Publications -- Brief Analysis

Restricted to two letter-size pages, a Brief Analysis summarizes some aspect or aspects of a public policy issue, presenting points for consideration in policy debates or responding to points that have been raised during these debates.

Jun 16, 2008

BA #619 – The Economic Benefits of NAFTA to the United States and Mexico

Prior to the 1980s, high import tariffs and quotas characterized Mexico's international trade policy, along with restrictions on foreign investment and ownership.  But following a severe economic crisis in the early 1980s, the country began liberalizing its protectionist policies.  In the years since, Mexico has implemented 11 free trade agreements — with the European Union, countries in South and Central America, Japan and, most importantly, the United States and Canada. 

May 20, 2008

BA #618 – Insuring New Jersey's Uninsured

Individual health insurance policies in New Jersey are among the most costly in the United States due to over-regulation and expensive mandates. Two radically different bills have been proposed recently to reduce the number of uninsured in the state by making health coverage more affordable. One proposal would mandate that individuals purchase insurance.

May 14, 2008

BA #617 – Capping CO2 Emissions, Boosting Energy Costs

The United States has refused to ratify the 1997 Kyoto Protocol intended to limit and eventually reduce emissions of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The treaty did not meet two requirements Congress deemed necessary for a worthwhile international climate change policy — that it: 1) do no harm to the U.S. economy and 2) include developing nations in emissions regulation. Congress should apply these criteria to proposed domestic climate change legislation.

Apr 30, 2008

BA #616 – Social Security and Medicare Projections: 2008

The 2008 Social Security and Medicare Trustees Reports show the combined unfunded liability of these two programs has reached $101.7 trillion in today's dollars! That is more than seven times the size of the U.S. economy and 10 times the size of the outstanding national debt.

Apr 25, 2008

BA #615 – 401(k) Loans = Retirement Insecurity

The popularity of 401(k) plans has grown in recent years.  According to the Employee Benefits Research Institute, almost two-thirds of employers offer such plans and millions of employees now contribute to them.  These defined contribution plans allow workers to set aside part of their earnings in tax-deferred retirement accounts that are invested in stock and bond funds. 

Apr 07, 2008

BA #614 – Energy Independence in Brazil: Lessons for the United States

Nationwide, average retail gasoline prices are nearing the all-time inflation-adjusted high of $3.40 a gallon reached in 1981, lending urgency to renewed calls for U.S. energy independence.  Analysts often tout Brazil as the epitome of energy self-sufficiency.  Brazil imported more than 80 percent of its oil in the 1970s, but it likely reached energy independence by the end of 2007, according to projections from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).

Mar 18, 2008

BA #613 – Our Triple Deficits

Economists often refer to the U.S. trade deficit and the federal budget deficit as problems of inadequate domestic saving.  They speak of these deficits “crowding out” domestic investment.  They allude to unspecified relationships between these deficits but seldom explain them, confusing everyone.

Mar 17, 2008

BA #612 – Giving No Credit Where It Is Due: Social Security Disability

The disability insurance component of the U.S. Social Security system is funded by a 1.8 percent payroll tax. It pays benefits to disabled adults who have earned a required number of credits based on previous years of work. The benefit amount is based on the wages taxed for Social Security. Most people do not realize that the system penalizes those who leave the workforce for a few years. The system often penalizes women, who are more likely to move in and out of the workforce.

Feb 28, 2008

BA #611 – How the Fed Creates Money

Signs of an economic slowdown, or recession, have prompted the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates.  The Fed reduces interest rates by increasing the supply of money available to borrow.  This additional money is distributed to banks and loaned to consumers.  Assuming a constant demand for money, an increase in the quantity of money will cause interest rates to drop.  But how does the Fed increase the money supply?

Feb 21, 2008

BA #610 – Polar Bears on Thin Ice, Not Really! Redux

In early March, the polar bear could become the first species officially recognized by the U.S. government as threatened by global warming.  The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) has proposed to list the polar bear as “threatened” under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) — even though U.S. polar bear populations aren't declining.