Clark Center Forum

The storm that rocked the world economy in 2008 involved many forces, hitting financial, housing and broader sectors of the economy all at once. As the world continues to reform and reflect on the lessons of that crisis, we note the broad consensus that has emerged among economists about what happened. In a recent survey […] 

 

This week's IGM Economic Experts Panel statement:

The biggest reason for the measured slowdown in US productivity growth since the mid-2000s is that productivity increases have gone mismeasured, including new and better products and services that have been insufficiently captured by real output data. 

This week's IGM Economic Experts Panel statement:

Because of the many special and unique roles that the dollar plays in global commerce, US citizens are substantially better off than they otherwise would be. 

This week's IGM European Economic Experts Panel Statement:

Over the past two years, all else equal, the appeal of the US as a destination for immigrants has changed in ways that will likely decrease innovation in the US economy. 

This week's IGM Economic Experts Panel statement:

Over the past two years, all else equal, the appeal of the US as a destination for immigrants has changed in ways that will likely decrease innovation in the US economy. 

This week's IGM Economic Experts Panel statements:

A) Without changes in policy, a rising share of people who are over age 65 will exert a substantial downward influence on per capita real GDP in western European countries.

B) In European countries where the share of those over 65 is rising, there are net social benefits to adjusting retirement ages for state-financed (including pay-as-you-go) pension systems upwards, so that revised retirement ages better reflect longer life expectancies. 

This week's IGM Economic Experts Panel statements:

A)  A bitcoin has a fundamental value of at least $1,000.

B)  The best forecast for the value of one bitcoin in 2 years is its current price. 

This week's IGM European Economic Experts Panel statements:

A)   Holding other policies fixed, the average European would be better off if every European country taxed corporate profits at a rate of 20% (based as closely as possible on a common definition of profits).

B)   If other policies were held fixed and every European country taxed corporate profits at a common rate of 20%, then reducing that common rate substantially below 20% would make the average European better off. 

This week's IGM Economic Experts Panel statements:

A) The concept of “maximum sustainable employment” is well defined enough to be used beneficially in economic policymaking.

B) Right now the US economy is operating below maximum sustainable employment.