Expert Commentary by Bruce Yandle

Rahm’s Rule of Crisis Management: A Footnote to the Theory of Regulation

The Freeman
By Bruce Yandle |
Feb 14, 2013
Rahm Emanuel, the mayor of Chicago and former White House chief of staff, is famous for a lot of things. But perhaps his most celebrated claim to fame has to do with the politics of crises. “You never want a serious crisis to go to waste,” he said. Why? Because “it’s an opportunity to do things you could not do before.” …

What's to Blame for the Summer Gas Price Spike?

U.S. News and World Report
By Bruce Yandle |
Sep 05, 2012
Americans paid higher prices at the pump over the last few days than during any previous Labor Day weekend. According to AAA, the average price of a gallon of regular self-serve gasoline hit $3.83 at the end of August, having risen for 49 of the previous 52 days. In January the average price was $3.29. That's 54 cents less than August's price. And remember that th…

The Economy Is Expanding, but at a Pretty Sorry Rate

By Bruce Yandle |
May 01, 2012
This excerpt was originally published in US News and World Report. Read the full text here…

Three Reasons To Expect Good News From Friday's Jobs Report

By Bruce Yandle |
Mar 07, 2012
Economist Bruce Yandle says the prospects for Friday's jobs report are pretty bright due to three indicators: ISM numbers, industrial production numbers, and the upward revision of fourth-quarter GDP.…

It's Time to Bring Back the 'Misery Index'

By Bruce Yandle |
Mar 06, 2012
“Several economic indicators, like retail sales and GDP growth, have shown the economy getting better, but things are still tough for the average family.…

President's Budget Still Focusing on Short-Term Instead of Long-Term

By Jason J. Fichtner, Arnold Kling, Bruce Yandle, David M. Primo |
Feb 13, 2012
Mercatus scholars comment on the president's FY2012 budget proposal: …

Preview: Mercatus Scholars Weigh in on President's Budget

By Veronique de Rugy, David M. Primo, Bruce Yandle |
Feb 10, 2012
On Monday, the president will present his budget to Congress, and here’s a snapshot of what Mercatus economists are saying:…

Economic Sunshine Follows Groundhog Day

By Bruce Yandle |
Feb 03, 2012
On February 2, the groundhog saw his shadow and promised six more weeks of bad weather. In sharp contradiction, on February 3, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) January Employment Report brought rays of sunshine that promise better days ahead for the economy. In January, some 243,000 workers joined the nation’s payrolls. With that, I say, “Bring on the snow!”…

'Marionette Economy' is Not the Answer

By Bruce Yandle |
Feb 02, 2012
The recession may have officially ended in 2009, but U.S. leaders are just as focused on boosting the economic recovery in 2012 as ever.…

Fourth Quarter 2011 GDP Growth: Bright on the Outside, Not so Good on the Inside

By Bruce Yandle |
Jan 27, 2012
GDP data on the economy’s 4Q2011 growth looked a lot like a leftover Halloween pumpkin: cheery on the outside but not so good when carved. Real GDP growth came in at a happy 2.8 percent, brighter indeed that 3Q2011’s 1.8 percent real growth. Even so, the 2.8 percent was slightly less than the 3.0 percent consensus forecast but a lot better than what I had expected.…