Constructive for the Fed to be Data Dependent

Summers appeared on BloombergGo! on February 18 and outlined steps that can be taken to help the U.S. avoid recession and improve the global economy.  Summers said, “Its constructive for data-dependent Fed to delay hikes.” Read more

The Age of Secular Stagnation

Summers published an article title, “The Age of Secular Stagnation: What It Is and What to Do About It,” in the February issue of Foreign Affairs.  The article explores how expansionary fiscal policy by the U.S. government can help overcome secular stagnation problems and get growth back on track. Read more

Equitable Growth in Conversation

Summers talks with Heather Boushey, of the Washington Center for Equitable Growth, about how inequality affects economic growth and stability. The discussion explores secular stagnation—what it is, what problems it creates, and the issues for policymaking—as well as how inequality plays a role in the phenomenon.
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US economic statecraft & the global order

Summers spoke on June 28, 2016 at The Economic Statecraft Speaker Series at the Center for Strategic Studies. The forum highlights the strategic role of economics in foreign policy and explores the making of international economic policy. Read more

Will our children really not know economic growth?

Summers writes a review of Robert Gordon’s The Rise and Fall of American Growth: The US standard of living since the Civil War in the February issue of Prospect Magazine. Read more

Economy faces 1 in 3 chance of recession

Summers said the economy faces 1 in 3 chance of recession in a January 27, 2016 interview with Jeremy Hobson for NPR’s Here and Now. Read more

Assessing Global Economic Risks in 2016

Summers spoke at the Council on Foreign Relations Outlook 2016: Assessing Global Economic and Political Risks on January 26, 2016 with Richard Haass. Read more

Economy Can’t Withstand 4 Fed Hikes In 2016

Policy makers need to heed the message from global commodity and stock markets that “risks are substantially tilted to the downside,” said Summers on Bloomberg GO on January 13, 2016. Read more

‘Creeping Totalitarianism’ at Colleges

Summers decried a “creeping totalitarianism” on college campuses, calling out what he said is the growing preference for emotional comfort over academic inquiry in an interview with William Kristol. Read more

Rate Delay Less Risky Than Premature Hike

In an interview with Tom Keene of Bloomberg Surveillance from the Arab Strategy Forum in Dubai, Summers  voiced skepticism surrounding an expected Federal Reserve rate hike and the impact of lower commodities prices and devaluing currencies. Summers also discussed his thoughts on secular stagnation. Watch the full interview here. Read more

Uniting behind the Cadillac tax on health plans

In an op-ed with Greg Mankiw in the New York Times on Sunday, October 25, 2015 Summers wrote, “Congress should side with President Obama and resist calls to scrap it [the excise tax on high-cost health care plans, the co-called Cadillac tax].” Read the full article here.

Economy caught in a vicious cycle

In an interview with CNBC’s Squawk Box on October 21, 2015, Summers said, “the economy is caught in a vicious cycle, incomes are too low, therefore investments are too low.” Summers called for smart tax reform and rules to discourage the kind of activism that strips cash out of companies.  Watch the full interview here.

Pre-emptive war on inflation is error

In an interview on October 7, 2015, Summers told BloombergTV that “a pre-emptive war against inflation now would be a serious policy error.” Read more

Declaration on Universal Health Coverage

On September 18, 2015, The Lancet published a declaration endorsing universal health coverage, signed by 267 economists in 44 countries. With the United Nations set to launch the bold sustainable development agenda, this is a crucial moment for global leaders to reflect on the financial investments needed to maximize progress by 2030. Read more

Fed faces a fork in the road over interest rates

On September 15, 2015, Summers talked with Chris Arnold of NPR’s All Thing’s Considered about the Fed’s upcoming decision on interest rates. Read more

Rate hike doesn’t seem a prudent risk to take

In an interview on CNBC’s Squawk on the Street on September 10, 2015, Summers said a rate hike isn’t a prudent risk to take. He told CNBC, the Fed can reverse course in seven weeks if it regrets its decision not to raise rates. Read more

Both sides may get more of what they fear

In an interview with Charlie Rose on June 24, 2015 to discuss the debt crisis in Greece, Summers said, “Both sides are going to get more of what they fear if they aren’t able to reach a deal.” Read more

A setback to American leadership on trade

Summers talks about TPP and international economic diplomacy with CNBC’s Squawk on the Street on June 15, 2015.  Summers calls Congress’ action “bad geopolitics.” Read more

Greece Debt Problems Solved Through Growth

Summers talks with Bloomberg’s Hans Nichols from the G7 Finance Summit in Dresden on May 28, 2015 about the situation in Greece.  Summers says, “Ultimately debt problems are solved through growth.”

Economic growth is ‘not inspiring’

On May 20th, 2015, Summers said on CNBC’s Squawk Box he expects the U.S. economy to expand at a quicker pace than in the first quarter, but there are still hurdles. Summers predicted growth in the low to mid 2 percent range for 2015. “That’s not inspiring performance,” he said, “but that’s hardly reversion to recession.” Read more