Dean Baker
Dean Baker
Dean Bakeris an American macroeconomist and co-founder of the Center for Economic and Policy Research, with Mark Weisbrot. He has been a senior economist at the Economic Policy Institute and an assistant professor of economics at Bucknell University. He has a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Michigan...
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With the housing bubble now having generated comparable levels of unsustainable wealth, the economy faces even greater dangers today than it did when the stock market crashed.
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If Medicare could negotiate directly with drug companies it could save the federal and state governments hundred of billions of dollars and cut insurance premiums.
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Normally when you talk about housing bubbles bursting, you're talking about a specific local market. But we've never had a nationwide run-up in home prices like this. I don't think it's realistic to think the decline won't also be national. I think a 15 percent nationwide decline is very plausible. In many bubble areas, could be looking at 20-25, maybe 30 percent declines.
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These monthly numbers are very erratic. It can be that this is a sign (of the bubble bursting), but I would never make too much of one month's number. Especially since the other timely data we get, the mortgage applications for home purchases, have still been pretty high.
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It's just prudent to have a chemical safety program, ... We don't want to have a sterile leaning environment, we want kids to have a rich learning environment while keeping them safe, that's the same issue every school faces.
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He consciously promoted the housing bubble as a way of boosting the economy.
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Historically, rent prices and sale prices have moved together.
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Clearly, housing is going to be a drag on the economy; the question is how much does housing slow and how quickly.
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Things do seem like they're out of line, but of course I've been seeing warning bells for several years.
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We've backed ourselves into a very dangerous situation. The economy is dependent on everyone consuming like crazy. If everyone heard my diatribe and said, 'Yeah, we better start saving,' the economy would go into a recession.
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