EconoFact Chats

Stephen O'Connell of Swarthmore College joins Michael Klein for a discussion on the impact of COVID-19 on emerging markets, focusing on trade, remittance flows, and foreign aid; as well as the potential delays developing countries face in accessing a COVID vaccine. O'Connell served as the chief economist in the United States Agency for International Development from 2014 to 2015.

Florida overwhelmingly voted to increase the minimum wage to $15 per hour; and nationwide surveys suggest that two-thirds of Americans support increasing the federal minimum wage. As broad support for this policy grows, understanding who benefits from increases to the minimum wage becomes more important. On this episode of EconoFact Chats, Michael Klein speaks with Jonathan Meer at Texas A&M Unive...

This week on EconoFact Chats, host Michael Klein talks to Jeffrey Fuhrer about the role of the Federal Reserve in responding to crises, its recent focus on addressing inequality, and the changing nature of inflation. Fuhrer recently completed almost four decades of work in the Federal Reserve System.

Current strategies to address climate change include subsidizing clean energy production, raising minimum efficiency standards for buildings and factories, and even instituting outright bans on gasoline-powered automobiles. But another strategy, one advocated by many economists -- the carbon tax -- harnesses market forces to lower greenhouse gas emissions. On this episode of EconoFact Chats, Tufts...

The notion that through hard work and diligence, people can better their stations in life is at the bedrock of the American dream. But there's a growing sense that inequality is a persistent feature of this country. This week on EconoFact Chats, Michael Klein, and Harvard professor Karen Dynan discuss wealth inequality, and the policies that can help address it. They also discuss the future of soc...

Michael Klein is joined by Bill Gale, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, and co-director of the Tax Policy Center, to discuss the government's large budget deficit, tax policy, and issues of redistribution. They also discuss Bill's book, "Fiscal Therapy: Curing America's Debt Addiction and Investing" in the Future.

Michael Klein, and Binyamin Appelbaum, lead writer on economics and business for The New York Times Editorial Board discuss Binyamin’s book The Economists’ Hour. The discussion focuses on the history of economists influencing public policy, and the limitations of free markets in solving issues like inequality.

The COVID-19 pandemic plunged the U.S. into its worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. In the spring, it was unclear if there would be a quick recovery, a slow recovery, or if the recession would be prolonged. Seven months on, an added concern is whether a recovery would be K-shaped—with economic conditions improving for some, while hard times continue for others. This week on EconoFa...

This week on EconoFact Chats, Michael Klein and Harvard Economics Professor Jeremy Stein discuss the impact of COVID-19 on the financial system and, through this, on the broader economy. They compare and contrast the current economic crisis, and the policies to combat it, to the 2008 financial crisis. The conversation draws on Stein’s experience as a member of the Board of Governors of the Federal...

Economics has changed, with new areas of inquiry such as behavioral economics, the role of information, and network and contagion effects. Economics students have also changed, coming from more diverse backgrounds, representing a wider range of ages, and having broader career and life interests. The economy has changed as well, due to the 2008 financial crisis, the rise of the digital economy, the...

Policing in minority communities has been a focus of the protests that followed the tragic death of George Floyd. Jennifer Doleac of Texas A&M University speaks with EconoFact's Executive Editor Michael Klein about the need to test a range of policy initiatives, from training, to community outreach, to improve efficacy, and build trust within communities. Prof. Doleac is also the host of Probable...

In the second episode of EconoFact Chats, New York Times economics reporter, and EconoFact Board Member Eduardo Porter speaks with EconoFact's Michael Klein about his new book, 'American Poison: How Racial Hostility Destroyed Our Promise' – a timely subject in light of the recent widespread protests about systemic racism across the U.S.

We are now in the acute economic phase of a crisis that is unprecedented in modern times — a health crisis from the coronavirus pandemic that has sparked a follow-on economic crisis. In this inaugural episode of EconoFact Chats, Dan Sichel at Wellesley College speaks with EconoFact's Executive Editor Michael Klein about the economics of the COVID-19 crisis, what makes this crisis unique, and what...