DanielaGabor Related Links: *Chasing Unicorns: The European Single Safe Asset Project* by Daniela Gabor http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1024529418759638 *Inside Safe Assets* by Anna Gelpern and Erik Gerding https://scholarship.law.georgetown.edu/facpub/1831/ *The Growth of Financial Banking* by Anna Youngman https://www.jstor.org/stable/1817326?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents *The Repo and Reverse Markets* by Marcia Stigum https://books.google.com/books/about/The_Repo_and_Reverse_Markets.html?id=wJ6OZlHFYDoC *The New York Money Market: Origins and Development* and *The New York Money Market: Uses of Funds* by Margaret Myers et al. https://books.google.com/books/about/The_New_York_Money_Market_Origins_and_de.html?id=InFaAAAAYAAJ https://books.google.co.uk/books/about/The_New_York_Money_Market_Uses_of_funds.html?id=cXVaAAAAYAAJ&redir_esc=y
01:02:0423/04/2018
102 – Morgan Ricks on *Money as Infrastructure* and Bank Regulations

102 – Morgan Ricks on *Money as Infrastructure* and Bank Regulations

Morgan Ricks is a law professor at Vanderbilt University. Previously, he was a senior policy advisor and financial restructuring expert at the U.S. Treasury Department where he focused primarily on financial stability initiatives and capital market policy in response to the financial crisis. Today, he joins the show to discuss his new paper, *Money as Infrastructure* where he contrasts what he calls the “intermediation paradigm” of banking and the “money paradigm.” Morgan also shares his thoughts on the government’s role in money, the history of free banking, and current-day banking regulation. David’s blog: macromarketmusings.blogspot.com David’s Twitter: @DavidBeckworth Morgan’s Twitter: @MorganRicks1 Morgan’s Vanderbilt profile: https://law.vanderbilt.edu/bio/morgan-ricks Related Links: *Money as Infrastructure* by Morgan Ricks https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3070270 *The Money Problem* by Morgan Ricks http://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/M/bo22438821.html
01:18:3516/04/2018
101 – Ioana Marinescu on Universal Basic Income

101 – Ioana Marinescu on Universal Basic Income

Ioana Marinescu is an assistant professor of economics at the University of Pennsylvania and a faculty research fellow at the National Bureau of Economic Research. Today she joins the show to highlight her work on the concept of a Universal Basic Income (UBI). David and Ioana discuss how a UBI would work and how it compares and contrasts with Milton Friedman’s related negative income tax proposal. They also discuss the economic and social effects of a UBI, some experimental evidence of the policy, and the political feasibility of such a program. David’s blog: macromarketmusings.blogspot.com David’s Twitter: @DavidBeckworth Ioana’s Twitter: @mioana Ioana’s website: http://www.marinescu.eu/ Related Links: *No Strings Attached: The Behavioral Effects of U.S. Unconditional Cash Transfer Programs* by Ioana Marinescu http://www.marinescu.eu/Marinescu_UBI_review_2017.pdf *The Labor Market Impacts of Universal and Permanent Cash Transfers: Evidence from the Alaska Permanent Fund* by Damon Jones and Ioana Marinescu http://home.uchicago.edu/~j1s/Jones_Alaska.pdf
53:3909/04/2018
100 – Ryan Avent, Cardiff Garcia, and Heather Long on Lessons from the Great Recession

100 – Ryan Avent, Cardiff Garcia, and Heather Long on Lessons from the Great Recession

Macro Musings is celebrating its 100th episode, and for this special occasion, we have an all-star panel of guests joining the show! Heather Long is an economics correspondent for the Washington Post and formerly was a senior reporter at CNN. Ryan Avent is a columnist for the Economist Magazine and author of several books including his most recent work, *The Wealth of Humans: Work, Power, and Status in the Twenty-first Century*. Cardiff Garcia is the co-host of NPR’s The Indicator from Planet Money and was formerly with the Financial Times. Today, they join the show to discuss the top economic issues and lessons in last 10 years since the Great Recession, and what predictions they’ve made that haven’t come true. They also discuss the current trends of stagnant wage growth, the economic insecurity of the American workforce, and the dramatic change in the structure of labor markets. [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: macromarketmusings.blogspot.com David’s Twitter: @DavidBeckworth Ryan’s Twitter: @ryanavent Ryan’s Economist profile: http://mediadirectory.economist.com/people/ryan-avent/ Ryan on a previous Macro Musings: https://soundcloud.com/macro-musings/ryanavent Cardiff’s Twitter: @CardiffGarcia Cardiff’s NPR profile: https://www.npr.org/people/567164716/cardiff-garcia Cardiff on a previous Macro Musings: https://soundcloud.com/macro-musings/cardiffgarcia Heather’s Twitter: @byHeatherLong Heather’s Washington Post profile: https://www.washingtonpost.com/people/heather-long/?utm_term=.26c78de4a68e
59:3902/04/2018
99 – Edward Nelson on Money, its Role within Monetary Policy, and the Monetarist Legacy

99 – Edward Nelson on Money, its Role within Monetary Policy, and the Monetarist Legacy

Ed 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: macromarketmusings.blogspot.com David’s Twitter: @DavidBeckworth Ed’s Federal Reserve profile: https://www.federalreserve.gov/econres/edward-nelson.htm Related Links: *Tobin’s Imperfect Asset Substitution in Optimizing General Equilibrium* by Javier Andrés, J. David López-Salido, and Edward Nelson https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/46d3/a4a1f1b5a6b08158f06edd6c7122fbc23c7f.pdf *Nominal GDP Targeting and the Taylor Rule on an Even Playing Field* by David Beckworth and Josh Hendrickson https://www.mercatus.org/publications/nominal-GDP-targeting-taylor-rule
01:07:1326/03/2018
[Rebroadcast] Daniel Griswold on the Basics of Trade

[Rebroadcast] Daniel Griswold on the Basics of Trade

Daniel 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 receive an email invitation to start forecasting!] David’s blog: macromarketmusings.blogspot.com/ Daniel Griswold’s blog: madabouttrade.com/ David’s Twitter: @DavidBeckworth Daniel Griswold’s Twitter: @DanielGriswold Related links: “Plumbing America’s Balance of Trade” by Daniel Griswold www.mercatus.org/publications/ame…balance-of-trade *Mad About Trade: Why Main Street America Should Embrace Globalization* by Daniel Griswold www.amazon.com/Mad-About-Trade-A…ion/dp/193530819X “The China Shock: Learning from Labor-Market Adjustment to Large Changes in Trade” by David Autor, David Dorn, & Gordon Hanson www.ddorn.net/papers/Autor-Dorn-…son-ChinaShock.pdf
01:00:1519/03/2018
98 - Noah Smith on Immigration Economics

98 - Noah Smith on Immigration Economics

Noah Smith is a Bloomberg View columnist and formerly a professor of finance at Stony Brook University. Today, he joins the show to talk about his journey into the economics blogosphere and some of his recent work on immigration into the United States. . David and Noah discuss some of the false narratives surrounding immigration as well as the impact of immigration on native workers’ wages, labor markets, and the broader economy. [To sign-up for Mercatus’ NGDP prediction market, go to https://get.mercatus.org/ngdppredictions/. Just answer a few simple questions, and you’ll receive an email invitation to start forecasting!] David’s blog: macromarketmusings.blogspot.com David’s Twitter: @DavidBeckworth Noah’s Bloomberg View archive: https://www.bloomberg.com/view/contributors/AR3OYuAmvcU/noah-smith Noah’s blog: http://noahpinionblog.blogspot.com/ Noah’s Twitter: @Noahpinion "The Economics and Fiscal Consequences of Immigration," National Academy of Science https://www.nap.edu/catalog/23550/the-economic-and-fiscal-consequences-of-immigration
01:01:3912/03/2018
97 - Kevin Hassett on Growth, Technological Change, and the Trump Administration’s Economic Policies

97 - Kevin Hassett on Growth, Technological Change, and the Trump Administration’s Economic Policies

Kevin Hassett is the chair of President Trump’s Council of Economic Advisers, a former scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, a professor at Columbia University, and a Fed Economist. Kevin has also advised John McCain, George W. Bush, and Mitt Romney on their presidential campaigns. Today, he joins the show today to outline some of the big issues of the past and present facing the U.S. economy. Kevin argues that Obama administration policies exacerbated the sluggish nature of the recovery from the Great Recession and explains how he thinks President Trump’s policies on taxes, deregulation, and infrastructure will lead to stronger economic growth. David’s blog: macromarketmusings.blogspot.com David’s Twitter: @DavidBeckworth Kevin’s AEI profile: https://www.aei.org/profile/kevin-a-hassett/ Kevin’s White House profile: https://www.whitehouse.gov/cea/staff/ Related Links: *2018 Economic Report of the President* https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/growing-american-economy-economic-report-president/ *Obama Inconsistent on Pace of Economic Recovery* by Kevin Hassett and Glenn Hubbard https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/obama-inconsistent-on-pace-of-economic-recovery/2012/08/14/45533a3c-e627-11e1-936a-b801f1abab19_story.html?utm_term=.684bf28b0d63
43:0605/03/2018
96 – Brink Lindsey and Steven Teles on Rent-Seeking and the Twin Melees Afflicting the U.S. Economy

96 – Brink Lindsey and Steven Teles on Rent-Seeking and the Twin Melees Afflicting the U.S. Economy

Brink Lindsey is the Vice President and Director of the Open Society Project at the Niskanen Center, and Steven Teles is a Professor of Political Science at Johns Hopkins University and a Senior Fellow at the Niskanen Center. Today, they join the show to discuss their new book, *The Captured Economy: How the Powerful Enrich Themselves, Slow Down Growth, and Increase Inequality.* For Lindsey and Teles, slow growth and inequality are “twin melees” that are harming the economy. They discuss some of the issues at the root of these problems, including excessive occupational licensing laws and zoning regulations, as well as some ways to fix them. David’s blog: macromarketmusings.blogspot.com David’s Twitter: @DavidBeckworth Brink’s Twitter: @lindsey_brink Brink’s Niskanen profile: https://niskanencenter.org/blog/staff/brink-lindsey/ Steven’s Niskanen profile: https://niskanencenter.org/blog/staff/brink-lindsey/ Related links: *The Captured Economy: How the Powerful Enrich Themselves, Slow Down Growth, and Increase Inequality* by Brink Lindsey and Steven Teles https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-captured-economy-9780190627768?cc=us&lang=en&
57:4526/02/2018
95 – George Selgin on Fed Floors, Corridors, and Interest on Excess Reserves

95 – George Selgin on Fed Floors, Corridors, and Interest on Excess Reserves

George Selgin is the Director of the Cato Institute Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives and Professor Emeritus of Economics at the University of Georgia. Today, George joins the show to discuss the shrinking of the Fed’s balance sheet, the difference between corridor and floor systems in monetary policy, and the Fed’s practice of paying interest on excess reserves. David and George also discuss the issues of legality surrounding interest on reserves as well as why the Fed prefers a floor system to a corridor system and why George doesn’t! David’s blog: macromarketmusings.blogspot.com David’s Twitter: @DavidBeckworth George’s Twitter: @GeorgeSelgin George’s Alt-M Archive: https://www.alt-m.org/author/selgin/
55:5119/02/2018
94 - Mike Konczal on Expanding the Fed’s Monetary Toolkit

94 - Mike Konczal on Expanding the Fed’s Monetary Toolkit

Mike Konczal is a fellow at the Roosevelt Institute where he works on financial reform, unemployment, inequality, and a progressive vision of the economy. He has also recently co-authored a paper with J.W. Mason titled, “A New Direction for the Federal Reserve: Expanding the Monetary Policy Toolkit.” Today, Mike joins the show to discuss the progress of financial regulation, the Federal Reserve’s performance over the past decade, and new tools the Fed could utilize to better stabilize the economy in the present and future. David’s blog: macromarketmusings.blogspot.com David’s Twitter: @DavidBeckworth Mike Konczal’s Twitter: @rortybomb Mike Konczal and J.W. Mason’s Paper: http://rooseveltinstitute.org/expanding-monetary-policy-toolkit/
57:5912/02/2018
93 – Neel Kashkari and Ron Feldman on the Minneapolis Plan and Monetary Policy Reform

93 – Neel Kashkari and Ron Feldman on the Minneapolis Plan and Monetary Policy Reform

Neel Kashkari is President and Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, and Ron Feldman is the first vice president and chief operating officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. Today, they join the show to describe the Minneapolis Plan to End Too Big to Fail, the Minneapolis Fed’s proposal to end the problem of systemic risk to the economy posed by excessively large financial institutions. Neel also shares his thoughts on improving Fed transparency and monetary policy. Disclaimer: Unfortunately, we had some audio problems during the recording, but because this conversation is so important and interesting we wanted to bring it you anyway. And, if you prefer, we’ve also made a transcript, which is linked to below. Transcript of today’s conversation https://www.mercatus.org/podcasts/neel-kashkari-ron-feldman-minneapolis-plan-monetary-policy-reform *The Minneapolis Plan to End Too Big to Fail* https://www.minneapolisfed.org/publications/special-studies/endingtbtf Neel Kashkari’s Twitter: @neelkashkari Ron Feldman’s Twiiter: @ronjfeldman Minneapolis Fed’s Twitter: @MinneapolisFed Neel Kashkari’s Medium: https://medium.com/@neelkashkari David’s blog: http://macromarketmusings.blogspot.com/ David’s Twitter: @DavidBeckworth
49:4305/02/2018
92 - Ángel Ubide on Getting Central Banks Out of Their Comfort Zones

92 - Ángel Ubide on Getting Central Banks Out of Their Comfort Zones

Ángel Ubide is a Managing Director at Goldman Sachs and formerly was a Senior Fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics. Today, he joins the show to discuss his new book *The Paradox of Risk: Leaving the Monetary Policy Comfort Zone.* Ángel argues that the Federal Reserve has become too afraid to take risks when implementing new policies. Instead, he offers alternative proposals aimed to move monetary policy out of its comfort zone. David and Ángel also discuss the Eurozone crisis, the ECB, and using more effective communication, accountability, and greater transparency to minimize biases within monetary policy. David’s blog: macromarketmusings.blogspot.com David’s Twitter: @DavidBeckworth Ángel Ubide’s Twitter: @AngelUbide Ángel Ubide’s book: https://cup.columbia.edu/book/the-paradox-of-risk/9780881327199 “The Latest Central Bank Fad: Asymmetric Inflation Targeting” by David Beckworth(Bull’s Eye images of symmetric and asymmetric targets) http://macromarketmusings.blogspot.com/2016/01/the-latest-central-bank-fad-asymmetric.html
01:03:1929/01/2018
91 - Jesse Eisinger on the Financial Crisis and the Department of Justice

91 - Jesse Eisinger on the Financial Crisis and the Department of Justice

Jesse Eisinger is a senior reporter and editor at ProPublica as well as a Pulitzer Prize winner. Today, he joins the show to discuss his new book *The Chickenshit Club: Why the Justice Department Fails to Prosecute Executives.* Jesse argues that in recent years, the U.S. Justice Department has become excessively timid in prosecuting white collar crime on Wall Street and in the financial sector. David and Jesse discuss why this is a problem for the rule of law as well as some ways to reform the system. [To rate and review this podcast, go to: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/macro…d1099277290?mt=2 Then, leave your information at: www.mercatus.org/macromusings ] David’s blog: macromarketmusings.blogspot.com Macro Musings podcast site: macromusings.com David’s Twitter: @DavidBeckworth Jesse Eisinger’s Pro Publica Profile: https://www.propublica.org/people/jesse-eisinger Jesse Eisinger’s Twitter: @eisingerj Related links: *The Chickenshit Club: Why the Justice Department Fails to Prosecute Executives* http://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Chickenshit-Club/Jesse-Eisinger/9781501121364
01:08:2922/01/2018
90 – Sarah Binder and Mark Spindel on Fed History and the Myth of Its Independence

90 – Sarah Binder and Mark Spindel on Fed History and the Myth of Its Independence

Sarah Binder is a professor of Political Science at George Washington University and a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution. She research focuses on Congress, Congressional development, and political parties. Mark is the founder and chief investment officer at Potomac River Capital LLC, and formerly was with the World Bank. Today, they join the show to discuss the history and politics behind the creation of the Fed as well as their new book, *The Myth of Independence: How Congress Governs the Federal Reserve.* [To rate an review this podcast, go to: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/macro…d1099277290?mt=2 Then, leave your information at: www.mercatus.org/macromusings ] David’s blog: macromarketmusings.blogspot.com Macro Musings podcast site: macromusings.com David’s Twitter: @DavidBeckworth Sarah Binder's Brookings profile: https://www.brookings.edu/experts/sarah-a-binder/ Sarah Binder's Twitter: @bindersab Mark Spindel's Twitter: @potomac Related links: *The Myth of Independence: How Congress Governs the Federal Reserve* by Sarah Binder and Mark Spindel https://press.princeton.edu/titles/11123.html
01:01:5015/01/2018
89 – Mike Bird on the Eurozone, Abenomics, and the Fed Balance Sheet

89 – Mike Bird on the Eurozone, Abenomics, and the Fed Balance Sheet

Mike Bird is a reporter for *The Wall Street Journal* and covers global economics and markets from the Journal’s London office. Today, he joins the show to discuss recent developments in central banking across the world. David and Mike discuss how the Eurozone has dealt with some of the serious turmoil it has faced in recent years as well as Japan’s “Abenomics” program geared toward raising inflation and implementing structural reforms. Finally, Mike shares his thoughts on the Fed’s plan to reduce its balance sheet and what impact that will have on the global economy. [To rate an review this podcast, go to: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/macro-musings/id1099277290?mt=2 Then, leave your information at: https://www.mercatus.org/macromusings ] David’s blog: macromarketmusings.blogspot.com Macro Musings podcast site: macromusings.com David’s Twitter: @DavidBeckworth Mike Bird’s WSJ archive: https://www.wsj.com/news/author/8326 Mike Bird’s Twitter: @Birdyword Related links: “ECB Taper Promises to Set Off Ripples Across Many Markets” by Mike Bird https://www.wsj.com/articles/ecb-stimulus-unwind-could-have-broad-knock-on-effect-1508670002 “A Decade After the Crisis, King Dollar is the World’s Tyrant” by Mike Bird https://www.wsj.com/articles/a-decade-after-the-crisis-king-dollar-is-the-worlds-tyrant-1511697601
01:00:0408/01/2018
BONUS: The Macroeconomics of Star Wars and Star Trek

BONUS: The Macroeconomics of Star Wars and Star Trek

(REBROADCAST EPISODE) In this week’s special episode, David compares and contrasts the economics of the Star Wars and Star Trek universes. He is joined by Zachary Feinstein, an Assistant Professor at Washington University in St. Louis, and Manu Saadia, author of *Trekonomics.* Topics include the economic fallout from the destruction of the Death Star, the absence of money in Star Trek, and whether a universe can really eliminate scarcity. Original episode: https://soundcloud.com/macro-musings/feinsteinsaadia David’s blog: macromarketmusings.blogspot.com/ Macro Musings podcast site: macromusings.com David’s Twitter: @davidbeckworth Manu’s *Trekonomics* website: trekonomics.tumblr.com/ (you can order the book, *Trekonomics,* here as well) Manu’s Twitter: @trekonomics Zach’s faculty profile: sites.wustl.edu/fictionomics/ Zach’s Twitter: @FictionomicsWU Related links: “It’s a Trap: Emperor Palpatine’s Poison Pill” by Zachary Feinstein arxiv.org/pdf/1511.09054.pdf “The Case for the Empire” by Jonathan Last www.weeklystandard.com/the-case-for-…/article/2540
57:1801/01/2018
BONUS: Laura Birg and Anna Goeddeke on Christmas Economics

BONUS: Laura Birg and Anna Goeddeke on Christmas Economics

(REBROADCAST EPISODE) In this week’s special episode, David discusses the economics of Christmas with Laura Birg, a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Goettingen, and Anna Goeddke, a professor of economics at the ESB Business School at Reutlingen University. Topics include the dead-weight loss of gift-giving, Christmas’ effects on seasonal GDP, increases in alcohol consumption, and the effect of secularization on Christmas celebrations. David’s blog: macromarketmusings.blogspot.com/ David’s Twitter: @davidbeckworth Original episode: https://soundcloud.com/macro-musings/birggoeddeke Anna’s VoxEU profile: voxeu.org/users/annagoeddeke0 Anna’s Twitter: @annagoeddeke Laura’s University of Goettingen profile: www.uni-goettingen.de/en/362254.html Related links: “Christmas Economics – A Sleigh Ride” by Laura Birg and Anna Goeddke (2014) papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?a…stract_id=2526055 “The Seasonal Cycle and the Business Cycle” by Robert Barsky and Jeffrey Miron (1988) www.nber.org/papers/w2688 “The Business Cycle Effects of Christmas” by YI Wen (2001) www.discuto.io/sites/default/fil…christmas2010.pdf We Wish you a Merry Christmas Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
54:1125/12/2017
88 – Ricardo Caballero on the Safe Asset Conundrum

88 – Ricardo Caballero on the Safe Asset Conundrum

Ricardo J. Caballero is a professor of economics at MIT and is widely published in the fields of macroeconomics and international economics. Today, he joins the show to discuss his work on the “Safe Assets Shortage Conundrum” and why this is important to macroeconomic growth and stability. David’s blog: macromarketmusings.blogspot.com Macro Musings podcast site: macromusings.com David’s Twitter: @DavidBeckworth Ricardo Caballero’s MIT profile: https://economics.mit.edu/faculty/caball “The Safe Asset Shortage Conundrum” by Ricardo J. Caballero, Emmanuel Farhi, and Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas http://www.jstor.org/stable/44321278?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents “Safe Asset Scarcity and Aggregate Demand” by Ricardo J. Caballero, Emmanuel Farhi, and Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas https://www.aeaweb.org/articles?id=10.1257/aer.p20161108 “On the Macroeconomics of Asset Shortages” by Ricardo J. Caballero http://www.nber.org/papers/w12753
58:3418/12/2017
87 - Stephen Williamson on New Monetarism and Neo-Fisherism

87 - Stephen Williamson on New Monetarism and Neo-Fisherism

Stephen Williamson is a professor of economics at the University of Western Ontario and formerly served as a vice president at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. Today, Steve joins the show to discuss his work on “New Monetarism,” a research agenda emerging out of the monetarist tradition associated with Milton Friedman. David and Steve also discuss “Neo-Fisherism,” a counterintuitive view that higher interest rates may actually lead to higher inflation. David’s blog: macromarketmusings.blogspot.com Macro Musings podcast site: macromusings.com David’s Twitter: @DavidBeckworth Stephen Williamson’s University of Western Ontario profile: http://economics.uwo.ca/people/faculty/williamson.html Stephen Williamson’s blog “New Monetarism”: http://newmonetarism.blogspot.com/ Stephen Williamson’s Twitter: @1954swilliamson Related links: “New Monetarist Economics: Models* by Stephen D. Williamson and Randall Wright https://www.minneapolisfed.org/research/sr/sr443.pdf “Neo-Fisherism: A Radical Idea, or the Most Obvious Solution to the Low-Inflation Problem?” by Stephen D. Williamson https://www.stlouisfed.org/publications/regional-economist/july-2016/neo-fisherism-a-radical-idea-or-the-most-obvious-solution-to-the-low-inflation-problem *Macroeconomics* by Stephen D. Williamson https://www.amazon.com/Macroeconomics-5th-Stephen-D-Williamson/dp/0132991330
01:06:4011/12/2017
86 - William A. Barnett on Divisia Aggregates and Measuring Money in the Economy

86 - William A. Barnett on Divisia Aggregates and Measuring Money in the Economy

William A. Barnett is the Oswald Distinguished Professor of Macroeconomics at the University of Kansas and Director of the Center for Financial Stability. Today, Bill joins the show to discuss his work on better measurement of monetary aggregates in the economy. David and Bill also discuss Bill’s book *Getting It Wrong,* which argues that old simple-sum aggregates of the money supply are obsolete and that more sophisticated aggregates (called Divisia aggregates) are more appropriate in making decisions related to monetary policy. In Bill’s view, better financial data and better measurement of monetary aggregates would have averted the recent financial crisis. Finally, Bill also explains how he went from being a rocket scientist to a macroeconomist! David’s blog: macromarketmusings.blogspot.com Macro Musings podcast site: macromusings.com David’s Twitter: @DavidBeckworth William Barnett’s University of Kansas profile: https://economics.ku.edu/william-barnett The Center for Financial Stability homepage: http://www.centerforfinancialstability.org/ *Getting It Wrong: How Faulty Monetary Statistics Undermine the Fed, the Financial System, and the Economy* by William Barnett https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/getting-it-wrong
59:3504/12/2017
85 – Caroline Baum on Treasury Yield Curves and the Debt Ceiling

85 – Caroline Baum on Treasury Yield Curves and the Debt Ceiling

Caroline Baum is an economics columnist at MarketWatch and formerly was a writer for Bloomberg and Dow Jones. Today, she joins the show to discuss how she became a financial journalist as a non-economics major as well as her recent columns on monetary policy and what Treasury bond yields are predicting about the future. She also shares her thoughts on why the debt ceiling should be abolished. Finally, Caroline and David discuss Jerome Powell and Fed leadership in the age of Trump. David’s blog: macromarketmusings.blogspot.com Macro Musings podcast site: macromusings.com David’s Twitter: @DavidBeckworth Caroline Baum’s MarketWatch archive: https://www.marketwatch.com/topics/journalists/caroline-baum Caroline Baum’s Twitter: @cabaum1 Related links: “Bonds are from Venus; Stocks are from Mars” by Caroline Baum https://www.marketwatch.com/story/bonds-are-from-venus-stocks-are-from-mars-2017-11-14?mg=prod/accounts-mw “It’s Time to Get Rid of the Debt Ceiling” by Caroline Baum https://www.marketwatch.com/story/its-time-to-get-rid-of-the-debt-ceiling-2017-09-07 “Fed Flunks Econ 101: Understanding Inflation” by Caroline Baum https://www.marketwatch.com/story/fed-flunks-econ-101-understanding-inflation-2017-10-18 “The Federal Reserve is Peddling ‘Tinkering Economics’ " by Caroline Baum https://www.marketwatch.com/story/the-federal-reserve-is-peddling-tinker-bell-economics-2017-09-19
49:1327/11/2017
84 - Nick Bloom on Economic Uncertainty and the Productivity Slowdown

84 - Nick Bloom on Economic Uncertainty and the Productivity Slowdown

Nicholas Bloom is a professor of economics at Stanford University and is the co-director of the Productivity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship program at the National Bureau of Economic Research. Today, Nick joins the show to discuss his work on the causes and effects of economic uncertainty as well as how to measure uncertainty in an economy. David and Nick also discuss why productivity has slowed down in recent decades and why Nick is not especially optimistic that productivity will really improve anytime soon. David’s blog: macromarketmusings.blogspot.com/ Macro Musings podcast site: macromusings.com David’s Twitter: @DavidBeckworth Nick Bloom’s Stanford University profile: https://people.stanford.edu/nbloom/ Related links: The Economic Policy Uncertainty Index http://www.policyuncertainty.com/ “Fluctuations in Uncertainty” by Nicholas Bloom http://www.nber.org/papers/w19714.pdf “Why has US Policy Uncertainty Risen since 1960?” by Scott R. Baker, Nicholas Bloom, Brandice Canes-Wrone, Steven J. Davis, and Jonathan Rodden https://www.aeaweb.org/articles?id=10.1257/aer.104.5.56
53:2120/11/2017
83 - Jeffrey Rogers Hummel on Myths about the Fed and Interest Rates

83 - Jeffrey Rogers Hummel on Myths about the Fed and Interest Rates

Jeffrey Rogers Hummel is a professor of economics at San Jose State University and writes on macroeconomics and economic history. Today, Jeff joins the show to discuss his work on the Fed’s interventions during the Great Recession. He also dispels some myths about the extent to which the Fed really influences interest rates. Finally, he explains why he believes that cash plays an important role in society and why recent proposals to abolish cash are misguided. David’s blog: macromarketmusings.blogspot.com/ Macro Musings podcast site: macromusings.com David’s Twitter: @DavidBeckworth Jeff Hummel’s San Jose State University profile: http://www.sjsu.edu/economics/faculty/jeff.hummel.html Related links: “Central Bank Control over Interest Rates: The Myth and the Reality” by Jeffery Rogers Hummel https://www.mercatus.org/publications/central-bank-control-interest-rates “Ben Bernanke vs. Milton Friedman: The Federal Reserve’s Emergence as the U.S. Economy’s Central Planner” by Jeffrey Rogers Hummel http://www.independent.org/publications/tir/article.asp?a=824 “The War on Cash: A Review of Kenneth Rogoff’s *The Curse of Cash*” by Jeffrey Rogers Hummel https://econjwatch.org/articles/the-war-on-cash-a-review-of-kenneth-rogoff-s-the-curse-of-cash
01:02:0513/11/2017
82 - Doug Irwin on the History of US Trade Policy

82 - Doug Irwin on the History of US Trade Policy

Douglas Irwin is a professor of economics at Dartmouth College and a leading expert on trade economics. Today, he joins the show to discuss his new book, *Clashing over Commerce: A History of US Trade Policy,* which examines the history of American trade policy from the late 1700s to the present. Doug explains how US attitudes toward trade evolved over time and how free trade became the postwar consensus. Specifically, Doug argues that the history of US trade policy has been guided by the “three R’s: revenue, restriction, and reciprocity.” Finally, David and Doug discuss some of Doug’s work on the gold standard and the Great Depression. David’s blog: macromarketmusings.blogspot.com/ Macro Musings podcast site: macromusings.com David’s Twitter: @DavidBeckworth Douglas Irwin’s homepage: www.dartmouth.edu/~dirwin/ Douglas Irwin’s Twitter: @D_A_Irwin Related links: *Clashing over Commerce: A History of US Trade Policy* by Douglas A. Irwin http://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/C/bo24475328.html “Steve Bannon’s Bad History” by Douglas A. Irwin https://www.wsj.com/articles/steve-bannons-bad-history-1505861920 The Truth About Trade: What Critics Get Wrong About the Global Economy” (Foreign Affairs) by Douglas A. Irwin www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/2016…h-about-trade *Free Trade Under Fire (Princeton University Press, fourth edition 2015)* by Douglas A. Irwin www.amazon.com/Free-Trade-under-…rth/dp/0691166250
58:4206/11/2017
81 – Norbert Michel on Smarter Financial Regulation

81 – Norbert Michel on Smarter Financial Regulation

Norbert Michel is the director of the Center for Data Analysis at the Heritage Foundation. Today, Norbert joins the show to discuss a new book of collected essays, which he edited, titled *Prosperity Unleashed: Smarter Financial Regulation.* Norbert pushes back against the narrative that deregulation caused the 2008 financial crisis and argues that excessive regulation hinders growth and actually makes the financial system less safe. He and David discuss policy recommendations made in the book, including reforming the Federal Reserve’s last-resort lending practices, converting the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) into a commission, and more. David’s blog: macromarketmusings.blogspot.com/ Macro Musings podcast site: macromusings.com David’s Twitter: @DavidBeckworth Norbert Michel’s Heritage profile: http://www.heritage.org/staff/norbert-michel Norbert Michel’s Twitter: @norbertjmichel Related links: *Prosperity Unleashed: Smarter Financial Regulation* edited by Norbert J. Michel http://www.heritage.org/prosperity-unleashed “Reforming Last-Resort Lending: The Flexible Open-Market Alternative” by George Selgin http://www.heritage.org/markets-and-finance/report/reforming-last-resort-lending-the-flexible-open-market-alternative “Reforming the Financial Regulators” by Mark Calabria, Norbert Michel, and Hester Peirce http://www.heritage.org/markets-and-finance/report/reforming-the-financial-regulators “Money and Banking Provisions in the Financial CHOICE Act: A Major Step in the Right Direction” by Norbert Michel http://www.heritage.org/markets-and-finance/report/money-and-banking-provisions-the-financial-choice-act-major-step-the
01:00:1130/10/2017
80 – Karl Smith on Market Power, the Great Variation, and Choices for Fed Chair

80 – Karl Smith on Market Power, the Great Variation, and Choices for Fed Chair

Karl Smith is the director of economic research at the Niskanen Center. He joins the show to discuss his thoughts on increasing market power (the ability of firms to influence prices) in the United States. Karl argues that this is at least partially due to what he calls the “Great Variation,” the desire many Americans have had for more individualized consumer goods since the 1960s. Finally, Karl also shares his thoughts on some of President Trump’s choices for Federal Reserve chair. David’s blog: macromarketmusings.blogspot.com/ Macro Musings podcast site: macromusings.com David’s Twitter: @DavidBeckworth Karl Smith’s Niskanen profile: https://niskanencenter.org/blog/staff/chief-economist/ Karl Smith’s Twitter: @karlbykarlsmith “Modeled Behavior”: https://www.forbes.com/sites/modeledbehavior/#661385b4a824 Related links: “Mark-Ups and Market Power” by Karl Smith https://niskanencenter.org/blog/markups-market-power/ “The Great Variation” by Karl Smith https://niskanencenter.org/blog/notes/the-great-variation/ https://niskanencenter.org/blog/notes/just-say-no-kevin-warsh/
59:1323/10/2017
79 - Binyamin Appelbaum on Covering the Fed and Monetary Policy in the Trump Era

79 - Binyamin Appelbaum on Covering the Fed and Monetary Policy in the Trump Era

Binyamin Appelbaum is an award-winning correspondent for the New York Times and covers the Federal Reserve and other aspects of economic policy. Today, he joins the show to discuss his work on covering the Fed and some ideas to improve Fed transparency. Binyamin also shares his thoughts on who President Trump may choose to fill vacancies on the Federal Reserve. Finally, Binyamin and David discuss what Trump’s trade policies may mean an increasingly globalized world. David’s blog: macromarketmusings.blogspot.com/ Macro Musings podcast site: macromusings.com David’s Twitter: @DavidBeckworth Binyamin Appelbaum’s New York Times archive: https://www.nytimes.com/by/binyamin-appelbaum Binyamin’s Twitter: @BCAppelbaum Related links: “U.S. Inflation Remains Low and that’s a Problem” by Binyamin Appelbaum https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/24/us/politics/us-inflation-remains-low-and-thats-a-problem.html “Yellen and Cohn to Be on Shortlist to Lead Federal Reserve” by Binyamin Appelbaum https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/23/business/yellen-and-cohn-said-to-be-on-shortlist-for-new-head-of-the-fed.html?rref=collection%2Fbyline%2Fbinyamin-appelbaum&mtrref=www.nytimes.com&gwh=92BA8BF1D73950AA0455B7DF58B5E2FB&gwt=pay “A Look at Airbus’s Epic Assembly Line” by Binyamin Appelbaum and Christopher Payne https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/03/magazine/a-look-inside-airbuss-epic-assembly-line.html “American Companies Still Make Aluminum. In Iceland” by Binyamin Appelbaum https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/01/us/politics/american-companies-still-make-aluminum-in-iceland.html “Minorities Seen More Likely to Pay High Mortgage Rates” by Binyamin Appelbaum and Ted Millnik http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2005-09-03/news/0509030121_1_rates-for-mortgage-loans-interest-rates-lending-process
01:00:1716/10/2017
78 - Olivier Blanchard on the State of Macroeconomics

78 - Olivier Blanchard on the State of Macroeconomics

Olivier Blanchard is the C. Fred Bergsten Senior Fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics and the former Director of Research at the International Monetary Fund. Today, he joins the show to discuss working at the IMF in the midst of the 2008 financial crisis and Great Recession. He also shares his thoughts on the limitations of current-day macroeconomic models as well as some suggestions to improve them. David’s blog: macromarketmusings.blogspot.com/ Macro Musings podcast site: macromusings.com David’s Twitter: @DavidBeckworth Olivier Blanchard’s MIT profile: https://economics.mit.edu/faculty/blanchar Olivier Blanchard’s PIIE profile: https://piie.com/experts/senior-research-staff/olivier-blanchard Olivier Blanchard’s Twitter: @ojblanchard1 Related links: “Do DSGE Models Have a Future?” by Olivier Blanchard https://piie.com/publications/policy-briefs/do-dsge-models-have-future “On the Need for (At Least) Five Classes of Macro Models” by Olivier Blanchard https://piie.com/blogs/realtime-economic-issues-watch/need-least-five-classes-macro-models “Will Interest Rates Lead to Fiscal Crisis?” by Olivier Blanchard https://piie.com/publications/policy-briefs/will-rising-interest-rates-lead-fiscal-crises “Getting Serious About Wage Inflation in Japan” by Olivier Blanchard and Adam Posen https://asia.nikkei.com/Viewpoints-archive/Viewpoints/Getting-serious-about-wage-inflation-in-Japan “Monetary Policy: Science or Art?” by Olivier Blanchard https://economics.mit.edu/files/742
01:01:0309/10/2017
77 - JW Mason on Economic Recovery and Potential GDP

77 - JW Mason on Economic Recovery and Potential GDP

JW Mason is an assistant professor of economics at John Jay College and a fellow at the Roosevelt Institute. Today, he joins the show to discuss his recent paper, “What Recovery? The Case for Continued Expansionary Policy at the Fed?” JW argues that the recovery from the Great Recession was unusually weak. Furthermore, the American economy is still not at full employment, and, as a result, potential GDP is continually underestimated. In order to get the economy back to full employment, JW argues greater monetary expansion is needed. David’s blog: macromarketmusings.blogspot.com/ Macro Musings podcast site: macromusings.com David’s Twitter: @DavidBeckworth JW Mason’s website: http://jwmason.org/ JW’s Twitter: @JWMason1 “What Recovery? The Case for Continued Expansionary Policy at the Fed?” http://rooseveltinstitute.org/what-recovery/
59:5102/10/2017
76 – Caroline Freund on the Decline in Global Trade and Trump’s Trade Policy

76 – Caroline Freund on the Decline in Global Trade and Trump’s Trade Policy

Caroline Freund is a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE). Previously, she served as the chief economist for the Middle East and North Africa at the World Bank. She joins the show to discuss her career in trade policy and her work on the slowdown in global trade since the Great Recession. Finally, she also shares her thought on President Trump’s trade policies. David’s blog: macromarketmusings.blogspot.com/ Macro Musings podcast site: macromusings.com David’s Twitter: @DavidBeckworth Caroline’s PIIE profile: https://piie.com/experts/senior-research-staff/caroline-freund?author_id=906 Caroline’s Bloomberg archive: https://www.bloomberg.com/view/contributors/AQnL_eq2K8M/caroline-freund Caroline’s Twitter: @CarolineFreund Related links: *Rich People, Poor Countries: The Rise of Emerging-Market Tycoons and Their Mega Firms* by Caroline Freund (assisted by Sarah Oliver) https://piie.com/bookstore/rich-people-poor-countries-rise-emerging-market-tycoons-and-their-mega-firms “The Global Trade Slowdown and Secular Stagnation” by Caroline Freund https://piie.com/blogs/trade-investment-policy-watch/global-trade-slowdown-and-secular-stagnation “Invest in minds, not miners” by Caroline Freund and Christine McDaniel https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2017-07-06/the-u-s-needs-to-invest-in-minds-not-miners “U.S. Needs Trade Deals, Not ‘Remedies’” by Caroline Freund https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2017-08-14/u-s-needs-china-trade-deals-not-remedies “The China Shock: Learning from Labor Market Adjustment to Large Changes in Trade” by David H. Autor, David Dorn, and Gordon H. Hanson http://www.nber.org/papers/w21906 "Trump's Trade Pullout Roils Rural America" by Adam Behsudi http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/08/07/trump-tpp-deal-withdrawal-trade-effects-215459
01:00:5125/09/2017
75 - Larry Summers on Secular Stagnation, Fiscal Policy, and Fed Policy

75 - Larry Summers on Secular Stagnation, Fiscal Policy, and Fed Policy

Lawrence Summers is the Charles W. Eliot University Professor and President Emeritus of Harvard University. Previously, he served as U.S. Treasury Secretary under President Bill Clinton and Director of the National Economic Council under President Obama. In today’s episode, he joins the show to discuss his work as both an academic and a policymaker. He also shares his thoughts on monetary and fiscal policy since the recent financial crisis and Great Recession. Finally, he explains why he has recently become more open to nominal GDP targeting. You can read the transcript to the full interview here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/sya7syeqgjp1gxq/Summers_transcript.doc?dl=0 David’s blog: macromarketmusings.blogspot.com/ Macro Musings podcast site: macromusings.com David’s Twitter: @DavidBeckworth Lawrence Summers’ website: http://larrysummers.com/ Larry Summers’ Washington post archive: https://www.washingtonpost.com/people/lawrence-summers/?utm_term=.2cf6f67e2ce9 Larry Summers’ Twitter: @LHSummers Related links: “Inflation and Activity – Two Explorations and Their Monetary Policy Implications” by Olivier Blanchard, Eugenio Cerutti, and Lawrence Summers https://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/wp/2015/wp15230.pdf “The Permanent Effects of Fiscal Consolidation” by Antonio Fatas and Larry Summers http://www.nber.org/papers/w22374 “5 Reasons Why the Fed Might Be Making a Mistake” by Larry Summers https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/06/14/larry-summers-5-reasons-why-the-fed-may-be-making-a-mistake/?utm_term=.3e48ce5bd142 *** [Also, be sure to subscribe to Mercatus’ “Conversations with Tyler” podcast, hosted by Tyler Cowen. Tyler also interviewed Larry Summers and discussed a wide range of topics, including trade policy, immigration, asset-pricing, monopolies, and even table tennis. You can listen to that conversation here: https://soundcloud.com/conversationswithtyler/28-larry-summers-on-macroeconomics-mentorship-and-avoiding-complacency You can also find previous episodes of “Conversations with Tyler” at https://medium.com/conversations-with-tyler]
38:5118/09/2017
74 - Eric Hilt on Debates in Economic History and the Cliometric Revolution

74 - Eric Hilt on Debates in Economic History and the Cliometric Revolution

Eric Hilt is a professor of economics and economic historian at Wellesley College. Today, he joins the show to discuss his new journal article *Economic History, Historical Analysis, and the “New History of Capitalism,”* which examines the growing debate between economic historians and historians of capitalism over issues such as slavery and economic growth. Eric also shares his thoughts on the “Cliometric Revolution,” which transformed the way many economic historians conduct their analysis. David’s blog: macromarketmusings.blogspot.com/ Macro Musings podcast site: macromusings.com David’s Twitter: @DavidBeckworth Eric Hilt’s Wellesley profile: http://www.wellesley.edu/economics/faculty/hilte Related links: *Economic History, Historical Analysis, and the “New History of Capitalism”* by Eric Hilt. Journal of Economic History, June 2017. https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/E17BEA48B930F6F25F328B5A79332A6E/S002205071700016Xa.pdf/economic_history_historical_analysis_and_the_new_history_of_capitalism.pdf *Economic Effects of Runs on Early 'Shadow Banks': Trust Companies and the Impact of the Panic of 1907* by Carola Frydman, Eric Hilt, and Lily Y. Zhou. NBER, July 2012 http://www.nber.org/papers/w18264 *Time on the Cross: The Economics of American Slavery* by Robert Fogel and Stanley Engerman https://www.amazon.com/Time-Cross-Economics-American-Slavery/dp/0393312186 *Railroads and American Economic Growth: Essays in Econometric History* by Robert Fogel *Old South, New South: Revolutions in the Southern Economy since the Civil War* by Gavin Wright https://www.amazon.com/Old-South-New-Revolutions-Southern/dp/0807120987
59:3111/09/2017
73 - JW Verret on Rules-Based Monetary Policy and the CHOICE Act

73 - JW Verret on Rules-Based Monetary Policy and the CHOICE Act

JW 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: https://www.law.gmu.edu/faculty/directory/fulltime/verret_jw Related links: “Demystifying the Foggy Haze of Federal Reserve Policymaking” by JW Verret http://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/finance/341412-demystifying-the-foggy-haze-of-federal-reserve-policymaking
57:4504/09/2017