With the recent publication of its final rule, the federal government's Financial Stability Oversight Council is now in position to designate certain nonbank firms as "systemically important financial institutions" (SIFIs). There is probably no aspect of the Dodd-Frank Act that will have more damaging effects on competition in the U.S. financial system.

While those who wish to make participation in the American Community Survey voluntary raise important points and concern for individual privacy is paramount, the government can best serve the American people by continuing to gather high quality survey data through the ACS.

It is unlikely that increases in federal employee pension contributions or reductions in pension benefits for future federal retirees would lower total compensation below federal workers’ reservation wage, which represents the minimum pay at which a worker will accept a particular type of job.

There will be a further significant intensification of the Euro-zone debt crisis in the months immediately ahead that could result in the Euro's unraveling within the next twelve months. This crisis poses serious risk to the US economic recovery.

Policies enacted over the last few decades have systematically eroded the ability of manufacturers to earn returns on certain drugs, especially older parenteral drugs sold as generics. We need to reform the policies governing these markets if we're going to lure investment back into these important areas.

We estimate that a family affordability rule could initially lead to as many as 1.3 million more workers accessing exchange subsidies for themselves and their families than under a single affordability rule. If employees pay 50 percent of the premiums in the future, this number increases to 6 million.

Until the legislative process takes into account the long-term consequences of short-term policy actions (and inactions), we have no assurance that Medicare can be saved.

Do federal agencies carry larger staffs than similar private entities? Is the U.S. government workforce large relative to that of our economic competitors? These questions are more difficult than assessing the pay of individual workers and far less research has been done in these areas.