Robert Greene

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Robert Greene

  • Research Associate

Robert Greene is a research associate at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. He was born and raised in Arlington, Virginia, and graduated magna cum laude from The College of William & Mary with a double major in finance and public policy.

Policy Briefs

Beyond Unemployment: Pennsylvania's Sluggish Labor Market

Keith Hall, Robert Greene | Jun 12, 2013
While the Great Recession had a moderately less severe impact on Pennsylvania than on the nation as a whole, the state’s recovery since the height of the recession has been slower than the national average. Sluggish economic growth is slowing the pace of the state’s labor market recovery.

Beyond Unemployment: The Full Labor Market Picture of Ohio

Keith Hall, Robert Greene | May 09, 2013
If ­participation ­in ­the­ labor ­force­ by ­Ohioans ­today ­were ­at ­the ­same ­level­ as­ before ­the recession, ­Ohio’s ­unemployment ­rate ­would­ be­ significantly ­higher. ­Ohio’s ­decline ­in ­labor­ force participation­ has ­particularly ­harmed­ the ­labor ­market­ for­ Ohioans ­34­ and ­younger ­and­ has ­outpaced ­the national­ average. ­To ­improve ­Ohio’s ­labor ­market, ­policymakers­ should ­consider­ reducing ­the ­state’s regulatory ­and ­tax­ burdens, ­which ­may­ be­ hindering ­economic ­recovery­ and­ job­ creation.

The Federal Reserve's Expanding Regulatory Umbrella

Hester Peirce, Robert Greene | Apr 03, 2013
The Federal Reserve’s performance as a regulator in the years leading up to the 2007–08 crisis earned it widespread criticism. In the wake of the crisis, its fate as a regulator was uncertain as Congress considered regulatory reforms. Some reform proposals would have substantially diminished the Federal Reserve’s regulatory role, but the financial reform ultimately signed into law in July 2010—Dodd- Frank—instead increased the Federal Reserve’s regulatory power.

Rethinking the Volcker Rule

Hester Peirce, Robert Greene | Jan 15, 2013
The Volcker Rule prohibits financial institutions reliant on deposit insurance from engaging in proprietary trading and limits their relationships with hedge funds and other private funds. These activities were not central to the most recent financial crisis,[1] but former Federal Reserve chairman Paul Volcker championed the rule’s inclusion in the Dodd- Frank Act in response to legitimate concerns that the federal deposit insurance umbrella was being stretched beyond its intended purpose. Bad trading bets by these financial institutions could cause losses for which the deposit insurance fund (and ultimately taxpayers) would be on the hook.

Expert Commentary

A New Year For Unaccountable Financial Regulators

Real Clear Markets
By Hester Peirce, Robert Greene |
Jan 17, 2013

Former Morgan Stanley chief U.S. economist Richard Berner was confirmed by the Senate on New Year's Day to serve as the first director of the Office of Financial Research (OFR). The OFR was created by Dodd-Frank to provide another new Dodd-Frank regulator, the Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC), with information to monitor risks in the U.S. financial system. These regulators are likely to play an increasingly important role in the economy, but they will do so with little accountability or transparency.

Money Market Maneuvering

By Hester Peirce, Robert Greene |
Sep 19, 2012

SEC Chairman Schapiro is handing the money market regulation baton to the Financial Stability Oversight Council, the members of which appear ready to take it up. Three weeks ago, the Securities and Exchange Commission had on its calendar a meeting to vote on a proposal to further regulate money market funds. Because three of Chairman Schapiro’s four fellow commissioners did not fall into line with her plan, she had to cancel the vote.

Research Areas