Clark Center Forum

 

 

This week’s IGM European Economic Experts Panel statements:

A) Germany's current account surplus is undesirable even from a purely German viewpoint: the country would be better off if, for example, it ran a smaller primary surplus, in turn leading to a smaller current account surplus.

B) The Eurozone would be in better shape if fiscal policy were more expansionary, which would allow monetary policy to be slightly less so.

C) If there is a recession in the Eurozone, it will be essential to have a coordinated fiscal expansion. 

This week’s IGM European Economic Experts Panel statements:

A) The European Union goal of reaching net zero emissions of greenhouse gases by 2050 will be a major drag on economic growth.

B) Carbon taxes are a better way to implement climate policy than cap-and-trade.

C) A carbon border tax targeting imports from non-EU countries with less strict climate policies is likely to harm developing economies. 

This week’s IGM Economic Experts Panel statements:

A) Replacing the current US health insurance system (including employer-based health insurance, ACA exchange policies, and Medicaid) with universal ‘Medicare for All’ (mandatory enrollment in a modified version of the existing traditional Medicare program with drug coverage and no cost-sharing of any form, and current Medicare reimbursement rates) funded by federal taxes would lead to lower aggregate medical debt among patients.

B) Replacing the current US health insurance system as outlined in a) would lead to lower aggregate innovation in the pharmaceutical industry.

C) Replacing the current US health insurance system as outlined in a) would improve health outcomes for the majority of the population. 

This week’s IGM Economic Experts Panel statements:

a) Replacing the current US health insurance system (including employer-based health insurance, ACA exchange policies, and Medicaid) with universal ‘Medicare for All’ (mandatory enrollment in a modified version of the existing traditional Medicare program with drug coverage and no cost-sharing of any form, and current Medicare reimbursement rates) funded by federal taxes would lead to improved access to healthcare for a meaningful subset of the population.

b) Replacing the current US health insurance system as outlined in a) would lead to longer waiting times for healthcare for a meaningful subset of the population. 

This week’s IGM Economic Experts Panel statements:

A) Following the UK election result, the certainty that the country is going to leave the European Union will provide a substantial short-term boost to the UK economy.

B) The near certainty that the UK will leave the European Union's customs union and single market in 2020 offers a sizeable export market opportunity for American business. 

This week’s IGM European Economic Experts Panel statements:

A) Following the UK election result, the certainty that the country is going to leave the European Union will provide a substantial short-term boost to the UK economy.

B) Given that the transition period currently expires at the end of 2020, there is still a considerable risk that the UK will leave the European Union without a trade agreement.

C) Leaving the European Union without a trade agreement would have a large negative impact on the UK economy. 

This week’s IGM European Economic Experts Panel statements:

A) Under current policies on climate change, the associated physical risks (such as those arising from total seasonal rainfall and sea level changes, and increased frequency, severity, and correlation of extreme weather events) will be at most a very small factor in monetary policy decisions over the next decade.

B) The physical risks associated with climate change under current policies are likely to threaten financial stability over the next decade. 

This week’s IGM Economic Experts Panel statement:

A ban on very short-term loans at very high annualized interest rates (aka payday lending) would make most people who use or might use them better off.