February 16, 2012

Annual Steinhardt Lecture at Lewis & Clark College

7:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Lewis & Clark College of Arts and Sciences
Council Chamber, Templeton Center
0615 S.W. Palatine Hill Road
Portland, OR, 97219

The economic debate between progressives and conservatives is routinely framed as a battle between progressives who support government intervention in the economy to promote equality and reduce poverty and conservatives who favor leaving things to the market. This “loser liberalism” framing, where the liberal agenda is about taxing the winners to help the losers, is likely to lead to bad policy outcomes and is also disastrous from a political standpoint.

CEPR Co-Director Dean Baker will give the college's annual Steinhardt Lecture, which will cover some of the largely undiscussed government policies that redistribute income upwards. This list of policies includes patent and copyright protection, too big to fail insurance for large banks, and protectionist barriers that prop up the pay of doctors and other highly educated professionals. For more information, visit the event's website.

February 10, 2012

Economic Mobility: What's the Problem and What to Do About It?

12:15 - 1:30 p.m.
New America Foundation
1899 L St NW
Washington, D.C. 20036

In a recent speech in Osawatomie, Kansas, President Obama described how the prospects of upward mobility for a child born into poverty have dimmed substantially, and he identified the path to inclusive prosperity as "the defining issue of our time." But has the climb up the economic ladder really become more arduous? Have more families in the middle class fallen downward? What can and should be done to increase economic security and create opportunities for upward mobility? The New America Foundation is sponsoring a discussion with Scott Winship, fellow in economic studies at the Brookings Institution and former research manager with the Economic Mobility Project. Participants include Heather McGhee, director of the Demos Washington Office; Shawn Fremstad, a senior research associate at the Center for Economic Policy Research; and Reid Cramer, director of the Asset Building Program at the New America Foundation.

To RSVP for the event, go to the event page or contact Stephanie Gunter at New America at (202) 596-3367 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

February 5, 2012

Retirement Heist: How Companies Plunder and Profit from the Nest Eggs of American Workers

5 p.m. ET/2 p.m PT.
Firedoglake

It’s no secret that hundreds of companies have been slashing pensions and health coverage earned by millions of retirees. Employers blame an aging workforce, stock market losses, and spiraling costs- what they call “a perfect storm” of external forces that has forced them to take drastic measures. But this so-called retirement crisis is no accident. In the new book, Retirement Heist, Ellen E. Schultz, award-winning investigative reporter for the Wall Street Journal, reveals how large companies and the retirement industry-benefits consultants, insurance companies, and banks-have all played a huge and hidden role in the death spiral of American pensions and benefits. CEPR Co-Director Dean Baker will host a book salon on Firedoglake with Schultz.

February 4, 2012

Green Night Out

7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Singapore Vegetarian Kosher Chinese Restaurant
1006 Race Street, Chinatown
Philadelphia, PA, 19107

February 3, 2012

Empire Unplugged: A Salon with Dean Baker & Jeffrey Tucker on the Federal Reserve

8:00 p.m.
Montserrat House
2016 9th St NW
Washington, DC 20001

Is the Federal Reserve a legitimate or illegitimate institution? What is the case for it and against it? CEPR Co-Director Dean Baker will take part in a debate with Jeffrey Tucker, an Austrian economics advocate, executive editor of Laissez Faire Books and former editorial vice president of The Mises Institute. The event is free and features a cash bar. RSVP to James Henry at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

February 1, 2012

Rebuilding the Middle Class

9:00 - 10:30 a.m
Center for American Progress
1333 H St. NW, 10th Floor
Washington, DC 20005

In the State of the Union address, President Barack Obama challenged Congress to pursue policies that recognize that a strong middle class is the key driver of economic growth. He stressed that the United States will not have an economy that works until it has one that works for all Americans. At an event sponsored by the Center for American Progress, Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), chairman of the Health, Education, Labor, & Pensions Committee, talked about what he's learned from the series of HELP Committee hearings and events on the decline of the middle class, and outlined a policy agenda that puts the middle class first. Senator Harkin's remarks were followed by a panel of distinguished economists and policy analysts exploring how the middle class is a key engine of economic growth. The panelists included:

• Heather Boushey, Senior Economist, Center for American Progress
• Isabel Sawhill, Senior Fellow of Economic Studies, Brookings Institution
• John Schmitt, Senior Economist, Center for Economic and Policy Research

A video of the event is available below or after the jump.

February 1, 2012

Debate: Progressive Economics and the Great Recession

9:30 - 11:00 a.m
Information Technology and Innovation Foundation
1101 K Street (Suite 601A)
Washington, DC 20005

The Great Recession has given way to a less-than-great recovery and the pressure is on for Washington to respond. ITIF President Rob Atkinson has taken on traditional Keynesians for pushing for additional public pump priming and for what he sees as their focus on distribution of the economic pie rather than the growth of the pie. But Dean Baker, co-director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research, rejects Atkinson's critique. The event was moderated by American Public Media's John Dimsdale.

A video of the event can be found below or after the jump.

January 30, 2012

What's the Economy for, Anyway?: Why It's Time to Stop Chasing Growth and Start Pursuing Happiness

6:30 - 8 p.m.
Busboys and Poets
2021 14th St NW
Washington, D.C. 20009

Activist John de Graaf discussed and signed copies of his new book, "What's the Economy For, Anyway?: Why It's Time to Stop Chasing Growth and Start Pursuing Happiness," at the 14th and U Street Busboys and Poets. The event was sponsored by the Center for Economic and Policy Research, Teaching for Change and Busboys and Poets. More information on the book can be found here.

January 25, 2012

CEPR: Haiti Events on the Hill

Rayburn House Office Building
45 Independence Ave SW
Washington, D.C.

CEPR's Mark Weisbrot participated in a series of congressional panels on Haiti on the Hill — part of a Congressional Schedule of Events that took place Jan. 24-25.

January 24, 2012

Author Event, "Tectonic Shifts: Haiti Since the Earthquake"

6:30 p.m.
Busboys and Poets
2021 14th St NW
Washington, D.C. 20009

Editor Mark Schuller discussed the new book, "Tectonic Shifts: Haiti Since the Earthquake," which features chapters written by CEPR Co-Director Mark Weisbrot and research assistant Jake Johnston. The event was sponsored by TransAfrica Forum, the Center for Economic and Policy Research, Teaching for Change and Busboys and Poets.