Macro Musings

Chris Russo is a Monetary Policy Program Research Fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University and has previously worked at the New York Federal Reserve Bank. He joins Macro Musings to talk about the work he is doing on tensions between the Fed and the Treasury’s management of their respective balance sheets. Specifically, David and Chris discuss what these tensions are and what fixes can be implemented to ameliorate the existing plumbing issues.   Transcript for the episode can be found here: https://www.mercatus.org/bridge/tags/macro-musings   Chris’s Mercatus profile: https://www.mercatus.org/scholars/christopher-russo Chris’s Github site: https://christopher-russo.github.io/about/   David’s blog: macromarketmusings.blogspot.com David’s Twitter: @DavidBeckworth

Saule Omarova is a professor of law and the director of the Jack Clarke Program on the Law and Regulation of Financial Institutions and Markets at Cornell University. Saule joins Macro Musings to talk about the prospects of an emergency fiscal facility, as well as a broader vision for a National Investment Authority. Specifically, Saule and David discuss the need for a third public finance agency, what the mandate of such an authority would be, and how the agency would be structured and held accountable. Saule also answers common objections to her vision such as the potential institutional redundancies, as well as how to prevent cronyism and excessive politicization.   Transcript for the episode can be found here: https://www.mercatus.org/bridge/tags/macro-musings   Saule’s Twitter: @STOmarova Saule’s Cornell profile: https://www.lawschool.cornell.edu/faculty/bio_saule_omarova.cfm   Related Links:   *Data For Progress: A National Investment Authority* https://www.dataforprogress.org/a-national-investment-auth

Pat Parkinson is a senior fellow at the Bank Policy Institute and a 30-year veteran of the Federal Reserve system, where he served as director of the Division of Banking Supervision and Regulation. During that time, he was also a member of the Basel Committee on Banking and advised Alan Greenspan, Ben Bernanke, and Tim Geithner on financial market issues. Pat joins Macro Musings to discuss the treasury market meltdown in March 2020, as well as what we can do moving forward to avoid this issue from happening again. Specifically, David and Pat outline the implementation of a standing repo facility, changes to the supplemental leverage ratio, expanded central clearing, and increased data collection as possible solutions to this problem.     Transcript for the episode can be found here: https://www.mercatus.org/bridge/tags/macro-musings   Pat’s BPI profile: https://bpi.com/people/pat-parkinson/   Related Links:   *Enhancing Liquidity of the U.S. Treasury Market Under Stress* by Nellie Liang and Pat Parkinson htt

Kathy Bostjancic is the chief US financial economist at Oxford Economics and joins Macro Musings to discuss the outlook for monetary and fiscal policy in 2021 as well as in financial markets. Specifically, David and Kathy discuss the prospects for Fed policy and personnel under the Biden Administration, immediate concerns facing the Fed as the COVID pandemic continues into 2021, what steps the Fed can take to make their new AIT framework credible, how large scale asset purchases have impacted asset prices and the real economy, and much more.   Transcript for the episode can be found here: https://www.mercatus.org/bridge/tags/macro-musings   Kathy’s Twitter: @BostjancicKathy Kathy’s Oxford Economics profile: https://www.oxfordeconomics.com/about-us/staff/267824/kathy-bostjancic   David’s blog: macromarketmusings.blogspot.com David’s Twitter: @DavidBeckworth

Ricardo Reis is a professor of economics at the London School of Economics and a returning guest to the podcast. Ricardo rejoins Macro Musings to talk about central bank swap lines, the importance of fiscal sustainability, and the outlook for inflation in advanced economies. David and Ricardo also discuss safe asset alternatives, and how to think about inflation, debt, and deficits in a more nuanced way.   Transcript for the episode can be found here: https://www.mercatus.org/bridge/tags/macro-musings   Ricardo’s Twitter: @R2Rsquared Ricardo’s LSE profile: https://personal.lse.ac.uk/reisr/   Related Links:   *Central Bank Swap Lines* by Saleem Bahaj and Ricardo Reis https://voxeu.org/article/central-bank-swap-lines   *Central Bank Swap Lines During the Covid-19 Pandemic* by Saleem Bahaj and Ricardo Reis https://personal.lse.ac.uk/reisr/papers/20-covicbswaps.pdf   *The Constraint on Public Debt When r < g but g < m* by Ricardo Reis https://iepecdg.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/mpkrg-201112.pdf   *Inflatin

Robert Kaplan is the president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. Previously, he was a professor and Associate Dean at Harvard Business School, and prior to that was a Vice Chairman of Goldman Sachs. Robert is a returning guest to the podcast, and he rejoins Macro Musings to discuss the Fed's new framework, inflation, interest rates and more. Specifically, David and Robert talk about COVID’s impact on FOMC operations, how demographic trends are impacting productivity, the Fed’s expanding balance sheet, its average inflation targeting framework, and more.   Transcript for the episode can be found here: https://www.mercatus.org/bridge/tags/macro-musings   Robert’s Twitter: @RobSKaplan Robert’s Dallas Fed profile: https://www.dallasfed.org/en/fed/bios/kaplan.aspx   David’s blog: macromarketmusings.blogspot.com David’s Twitter: @DavidBeckworth

Daniel Griswold is a senior affiliated scholar at the Mercatus Center and a nationally recognized expert on trade and immigration policy. Dan is also a returning guest is to the podcast, and joins Macro Musings to talk about immigration policy and the outlook for trade policy with the new Biden Administration. Specifically, David and Dan discuss the major demographic decline in the US, and how greater levels of immigration and can solve many of America’s economic concerns.    Transcript for the episode can be found here: https://www.mercatus.org/bridge/tags/macro-musings   Dan’s Twitter: @danielgriswold Dan’s Mercatus profile: https://www.mercatus.org/scholars/daniel-griswold   Related Links:   *More Immigration Needed to Offset COVID-19 and America’s Demographic Decline* by Daniel Griswold https://www.mercatus.org/publications/trade-and-immigration/more-immigration-needed-offset-covid-19-and-america%E2%80%99s-demographic   *Half a Million Fewer Children? The Coming COVID Baby Bust* by Melissa Kearney and Ph

Sam Bell is the policy director of Employ America, a think tank dedicated to having the economy run at full employment levels. Sam is also known on FOMC Twitter as an influencer when it comes to nominations for the Board of Governors. Sam returns to Macro Musings to talk about what 2021 likely has in store for the Fed. Specifically, Sam and David discuss Fed Vice Chair Richard Clarida’s vision for temporary price level targeting, the prospects of Jay Powell and Lael Brainard (and others) for the next Fed chair, the significance of Janet Yellen’s treasury secretary appointment, and the political pressures facing the Fed in 2021.   Transcript for the episode can be found here: https://www.mercatus.org/bridge/tags/macro-musings   Sam’s Twitter: @sam_a_bell About Employ America: https://employamerica.org/about/   Related Links:   *Monetary Policy Strategies for a Low-Rate Environment* by Ben Bernanke, Michael Kiley, and John Roberts https://www.aeaweb.org/articles?id=10.1257/pandp.20191082   David’s blog: macroma

Caleb Watney is the director of innovation policy at the Progressive Policy Institute (PPI) and he joins Macro Musings to talk about his recent piece, *Cracks in the Great Stagnation* and the reasons why we should all be techno-optimists. Specifically, David and Caleb discuss greater skilled immigration, further government R&D spending, innovative energy solutions, and more as ways to help repair an economy plagued by secular stagnation.   Transcript for the episode can be found here: https://www.mercatus.org/bridge/tags/macro-musings   Caleb’s Twitter: @calebwatney Caleb’s PPI profile: https://www.progressivepolicy.org/people/caleb-watney/   Related Links:   *Cracks in the Great Stagnation* Caleb Watney https://www.agglomerations.tech/cracks-in-the-great-stagnation/   *The Egghead Gap* by Caleb Watney https://www.thenewatlantis.com/publications/the-egghead-gap   *Are Ideas Getting Harder to Find?* by Nicholas Bloom, Charles Jones, John Van Reenen, and Michael Webb https://www.aeaweb.org/articles?id=10.12

Scott Sumner is the Ralph G. Hawtrey Chair of Monetary Policy at the Mercatus Center and a returning guest to Macro Musings. He joins the podcast today to talk about his ongoing work on the Princeton School of Macroeconomics as well as his thoughts on monetary policy in 2021. Specifically, David and Scott discuss the economic contributions of various different Princeton economists as well as how the central bank can overcome inflationary fears and establish further institutional credibility.   Transcript for the episode can be found here: https://www.mercatus.org/bridge/tags/macro-musings   Scott’s automated Twitter: @MoneyIllusion Scott’s blog: https://www.themoneyillusion.com/ Scott’s Mercatus profile: https://www.mercatus.org/scholars/scott-sumner   Related Links:   *It’s Baaack: Japan’s Slump and the Return of the Liquidity Trap* by Paul Krugman, Kathryn Dominguez, and Kenneth Rogoff https://www.brookings.edu/bpea-articles/its-baaack-japans-slump-and-the-return-of-the-liquidity-trap/   *Great Expectation

Josh Galper is the managing principal at Finadium, an independent consultancy in capital markets, and is deep in the trenches of the money markets, as well as the financial regulatory space. As a returning guest to the podcast, Josh rejoins Macro Musings to talk about some of the big changes we might see in financial regulation, especially as it relates to climate issues under the new Biden administration. David and Josh also discuss the prospects of negative interest rates in the US, the influence of the Financial Stability Board, and how to deal with Treasury and repo market stress in the future.   Transcript for the episode can be found here: https://www.mercatus.org/bridge/tags/macro-musings   Josh’s Twitter: @Finadium Josh’s Finadium profile: https://finadium.com/josh-galper-mba/   Related Links:   *Fed Joins Central Bankers Backing Paris Climate Goals* by Martin Arnold https://www.ft.com/content/008a12d2-7736-4db0-af9c-e063a0bcdd7a   *Managing Climate Risk in the U.S. Financial System* by the Climate Ma

As a tumultuous, virus-stricken 2020 comes to an end, David is joined by Macro Musings producer Marc Dupont to discuss the highlights of the show throughout the past year. Specifically, they talk about the big macroeconomic themes and takeaways from the last 12 months, which guests and topics were most popular among listeners, what 2020 may have in store for monetary policy, and more.   A special thank you to all of the Macro Musings listeners around the globe who continue to tune in to the show week in and week out, especially during these tough and uncertain times. Stay tuned for more exciting content as we turn a new page in 2021.   David’s blog: macromarketmusings.blogspot.com David’s Twitter: @DavidBeckworth   Marc’s Twitter: @marc_c_dupont   Related Links:   Top 10 Macro Musings Episodes in 2020:   Adam Tooze on Dollar Dominance, the Eurozone, and the Future of Global Finance - https://macromusings.libsyn.com/adam-tooze-on-dollar-dominance-the-eurozone-and-the-future-of-global-finance   Jim Tankersley

Jeanna Smialek covers the Federal Reserve and the economy for The New York Times, and joins Macro Musings to recap and summarize the highs and lows of US monetary policy during 2020. Specifically, David and Jeanna discuss the recent histories of Federal Reserve rate hikes and the persistence of low inflation, the nascent optimism about the economy at the start of 2020, the Fed’s policy response to COVID, and what lessons the Fed will be taking into the future.   Transcript for the episode can be found here: https://www.mercatus.org/bridge/tags/macro-musings   Jeanna’s Twitter: @jeannasmialek Jeanna’s New York Times archive: https://www.nytimes.com/by/jeanna-smialek   Related Links:   *Janet Yellen's Lift Off (CMFA Working Paper No. 001)* by George Selgin https://www.alt-m.org/2020/12/04/janet-yellens-lift-off-cmfa-working-paper-no-001/   *Measuring the Natural Rate of Interest: International Trends and Determinants* by Kathryn Holston and Thomas Laubach https://www.frbsf.org/economic-research/files/wp2016-11

Ethan Ilzetzki is an associate professor of economics at the London School of Economics and a research affiliate with the Centre for Economic Policy Research. Ethan is also a returning guest to the show, and he re-joins Macro Musings to talk about the European Central Bank’s big strategy review, the future of the Euro, and whether change is afoot in our international monetary system.   Transcript for the episode can be found here: https://www.mercatus.org/bridge/tags/macro-musings   Ethan’s Twitter: @ilzetzki Ethan’s website: https://www.ilzetzki.com/   Related Links:   *Why Is the Euro Punching Below Its Weight?* by Ethan Ilzetzki, Carmen Reinhart, and Kenneth Rogoff https://www.nber.org/papers/w26760   *Will the Secular Decline in Exchange Rate and Inflation Volatility Survive COVID-19?* by Ethan Ilzetzki, Carmen Reinhart, and Kenneth Rogoff https://www.brookings.edu/bpea-articles/will-the-secular-decline-in-exchange-rate-and-inflation-volatility-survive-covid-19/   Centre for Macroeconomics Panel of Exper

Governor Benjamin Diokno is the current head of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, or BSP, which is the central bank of the Republic of the Philippines. The Governor joins David on Macro Musings to shed light on the art and science of central banking from an emerging market perspective, as seen through the experience in the Philippines. Specifically, Governor Diokno and David discuss the structure, mandate, and operating system of the BSP, how the BSP has managed to avoid the zero lower bound, the prospects of a Philippine central bank digital currency, and how a flexible exchange rate has helped the BSP hedge against dollar volatility.   Transcript for the episode can be found here: https://www.mercatus.org/bridge/tags/macro-musings   Gov. Diokno’s Twitter: @GovBenDiokno Gov. Diokno’s World Bank profile: https://live.worldbank.org/experts/benjamin-e-diokno   Related Links:   Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas website: https://www.bsp.gov.ph/SitePages/Default.aspx   David’s Twitter: @DavidBeckworth David’s blog: http:

Sam Hammond is the director of poverty and welfare policy at the Niskanen Center and Brink Lindsey is vice president and director of the Open Society Project at the Niskanen Center. Both are returning guests to the podcast, and they join David again on Macro Musings to talk about their new pro-growth report titled, *Faster Growth, Fairer Growth: Policies for a High Road, High Performance Economy.* Specifically, they detail a number of different policies the US government could adopt to achieve faster and fairer economic growth, including social insurance modernization, child allowances, and more.   Transcript for the episode can be found here: https://www.mercatus.org/bridge/tags/macro-musings   Sam’s Twitter: @hamandcheese Sam’s Niskanen profile: https://www.niskanencenter.org/author/samuel-hammond/   Brink’s Twitter: @lindsey_brink Brink’s Niskanen profile: https://www.niskanencenter.org/author/brink-lindsey/   Related Links:   *Faster Growth, Fairer Growth: Policies for a High Road, High Performance Econom

Bilal Hafeez is the CEO and Founder of Macro Hive and previously worked at JP Morgan, Deutsche Bank and Nomura. Bilal joins Macro Musings to discuss recent economic developments and the outlook for inflation after the COVID-19 crisis. Specifically, Bilal and David discuss the prospects for a K-shaped US recovery, COVID-19’s impact on the Eurozone and the UK, how the launch of the EU’s recovery fund has fared, and how the pandemic has impacted the outlook for the services sector, inflation, and the US dollar.   Transcript for the episode can be found here: https://www.mercatus.org/bridge/tags/macro-musings   Bilal’s Macro Hive profile: https://macrohive.com/researcher/bilal-hafeez/ Bilal’s website: http://bilalhafeez.com/ Bilal’s Twitter: @bilalhafeez123   Related Links:   *The True Economic Consequences of the COVID Peace* by Bilal Hafeez https://macrohive.com/hive-exclusives/the-true-economic-consequences-of-the-covid-peace   *EU Enjoys ‘Outrageous Demand’ for First Covid-related Bond* by Tommy Stubbington

Adam Ozimek is the chief economist for Upwork, a global remote freelancing platform, and a returning guest to the podcast. Adam rejoins Macro Musings to talk about some of the lasting impacts of the pandemic on businesses; specifically its influence on remote work. David and Adam also discuss the results of the payment protection program, why the prime age employment to population ratio should become the most important employment measure, the economic geography of remote work, and more.   Transcript for the episode can be found here: https://www.mercatus.org/bridge/tags/macro-musings   Adam’s Twitter: @ModeledBehavior Adam’s website: https://adamozimek.com/   Related Links:   *The Future of Remote Work*by Adam Ozimek https://www.upwork.com/press/releases/the-future-of-remote-work   *COVID-19 and Remote Work: An Early Look at US Data* by Erik Byrnjolfsson, John Horton, Adam Ozimek, Daniel Rock, Garima Sharma, and Hong-Yi TuYe https://www.nber.org/papers/w27344   *Where Remote Work Saves Commuters Most* by Adam

Alan Cole is a senior economist at the Joint Economic Committee of Congress. Alan joins David on Macro Musings to discuss his work with the JEC and his thoughts on the economy. Specifically, Alan and David discuss the high savings rate during the COVID-19 crisis, the track record of US monetary policy from the 2008 financial crisis to the 2020 COVID-19 crisis, why the Fed’s commitment to average inflation targeting is an incremental step toward level targeting, and suggestions for the Fed moving forward.   Transcript for the episode can be found here: https://www.mercatus.org/bridge/tags/macro-musings   Alan’s Twitter: @AlanMCole   Related Links:   The JEC’s Social Capital Project: https://www.jec.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/republicans/socialcapitalproject   *Saving and COVID-19* by Alan Cole https://www.jec.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/republicans/analysis?ID=754B52C6-04CD-458B-8755-98D1219398F1   *Stable Monetary Policy to Connect More Americans to Work* by Alan Cole https://www.jec.senate.gov/public/ind

David French is a senior editor of The Dispatch and has written widely on American politics. David has a new book out on the polarization in the United States titled, *Divided We Fall: America’s Secession Threat and How to Restore our Nation.* He joins Macro Musings for another special presidential election episode to discuss this book as well as what political polarization means for the election, this country, and the economy. Specifically, both Davids talk about the political geography of polarization, the national red state versus blue state dynamics, and how instituting more federalism might be the solution.   Transcript for the episode can be found here: https://www.mercatus.org/bridge/tags/macro-musings   David French’s Twitter: @DavidAFrench David French’s Dispatch archive: https://thedispatch.com/people/5849328-david-french   Related Links:   *Divided We Fall: America’s Secession Threat and How to Restore our Nation* by David French https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250201973   David’s Twitter: @Davi