Intelligence Squared U.S.'s Season Premiere Debates the State of the American Economy, January 16

By most accounts, the American economy is booming -- manufacturing is at a 13-year high, unemployment is at a 16-year low, and both the stock market and consumer confidence are soaring. But should we trust that current economic conditions will hold in 2018? How will the proposed tax cut affect Americans' financial planning next year and beyond? In their season premiere on Tuesday, January 16, the "fantastic" (New Yorker) Intelligence Squared U.S. kicks off their eleventh year of smart and vibrant debates by looking at the state of the American economy. 

A panel will debate several motions about the future of the American economy. Debaters include Stephen Moore (former economic advisor to Trump), Jason Furman (Obama's chief economist), Gillian Tett (The Financial Times' US Managing Editor), Simon Johnson (former International Monetary Fund chief economist), and Dambisa Moyo (economist and author).

This third installment in Intelligence Squared U.S.'s new "Unresolved" series, following "Trump's First 100 Days" and "Face-Off With China," will be broken up into four motions, with debaters picking sides on each: 

* Is deregulation good for business? 

* Can the Republican tax bill spur economic growth? 

* Could Trump’s protectionist trade policy put the economy in jeopardy? 

* Is the stock market too high?

The debate will be held at NYC's Symphony Space and stream live online, then air soon after as part of the syndicated public radio show and podcast "Intelligence Squared U.S." On January 16, online viewers can tune in at IQ2US's website (https://www.intelligencesquaredus.org).

Then on February 6, Intelligence Squared U.S. will lead into Valentine's Day with a debate on the motion "Swipe Left: Dating Apps Are Killing Romance." Arguing for the motion are sociologist Eric Klinenberg and WNYC "Note to Self" host Manoush Zamorodi. Arguing against them are anthropologist Helen Fisher and a partner to be announced.

WHAT: Intelligence Squared U.S. Debates "Unresolved: The American Economy in 2018"

WHEN: Tuesday, January 16, 2018 / Reception 6:00-6:45 / Debate 7:00-8:30 PM

WHERE: Symphony Space / Peter Jay Sharp Theatre / 2537 Broadway / New York, NY 10025

TICKETS: $40 ($12 for students w/ ID). To purchase, visit http://www.intelligencesquaredus.org/

The Panel:

* Jason Furman: Fmr. Chairman, Council of Economic Advisers & Senior Fellow, Peterson Institute 

Jason Furman joined the Peterson Institute for International Economics as a nonresident senior fellow in 2017 following his tenure as the 28th chair of the Council of Economic Advisers. During that time, he acted as both President Obama’s chief economist and a member of the cabinet. Furman played an important role in most of the major economic policies of the Obama administration. In addition, Furman helped make the Council of Economic Advisers a thought leader on a wide range of topics including labor markets, competition policy, and macroeconomics.

* Simon Johnson: Professor, MIT Sloan School of Management

Simon Johnson is the Ronald A. Kurtz Professor of Entrepreneurship at the MIT Sloan School of Management. He is also a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, a co-founder of BaselineScenario.com, a member of the FDIC’s Systemic Resolution Advisory Committee, and a member of the private sector systemic risk council founded by Sheila Bair. In 2014, he joined the Financial Research Advisory Committee of the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Financial Research (OFR). From 2009 to 2015, he was a member of the Congressional Budget Office's Panel of Economic Advisers. He is the co-author of several books, including White House Burning: The Founding Fathers, Our National Debt, and Why It Matters to You (2013). Previously, he was the International Monetary Fund's chief economist and director of its research department.

* Stephen Moore: Senior Fellow, Heritage Foundation & Fmr. Economic Advisor, Donald Trump 

Stephen Moore is a prominent free-market economist and senior fellow at the Heritage Foundation, where we works to advance public policies that increase the rate of economic growth to help the United States retain its position as the global economic superpower. During the 2016 presidential campaign, Moore served as an economic advisor to Donald Trump and helped draft early versions of the Trump Tax plan. He is currently a senior economics analyst at CNN and is a former member of The Wall Street Journal editorial board.

* Gillian Tett: U.S. Managing Editor, Financial Times 

Gillian Tett is an award-winning journalist, bestselling author, and the U.S. managing editor of the Financial Times, where she oversees global coverage of the financial markets. She is the author of Fool’s Gold: How Unrestrained Greed Corrupted a Dream, Shattered Global Markets and Unleashed a Catastrophe and Saving the Sun: A Wall Street Gamble to Rescue Japan from its Trillion Dollar Meltdown. Her latest book The Silo Effect, published in 2015, looks at the global economy and financial system through the lens of cultural anthropology. Tett was named Columnist of the Year by the British press in 2014.

* Dambisa Moyo: Global Economist & Author, Investor in the Future

Dambisa Moyo is a global economist and author who analyzes the macroeconomy and international affairs. She advises companies, corporate boards, CEOs and management on investment decisions, capital allocation and risk management. Her work examines the interplay of international business and the global economy, while highlighting key opportunities for investment; capitalizing on her rare ability to translate trends in markets, politics, regulatory matters and economics into their likely impact on global business. She serves on the boards of Barclays Bank, the financial services group, Barrick Gold, the global miner, and Chevron, the energy corporation. She previously served on the board of SABMiller, the global brewer and Seagate Technology. Dambisa was named by TIME Magazine as one of the “100 Most Influential People in the World,” and was awarded the 2013 Hayek Lifetime Achievement Award.

ABOUT INTELLIGENCE SQUARED U.S. DEBATES (IQ2US)

A non-partisan, non-profit organization, Intelligence Squared U.S. was founded in 2006 to address a fundamental problem in America: the extreme polarization of our nation and our politics. Their mission is to restore critical thinking, facts, reason, and civility to American public discourse. The award-winning debate series reaches over 30 million American households through multi-platform distribution, including radio, television, live streaming, podcasts, interactive digital content, and on-demand apps on Roku and Apple TV. With over 140 debates and counting, Intelligence Squared U.S. has encouraged the public to "think twice" on a wide range of provocative topics. Author and ABC News correspondent John Donvan has moderated IQ2US since 2008.