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Michael J. Boskin

Michael J. Boskin

Writing for PS since 2009
96 commentaries

Michael J. Boskin is Professor of Economics at Stanford University and Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution. He was Chairman of George H.W. Bush’s Council of Economic Advisers from 1989 to 1993, and headed the so-called Boskin Commission, a congressional advisory body that highlighted errors in official US inflation estimates.

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  1. Through the Political Looking Glass
    boskin96_Joe RaedleGetty Images_trump harris Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

    Through the Political Looking Glass

    Aug 22, 2024 Michael J. Boskin considers why the US and many other democracies have been experiencing major upheavals.

  2. Policy Lessons From Recent Economic Crises
    boskin95_SAUL LOEBAFP via Getty Images_bidenamericanrescueplan Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images

    Policy Lessons From Recent Economic Crises

    Jul 1, 2024 Michael J. Boskin sees plenty of reasons to worry about how US policymakers will respond when the next one erupts.

  3. Why Voters Are Unhappy About the Biden Economy
    boskin94_Elijah NouvelageGetty Images_voting ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images

    Why Voters Are Unhappy About the Biden Economy

    May 2, 2024 Michael J. Boskin explains why Americans do not share the White House’s rosy assessment of its economic track record.

  4. The Anatomy of the Biden-Trump Rematch
    boskin93_Tom WilliamsCQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images_election Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

    The Anatomy of the Biden-Trump Rematch

    Mar 12, 2024 Michael J. Boskin surveys the complicated mix of economic and other issues that will likely decide the 2024 election.

  5. The Most Important Developments of 2023
    boskin92_JOSEPH PREZIOSOAFP via Getty Images_harvardprotest Joseph Prezioso/AFP via Getty Images

    The Most Important Developments of 2023

    Dec 21, 2023 Michael J. Boskin reflects on the year's major economic, political, and technological events and trends.

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  1. hoven1_Ashley CooperConstruction PhotographyAvalonGetty Images_housesolarpanel Ashley Cooper/Construction Photography/Avalon/Getty Images

    The Key to Universal Energy Access Is Green

    Ingrid-Gabriela Hoven & Francesco La Camera tout the transformative potential of distributed renewable energy systems.
  2. rajan97_Douglas RissingGettyImages_us_dollar_treasury Douglas Rissing/Getty Images

    Trumponomics’ Exorbitant Burden

    Raghuram G. Rajan

    According to the incoming chair of US President Donald Trump’s Council of Economic Advisers, America runs large trade deficits and struggles to compete in manufacturing because foreign demand for US financial assets has made the dollar too strong. It is not a persuasive argument.

    is unpersuaded by the argument made by presidential advisers for unilaterally restructuring global trade.
  3. norrlof11_SOPA ImagesGettyImages_bitcoin_us_dollar SOPA Images/Getty Images

    Trump, Bitcoin, and the Future of the Dollar

    Carla Norrlöf

    By launching new trade wars and ordering the creation of a Bitcoin reserve, Donald Trump is assuming that US trade partners will pay any price to maintain access to the American market. But if he is wrong about that, the dominance of the US dollar, and all the advantages it confers, could be lost indefinitely.

    doubts the US administration can preserve the greenback’s status while pursuing its trade and crypto policies.
  4. khrushcheva190_Andrew HarnikGettyImages_trump_zelensky_oval_office Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

    Fear and Loathing in the Oval Office

    Nina L. Khrushcheva sees traces of Stalin and Mao in Donald Trump’s penchant for ritual humiliation of foe and friend alike.
  5. juergensgrant1_R. Satish BabuGettyImages_india_construction_worker R. Satish Babu/Getty Images

    Future-Proofing Social Protection

    Florian Juergens-Grant & Luca Pellerano explain why employers’ contributions should be determined by capital intensity, not just labor stock.
  6. coyle38_DrAfter123Getty Images_AI DrAfter123/Getty Images

    Diane Coyle on innovation, AI, economic data, and more

    Diane Coyle suggests ways to account for “free” digital services in economic frameworks, considers how to prevent the emergence of AI monopolies, warns that cutting funding for basic research is tantamount to destroying the US economy’s foundations, and more.
  7. schor2 Getty Images

    Long Weekends Forever

    Juliet B. Schor recognizes the technology's potential to facilitate a four-day workweek, benefiting workers and owners alike.
  8. karman2 Getty Images

    Overcoming the Sectarian Challenge to Democracy

    Tawakkol Karman explains what it will take to forge a sustainable political settlement in Syria and elsewhere in the Middle East.
  9. johnson183 Getty Images

    The World According to the Oligarchs

    Simon Johnson explains how techno-monopolists’ consolidation of political power in the United States will play out.

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