April 15, 2011

9:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
SEIU Conference Center
1800 Massachusetts Ave.
Washington, D.C. 20036

CEPR’s latest “Scorecard on Development” looks at data for 191 countries on economic growth and social indicators over the last 50 years to see whether most of the world’s countries have emerged from the long period of reduced economic and social progress that characterized the post-1980 years. It is updated with the latest data from just-released IMF World Economic Outlook Database.

CEPR’s last two “Scorecards” showed that the world’s low-and-middle-income countries suffered a large and protracted decline in economic growth for more than 20 years after 1980. This coincided with the introduction of a number of neoliberal reforms in most countries: tighter fiscal and monetary policies (including inflation-targeting regimes and increasing independence of central banks); a large reduction in tariffs and non-tariff barriers to trade; financial de-regulation and increased opening to international capital flows; privatization of state-owned enterprises; increased protectionism in the area of intellectual property; and the general abandonment of state-led industrialization or development strategies.

April 15, 2011

10:15 a.m. - 12:45 p.m.
Syracuse University
The Maxwell School
Syracuse, NY 13210

The Maxwell School Dean's Office and Campbell Public Affairs Institute at Syracuse University sponsored a conference on "Debts, Deficits and the Economy." CEPR Co-Director Dean Baker took part in a panel discussion with Bruce Bartlett, a columnist for the Fiscal Times; Leonard Burman, former director of the Tax Policy Center; John Palmer, former public trustee for Medicare and Social Security; and Susan Tanaka, vice president of the Peter G. Peterson Foundation. The panel was moderated by Dave Bullard of WRVO-FM and was broadcast as part of the station's Community Forum series. Audio of the event can be found below or after the jump.

April 12, 2011

12:15 p.m. - 1:15 p.m.
Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill
Capitol Room A
400 New Jersey Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20001

States and cities face tax increases and sharp cuts in vital public services, with likely harsh effects on economic activity and competitiveness going forward. Economists for Peace and Security will sponsor a symposium to discuss the budget crises faced by state and local governments including cuts to social services and increasing taxes. Will budget cuts help, as some claim -- or hurt, as others believe - the economies of affected jurisdictions and the country? CEPR Co-Director Dean Baker took part in a panel on "Workers' Rights, Workers' Pay, and Local Public Services: Are Workers and Unions the Cause of State Budget Crises?" The conference is viewable via simultaneous webcast.

April 12, 2011

12:15 p.m. - 1:45 p.m.
Economic Policy Institute
1333 H Street, NW
Washington, DC 20005

British economist, Guy Standing, offers an interesting, new perspective on the condition of the working class in a new book, "The Precariat: The New Dangerous Class." Standing argues that globalized labor markets have shifted the inherent risks of capitalism from firms to workers creating a growing class for whom stable careers are increasingly tenuous and who labor for low or stagnating wages and benefits with inconsistent hours. The insecurity faced by growing numbers of workers, Standing argues, has dire implications for societal stability, and he calls on policymakers around the world to focus attention on reducing inequality and reconstructing the concept of work.

The Center for Economic Policy Research and the Economic Policy Institute invite you to hear Dr. Standing present these perspectives in a discussion joined by Heidi Hartmann of the Institute for Women’s Policy Research and Prakash Loungani of the International Monetary Fund. Click here to RSVP. Seating is limited.

April 7, 2011

7 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Temple Kehillath Israel
384 Harvard Street
Brookline, MA 02446

The Brookline Educators Union sponsored a discussion on finding solutions collectively to the current crisis unions are undergoing. Participants included Dean Baker, co-director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research; Elaine Bernard, executive director of the Labor and Worklife Program at Harvard Law School; Ann Clarke, executive director-treasurer of the Massachusetts Teachers Association; Jody Curran, president of the Brookline Educators Union; Lisa Guisbond, member of the board of directors for Citizens for Public Schools; Richard Stutman, president of the Boston Teachers Union; and Dr. Steffi Woolhandler, co-founder of Physicians for a National Health Program. For more information, visit the Brookline Educators Union site or contact Jessica Wender-Shubow at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

April 1, 2011

4:15 p.m. - 5:45 p.m.
UCLA
Ackerman 2nd Floor Lounge
405 Hilgard Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90095

Leading authorities on labor and employment gathered at UCLA for a scholarly conference on persistent high unemployment in the wake of the most severe economic downturn in American history since the Great Depression. "Reconnecting to Work: Consequences of Long-Term Unemployment and Prospects for Job Creation" addressed a range of subjects, from policies aimed at boosting employment to the psychological hurdles faced by the unemployed. CEPR Senior Economist John Schmitt took part in a panel on international policy comparisons. The conference was sponsored by UCLA's Institute for Research on Labor and Employment.

April 1, 2011

8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation
4801 Rockhill Road
Kansas City, MO

The Kauffman Foundation hosted a one-day conference to discuss key policy issues and cutting-edge research on topics related to entrepreneurship, innovation, and growth. The aim of the conference was to foster a consensus around economic growth strategies for U.S. and global policymakers. CEPR Co-Director Dean Baker participated, and a video of his talk can be found below after the jump.

March 30, 2011

12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
2226 Rayburn House Office Building
45 Independence Ave. SW
Washington, DC 20515

The Preserving Our Promise to Seniors Act would strengthen Social Security for the next 75 years while improving benefits by fixing the outdated COLA formula. This is achieved by gradually phasing out the payroll tax exemption on incomes over $106,800 and keeping Social Security’s tradition of increased benefits for increased contributions. Additionally, this bill would improve the current COLA formula by indexing it to seniors’ costs through the creation of a Consumer Price Index for the Elderly. Finally, the legislation provides a supplemental payment to all COLA-tied retirees when there is no COLA for seniors. The Economic Policy Institute and ProgressiveCongress.org held a panel discussion to discuss the act. Participants included Congressman Ted Deutch; Celinda Lake, president of Lake Research Partners; Dean Baker, co-director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research; Ross Eisenbrey, vice president of the Economic Policy Institute; and Eric Kingson, co-director of Social Security Works and The Strengthen Social Security Campaign.

March 29, 2011

11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Grand Hyatt Washington
1000 H Street NW
Washington, DC 20001

The National Journal held an Insiders Conference, where an enhanced roster of congressional and political insiders, versed in key policy areas such as the economy, technology, energy and national security, offered their perspectives on what’s ahead in the 112th Congress and the 2012 campaign cycle. A video of Dean Baker's panel session, titled "Deficit Reduction v. Investment: How to Spur Economic Growth," is available below or after the jump.

March 28, 2011

1:15 - 2:30 p.m.
The Omni Shoreham Hotel
2500 Calvert Street NW
Washington D.C. 20008

Most experts agree that the federal government over-subsidizes homeownership, especially for higher-income households. The bipartisan deficit commission has called for reform of the mortgage interest deduction. Many policymakers think we need a more balanced housing policy that better addresses the needs of low- and moderate-income homeowners and renters. Proposals and prospects for reform were covered in this session, as part of the National Low-Income Housing Coalition's 2011 Annual Housing Policy Conference and Lobby Day. Speakers included CEPR Co-Director Dean Baker; Mark Calabria, Financial Regulation Studies, Cato Institute; and Sheila Crowley, president of the National Low Income Housing Coalition. For more information on the conference or program, visit the NLIHC site.