National University System Institute for Policy Research

Past Years

EconoMeter: Does the GOP have good economic fix?: November 7, 2010 - This week's question: In the wake of the Nov. 2 election, the Republicans who will now control the House of Representatives are talking about their top priorities for 2011, among which are extending the Bush tax cuts, opposing any new taxes and cutting the deficit. Continue reading »

EconoMeter: Cut the deficit now -- or not so fast -- economists say: October 30, 2010 - The election at the national, state and local level has brought an avalanche of attack ads and platitudes from competing candidates, but when the dust settles, the winners are going to have to tackle some tough issues. Among them is the structural deficit in many budgets. While states, counties and cities are required to maintain a balanced budget, the federal government is not. However, Democrats, Republicans and independents generally agree that Congress is going to have to reduce that red ink somehow. The question is how soon. Continue reading »

EconoMeter: Should public pensions be changed?: October 23, 2010 - They're rioting in Paris , they're fretting in Sacramento, they're battening down the hatches in San Diego all for the same reason – the worries about public pension finances and the need for reform to keep governments from bankruptcy's door. So our question, recommended by a reader, is this: Following the November elections, do you favor action at federal, state and local levels to address the growing problem of public pension finances? What one change would be the most advisable economically for any level of government? Continue reading »

EconoMeter: Do we need a moratorium on foreclosures?: October 16, 2010 - Bank of America and other lenders and mortgage-servicing companies have suspended some foreclosures while they sort out legal paperwork that may not have been processed properly. There have been some calls for a national moratorium of foreclosures until these processing questions have been answered. We asked our U-T EconoMeter panelists if they favored a nationwide moratorium on new foreclosures until banks and servicing companies clear up questions about the processes they have followed in foreclosing on homeowners. Continue reading »

EconoMeter: Rate the gubernatorial candidates' economic plans: October 10, 2010 - QUESTION: Will either plan by gubernatorial candidates Jerry Brown or Meg Whitman improve California job prospects, the state budget and general economic conditions? Continue reading »