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Politics and Policy

Biden Should Go on Offense—Without Being Offensive

Yale leadership expert Jeffrey Sonnenfeld and his co-author Steven Tian argue that President Joseph Biden has a strong record of economic accomplishment, and he should tout that at the first presidential debate rather than rely on populist attacks on big business.

Empty lectern
  • Three Questions: Prof. Andrew Metrick on Paul Volcker’s Legacy

    Paul Volcker, former chairman of the Federal Reserve, died on December 8 at age 92. Prof. Andrew Metrick reflects on Volcker’s contributions to the Fed and economic policy.

    Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker before a hearing in August 1980. Photo: James K. W. Atherton/The Washington Post via Getty Images.
  • By Intervening in Disciplinary Process, Trump Weakens Military Command Structure

    Leadership experts Jeffrey Sonnenfeld of Yale SOM and General Thomas Kolditz of Rice University write that Trump’s interference in the Gallagher case violates a key principle of military law and undermines the military command structure.

    Former Navy
  • Three Questions: Prof. Jacob Hacker on Tax Rates for the Rich 

    A recently published book argues that the richest Americans now pay lower tax rates than any other income group. We asked Yale political scientist Jacob Hacker to explain how this situation developed and why it’s proved politically difficult to raise taxes on the rich.

    A cartoon of a map with a huge bag of money
  • For a Path to a Decarbonized Economy, Look to the States

    Robert Klee, a lecturer at Yale and the former commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, says that state-level approaches to the climate crisis provide a roadmap for a 10-year, trillion-dollar effort to put the U.S. on a path to decarbonization.

    A solar panel linked to a Tesla Powerwall in Monkton, Vermont. Photo: Ian Thomas Jansen-Lonnquist/Bloomberg via Getty Images.
  • To Prevent Financial Crises, Regulate Short-Term Debt

    Yale SOM’s Gary Gorton argues that financial crises happen because short-term lending, while essential to the economy, is also vulnerable to panic when parties lose confidence in each other. In a new paper, Gorton proposes a method of regulating short-term debt and preventing future crises.

    A run on the National Penny Bank in London in 1888. Image: Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images.
  • Can Antitrust Enforcement Protect Digital Consumers?

    More and more of our economic and social lives are being conducted through digital channels. Economist Fiona Scott Morton talks about how effective antitrust regulation and enforcement can ensure that consumers benefit from the next killer app.

    New York City subway riders using smartphones
  • Three Questions: Prof. David Bach on the NBA’s China Dilemma

    We talked with Yale SOM Deputy Dean David Bach, an expert on business-government relations and global markets, about how world-spanning organizations should navigate conflicting values in key markets.

    Houston Rockets star James Harden with young fans during a visit to China in 2016.
  • Equalizing School Spending Boosts Lifelong Income 

    School finance reforms that equalize spending across rich and poor neighborhoods improve the long-term economic outcomes of disadvantaged children.

    Third-grade students with their teacher in a Washington, D.C., classroom. Photo: Bill O’Leary/The Washington Post via Getty Images.
  • Three Questions: Prof. Vahideh Manshadi on Improving Kidney Donation

    This month, the Trump administration announced a series of steps to overhaul the kidney transplant system. We asked operations expert Vahideh Manshadi if the changes could make a difference for patients.

    A car with a request for help finding a kidney written on the rear windshield
  • Why ‘Breaking Up’ Big Tech Probably Won’t Work

    Instead, argues Yale SOM’s Fiona Scott Morton, the government should exercise its regulatory powers to promote competition.

    A jigsaw puzzle with the logos of Amazon, Apple, Google, and Facebook