Where Economists Meet In The Nation's Capital
Thursday, September 11
"Financial Shock"
Mark Zandi
Chief Economist, Moody's Economy.com
The subprime mortgage loan shock is arguably at the heart of what has become the most severe US financial crisis since the Great Depression. Based on his new book on the topic, Mark Zandi will address how mortgage lenders, investment bankers, builders, regulators, and the Fed caused one of the most devastating global economic disasters in history and what can be done to prevent the next financial crisis.
When: Thursday, September 11, 12:00 noon to 1:30pm
Where: Chinatown Garden Restaurant, 618 H Street NW, Washington DC (Directions)
Reservations: 11:00 am on Wednesday, September 10
Cost: $15 members, $20 for non-members
Thursday, September 18 w/SGE
“The Next Round of the Trade and Wages Debate”
L. Josh Bivens,
Economic Policy Institute
The debate over the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) sparked a long literature on the impact of international trade on American wage inequality. This debate is sometimes characterized as having concluded that trade could not be a major factor in explaining the large increase in wage inequality observed in the 1980s. This presentation argues (1) this characterization is too sanguine about the findings of this first round, and, (2) findings from this first round are now clearly obsolete, as trade flows with poorer trading partners have accelerated in importance over the past 15 years. It provides new estimates for trade's impact on wage inequality, and, explores some new issues being raised in this debate.
When: Thursday, September 18, 12:00 noon to 1:30pm
Where: Chinatown Garden Restaurant, 618 H Street NW, Washington DC (Directions)
Reservations: 11:00 am on Wednesday, September 17
Cost: $15 members, $20 for non-members
Tuesday, September 23
"A Debate on the Economic Policies of John McCain and Barack Obama"
Douglas Holtz-Eakin, McCain Campaign and former CBO Director
Jared Bernstein, Economic Policy Institute and informal adviser to the Obama Campaign
Holtz-Eakin and Bernstein will engage in a friendly debate about which candidate's economic policies are best suited to get the US economy out of the disarray in which it currently finds itself. Turnout is expected to be brisk so we ask that you please RSVP well in advance for this presentation.
When: Tuesday, September 23, 12:00 noon to 1:30pm
Where: Chinatown Garden Restaurant, 618 H Street NW, Washington DC (Directions)
Reservations: 11:00 am on Monday, September 22
Cost: $15 members, $20 for non-members
Thursday, October 2
Proposed Topic: "Bending the Health Care Cost Curve"
Speaker TBA
The burgeoning cost of health care will be one of the biggest challenges facing the next President. However, even the experts are having difficulty figuring out how to control health care costs. The speaker for this date will endeavor to dissect this topic.
When: Thursday, October 2, 12:00 noon to 1:30pm
Where: Chinatown Garden Restaurant, 618 H Street NW, Washington DC (Directions)
Reservations: 11:00 am on Wednesday, October 1
Cost: $16 members, $20 for non-members
Thursday, October 9 w/Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA)
“Challenges of Monetary Policymaking in Emerging Economies"
Zdenek Tuma Governor, Czech National Bank
Governor Tuma will place monetary management in the context of transition to capitalism, disinflation, financial system development and privatization, fast economic growth, and European integration. Such a multitude of constraints and objectives calls for policies that often are a balancing act among competing priorities. Add to this the sometimes fragile institutions and inflation expectations that are difficult to gauge, and the governor’s job emerges as particularly daunting. Members will have a unique opportunity to query a respected head of a successful central bank.
When: Thursday, October 9, 12:00 noon to 1:30pm
Where: Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars: room # is 5.1-17 (Directions)
Reservations: 3:00 pm on Tuesday, Oct 7
Cost: $16 members, $20 for non-members
Thursday, October 16 w/SGE
"The Structural Economic Definition of Accrual Accounting: A New Conceptual Framework for Economic Statistics"
Gary Davis, Bureau of Economic Analysis
Underlying all economic data is the subtle concept of the “economic event,” such as the moment when a good is sold. In national accounting, however, this concept can influence economic measurement significantly, depending on how the event is actually defined. For example, does the sale of an item occur when the buyer commits funds for its purchase, when the product changes hands, or when payment to the seller is deposited? The international System of National Accounts provides some guidance in this regard in its definition of “accrual accounting.” However, in his paper on “The Structural Economic Definition of Accrual Accounting,” Dr. Davis argues that much more can be done to improve accrual accounting through the application of basic economic principles, especially the theory of rational decision-making. His presentation gets deep at the roots of what economic data truly mean—a topic that is relevant to all areas of empirical economics.
When: Thursday, October 16, 12:00 noon to 1:30pm
Where: Chinatown Garden Restaurant, 618 H Street NW, Washington DC (Directions)
Reservations: 11:00 am on Wednesday, October 15
Cost: $16 members, $20 for non-members
Thursday, October 23
"Futurecast: How Superpowers, Populations and Globalization will Change the Way You Live and Work"
Robert Shapiro Chairman, Sonecon
What will the world look like in the year 2020? How will the forces of globalization, aging societies and the rise of American dominance shape the future world order? How can economic policy prepare for the monumental changes to come? Former Undersecretary of Commerce for Economic Affairs Robert Shapiro will address these critical issues, drawing on his recent book by the same title.
When: Thursday, October 23, 12:00 noon to 1:30pm
Where: Chinatown Garden Restaurant, 618 H Street NW, Washington DC (Directions)
Reservations: 11:00 am on Wednesday, October 22
Cost: $16 members, $20 for non-members
Thursday, October 30
"How Do Retirees Go About Cracking Open the Retirement Nest Egg?"
Sarah Holden, Senior Director of Retirement and Investor Research, Investment Company Institute
With $4.5 trillion in defined contribution plans, $4.7 trillion in IRAs, and the Baby Boom generation headed into retirement, many observers wonder will this money be managed successfully. The Investment Company Institute (ICI) has a comprehensive research program to analyze Americans' financial activities surrounding retirement. Sarah Holden will share recent ICI household survey results that explore the accumulation and "decumulation" activities of IRA owners and recent retirees.
When: Thursday, October 30, 12:00 noon to 1:30pm
Where: Chinatown Garden Restaurant, 618 H Street NW, Washington DC (Directions)
Reservations: 11:00 am on Wednesday, October 30
Cost: $16 members, $20 for non-members
All NEC luncheons begin at 12 noon unless otherwise noted. Presentations start at 12:30 pm and end at 1:30 pm. Cost is $15 for members, $20 for nonmembers, unless otherwise noted.
Reservations are encouraged and are should be forwarded by COB on the day prior to event. Walk-ins are welcome. Call (703) 493-8824 or send an email to info@national-economists.org or fill out the form below. The NEC telephone reservation line has a voice mail option for your convenience-- if you do not want to listen to the entire message about the next scheduled speaker, you may select option #1 and just leave your name (please spell clearly), phone number, and date of the event for which you are making a reservation.
National Economists Club
P.O. Box 19281
Washington, DC 20036
703-493-8824
info@national-economists.org
