Sunday February 12, 2012

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RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioCongress, the Federal Reserve, and the Federal Open Market Committee

Sarah A. Binder, January 27, 2012, The Monkey Cage

Congress, the Federal Reserve, and the Federal Open Market CommitteeSarah Binder examines the Federal Reserve's dual mandate from Congress to reach full employment while maintaining price stability, specifically focusing on the recently released interest rate projections by the Fed. Read More

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioMonetary Policy in 2011: Unconventional and Necessary

Donald Kohn, December 14, 2011, The Brookings Institution

Monetary Policy in 2011: Unconventional and NecessaryDonald Kohn summarizes the unconventional actions that the Federal Reserve had to rely on in 2011 to boost growth in an economy hampered by world events including the uncertainty in the eurozone and the earthquake in Japan. Kohn notes what may happen in the coming months that would lead to a return to more conventional monetary policy. Read More

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioNew Brookings Papers on Economic Activity

Justin Wolfers , September 23, 2011, The Brookings Institution

New Brookings Papers on Economic ActivityJustin Wolfers summarizes the latest Brookings Papers on Economic Activity and explains the findings behind papers covering subjects that could have great impact on policy-making discussion. Topics covered include job creation, unemployment and unemployment insurance's relationship to the Great Recession, and the effectiveness of the Federal Reserve and how its actions in the past year compare to that of the Swedish central bank. Read More

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioBernanke Speaks. But What Did He Say?

Justin Wolfers , August 26, 2011, Freakonomics

Bernanke Speaks. But What Did He Say?Although there were expectations that Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke would announce another round of quantitative easing, Justin Wolfers explains any disappointment that he did not is misplaced, since while Bernanke's statements seem to imply his support for further easing, policy announcements are made by the Federal Open Market Committee. Read More

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioThe Top Economic Stories of 2010

Karen Dynan, Gary Burtless, Alice M. Rivlin, Henry J. Aaron, Donald Kohn, Douglas J. Elliott and Adele Morris, December 23, 2010, The Brookings Institution

The Top Economic Stories of 2010The uneasy economy continued to dominate the headlines in 2010. Unemployment rates, climate change, the Federal Reserve and sovereign debt were among the top stories. Brookings experts weigh in on the year’s most compelling economic news and offer recommendations going forward. Read More

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioThe Fed Uncloaked

Sarah A. Binder and Mark Spindel, December 07, 2010, The Brookings Institution

The Fed UncloakedThe Federal Reserve last week released details of more than $3 trillion in emergency loans made by the central bank at the height of the financial crisis. Sarah Binder and Mark Spindel write that focusing only on the loan data, however, risks losing sight of the political consequences of the Fed’s disclosures. Read More

VIDEO

Save to My Portfolio@ Brookings Podcast: The Federal Reserve

Karen Dynan, November 19, 2010

Karen Dynan discusses the role of the Federal Reserve during the financial crisis and the recession and the tools the central bank has to conduct monetary policy and boost the economy.

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioNeeded: A Reasonable Discussion of Fed Policy

Karen Dynan and Donald Kohn, November 18, 2010, The Financial Times

Needed: A Reasonable Discussion of Fed PolicyKaren Dynan and Donald Kohn comment on the Fed's announcement of a program to expand its holdings of intermediate and long-term treasury securities, and discuss two possible risks for the U.S. economy that critics have been highlighting, once the program is implemented. Read More

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioIs Obama Talking Down the Economy?

Karen Dynan, November 08, 2010, POLITICO

Karen Dynan writes that President Obama's pessimistic economic outlook is in fact well-founded, and so the latest round of quantitative easing undertaken by the Federal Reserve was indeed necessary. Read More

VIDEO

Save to My PortfolioFederal Reserve Taking Action To Stimulate the Economy

Karen Dynan, November 03, 2010

Karen Dynan discusses the Federal Reserve’s announcement for a new round of quantitative easing measures is aimed at stimulating the economy, with the central bank now buying $600 billion of U.S. government debt over the next eight months.

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioQuantitative Easing Won’t Turn Economy Around by Huge Amount

Donald Kohn, November 01, 2010, The Wall Street Journal

Donald Kohn answers questions on the possible effects of the Federal Reserve's second round of quantitative easing might have on markets and macroeconomic factors. Read More

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioShould the Fed Make More Large-Scale Asset Purchases?

Karen Dynan, September 09, 2010, The Fiscal Times

Should the Fed Make More Large-Scale Asset Purchases?In light of the latest labor market report, Karen Dynan weighs in on the Federal Reserve's option of providing economic stimulus through the purchase of U.S. Treasury securities. Though this action could elevate market uncertainty and boost inflation expectations, other conditions indicate that such obstacles seem unlikely to be important enough to stand in the way of further monetary stimulus. Read More

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioFed Has Done Much, Can Do More, for the Economy

Karen Dynan, August 20, 2010, Fiscal Times

Fed Has Done Much, Can Do More, for the EconomyKaren Dynan speaks to skeptics who question the effectiveness of monetary policy and argue that the Fed’s extensive efforts to bolster the economy over the past couple of years have not worked. Dynan asserts that the depth of the recession and the rocky recovery hardly demonstrate that the Federal Reserve’s efforts to date have not worked, as much as they are evidence of just how significant the economic headwinds have been. Read More

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioWill Congress Ever Reform the Fed?

Sarah A. Binder, May 12, 2010, The Monkey Cage Blog

Despite Congress’s bipartisan lashing of the Fed for its performance before and after the financial crisis of 2008, the Fed this week defeated two challenges to its autonomy as a central bank. Sarah Binder reviews action in the Senate where a bipartisan amendment was adopted to allow the Fed regional district banks to keep their supervisory powers over small banks. And, the Senate defeated Senator Vitter’s amendment for a full GAO audit of the Fed. Read More

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioDo Bankers Pay the Rent?

Isabel V. Sawhill, March 22, 2010, National Journal

Responding to arguments made by Alan Greenspan in a recent paper, Isabel Sawhill states that investment bankers earn rents for the same reason that real estate brokers earn rents: their fees are a small portion of the total cost of the deal and no buyer wants to risk engaging a new or unknown entrant into the field with a big and important transaction. Read More

In Brief

The Federal Reserve System serves as the nation's central bank. It consists of a seven member Board of Governors with headquarters in Washington, D.C., and twelve reserve banks located in major cities throughout the United States. The system is key to implementing the nation’s monetary policies.

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Donald KohnExpertDonald Kohn

Donald Kohn is a 40-year veteran of the Federal Reserve System and served as vice chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve from 2006 to 2010. He was recently appointed by the government of the United Kingdom and the Bank of England to serve on its interim Financial Policy Committee. Kohn focuses on issues of monetary policy, financial regulation and macroeconomics.

State of Metropolitan AmericaMetropolitan Policy ProgramState of Metropolitan America

Foreshadowing 2010 Census results, this new Brookings report and interactive map defines who Americans are—and who they are becoming—in the face of continued growth, population aging and diversification, uneven educational attainment and income polarization.

John L. Thornton China CenterPolicy CenterJohn L. Thornton China Center

The John L. Thornton China Center develops analysis and policy recommendations to help address key long-term challenges, both in terms of U.S.-China relations and China's internal development.

Daniel KaufmannExpertDaniel Kaufmann

Daniel Kaufmann was previously the director at the World Bank Institute, leading the work on governance and anti-corruption. His areas of expertise are public sector and regulatory reform, development, governance and anti-corruption.

William G. GaleExpertWilliam G. Gale

Bill Gale, the Arjay and Frances Miller Chair in Federal Economic Policy in the Economic Studies Program at Brookings, is an expert on tax policy, fiscal issues, pensions, and saving behavior. He is also co-director of the Tax Policy Center and director of the Retirement Security Project.

Shadi HamidExpertShadi Hamid

Shadi Hamid focuses on Islamist political parties and democratic reform in the Middle East. Prior to joining Brookings, he was Director of Research at the Project on Middle East Democracy (POMED) and a Hewlett Fellow at Stanford University’s Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law.

Budgeting for National PrioritiesResearch ProjectBudgeting for National Priorities

The Budgeting for National Priorities project promotes greater fiscal responsibility by developing new ideas, educating the public and finding common ground among experts and policy-makers.

Suzanne MaloneyExpertSuzanne 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.

Alice M. RivlinExpertAlice M. Rivlin

In February 1975, the Congressional Budget Office was established with Alice Rivlin as its first director. Rivlin is an expert on urban issues as well as fiscal, monetary and social policy and directs the Greater Washington Research project at Brookings.

Darrell M. WestExpertDarrell M. West

Darrell M. West is vice president and director of Governance Studies and founding director of the Center for Technology Innovation at Brookings. His studies include technology policy, electronic government, and mass media.

Mwangi S. KimenyiExpertMwangi S. Kimenyi

Mwangi S. Kimenyi is senior fellow and director of the Africa Growth Initiative. The founding executive director of the Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis (1999-2005), he focuses on Africa's development including institutions for economic growth, political economy, and private sector development.

Energy and ClimateTopicEnergy and Climate

What will it take to mitigate severe climate disruption? What should our priorities be in the relationship between fresh water and climate change? What will it take to help vulnerable countries and regions adapt to change already taking place?

Brookings Mobile ApplicationsNEW FEATUREBrookings Mobile Applications

Stay up-to-date with our independent, high-quality research, learn about Brookings events and search our directory of experts all from your BlackBerry, iPad, iPhone or Android device.

Global ChangeTopicGlobal Change

How do we develop more realistic approaches and more effective means of ending intractable old conflicts and preventing new ones? How do we enhance measures to thwart nonstate actors—especially terrorists and illicit traffickers—and prevent the spread of nuclear weapons?

Katherine SierraExpertKatherine Sierra

Katherine Sierra is a senior fellow in the Global Economy and Development program. A former vice president for sustainable development at the World Bank, she focuses on climate change and energy.

Growth through InnovationTopicGrowth through Innovation

What new practices and mechanisms will help prevent another economic downturn from turning into a financial panic that could become a truly global meltdown? What changes in the public and private sectors will build the workforce and infrastructure required for a global information-based economy?

Center on Children and FamiliesPolicy 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.

Vanda Felbab-BrownExpertVanda Felbab-Brown

Vanda Felbab-Brown focuses on the national security implications of illicit economies and strategies for managing them. She is the author of Shooting Up: Counterinsurgency and the War on Drugs (Brookings Institution Press, 2009).

Opportunity and Well-beingTopicOpportunity and Well-being

As they weather the current economic storm, will our governments and societies address the basic needs and aspirations of the least well-off? How can we better use education to raise individual aspirations? How should governments around the world accelerate preparations to provide social services for the billions moving from poverty into the middle class?

Africa Growth InitiativeResearch ProjectAfrica Growth Initiative

The Africa Growth Initiative conducts high-quality policy research and analysis focused on attaining sustainable economic development and prosperity in Africa, while amplifying the voice of African researchers in policy-making and planning.

Center for Technology InnovationPolicy CenterCenter for Technology Innovation

The Center for Technology Innovation is at the forefront of shaping public debate on technology innovation and developing data-driven scholarship to enhance understanding of technology’s legal, economic, social, and governance ramifications.

Isabel V. SawhillExpertIsabel 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 and the Budgeting for National Priorities Project at Brookings.

Robert KaganExpertRobert Kagan

Robert Kagan is an expert and frequent commentator on Egypt, the Middle East, U.S. national security, and U.S.-European relations. He writes a monthly column on world affairs for the Washington Post and is a contributing editor at the Weekly Standard and the New Republic.