Government by Committee: Forming the New Administration
When American go to the polls on election day they are choosing more than a single executive leader. They are also selecting a slate of executive and staff officers that will be named in the early months of the administration. Filling these staff po...
Paying Down the National Debt
Director of the National Economic Council and former Secretary of the Treasury Lawrence Summers talks about the importance of paying down the debt, particularly because the United States is, "...a country that chronically undersaves."
Open Markets
Director of the National Economic Council and former Secretary of the Treasury Lawrence Summers argues that open markets are in America's best interest as an exporter, as well as in the best interests of the American consumer. "I don't think the eco...
American Heritage: Conflict and Political Discourse
Politics is more than the pursuit of shared ideals. It is the way that a society makes its governing decisions. Two major sources of disagreement dominate the political stage: conflict over distribution of scarce resources and differences in values....
Dealing With Global Economic Issues
Director of the National Economic Council and former Secretary of the Treasury Lawrence Summers talks about the growing importance of what he calls "international economic dialogue." Secretary Summers points out that, "...we export nearly twice as m...
Dealing With Mexico's Financial Crisis
Director of the National Economic Council and former Secretary of the Treasury Lawrence Summers talks about the financial problems Mexico experienced in the 1990's and the very real question of whether Mexico and possibly other countries around the ...
Balancing Act: In Economic Terms...
In 1998 revenues from taxes equaled expenditures and the United States had a balanced budget for the first time since 1969. Only a small portion of the federal budget is really discretionary. When the country is in a deficit rather than a surplus si...
Balancing Act: Nation's Fiscal Policy, A
One of the ways that government stabilizes the economy is through its fiscal policy, the amount of money it spends in comparison to the taxes it collects. Although no one likes taxes, the U. S. is one of the least taxed countries in the western worl...
Building Consensus
Director of the National Economic Council and former Secretary of the Treasury Lawrence Summers talks about the importance of forging consensus and finding common ground as the key to getting things done politically.
Treasury and the Federal Reserve, The
Director of the National Economic Council and former Secretary of the Treasury Lawrence Summers talks about the importance of mutual respect between the Treasury and the Federal Reserve Bank. Secretary Summers recalls the close working relationship ...