Clark Center Forum

About the Clark Center Forum

The Forum for the Kent A. Clark Center for Global Markets is home to the European, Finance, and US Economic Experts Panels as well as a repository of thoughtful, current, and reliable information regarding topics of the day.
US

Drug Use Policies

Question A:

All else equal, making drugs illegal raises street prices for those drugs because suppliers require extra compensation for the risk of incarceration and other punishments.

Question B:

The Netherlands restrictions on “soft drugs” combined with a moderate tax aimed at deterring their consumption would have lower social costs than continuing to prohibit use of those drugs as in the US. (Click here for a summary of the Netherlands restrictions.)

 
US

Italy’s Debt

This week’s IGM Economic Experts Panel poll statements:

A) Credible assumptions for inflation, GDP growth and primary budget deficits in Italy imply that either the Debt-to-GDP ratio in Italy would increase sharply if Italian interest rates on 10-year government debt remained at the November 30 level of around 7 percent or Italy would lose access to the bond market.

B) Absent outside help to deal with runs, such as a pledge of fiscal support from Germany or an unlimited commitment by the ECB to buy bonds, there is no spending-and-tax plan Italy can announce that would be credible enough to hold its interest rates low enough to stabilize its Debt-to-GDP ratio. 
Credit Crisis

Circling the Drain: Can the Euro Be Save, Or Is It Doomed?

Freakonomics Blog November 30, 2011 Professors Christian Leuz, Anil Kashyap, and Randall Kroszner participated in a Freakanomics Quorum, in which they offered their thoughts on the following questions: “In light of the recent European debt crisis, what do you think will happen to the euro? In your opinion, what should happen to the euro?” Read […] 

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