Laurence S. Seidman

This work includes sections on combating recessions and the free market, as well as updated material on the pros and cons of establishing new individual accounts under Social Security. It also includes a discussion of the tax-credit approach to encourage the purchase of health insurance.

This work includes sections on combating recessions and the free market, as well as updated material on the pros and cons of establishing new individual accounts under Social Security. It also includes a discussion of the tax-credit approach to encourage the purchase of health insurance.

Drawing on the most prominent research in the field, this timely book offers bold new fiscal policies that can complement current automatic stabilizers and counter-cyclical monetary policy to help combat recessions. Dr. Seidman argues for an independent fiscal policy board or the Federal Reserve to decide changes in the magnitude of Congress's fiscal policy package of stimulus or restraint, with recommendations going into effect immediately, subject only to Congressional override.

Drawing on the most prominent research in the field, this timely book offers bold new fiscal policies that can complement current automatic stabilizers and counter-cyclical monetary policy to help combat recessions. Dr. Seidman argues for an independent fiscal policy board or the Federal Reserve to decide changes in the magnitude of Congress's fiscal policy package of stimulus or restraint, with recommendations going into effect immediately, subject only to Congressional override.

A serious consideration of the debate on social security reform that is taking place in many countries around the world. Professor Seidman advocates the concept of ‘funded social security’ as a middle position between pay-as-you-go (PAYGO) social security and privatized social security, and constitutes a politically strategic alternative. His analysis covers two distinct components, fund accumulation and portfolio diversification. The concept of funded social security uses a mix of payroll taxes and portfolio investment income to finance benefits. With funded social security, the government contracts with private investment firms to manage the portfolio of the social security trust fund. It is entirely a defined-benefit plan without any individual defined-contribution accounts; each retiree’s benefit is linked by a legislated formula to the retiree’s own wage history. The benefit is an annuity - an annual benefit that continues as long as the retiree (or spouse) lives - and is automatically adjusted annually for inflation.