Economic News
Why Janet Yellen will make an excellent Federal Reserve Chairwoman
Janet Yellen is one of the most experienced economists in our nation and has held many unpopular positions, ranging from speaking out against Wall Street sins to calling the housing bubble as early as 2005.
Meet Janet Yellen, the next Bernanke but probably better
President Obama’s Council of Economic Adviser and Former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers sent a letter to the President this weekend, withdrawing from the race to become the next Federal Reserve Chairman, resulting in the White House issuing a statement today that current Vice Chairwoman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve, Janet Yellen would be nominated to replace Ben Bernanke when his term ends in January 2014.
Some claim Summers withdrew because it was made clear the Administration wanted to nominate a woman, while others point to the unlikelihood that he would have been confirmed, given vocal opposition, namely from Senator Jon Tester who sits on the Senate Banking Committee, among others who criticized Summers’ friendliness with Wall Street.
In contrast, Yellen is favored for her consistent position that regulators have the power to police but that banks should fortify themselves against economic undulations. Yellen will likely continue most of Bernanke’s policies, having been a major part of formulating many of them, and is credited for pushing Bernanke to think creatively to stimulate the economy.
Yellen: no lapdog
Most impressive about Yellen is her crystal ball – according to The Wall Street Journal, between 2009 and 2012, of 700 predictions made in speeches and congressional testimony by 14 Fed policymakers, Yellen was the most accurate of all, even warning of the real estate bubble in 2005, when doing so was an extremely unpopular position to hold.
Additionally, Yellen appears to be more independent than Summers would have been, and with the White House stuttering as they nominate her, it appears she is not the lapdog the Administration had hoped for, but will not likely shift policy too far from their current state.
Yellen is experienced. Extremely experienced.
Over the years, Yellen has held the following positions:
- 2010–present Vice Chairwoman, Board of Governors, Federal Reserve System
- 2004–2010 President and CEO, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco
- 1997–1999 Chairwoman, President’s Council of Economic Advisors
- 1994–1997 Member, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System
- 1985–present Professor, Haas School of Business, UC Berkeley
- 1982–1985 Associate Professor, Haas School of Business, UC Berkeley
- 1980–1982 Assistant Professor, Haas School of Business, UC Berkeley
- 1978–1980 Lecturer, London School of Economics and Political Science
- 1977–1978 Economist, Division of International Finance, Trade and Financial Studies Section, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System
- 1971–1976 Assistant Professor, Department of Economics, Harvard University
- 1974 Research Fellow, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Additionally, she has served as:
- President and CEO, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco
- Fellow, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, 2001
- Vice President, Western Economics Association, 2001
- Fellow, Yale Corporation 2000–
- Member, National Academy of Sciences Panel on Ensuring the Best Presidential Science and Technology Appointments, 2000
- Research Associate, National Bureau of Economic Research, 1999–
- Advisory Board, Center for International Political Economy, 1999–
- Advisory Board, Brookings Panel on Economic Activity, 1999
- Chairwoman: Economic Policy Committee of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development 1997–1999
- President’s Interagency Committee on Women’s Business Enterprise (1997)
- Member and adviser: Brookings Panel on Economic Activity (senior advisor); Advisor Panel in Economics, National Science Foundation;
- Adviser: Congressional Budget Office
- Research fellow: Yale University, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Trustee of the Economists for Peace and Security
Video of Yellen’s 2012 Berkeley speech:
[pl_video type=”youtube” id=”XBW60d4PUfY”]
Economic News
Is the real estate industry endorsing Carson’s nomination to HUD?
(BUSINESS NEWS) Ben Carson’s initial appointment to HUD was controversial given his lack of experience in housing, but what is the pulse now?
Economic News
Job openings hit 14-year high, signaling economic improvement
The volume of job openings is improving, but not across all industries. The overall economy is improving, but not evenly across all career paths.
Job openings hit a high point
To understand the overall business climate, the U.S. Labor Department studies employment, today releasing data specific to job vacancies. According to the department’s Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLT) for April, job openings rose to 5.38 million, the highest seen since December 2000, and a significant jump from March’s 5.11 million vacancies. Although a lagging indicator, it shows strength in the labor market.
The Labor Department reports that the number of hires in April fell to 5 million, which indicates a weak point in the strong report, and although the volume remains near recent highs, this indicates a talent gap and highlights the number of people who have left the labor market and given up on looking for a job.
Good news, bad news, depending on your profession
That said, another recent Department report notes that employers added 221,000 jobs in April and 280,000 in May, but the additions are not evenly spread across industries. Construction jobs rose in April, but dipped in professional and business services, hospitality, trade, and transportation utilities. In other words, white collar jobs are down, blue collar jobs are up, which is good or bad news depending on your profession.
Additionally, the volume of people quitting their jobs was 2.7 million in April compared to the seven-year high of 2.8 million in March. Economists follow this number as a metric for gauging employee confidence in finding their next job.
What’s next
If you’re in the market for a job, there are an increasing number of openings, so your chance of getting hired is improving, but there is a caveat – not all industries are enjoying improvement.
If you’re hiring talent, you’ll still get endless resumes, but there appears to be a growing talent gap for non-labor jobs, so you’re not alone in struggling to find the right candidate.
Economists suspect the jobs market will continue to improve as a whole, but this data does not pertain to every industry.
#JobOpenings
Economic News
Gas prices are down, so are gas taxes about to go up?
Do low gas prices mean higher gas taxes are on the way? Budgeting for 2015 just got a bit more complicated, if some politicians have their way.
Gas taxes and your bottom line
Many industries rely heavily on time in their vehicle, not just truck drivers and delivery trucks. Sales professionals hop in their vehicles throughout the day, as do many other types of professionals (service providers like plumbers, and so forth). For that reason, gas prices and taxes are a relevant line item that must be budgeted for 2015, but with politicians making the rounds to push for higher gas taxes, budgeting becomes more complicated.
Gas prices are down roughly 50 cents per gallon compared to a year ago, which some analysts say have contributed to more money in consumers’ pockets. Some believe that this will improve holiday sales, but others believe the timing is just right to increase federal taxes on gas. The current tax on gas is 18.40 cents per gallon, and on diesel are 24.40 cents per gallon.
Supporters and opponents are polar opposites
Supporters argue as follows: gas prices are low, so it won’t hurt to increase federal gas taxes, in fact, those funds must go toward improving our infrastructure, which in the long run, saves Americans money because smoother roads mean better gas mileage and less congestion.
Gas taxes have long been a polarizing concept, and despite lowered gas prices, the controversial nature of the taxes have not diminished.
While some are pushing for complete abolition of federal gas taxes, others, like former Pennsylvania Governor, Ed Rendell (D) tell CNBC, “Say that cost the average driver $130 a year. They would get a return on that investment” in safer roads and increased quality of life, he added.
The Washington Post‘s Chris Mooney points out that federal gas taxes have been “stuck” at 18 cents for over 20 years, last raised when gas was barely a dollar a gallon and that the tax must increase not only to improve the infrastructure, but to “green” our behavior, and help our nation find tax reform compromise.
Is a gas tax politically plausible?
Mooney writes, “So, this is not an argument that a gas tax raise is politically plausible — any more than a economically efficient tax on carbon would be. It’s merely a suggestion that — ignoring politics — it might be a pretty good idea.”
Rendell noted, “The World Economic Forum, 10 years ago, rated us the best infrastructure in the world,” adding that we “need to do something for our infrastructure, not in a one or two year period, but over a decade.”
Others would note that this rating has not crumbled in just a few years, that despite many bridges and roads in need of repair, our infrastructure is still superior to even the most civilized nations.
Regardless of the reasons, most believe that Congress won’t touch this issue with a ten-foot pole, especially leading up to another Presidential campaign season starting next year.
“I think it’s too toxic and continues to be too toxic,” Steve LaTourette (the former Republican congressman best known for his close friendship with his fellow Ohioan, Speaker John Boehner) tells The Atlantic. “I see no political will to get this done.”
Whether the time is fortuitous or not, and regardless of the positive side effects, many point to a fear of voters’ retaliation against any politician siding with a gas hike, so this matter going any further than the proposal stage is unlikely.
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