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Monday November 9, 2009

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SPOTLIGHT: Economic Mobility


Reuters/Jim Young - Child waves an American flag in Virginia

Save to My Portfolio Five Myths About Our Land of Opportunity

Isabel V. Sawhill and Ron Haskins, November 01, 2009

Americans have always believed that their country is unique in providing the opportunity to get ahead. Ron Haskins and Isabel Sawhill deconstruct five myths about economic mobility in the United States, saying that we need better policies to help create a true opportunity society. Read More

Economic Mobility, Children & Families, U.S. Poverty, U.S. Economy

SPOTLIGHT: U.S. Economy


Reuters/Jessica Rinaldi - Consumer pays at a Target store in Dallas

Save to My Portfolio The Outlook for Consumer Spending and the Broader Economic Recovery

Karen Dynan, October 29, 2009

How long will the economic recovery take? Karen Dynan testified before the Joint Economic Committee that there is a great deal of uncertainty about the strength and speed of the nation’s recovery, with gradual expansion being the most likely economic scenario. She says that consumer spending is likely to grow modestly over the next few years because of weak income growth, higher saving and lower borrowing. Policymakers have options to bolster the recovery but they should be mindful of the long-run costs, particularly in terms of the budget deficit, she says. Read More

U.S. Economy, U.S. Economic Growth

SPOTLIGHT: U.S. Financial Market Regulation


Reuters/John Gress - Chase bank branch in Chicago

Save to My Portfolio What Should be Done About Bank Size?

Martin Neil Baily, October 19, 2009

In light of the debate over whether the Obama administration's plan for financial regulation goes far enough to curb institutions that become "too big to fail," Martin Baily addresses the question of whether any regulation of "systemic risk" will inevitably lead to the designation of some banks as "too big to fail." Read More

U.S. Financial Market Regulation, U.S. Economy, Banking, Financial Markets

SPOTLIGHT: Banking


Reuters/Larry Downing - Bank of America branch in Virginia

Save to My Portfolio Initial Comments on the Draft House Bill on Systemic Risk and “Too Big to Fail”

Douglas J. Elliott, October 28, 2009

As the financial system continues to stabilize, the House Financial Services Committee has drafted legislation intended to prevent future crises. The latest bill, which has been endorsed by the Obama administration, focuses on systemic risk and financial institutions that are deemed to be “too big to fail.” Douglas Elliott analyzes the 253-page bill, saying he thinks the enhanced resolution authority is essential, but he raises serious concerns about the structure of the council intended to tackle systemic risks. Read More

Banking, Financial Institutions, U.S. Financial Market Regulation, U.S. Economy

About Us

Economic Studies monitors the global economy and seeks answers to economic policy issues in the United States and worldwide. Our research aims to increase the public's understanding of how the economy works and how to make programs and policies better.

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November 11, 2009

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Save to My Portfolio Measuring Innovation and Change During Turbulent Economic Times

November 17, 2009

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Q&A with Alice Rivlin

The Stock Market Crash of 1929 and Our Current Recession

"In 1929 people got carried away with the idea that stock prices were going to keep going up... eventually a bubble like that bursts. We had a bubble like that a year ago, it did burst." - Alice Rivlin, Senior Fellow, Economic Studies

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TopicEducation

The economic and political well-being of any society requires a well-educated citizenry. Brookings’s work extends beyond the K-12 bookends to include pre-school interventions, higher education and the challenges of education in developing countries.

ExpertMark McClellan

Mark McClellan works on promoting high-quality, innovative and affordable health care. Once commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration and administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Dr. McClellan now directs the Engelberg Center for Health Care Reform.

TopicHealth Care

Brookings is committed to producing innovative policy solutions to our nation’s most difficult challenges. The country may face no more important domestic policy challenge than the much-needed reform of our health care system. Through an institution-wide effort, Brookings delivers new ideas and offers policy solutions to improve health care both at home and globally.

Research ProjectBrookings-Bern Project on Internal Displacement

The Brookings-Bern Project on Internal Displacement monitors displacement problems worldwide, works with governments, regional bodies, international organizations and civil society to create more effective policies and institutional arrangements for Internally Displaed Persons.

Policy CenterCenter on Children and Families

The Center on Children and Families studies policies on the well-being of America's children and their parents and seeks a more effective means of addressing poverty, inequality and lack of opportunity in the United States.

ExpertVanda Felbab-Brown

Vanda Felbab-Brown focuses on the national security implications of illicit economies and strategies for managing them. She is an adjunct professor in the Security Studies Program at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service.

ExpertFederiga Bindi

Federiga Bindi is a leading expert on European political integration. She has a broad experience in government and held a number of posts in international organizations. Bindi currently serves as an advisor to the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs. Her research focuses on the EU, transatlantic relations; EU states foreign policies, global governance issues.

ExpertSuzanne Maloney

Suzanne Maloney studies Iran, the political economy of the Persian Gulf and Middle East energy policy. A former U.S. State Department policy advisor, she has also counseled private companies on Middle East issues.

ProgramGovernance Studies

Governance Studies explores political institutions of the United States and other democracies to assess how they govern, how their practices compare and how citizens and public servants can advance sound governance.

ExpertTed Gayer

Ted Gayer is the co-director of the Economic Studies program and the Joseph A. Pechman Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution. He conducts research on a variety of economic issues, focusing particularly on public finance, environmental and energy economics, housing, and regulatory policy.

Research ProjectLatin America Initiative

The Latin America Initiative provides high-quality, in-depth, and independent research across a range of economic and political issues, and offers policy recommendations aimed at U.S. and Latin American policymakers.

ExpertIsabel V. Sawhill

A nationally known budget expert, Isabel Sawhill focuses on domestic poverty and federal fiscal policy. She is also co-director of the Center on Children and Families at Brookings.

ExpertAmy Liu

Amy Liu is deputy director of the Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program. Her policy studies include economic competitiveness, metropolitan growth and development, governance reforms, urban reinvestment, and social equity.

ExpertRichard Joseph

Richard Joseph is John Evans Professor of International History and Politics at Northwestern University. Former fellow of The Carter Center, Atlanta, he focuses on African governance, political economy, and democratization.

Policy CenterEngelberg Center for Health Care Reform

The Engelberg Center for Health Care Reform provides practical solutions to achieve high-quality, innovative, affordable health care with particular emphasis on identifying opportunities on the national, state and local levels.

ExpertDomenico Lombardi

As president of the Oxford Institute for Economic Policy, Domenico Lombardi’s work at Brookings focuses on the international financial crisis and the reform of the IMF and the World Bank. He is an expert on G-20 and G8 Summits.