Introduction to Denver Economists

Compared to the financial train-wreck of the 1980’s, Colorado seems to be weathering the recession better than many other states, thanks in part to a more diverse economy.

Is this enough?

Are we being complacent? Economists have a unique perspective regarding critical issues in a changing economy, and Colorado’s economists could be illuminating issues in economic terms, and with access to metric standards, that have become important within the city, the state and the region. What is missing is interaction on both a personal level and a web-based blog level.

Industry participation in economic issues should be encouraged from every sector, including transportation, oil and gas, mining, agriculture, clean tech, renewable energy, social welfare, municipal and state government, banking and finance, healthcare, manufacturing and the retail sector.

All economists should be able to articulate the issues, and describe the potential effects of both maintaining existing policy and/or changing an existing policy – in economic terms.

Topics:

Critical questions remain to be debated. My favored approach would be to have respondents select a dozen or so issues in complete free form, and from those respondents select an agenda for the entire year. Here are a few ideas off of the top of my head:

Consumer Economy - What is the viability of a consumption based economy, and what is the optimal savings rate?

Health Care – A third rail issue – we should touch it.

The Space Program – Go to Mars, revisit the moon, or capture an asteroid?

Energy Policy – What is the role of renewables and how do they fit into the existing energy structure?

Public – Private Partnerships – What is the optimal means of creating effective public-private partnership?

Public Sector Failure – When a failure occurs in the Public sector, what are the best curative actions?

Sustainability – What is sustainability?

Fossil Fuel Recovery and Consumption – too many issues to count.

Renewable Energy – See Fossil Fuels above.

Capital Markets – Does New York’s predominance in the financial sector encourage gaming the system?

Service economy or manufacturing economy – Which has the greater potential for productivity gains?

Innovation – What are the most proven sources of innovation?

The Classic Balloon Debate – A holiday favorite. Nominate three people, living or dead, put them in the balloon, debate and vote on who gets thrown out to save the other two.

Some selected issues are not meant to directly address a public policy, but instead to help inspire a new perspective. Others, especially in energy and health care, are part of a critical, immediate societal debate and need a thorough airing from economists, at least for our own consumption.

Speakers:

Must be members of the DABE.

Audience

Open to all.

Format

Debates should be three way, not bi-polar, with fixed rules regarding opening statements, rebuttals and restatements.

Debates last one hour, with one hour of comentary.

Rules

No direct political references to current, or recent, executives or legislators.

No foul language.

Forum:

We need a serious forum in Denver that will permit an effective debate with audieance participation. Meetings should be once a month, in the evening, and timed to permit everyone to have dinner before or after.

Sponsors:

We need sponsors.

Access to Other DABE members: This email has been sent ‘blind’, out of respect to the privacy of members of the DABE. Should we have open access to each other?

Let me know if you are interested, and what you think might be more desirable in forum or focus.