CNN | Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy

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Rabe’s commentary on environment policy focus on EVs and climate action

Oct 9, 2023

The Ford School's professor Barry Rabe has been commenting on the many forces at work as the U.S. moves to tackle climate change, as well as introduce more eclectic vehicle (EV) manufacture and infrastructure. Here is a review of his recent...

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Wolfers insights on U.S. economic performance

Sep 7, 2023

Over this past summer, Justin Wolfers, professor of public policy and economics at the Ford School, was widely interviewed on the state of the economy and the American public's reactions to its performance. Here are highlights from his media...

In the Media

Wolfers: ‘It’s Almost Pointless’ to Poll Republicans on the Economy

Sep 4, 2023 CNN

Justin Wolfers, CNN: “So I will tell you as an economist, I believe the hard numbers. The hard numbers tell us that the economy’s growing and it’s growing at a healthy rate. If you’d fallen asleep in 2019 and you woke up in 2023, you would discover...

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Camara’s expertise called upon as coups threaten African stability

Aug 31, 2023

A recent military coup in Gabon makes the Central African state the sixth Francophone country to have its leader fall to a military coup in the past three years, following Mali, Chad, Guinea, Burkina Faso, and Niger. Ford School professor of...

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Ford School welcomes Ambassador Kamissa Camara as professor of practice

Aug 21, 2023

Ambassador Kamissa Camara will join the Ford School of Public Policy as a professor of practice. She is also a Senior Africa Advisor at the United States Institute of Peace and a Non-Resident Scholar at the Middle East Institute. Camara brings 15...

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The debt limit and avoiding a recession – Wolfers comments across the media

May 31, 2023

Ford School economics professor Justin Wolfers has been saying that a recession does not seem likely, given continuing strong employment numbers. The threat of a default, on the other hand, could have been disastrous. Here are some excerpts of his...

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Betsey Stevenson’s wide-ranging economic commentary widely sought

May 29, 2023

In the run-up to conclusion of the debt ceiling negotiations, Ford School economics professor Betsey Stevenson was widely sought out for her expertise on the implications of the crisis, as well as the various signals from the U.S. economy on...

In the Media

CHIPS Act needs to support childcare - Stevenson

Apr 12, 2023 CNN

Betsey Stevenson, CNN: "The policy is designed to make sure workers as well as companies benefit from this federal investment. Another way to think about it is that we really need government involved in child...

In the Media

'If you have two tools, you can do two things' - Wolfers on the Fed's next move

Mar 22, 2023 CNN

Justin Wolfers, CNN: "I think the simple view is you can't do two things at the same time. And to try to reduce financial stress would be a force for lower interest rates while trying to reduce inflation would lead to higher interest rates. On the...

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Ford School economists' expertise tapped for bank crisis analysis

Mar 21, 2023

The collapse of the Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) set off alarms in the financial sector, with flashbacks to the 2008 financial crisis and increased worries about an impending recession. Betsey Stevenson and Justin Wolfers, both professors of public...

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Governor Gretchen Whitmer to speak at the University of Michigan, in conversation with CNN Anchor Chris Wallace

Feb 26, 2023

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer will visit the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor on Wednesday, March 8, for a special event alongside CNN Anchor Chris Wallace. Beginning at 6:00pm at Rackham Auditorium, the hour-long fireside chat...

In the Media

Stevenson discusses how central banks see wage increases

Jan 3, 2023 CNN

Betsey Stevenson, CNN: "I think what you're hearing is central banks want to make sure that we're not seeing wage increases drive further inflation because then your wage increases aren't going to do you any good—it's just going to be used to pay...

In the Media

Wolfers on student loans: 'Borrow from your future self"

Nov 18, 2022 CNN

Justin Wolfers, CNN: "I tell my students, 'Go ahead and borrow.' And that might sound like counter-intuitive advice from an economist, but here's how I want you to think about it: Go ahead and borrow money from that part of your life when you're...

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Rabe addresses impact of 2022 election on climate policy

Nov 17, 2022

Following the 2022 election, expert Barry Rabe analyzed what the results mean for the future of climate policy. With a Republican-controlled House, climate policy at the federal level could prove difficult to move forward. "I think you’ll see...

In the Media

Wolfers comments on failed U.K. tax cut plan

Oct 20, 2022 CNN

Justin Wolfers, CNN: "What I found most interesting is that she sort of tried to implement a – supply side would be one word, Reaganesque would be another word – set of policies. That, of course, is very much what certain wings of the Republican...

In the Media

Wolfers says Fed is on track to a 'soft landing'

Oct 8, 2022 CNN News Source

As economic worries continue, Justin Wolfers, professor of public policy and economics, provided his expert opinion on inflation and the economy. “The thing that’s hurting people of course is inflation," he said. “This has been a key goal of the...

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Wolfers on what policymakers can do to steer economy in the right direction

Sep 25, 2022

As inflation rates continue to rise and the Federal Reserve attempts to orchestrate a soft landing, many Americans are left wondering when prices will stop increasing. Ford School Professor Justin Wolfers talked to multiple national media outlets...

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Ford School’s Stevenson and Wolfers lend economic expertise to national media outlets

Sep 16, 2022

Ford School economists Betsey Stevenson and Justin Wolfers are called upon regularly to comment on breaking economic news and trends. In addition to their teaching and active research portfolios, they lend their expertise to news outlets around the...

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Wolfers provides expertise on current state of economy

Sep 9, 2022

Justin Wolfers, professor of public policy and economics, has made numerous appearances in the media recently, providing his expertise on the current state of our economy. Here is a compilation of his recent contributions: 'Both a warning and a...

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El-Sayed comments on climate, elections and democracy

Sep 4, 2022

Abdul El-Sayed, Towsley Foundation Policymaker in Residence, has been sought out by the media to discuss a plethora of issues, from climate policy to the upcoming midterm elections. Additionally, El-Sayed regularly contributes to political discourse...

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Recession fears dim amid strong job numbers, falling gas prices, passage of Inflation Reduction Act - Ford School economists

Aug 11, 2022

The flurry of major and surprising economic news in the past week has changed the outlook on inflation and the possibility of recession. Ford School professor Betsey Stevenson was one of 126 top economists who wrote a letter to congressional...

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Stevenson and Wolfers widely quoted on inflation, recession fears

Jun 22, 2022

Fears of inflation and recession, the Fed interest rate hike, and the underlying causes, have been at the top of the news for several weeks. Ford School economics professors Betsey Stevenson and Justin Wolfers have been highly sought-after for their...

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Amidst mass shootings, assassination plots, abortion politics, and increasing domestic terror threats, Ali offers insights

Jun 1, 2022

The past two weeks have witnessed mass shootings in Buffalo, New York, and Uvalde, Texas, among other gun violence. Questions about preventing those situations, as well as law enforcement response, abound as the country takes stock of the lost...

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Watkins-Hayes and Ali comment on racial and domestic terrorism aspects of the Buffalo shooting

May 20, 2022

In the aftermath of the racially-motivated shooting spree in Buffalo that left 10 people dead, Celeste Watkins-Hayes, Ford School associate dean for academic affairs and director of the Center for Racial Justice, and professor of practice Javed Ali,...

Headshots of Celeste Watkins-Hayes and Javed Ali

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Inflation rate is down but threats still loom, according to Stevenson

May 11, 2022

The April inflation rate was reported at 8.3%, slightly lower than March's number but still at a 40-year high. Ford School professor Betsey Stevenson told the Washington Post that while it’s hard to draw sweeping conclusions from one inflation...

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Wolfers and Stevenson comment on jobs and inflation

May 6, 2022

Inflation has been as high as 8.5% in recent months, and despite other positive economic factors, CNN reports that President Joe Biden may be “close to the point of no return with Americans on the economy.” Ford School economics professor Justin...

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Hills opines on future of GOP, Michigan abortion law

May 1, 2022

Rusty Hills, lecturer in public policy, has been putting his years of experience as a Republican politician to analyze recent trends in Michigan politics on both sides of the aisle. In an opinion piece for CNN, he says the influence of former...

Rusty Hills teaches "Campaigns and Elections" to a class of graduate and undergraduate students

In the Media

Raimi discusses factors in high oil prices

Apr 6, 2022 CNN

Amid the concerns that high oil prices are driving inflation and hurting Americans—with political consequences—members of Congress are calling on oil companies to work to reduce them. Ford School professor Daniel Raimi says the problems are more...

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Stevenson and Wolfers discuss latest jobs report

Apr 4, 2022

The labor market is still booming, according to the latest jobs report. Justin Wolfers and Betsey Stevenson, both professors of public policy and economics, broke down what the jobs report means for Americans. "I do think it more likely that the...

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Wolfers weighs in on inflation

Feb 16, 2022

Americans are becoming increasingly worried about inflation. Justin Wolfers, professor of public policy and economics, discussed the Federal Reserve's current approach to intervening in the economy to address the issue. "The mechanism by which...