Slideshow: US Ethanol Subsidies: A Bad Policy that Refuses to Die

This slideshow discusses the recent renewal of U.S ethanol policy, based on subsidies and tariffs. It argues that ethanol policy fails to have its intended effects of improving the environment and enhancing national security.

Keywords: Ethanol, subsidies, tax credits, trade, environment, comparative advantage, pollution, social cost, externalities.

Sideshow: Does Argentina's "Nike Effect" Hold Lessons for Europe?

This slide show examines Argentina's rapid recovery from its 2001-2002 devaluation/default crisis and discusses possible lessons for Europe.

Slideshow: Latest Progress on Korea-US Trade Offers Contrast with Talk of Protectionism

This slide show reviews the basic economic theory and political economy of free trade. The Korea-US Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA), recently renegotiated and soon to be presented for ratification, is used to illustrate the relevant principles.

As background, readers planning to use the slideshow in a classroom context may want to direct their students to this short tutorial on consumer and producer surplus.

Keywords: Free trade, KORUS FTA, Korea, political economy.

Slideshow: How Chinese Inflation Policy Will Shape Yuan-Dollar Exchange Rate

This slide show provides details about the relationship between China's anti-inflation policy and the likely path of the yuan-dollar exchange rate over the coming months.

Keywords: China, inflation, exchange rates, yuan, real exchange rate, nominal exchange rate

Slide show: No Fix for US Fiscal Policy without New Rules

This slide show explains the need for new fiscal policy rules to put US fiscal policy on a sustainable path. It is based in large part on the report "Getting Back in the Black" from the Peterson-Pew Commission on Budget Reform.

Keywords: Government debt, government deficit, fiscal policy, fiscal policy rules, Peterson-Pew Commission on Budget Reform.

Slide show: Debt Dynamics, the Primary Deficit, and Sustainability

This slide show explains the dynamics of the government debt. It defines the primary deficit and explains why it is an important factor determining the long-run sustainability of fiscal policy.


Keywords: Budget, debt, deficit, fiscal policy, primary deficit, cyclically adjusted primary balance, sustainability

Slide show: EU Leaders Struggle to Fix Fiscal Policy Rules

This slide show discusses problems with the European Union's rules for fiscal policy, and the attempts of EU leaders to fix those rules at a summit meeting in November, 2010.

Keywords: EU, euro, fiscal policy, deficit, debt, fiscal policy rules

Slide show: Could QE2 Cause the Fed to Go Broke?

This slide show discusses the possibility that the Fed's program of quantitative easing (QE2) could cause the Fed to become insolvent. It discusses the general concept of insolvency as applied to central banks, and provides specific data from the Fed's balance sheet.

Keywords: Fed, Federal Reserve, central bank, quantitative easing, QE2, insolvency, equitable insolvency

Slide show: India's Secret Weapon in its Economic Race with China

This slide show explains how India's demographic situation, especially the favorable evolution of its dependency ratio, gives it an edge over China, and will very likely make India the world's largest economy by the end of the 21st century.

Keywords: India, China, economic growth, population, demographics, dependency ratio, fertility rate.