	The Washington Note
	last updated: Fri, 15 Mar 2013 04:27:58 GMT

2013-03-07T12:19:44-05:00 The Atlantic's 2nd Annual Economy Summit

President Bill Clinton's winning catchphrase "It's the economy, stupid!" still resonates in consequential political debates today -- with both sides of the political aisle and the many factions of economic policy interest groups slugging it out over what a healthy economy needs.

This year's "Economy Summit" organized by The Atlantic features a very diverse cast of perspectives and will focus on debt and strategies for sustainable economic growth. Some will focus on economic debates -- and others will focus on paralyzed leadership.

I'll post the entire program below -- but I should note that Washington Note readers are invited to attend -- or to watch online. If you want to be there in person, be sure to RSVP at the link below The entire conference will stream live here, which means you can watch it from as far as Tazmania or Sanaa if you have a good broadband connection.

One of the interesting issues that my collaborator and former "affinity credit card" entrepreneur Richard Vague are highlighting are the problems of a massive 'private sector debt' problem that continues to lurk in the US economic equation. For those interested, Vague and I outlined some of the problems here and spoke about this in a short YouTube clip as well as on WHYY's Radio Times, a popularly NPR-affiliated program in Philadelphia.

The line-up for this year has a lot of headliners -- in fact, they are all headliners -- but those who will make a lot of the sizzle are former Federal Reserve Governor Paul Volcker, former Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin, anti-tax pledge activist and President of the Americans for Tax Reform Grover Norquist, Fix the Debt founder Maya MacGuineas, Financial Times Chief US Commentator Edward Luce, and National Journal Chief Correspondent Michael Hirsh.

The list continues with American Prospect Founding Editor Robert Kuttner, Naked Capitalism publisher Yves Smith, former FDIC chief Sheila Bair, former Federal Reserve Board Deputy Chair Alice Rivlin, Senator and former West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin, Senator and former North Dakota Governor John Hoeven, Bloomberg political columnist Margaret Carlson, former Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell, Financial Services Roundtable CEO and former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, National Journal editorial director Ron Fournier, former George W. Bush National Economic Adviser Lawrence Lindsey and others.

Here follows the schedule:

The Atlantic's ECONOMY SUMMIT 2013
Debating America's Debt Challenges & Recovery Options
#AtlanticEcon

Wednesday, 13 March 2013
10:00 am - 5:30 pm
Capital Hilton, 16th & K Streets NW, Washington DC
RSVP here

For those outside of Washington or unable to attend, this event will stream live on line and can be watched over the internet HERE or just tune in to The Washington Note home page.

8:45 am
REGISTRATION & COFFEE

9:15 am
WELCOMING REMARKS

ELIZABETH BAKER KEFFER
President, AtlanticLIVE & QuartzLIVE

A Preview of the April 2013 "Money Issue" of The Atlantic

SCOTT HAVENS
President, The Atlantic

JAMES BENNET
Editor in Chief, The Atlantic

9:25 am
DEBATING AMERICA'S ADDICTION TO DEBT & DEBT DEBATES:
WHAT MATTERS AND WHAT MATTERS MORE?

CRAIG ALEXANDER
Chief Economist, TD Bank

MAYA MacGUINEAS
Founder, Fix the Debt
President, Coalition for a Responsible Federal Budget

PAUL McCULLEY
Former Managing Director, PIMCO
Chairman, Global Society of Fellows, Global Interdependence Center

YVES SMITH (aka Susan Webber)
Publisher, Naked Capitalism

ROBERT KUTTNER
Co-Founder and Editor, The American Prospect
Author, Debtors' Prison: The Politics of Austerity versus Possibility

moderator
EDWARD LUCE
Economics & Political Columnist, Financial Times
Author, Time to Start Thinking: America in the Age of Descent

10:25 am
A HEALTHY ECONOMY EQUALS FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY & SMART INVESTMENT

THE HON. GENE SPERLING
National Economic Advisor to President Obama

interviewer
JAMES BENNET
Editor in Chief, The Atlantic

10:45 am
GOOD DEBT, BAD DEBT, AND REAL OPTIONS FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH
AMIDST THE POLITICS OF AUSTERITY

MONICA MEHTA
Author, The Entrepreneurial Instinct

STEVE KEEN
Professor of Economics & Finance, University of West Sydney
Publisher of Debunking Economics and Debtwatch

WILLIAM GREIDER
National Affairs Correspondent, The Nation

SHERLE R. SCHWENNINGER
Director, Economic Growth Program, New America Foundation

MICHAEL HUDSON
Research Professor of Economics, University of Missouri
Research Associate, Levy Institute, Bard College
President, Institute for the Study of Long Term Economic Trends

moderator
DEREK THOMPSON
Senior Editor, Business, The Atlantic

11:45 am
KEYNOTE PRESENTATION & INTERVIEW

THE HON. PAUL VOLCKER
Former Chairman, Federal Reserve Board

moderator
JAMES BENNET
Editor in Chief, The Atlantic

12:30 pm
KEYNOTE PRE-LUNCHEON INTERVIEW

THE HON. ALICE RIVLIN
Former Deputy Chairman, Federal Reserve Board

moderator
DEREK THOMPSON
Senior Editor, Business, The Atlantic

1:30 pm
THE GREAT RECESSION AND PROBLEMS UNRESOLVED

THE HON. SHEILA BAIR
Former Chair, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
Senior Advisor, Pew Charitable Trusts

interviewer
MICHAEL HIRSH
Chief Correspondent, National Journal

2:00 pm
HERE'S THE DEAL: HOW WASHINGTON CAN SOLVE THE DEFICIT AND SPUR GROWTH

DAVID LEONHARDT
Washington Bureau Chief, New York Times
Author of the new e-book, Here's the Deal

2:15 pm
CAN WASHINGTON SEE THE BIG PICTURE?
THE MAKINGS OF A VIBRANT US ECONOMY MAY BE HERE

THE HON. ROBERT RUBIN
Former Secretary of the Treasury
Co-Chairman, Council on Foreign Relations

DAVID WESSEL
Economics Editor & Columnist, Wall Street Journal
Author, Red Ink: Inside the High Stakes Politics of the Federal Budget

2:45 pm
A NO FILTERS VIEW OF THE AMERICAN ECONOMY'S PROSPECTS AND CHALLENGES

THE HON. LAWRENCE LINDSEY
Former National Economic Advisor to President George W. Bush
Former Governor, Federal Reserve System
President & CEO, The Lindsey Group

interviewer
EDWARD LUCE
Chief US Correspondent, Financial Times
Author, Time to Start Thinking: America in the Age of Descent

3:15 pm
REALLY FIXING THE US ECONOMY: WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE

THE HON. EDWARD G. RENDELL
Former Governor of Pennsylvania

interviewer
MARGARET CARLSON
Columnist, Bloomberg

3:45 pm
OUT OF THE CLOSET:
DEALING WITH AMERICA'S PRIVATE SECTOR DEBT CHALLENGE

RICHARD VAGUE
Former CEO, First USA Bank

STEVE CLEMONS
Washington Editor at Large, The Atlantic
Founder & Senior Fellow, American Strategy Program, New America Foundation

4:15 pm
DEBT DRAMAS HAPPEN EVERY DAY IN STATES: HOW GOVERNORS DEAL

THE HON. JOE MANCHIN (D-WV)
United States Senator
Former Governor, State of West Virginia

THE HON. JOHN HOEVEN (R-ND)
United States Senator
Former Governor, State of North Dakota

interviewer
STEVE CLEMONS
Washington Editor at Large, The Atlantic

4:45 pm
POLICY & PROMISES: PONDERING LEADERSHIP AND A HEALTHIER ECONOMY

GROVER NORQUIST
President, Americans for Tax Reform
Author, Leave Us Alone: Getting the Government's Hands Off our Money, Our Guns, Our Lives

interviewer
STEVE CLEMONS
Washington Editor at Large, The Atlantic
Editor at Large, Quartz

5:15 pm
DEBT & GROWTH IN AN AGE OF POLITICAL BANKRUPTCY

THE HON. TIM PAWLENTY
President & CEO, Financial Services Roundtable
Former Governor of Minnesota

interviewer
RON FOURNIER
Editorial Director, National Journal

5:45 pm
FESTIVE RECEPTION with Specialty Drinks:

"Sequester at the Beach" & "Debt Old Fashioned"

The Atlantic's Economy Summit can be watched live streaming here.

With special thanks to Supporting Underwriter, the Center for Audit Quality; Presenting Underwriter, TD Bank; and Knowledge Underwriter, The Governor's Woods Foundation for their generous support of this year's Economy Summit.

	The Real News Network
	last updated: Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:40:43 GMT

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 09:06:14 EST Hundreds of Thousands of Brazilians Protest Countrys' Harsh Inequities

Protest against bus fare increase sparked nationwide protest movement demanding systemic change

	Asia Times Online
	last updated: Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:53:36 GMT

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 11:00:00 GMT US-Taliban talks set to begin

Nearly 12 years after the United States ousted the Taliban, the US will begin formal talks with the militant Islamist group this week as part of Afghanistan's national reconciliation process. Whether a major change in US policy, or more a reflection of shifting power inside Washington, the road ahead will be long, and negotiations between the Taliban and the Hamid Karzai government will also be of crucial importance. - Jim Lobe (Jun 19, '13)

	Oil Geopolitics
	last updated: Wed, 19 Jun 2013 17:06:38 GMT

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 23:21:06 +0100 Oil Geopoltics Front Page

	The Race for Iran
	last updated: Wed, 19 Jun 2013 17:09:30 GMT

Wed, 02 Jan 2013 21:23:56 +0000 Race for Iran Is Going to Tehran

With the impending publication of our Going to Tehran: Why the United States Must Come to Terms with the Islamic Republic of Iran, we have decided to move our blog to a new platform, www.GoingtoTehran.com. Race for Iran will remain active as a repository for our previous posts and comments, going all the way back [...]

With the impending publication of our Going to Tehran: Why the United States Must Come to Terms with the Islamic Republic of Iran, we have decided to move our blog to a new platform, www.GoingtoTehran.com. Race for Iran will remain active as a repository for our previous posts and comments, going all the way back to October 2009, but henceforth our new posts will be published on Going to Tehran. As you will see, it looks and operates very much like Race for Iran, so hopefully the transition will be non-stressful. We thank all who have read, engaged, and supported us on Race for Iran, and look forward to seeing you and new readers who might join us on Going to Tehran.

–Flynt Leverett and Hillary Mann Leverett

	Gush-Shalom
	last updated: Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:40:43 GMT

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 14:00:23 +0300 Triumph and Tragedy

NO OPERA by Richard Wagner could have been more dramatic. It looked as if it was directed by a genius.

	Antiwar.com Original
	last updated: Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:38:49 GMT

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 06:00:56 +0000 Down the Slippery Slope in Syria

At the G-8 Summit in Northern Ireland, Russia faced pressure from the other seven attending nations to push Bashar al-Assad, its Syrian ally, to negotiate his abdication with the West. Since Assad and his Syrian government forces, well supplied by Russia with weaponry, are now winning the Syrian civil war, that outcome is extremely unlikely [...]

	FinanzNachrichten.de: Aktuelle Nachrichten
	last updated: Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:50:01 GMT

2013-06-19T16:48:00Z LATE BRIEFING - Unternehmen und Märkte

=== +++++ MÄRKTE AKTUELL (18.15 Uhr) +++++ INDEX Stand +-% Euro-Stoxx-50 2.683,98 -0,63% Stoxx-50 2.657,51 -0,17% DAX 8.197,08 -0,39% FTSE 6.348,82 -0,40% CAC 3.839,34 -0,55% DJIA 15.302,18 -0,10%...

	Linkes Europa
	last updated: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 13:40:03 GMT

10.3.2010 12:25 Da geht mir der Hut hoch!

Was hier im Gewand von Wissenschaft daherkommt ist reine Ideologie. http://www.heritage.org/Index/ W�re sie auf die Vereinigten Staaten beschr�nkt, k�nnte dies der Rest der Welt verschmerzen. Das ist jedoch nicht der Fall. Und so besteht die �konomische Freiheit nicht in der Freiheit souver�ner Staaten, die ihren jeweiligen kulturellen Traditionen und spezifischen gesellschaftlichen Bedingungen gem��en Wirtschaftsmodelle zu entwickeln. Vielmehr werden sie durch die Dominanz des Dollarsystems und seine global wirkenden Institutionen gezwungen, das angels�chsische Modell der �freien Wirtschaft� zu �bernehmen, f�r das sich der Begriff �Washington Consensus� eingeb�rgert hat. Dieses Modell wurde nach 1945 zun�chst schleichend und nach dem Vertrag von Maastricht mit zunehmender Beschleunigung von der Europ�ischen Union �bernommen und ist seit 1. Dezember 2009 kodifiziertes Recht. Damit ist die EU p�pstlicher als der angels�chsische Papst.

	Sinn Féin
	last updated: Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:27:00 GMT

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 11:19:40 -0400 Loss of resource hours for children with special needs “devastating and unacceptable” – Deputy O’Brien

Sinn Féin Education Spokesperson Jonathan O’Brien has expressed fears that additional cuts to special needs supports will greatly undermine the capacity of schools to implement an integrated education system.

	Global Research
	last updated: Wed, 19 Jun 2013 17:12:34 GMT

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:20:37 +0000 The Terror Con, Booz Allen Hamilton and the NSA

(Image: UGO Entertainment) For defense contractors, the government officials who write them mega checks, and the hawks in the media who cheer them on, the name of the game is threat inflation. And no one has been better at it…

	Consortiumnews
	last updated: Wed, 19 Jun 2013 17:11:31 GMT

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:56:01 +0000 The Need for National Security Leaks

The attack line against whistleblower Edward Snowden – that he should have gone through “proper channels” – ignores that those oversight channels themselves have been badly corrupted over the past several decades. That has left Americans dependent on out-of-channel leaks, says ex-CIA analyst Melvin A. Goodman. By Melvin A. Goodman A major problem in the United States is not there are too many whistleblowers … there are too few. Where were the whistleblowers when the Central Intelligence Agency...

	War And Peace
	last updated: Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:59:45 GMT

Sat, 08 Jun 2013 21:24:00 +0400 Obama, Xi urge new relationship ties

Throwing formality aside at a desert retreat, Presidents Barack Obama and Xi Jinping called on Friday for a new approach to forge relations between the US andChina.

Sat, 08 Jun 2013 21:23:00 +0400 18 dead in battle over disputed Somali port city

At least 18 people have been killed in gunbattles in southern Somalia�s Kismayu, residents said on Saturday, in the heaviest fighting the disputed port city has seen in more than four years.

Sat, 08 Jun 2013 21:20:00 +0400 QE measures risk repeat Asian crisis

The global economy is awash with successive waves of liquidity generated over the past few years by the four most advanced economies - the United States, the European Union, (EU), Japan and the United Kingdom, known as the G4. This liquidity has taken the form of "quantitative easing" (QE).

Sat, 08 Jun 2013 21:18:00 +0400 Et tu, Gul? Then fall, Erdogan

One thing that Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said before pushing ahead on Tuesday with a four-day tour of the Maghreb tour still hangs suspended in the air. Hardly anyone picked it up. He said Turkish intelligence is looking into possible links between the recent incidents in Istanbul, scene of violently suppressed protests, and foreign elements.

Fri, 07 Jun 2013 09:52:00 +0400 Monsanto Plays GMO Deception Game

On May 31 world media headlines read similar to this from Reuters: �Monsanto backing away from GMO crops in Europe.� A Monsanto interview with a leftist German paper created the impression around the world that the world�s largest patent-holder of GMO seeds is in full retreat from pushing their GMO seeds, at least in the European Union. The reality is anything but that. Among other things, on June 10 the EU Commission plans to approve a new Monsanto GMO maize sort.

Mon, 27 May 2013 23:52:00 +0400 India PM calls for nuclear deal, more Japan investment

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has called for an early accord on civil nuclear cooperation with Tokyo and more Japanese investment ahead of an official visit, reports said Sunday.

Mon, 27 May 2013 23:50:00 +0400 Colombia and its rebels reach land reform deal

Colombia and the Marxist-led FARC rebels have reached agreement on the critical issue of agrarian reform, the two sides said on Sunday in a major step forward for the peace process aimed at ending their long war.

Sun, 26 May 2013 09:25:00 +0400 Kerry presses Egypt on economic reform, says aid depends on it

Secretary of State John Kerry urged Egypt to act swiftly on economic reforms to secure a $4.8 billion International Monetary Fund loan, saying the measures were needed to get further aid from the U.S. Congress, an American official said. Kerry met Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi for about an hour on the sidelines of an African Union summit on Saturday, discussing Syrias civil war, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, human rights in Egypt and the countrys faltering economy, the official said. Egypts Islamist-led government has been resistant to introducing the austerity measures needed to win the IMF funding, including raising taxes and cutting fuel subsidies, fearing such painful reforms could provoke social unrest. However, an IMF deal could help shore up investor and donor concerns after two years of political instability since the overthrow of former president Hosni Mubarak in early 2011. The instability has depressed tourism, a crucial industry for Egypt. The U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Kerry had made the argument that the reforms were necessary to persuade American lawmakers to proceed with further economic support for the country, which borders U.S. ally Israel. "He urged action on making reforms happen now to move towards requirements to get the IMF package," the official said. During his first visit to Cairo as secretary of state, on March 3, Kerry told Mursi the United States would provide the first $190 million of $450 million in pledged budget support because of Mursis commitment to see the IMF process through. The remainder, however, would depend on the economic reforms, a point Kerry made again in the Ethiopian capital. "He said ... we need to be able to show Congress that you have taken the necessary reforms," said the official. "I have been a strong advocate of support for Egypt. I continue to support aid for Egypt, but ... we need to see reforms in place that will encourage my former colleagues back at home to act." Kerry served in the U.S. Senate for nearly 30 years before becoming the countrys top diplomat on February 1. Egypt has in recent years received about $1.3 billion in military aid from Washington, support that dates back to its signing of a peace treaty with Israel more than 30 years ago. That assistance, however, is not seen as contingent on Egyptian economic reform.

Sun, 26 May 2013 09:24:00 +0400 Talbott�s legacy haunts US-Russia ties

Which one indeed is the right track leading from the White House to the Kremlin often becomes difficult to distinguish, but then, such predicament must be endemic to any highly complex relationship like the Russian-American one. Consider the following.

Sun, 26 May 2013 09:17:00 +0400 Syrian opposition struggles for unity as battle rages

Syrias opposition resumed talks on Saturday aimed at closing their fractious ranks, as government forces launched a fierce onslaught on a rebel-held border town to try to gain the upper hand in the civil war. A failure of the opposition to unite could weaken the hand of Russia and the United States, co-sponsors of a proposed peace conference on the war, which has killed 80,000 and threatens to spill over borders and whip up wider sectarian violence.

Sun, 26 May 2013 09:15:00 +0400 Cyber command to fight the rising online attacks

India will establish a cyber command and control authority to combat the rising cyber attacks.

Sun, 26 May 2013 09:14:00 +0400 Venezuela top court rejects challenge to Maduro win

In a ruling out Saturday, Venezuela�s Supreme Court rejected one of six challenges to the April 14 presidential election, which saw Hugo Chavez�s successor Nicolas Maduro win by a razor-thin margin.

Sat, 25 May 2013 23:15:00 +0400 US, Turkey, Qatar seek urgent UN rights debate on Syria

The United States, Turkey and Qatar called Friday for an urgent debate on Syria at the UNs top human rights body next week, citing the escalating conflict and the regimes assault on the central town of Qusayr.

Sat, 25 May 2013 23:09:00 +0400 America�s GM Grain Surpluses: Sowing the Seeds of Famine in Ethiopia

The �economic therapy� imposed under IMF-World Bank jurisdiction is in large part responsible for triggering famine and social devastation in Ethiopia and the rest of sub-Saharan Africa, wreaking the peasant economy and impoverishing millions of people.

Sat, 25 May 2013 23:08:00 +0400 French, Niger troops kill Islamists holding out at Niger base

French special forces and Niger troops shot dead on Friday the last two Islamists involved in a twin attack on a military base and a French uranium mine in Niger claimed by the mastermind of Januarys mass hostage-taking in Algeria.

Sat, 25 May 2013 23:06:00 +0400 France army in key Mali withdrawal

France has begun a key stage of its military withdrawal from Mali, four months after sending troops to push Islamist rebels out the north.

Sat, 25 May 2013 20:22:00 +0400 US pulls in Oman to join ABM system

We don�t think of Oman as a hot shot player on the Syrian turf. But the United States apparently does. And that�s ostensibly the reason why Secretary of State included Muscat into his rushed Middle East itinerary for the Friends of Syria meet in Amman later today where the momentous decision is expected � albeit, a mere formality � on the western-backed Syrian opposition coalition�s consent to participate in the proposed peace meet in Geneva in June. The official version by the VOA, here, is that Kerry is drumming up Oman�s support for the �Syria peace consensus.�

Sat, 25 May 2013 20:21:00 +0400 Obama redefines US war on terror

Twelve years after the �war on terror� began, President Barack Obama wants to pull the United States back from some of the most controversial aspects of its global fight against militants.

Sat, 25 May 2013 20:19:00 +0400 US drone strikes in Pak territory illegal: Govt

The Pakistan government on Friday repeated its view that US drone strikes in its territory were illegal, after President Barack Obama laid out new guidelines for their use.

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:26:00 +0400 Chinas influence spreads to Atlantic

A specter has been haunting the Western Hemisphere since mid-summer 2012, the specter of Chinas Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) routinely patrolling the waters of the Atlantic Ocean.

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:18:00 +0400 Pentagon to take over some CIA drone operations : sources

President Barack Obamas administration has decided to give the Pentagon control of some drone operations against terrorism suspects overseas that are currently run by the CIA, several U.S. government sources said on Monday.

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:16:00 +0400 Ghana hopes to shield economy from African oil curse

Oil brought riches to Nigeria but also ravaged its economy and fuelled corruption and conflict. Now nearby Ghana has begun production and wants to take the wealth but dodge the oil curse.

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:13:00 +0400 Congos army clashes with rebels near Goma

Congos army used combat helicopters to bombard rebel fighters on Monday near the city of Goma in the first clashes in nearly six months, days before U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was due to visit the troubled eastern borderlands.

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:11:00 +0400 EU draft bank rescue law would not shield big deposits

A draft law that a group of European Union lawmakers voted for on Monday would shield small depositors from losing their savings in future bank rescues, but customers with more than 100,000 euros in savings when a bank failed could suffer losses.

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:08:00 +0400 Bolivia: New law backs President Evo Morales third term

Bolivia has passed a controversial law which paves the way for President Evo Morales to be elected for a third time.

	RIA Novosti
	last updated: Wed, 19 Jun 2013 17:09:31 GMT

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 21:01:18 +0400 Russian Space Freighter ‘Buried’ in Pacific