US Economic Experts Panel

The Clark Center for Global Markets explores economists’ views on vital policy issues via our US and European Economic Experts Panels. We regularly poll over 80 economists on a range of timely and relevant topics. Panelists not only have the opportunity to respond to a poll’s statements, but an opportunity to comment and provide additional resources, if they wish. The Clark Center then shares the results with the public in a straightforward and concise format.

Please note that from September 2022, the language in our polls will use just two modifiers to refer to the size of an effect:

‘Substantial’: when an effect is large enough that it would make a difference that matters for the behavior involved.
‘Measurable’: when the direction of the effect is clear, but perhaps experts would differ as to whether it is substantial.

Ride-Sharing Caps

Question A:

Capping the number of ride-sharing drivers as is being discussed in New York City, Chicago and London will make the average resident in that city worse off.

Responses

Source: Clark Center Economic Experts Panel
Methodology

Question B:

To achieve a given level of congestion, it would be better to use taxes for driving that vary based on the level of congestion, rather than limiting the number of ride-sharing vehicles.

Responses

Source: Clark Center Economic Experts Panel
Methodology

Clark Center Economic Experts Panel

August 21, 2018

Trade Disruptions

Because global supply chains are more important now, import tariffs are likely substantially more costly than they would have been 25 years ago.

Responses

Source: Clark Center Economic Experts Panel
Methodology

Business, Management, & Corporate Performance

July 24, 2018

Central Banks and Productivity

This week's IGM Economic Experts Panel statement:

Britain’s Labour party recently proposed giving the Bank of England a target of 3% annual labor productivity growth. Consider the following statement:
Central banks cannot significantly increase productivity growth over a ten year horizon, except perhaps by promoting macroeconomic stability.

Clark Center Economic Experts Panel

June 29, 2018

Antitrust and International Competition

This week's IGM Economic Experts Panel statement:

The European Union often uses its antitrust powers to protect EU-based firms from international competition, rather than to promote greater competition in European markets.

Business, Management, & Corporate Performance

June 13, 2018

Sports Betting

This week's IGM Economic Experts Panel Statement:

All things considered, US society will be better off if sports betting becomes legal in more US states (beyond Nevada).

Clark Center Economic Experts Panel

May 22, 2018

Autonomous Cars

This week's IGM Economic Experts Panel statement:

Over the next decade, autonomous cars will raise average welfare in the US by at least as much as smartphones have over the past decade.

Clark Center Economic Experts Panel

May 1, 2018

Occupational Licensing for Economists

This week's IGM Economic Experts Panel Statement:

Restricting eligibility for senior government economic-policy posts by requiring a graduate degree in economics would reduce the chances for good public policy outcomes.

Clark Center Economic Experts Panel

April 17, 2018

The NCAA

This week's IGM Economic Experts Panel Statement:

NCAA Division I schools coordinate compensation for men’s basketball and football players (precluding actual pay and limiting non-monetary benefits), providing rents to member schools (which may be shared with others) at the expense of those players.

Clark Center Economic Experts Panel

April 2, 2018

Steel and Aluminum Tariffs

This week's IGM Economic Experts Panel Statement:

Imposing new US tariffs on steel and aluminum will improve Americans’ welfare.

Clark Center Economic Experts Panel

March 12, 2018

Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program

This week's IGM Economic Experts Panel Statements:

A) By providing electronic benefit cards to choose and buy groceries at stores, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program currently does more for its recipients' well-being than it would if the program directly provided a smaller array of foods to its recipients, while commensurately reducing the amount they could spend on groceries of their own choosing.

B) By providing electronic benefit cards to choose and buy groceries at stores, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program currently does more to raise food security and reduce hunger than it would if the program directly provided a smaller array of foods to its recipients, while commensurately reducing the amount they could spend on groceries of their own choosing.

Clark Center Economic Experts Panel

March 2, 2018