Nuclear Security Matters

49 Items

Blog Post - Views on the Economy and the World

Biden Avoids Mistake of Insufficient Fiscal Stimulus

| Mar. 29, 2021

It has been a year since the US and the world went into recession.  Because of its origins in the sudden pandemic, it was possible to reliably discern the advent of the recession before it was reflected in any of the standard economic statistics, which is rare.  (I hope it shocks no one to learn that economists can’t normally predict recessions.)

By the end of the second quarter of 2020, US GDP had fallen 11 %. This record plunge took the US economy from a level that is estimated to have been 1.0% above potential output at the end of 2019, to a level 10 % below potential in mid-2020.  Potential output is the level of GDP that is produced when unemployment is at its so-called natural rate, the capital stock is operating at the capacity for which it was designed, buildings have their normal occupancy rates, etc.

Ronald Reagan attacked the deficits in his 1980 presidential campaign but once he took over, he and the GOP-controlled Congress launched a programme of extensive tax cuts.

Dennis Cook/AP

Analysis & Opinions - The Guardian

Republicans Are Rediscovering the Dangers of Budget Deficits

| Jan. 26, 2021

High among the US president Joe Biden’s many priorities is reinvigorating an economy that – judging by the latest employment numbers – appeared to be slowing as 2021 began. Even if Covid-19 abates during the course of the year, and pent-up consumer demand kicks in, the US faces immediate challenges in areas such as education, infrastructure investment, state and local finances, and especially the fight against the pandemic itself.

Testimony

Public Testimony on Trump Administration Funding for Nuclear Theft Preventing Programs

| Mar. 31, 2020

A nuclear explosion detonated anywhere by a terrorist group would be a global humanitarian, economic, and political catastrophe. The current COVID-19 pandemic reminds us not to ignore prevention of and preparation for low-probability, high-consequence disasters. For nuclear terrorism, while preparation is important, prevention must be the top priority. The most effective strategy for keeping nuclear weapons out of the hands of terrorists is to ensure that nuclear materials and facilities around the world have strong and sustainable security. Every president for more than two decades has made strengthening nuclear security around the globe a priority. This includes the Trump administration, whose 2018 Nuclear Posture Review states: “[n]uclear terrorism remains among the most significant threats to the security of the United States, allies, and partners.”

Nigeria's Miniature Neutron Source Reactor was the last operational research reactor in Africa to make the conversion from HEU to LEU. Here, the HEU once used in the reactor is loaded for shipment back to China, the supplier (IAEA).

IAEA

Policy Brief - Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School

Securing Nuclear Weapons and Materials Worldwide: Expanded Funding Needed for a More Ambitious Approach

| Apr. 19, 2019

The Trump administration budget request for programs to reduce the dangers of nuclear theft and terrorism is too small to implement the ambitious approach that is needed. Congress should increase funding in this critical area; direct the administration to develop and implement a comprehensive plan for improving security for nuclear weapons and materials worldwide; and exert expanded oversight of this effort. This brief highlights the importance of ongoing nuclear security work; describes the evolving budget picture; and outlines recommendations for congressional action.

Blog Post - Views on the Economy and the World

Recap: What History Says about the Current Tax Bill

| Dec. 13, 2017

Congress is expected any day now to pass a really awful tax bill. If you want to understand why economists are confident that the tax cuts will not pay for themselves and why Republicans are disingenuous to claim otherwise, I recommend what Jason Furman and Larry Summers have been writing, e.g. in this column in the Washington post.

 

Copies of President Donald Trump's fiscal 2018 federal budget are laid out ready for distribution on Capitol Hill on May 23, 2017 (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais).

AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais

Analysis & Opinions - The Washington Post

How Aging, Inequality and China Make the U.S. Government Likely to Get Larger

| Sep. 12, 2017

Speaking at an event organized by Robert Greenstein, president of the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, I argued last week that unless our values have changed profoundly in an anti-government direction, the balance of pressures from economic change will lead to an expansion of the federal budget relative to gross domestic product. This was also the conclusion of a paper released by Paul Van de Water of the center. Excellent summaries were provided by Al Hunt and David Leonhardt.

National Economic Director Gary Cohn walks from Marine One across the South Lawn to the White House on Aug. 30 (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster

Analysis & Opinions - The Washington Post

Cohn is Getting It All Wrong on Taxes

| Sep. 05, 2017

Given recent controversies, I was interested to read National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn’s answer to a “why are you staying?” question put by Stuart Varney of the Fox Business Network last week. To his credit Cohn did not back away from his reservations about the president’s response to the Charlottesville violence. He said “Look, tax cuts are really important to me. I think it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. We haven’t done tax cuts in 31 years. So, to be a part of an administration that gets something done that hasn’t been done for 31 years is enormously challenging, enormously interesting to me.

House Speaker Paul Ryan discusses tax reform during a visit to Intel in Hillsboro, Ore. on Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2017. (AP Photo/Don Ryan)

AP Photo/Don Ryan

Analysis & Opinions - Project Syndicate

Tax Reform and Budget Deficits in America

| Aug. 29, 2017

The Republican Party’s leaders in the United States House of Representatives have been hard at work for more than a year designing a major reform of personal and corporate taxes. With an election looming in 2018, the House Republicans are determined to deliver a reform package and send it to the Senate for enactment.