|
|
"We don't have a budget deficit because the left
believes in mandates, or because the right believes in markets. We have
a deficit because the middle believes in magic."
-Yoram Bauman, Stand-up Economist
|
|
|
|
EPS News
Hawk Nation: A Guide to the Catastrophic
Debt Ceiling Debate
by James K. Galbraith, July 11, 2011 for new deal 2.0
News reports hold that President Obama scored a
political victory by agreeing to put Medicare and Social Security on the
chopping block to achieve a “go-big” $4 trillion deficit reduction.
Speaker Boehner had to concede that Republicans won’t vote for any
package that includes tax increases – and the deal died. So the gambit
worked and the President emerged with a solid image as the alpha
deficit hawk.
To which one can only say: how nice for him.
We’re in a summer that only Salvador Dali could paint, a
reality so twisted that one almost yearns for the simple verities of
the War on Terror or even the invasion of Iraq. Then as now, to be
serious one must be a “hawk.” (The dove is a weakling, a loser, and the
owl for practical purposes does not exist.) So let’s review some of the
strange and mysterious faces of this ugly, vicious bird.
To continue reading, see
http://www.newdeal20.org/2011/07/11/hawk-nation-a-guide-to-the-catastrophic-debt-ceiling-
debate-51211/.
|
|
|
Economists for Peace and
Security will partner with the International Network for Economics and Conflict
at the United States Institute of Peace to host a two-day eSeminar on
economic reconstruction in countries/regions affected by violent
conflict, based largely on an analysis of new research presented
in the World Bank’s 2011 World Development Report that
focuses on conflict, security and development. This eSeminar will
explore the robustness, policy-relevance and practicality of the 2011
WDR’s conclusions and recommendations. Discussions will be led by
a diverse group of experts including Jomana Amara, Robert Aten, Tilman
Brück, Sasha Lezhnev, Domenico Lombardi, and Vijaya Ramachandran.
Initial remarks by the discussants will be posted here at 9:00am when the eSeminar
starts on August 3, 2011. The group of experts will be available to
respond to your comments and questions for the duration of the
eSeminar.
To participate, please
register here:
http://www.eventbrite.com/event/1923373863.
|
|
|
Crisis in the States and Cities: What Should Be Done?
An EPS Bernard Schwartz Symposium
States and cities face tax increases and sharp cuts in
vital public services, with likely harsh effects on economic activity
and competitiveness going forward.
This public symposium on April 12, organized by EPS,
discussed 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?
The panelists presented action plans for a federal role,
including revenue sharing, and the possible federalization of Medicaid.
Crisis in the States and Cities: What Should Be Done? was hosted by Economists for Peace and Security; Bernard
Schwartz; and the New America Foundation.
For transcripts, video, and
photos of the event, go to
http://www.epsusa.org/events/411conf/statecrisisprogram.htm.
|
|
|
EPS raised $65 last year with
GoodSearch. The more you use GoodSearch, the more money you can
raise for EPS, just by searching the internet or shopping online - at no cost to you.
With every search you do, EPS receives a penny; when everyone uses it,
the pennies add up.
To start using GoodSearch,
see
http://www.goodsearch.com/about.aspx.
|
|
|
Links
The Arms Flyers - Commercial
Aviation, Human Rights, and the Business of War
and Arms
This report by Sergio Finardi & Peter Danssaert firstly
presents (Part I and Part II) a series of cases - from the 1980s to
present - that illustrate and document the continuous involvement of
aviation companies in the business of war, namely in the arms supply
chains and also in covert operations, all of which have often resulted
in consequent severe violations of human rights. The cases - rigorously
researched - are meant to show the variety of motivations, techniques,
and business relationships that have helped to shape the main
characteristics of the involvement of commercial aviation in the
business of war and arms transport. Copious original documentation
accompanies each case. Most of the case studies have never previously
been published.
The report then offers (Part III) an analysis of
international and national laws on the transport of weapons by air
(Chapter 11) and a discussion of air safety regulations as enacted in
the US and in Europe (Chapter 12), including an assessment of the
European Union list of banned air companies.
Finally, Chapter 13 deals with the, regrettably,
fundamentally flawed research that has sought to use air safety
initiatives as a weapon in the fight against arms trafficking by air
and has thus unfortunately constituted much of the basis for European
Union projects to fight arms trafficking by air.
An analysis of the present situation in air cargo
markets and its influence on the logistics of wars and humanitarian
operations concludes the report.
The
full report is available at
http://www.ipisresearch.be/arms-trade.php.
|
|
|
Economic Costs of War
Summary: $3.2 - 4 Trillion and Counting
from Costs
of War
There are at least three ways to think about the economic
costs of the wars in Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan: what has been
spent already, what could or must be spent in the future, and the
comparative economic effects of spending money on war instead of
something else.
Spending to Date: How much have these wars since 9/11
cost? The answer to that question depends on what you count as a
war expense and how you estimate inflation over the last 10
years. It also depends on whether you count only the money that
the US has already spent or if you include the money the US is
committed to spending in the future.
For a full view of the
summary, see
http://costsofwar.org/article/economic-cost-summary.
|
|
|
In Other News
Sustainability Jobs Get
Green Light at Large Firms
By Joe Light, July 11, 2011 for The Wall Street Journal
Though most employers aren't adding jobs at a quick
pace, positions tied to sustainability and renewable energy might be a
bright spot.
A few large companies recently created positions for
so-called chief sustainability officers, who report to the chief
executive or chief operating officer, and are responsible for making
sure their companies save energy and are environmentally responsible.
Some of these CSOs have beefed up hiring for "green" jobs.
In the past two years, the number of online job postings
containing the keyword "sustainability" has more than
quadrupled to 8,245 in May, according to Indeed.com, which aggregates
online job postings. The number containing "wind" and
"solar" more than doubled in the same time period.
Read the full article here
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304793504576434301780569100.html.
|
|
|
New York Becoming a Model
for How to Effectively Create Green Jobs
By Emmaia Gelman and Chloe Tribich, July 13, 2011 for Alternet
The New York State Legislature's passage of the Power NY
Act was a bright moment in a session marred by budget cuts and layoffs.
The new law allows the Green Jobs-Green NY program to advance toward
goals of generating 1 million energy efficiency retrofits on homes and
businesses and creating over 14,000 full-time permanent jobs.
Consider this: Sealing and insulating a home saves 20 to
50 percent on energy. But many owners can't afford this work. That's
where Green Jobs-Green NY and the Power NY Act come in.
If you're a homeowner and a utility customer in good standing,
the state will pay upfront for retrofits. Using "on-bill
recovery" - the financing mechanism created by the Power NY Act -
you'll repay the state over time via your utility bill.
The repayment is less than the monthly energy savings,
so it doesn't increase expenses. The fact that utility customers rarely
default on their bills - even if they pay late - allows the state to
attract billions from investors. The potential environmental impact is
also impressive: The program could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by
the equivalent of removing about 1 million cars from the road.
To read more, see
http://www.alternet.org/environment/151612/new_york_becoming_a_model
_for_how_to_effectively_create_green_jobs/.
|
|
|
Call for papers
International Conference in
Econometrics Applied in Defense and Peace Economics is hosted by department of defense economics in
Military Economic Academy. The conference will be held October 15 - 16,
2011 in Military Economic Academy, Wuhan, China. The international
academic seminar aims to further deepen the research of theoretical and
realistic problems in defense and peace economics, spread modern
economics research paradigm and promote the application of
econometrical method into the research of peace economics.
Submission deadline is August 10, 2011
To organize a session, send proposals with a title, brief summary, list of
titles and proposed speakers.
To present a paper please send a title and an abstract of
less than 300 words as soon as possible to:
ywjiang2000@yahoo.com.cn, or jpdbris@gmail.com.
|
|
|
Call for Papers
The upcoming special issue "Political Economy
Studies on the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict" to be published on
Peace Economics, Peace Science and Public Policy.
The special issue is intended to gather contributions
that focus on political economy aspects of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The contributions may highlight positive and/or normative aspects of
this conflict. Papers may make a theoretical or empirical contribution
to a better understanding of this conflict.
Please send papers and
inquiries to Esteban Klor (eklor@mscc.huji.ac.il)
by September 30, 2011.
|
|
|
Funding &
Employment Opportunities
RESEARCH DIRECTOR - World
Peace Foundation Program, The Fletcher School, Tufts University.
The World Peace Foundation Program (WPF Program) at The
Fletcher School is poised to position itself at the cutting edge of new
thinking, at once creative and realistic, in the field of peacemaking.
The Foundation aims to be internationally recognized for this role. It
will achieve this through rigorous and creative intellectual leadership
in the field of peace studies, associating the name of the World Peace
Foundation Program with the best new thinking. And, through research,
seminars, publication, public information/advocacy, and engagement with
international policymakers, the WPF Program will promote fresh
approaches to understanding conflict and peace.
The Research Director is responsible, in discussion with
the Executive Director and other potential lead-research staff/faculty,
for project development from conceptualization to final reporting of
all research projects hosted by the WPF Program.
To see the full job posting
follow
https://recruiter-kenexa-com.careerliaison.com/tufts
/cc/CCJobDetailAction.ss?command=CCViewDetail&job_REQUISITION_NUMBER=59133&
ccid=bupJEdUjsTs%3D&_CL_SOURCE=257384&jtsrc=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ehighered
jobs%2Ecom&jtsrcid=942&jtrfr=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ehigheredjobs
%2Ecom%2Fstate%2Fdetails%2Ecfm%3FJobCode%3D175535185%26Title%3DRESEARCH
%2520DIRECTOR%2520%2D%2520World%2520Peace%2520Foundation%2520Program%25
2C%2520The%2520Fletcher%2520School.
|
|
|
Economics of Peace and
Security Journal Vol. 6, No 2 - On peace, war, and violence is now available online.
Contents
·Sterling Huang and David Throsby on economic,
political, and
social determinants of peace
·Alvaro Riascos and Juan Vargas on violence and growth
in
Colombia
·Steve
Pickering on the (supposed) bellicosity of “mountain people”
·Vincenzo Bove on the demand and supply of peacekeeping
·John Gilbert, Tanigawa Takahiko, Krit Linananda, Edward
Tower,
and Alongkorn Tuncharoenlarp on the deadweight cost of war
·Zachary Tambudzai on determinants of military
expenditure in
Zimbabwe
The Journal is a peer-reviewed online publication hosted
by EPS-UK. Published twice yearly, it raises and debates all issues
related to the political economy of personal, communal, national,
international, and global peace and security. Previous contributors
include Joseph Stiglitz, James Galbraith, and Lawrence Klein. The
Journal’s website also features book reviews submitted by members and
subscribers.
EPS members receive a 25% discount on the annual subscription to the
Economics of Peace and Security Journal. A regular one-year
subscription is $40; for EPS members, it's only $30! Non-subscribers
can access the abstracts and contents pages.
For more
information about the Journal or to subscribe:
http://www.epsjournal.org.uk/.
To become
a member of EPS (and to qualify for the subscription
discount):
http://www.epsusa.org/membership/membership.htm.
|
|
|
The Annual Budget Issue
EPS Quarterly, March 2011.
In this issue EPS takes on conservatives' and Tea
Partiers' loud cries for cuts in federal spending.
A self-described conservative and two libertarians join
their voices in two separate articles, asking for defense cuts along
with any other belt-tightening measures. To assist in sorting out the
defense budget and its relative merits, we include brief excerpts from
the new handbook-guide to the Defense Department, "The Pentagon
Labyrinth: 10 Short Essays to Help You Through It," from the
Strauss Military Reform Project. This issue also contains several
pieces which examine the Obama administration’s policies and processes.
On the back cover is our Statement on Federal Spending and the
Recovery, released February 28.
Read this issue of EPS
Quarterly at
http://www.epsusa.org/publications/newsletter/2011/mar2011/mar2011.html.
|
|
|
Action Corner
Look, We Found $2 Trillion
As Congress debates whether and how to raise the
national debt ceiling, one thing is clear: big cuts in government
spending are on the horizon.
Some members of Congress are seriously proposing to cut
Medicare, Medicaid, and other programs that help some of the most
vulnerable people in our communities. Although a growing numbers of
leaders from across the political spectrum are calling for cuts in the
massive Pentagon budget, a majority in Congress is still balking at
making significant cuts.
Urge your members of Congress to save $2 trillion over the next ten
years by cutting $1 trillion from the Pentagon budget and closing tax
loopholes that benefit primarily the wealthiest households and
corporations.
To contact your members of
Congress in support of these recommendations, see
http://www.capwiz.com/fconl/issues/alert/?alertid=51454506&type=CO.
|
|
|
Get the word out on the topics
that matter most to you! The ACLU has a
tool that helps write and send letters to local papers. With such a
letter, you can help bring your message not only to your neighbors but
directly to the offices of your Members of Congress, where staffers and
our lawmakers themselves follow opinions from home with an especially
watchful eye.
For a
list of media outlets by state, with tips on how to write a letter in
your own words plus talking points for the listed topics, go to
http://action.aclu.org/site/PageServer?pagename=LTE_SOTU_2007&JServSessionIdr001=3bu4
9o8t91.app20a.
|
|
|
Do you have a foreign policy
alternative that should be heard in the halls of government? Citizens for Global Solutions provides an easy-to-use
tool to find the foreign policy staffer for your Member of Congress.
To access the Foreign Policy
Staffer Locator, go to
http://globalsolutions.org/hill/fpstaff.
|
|
|
If you would like to post an EPS flyer on a
departmental bulletin board or similar venue, please contact Thea
Harvey at theaharvey@epsusa.org.
|
|
|
Upcoming Events
- July 29 - July 31, 2011. Society for
International Development World Congress, Our Common Challenge: A
World Moving Towards a Sustainable Future, will be
held in Washington DC. The Society for International Development (SID),
a global association of development professionals committed to
inclusive, fair, and sustainable economic and social development,
is holding its triennial World Congress in 2011 in Washington DC
The Congress will be hosted by SID’s Washington DC Chapter, whose
mission is to advance equitable development by bringing diverse
constituencies together to debate critical ideas, policies, and
practices that will shape our global future.
More
details are available at
http://www.internationalpeaceandconflict.org/events/society-for-international-1.
- September
6 - 7, 2011. Conflict Research
Society Annual Conference will be held at
the Richardson Institute for Conflict and Peace Research,
Lancaster University, UK. The theme for this year's
conference is Has
War Gone Bust? Peace, Conflict and the Global Financial Crisis.
For
more information, go to
http://www.crs2011.org/index.php.
- September 22 - 23, 2011.
Responsibility in Economics and Business and The
Legacy of E.F.Schumacher Conference. The
conference will be hosted by the Center for Ethics, University of
Antwerp in collaboration with the Business Ethics Center, Corvinus
University Budapest. The conference is supported by the Fondation
Charles Léopold Mayer and Batiself.
For
more information, see
http://www.eurospes.be/page.php?LAN=E&FILE=agendadetail&ID=1026.
- November
11 - 13, 2011. ICAPE's 3rd
international research conference: Re-thinking economics in a time
of economic distress will be held at the
University of Massachusetts-Amherst, Amherst, MA.
The 2007-08 financial crisis and subsequent economic downturn have
raised many questions about how well prevailing economic
approaches identify and explain pressing economic problems and
suggest sound ways to solve them. Exploring what needs to change
in economics and identifying productive paths forward are the
central themes of The International Confederation of Associations
for Pluralism in Economics 3rd international research conference.
Full
details about the conference are available at
http://www.icape.org/conferences.html.
|
|
|
How Can I Help?
Become a member of EPS. Your annual membership entitles you to discounts on publications,
invitations to events, our informative newsletters, and more. Most
importantly, by joining us you help to ensure that reasoned
perspectives on essential economic issues continue to be heard.
Membership dues and other donations are fully tax-deductible.
To become a member, go to
http://www.epsusa.org/membership/membership.htm.
|
|
|
Join us on Facebook
and LinkedIn.
Sign up for GoodSearch.
EPS gets a penny every time you use it for an online search, at no cost to you.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|