Clark Center Forum

 

 

This week’s IGM Economic Experts Panel statement:

Using surge pricing to allocate transportation services — such as Uber does with its cars — raises consumer welfare through various potential channels, such as increasing the supply of those services, allocating them to people who desire them the most, and reducing search and queuing costs. 

Our musical tribute to Ben Bernanke, shared with him at the American Economic Association (AEA) Annual Meeting today, January 3rd, 2014. View video> Kashyap’s comments> 

The University of Chicago asks a group of academics about gift-giving and the holidays. Their responses will melt your heart. Cash is the most efficient gift, according to economists. Cash is also a terrible gift, according to economists. By guaranteeing that the recipient can buy exactly what she wants, you guarantee that the recipient will […] 

This week’s IGM Economic Experts Panel statement:

Giving specific presents as holiday gifts is inefficient, because recipients could satisfy their preferences much better with cash. 

This week’s IGM Economic Experts Panel statements:

A: The average US citizen would be better off if a larger number of low-skilled foreign workers were legally allowed to enter the US each year.

B: Unless they were compensated by others, many low-skilled American workers would be substantially worse off if a larger number of low-skilled foreign workers were legally allowed to enter the US each year. 

This week’s IGM Economic Experts Panel statement:

In general, absent any inside information, an equity investor can expect to do better by choosing a well-diversified, low-cost index fund than by picking a few stocks. 

For the past two years, our expert panelists have been informing the public about the extent to which economists agree or disagree on important public policy issues. This week, we are delighted to announce that we are expanding the IGM Economic Experts Panel to add ten new distinguished economists. Like our other experts, these new […] 

This week’s IGM Economic Experts Panel statements:

A: Enactment of the Senate bill to subject the Federal Reserve's monetary policy and discount window decisions to an audit by the Comptroller General of the U.S. would improve the Fed's legitimacy without hurting its decision making.

B: The Fed should not reduce its purchases of mortgage-backed securities and treasurys until there is clearer evidence of strong and sustained employment growth.