When the economy takes a downward turn, people generally blame the President, who bears ultimate responsibility for the country's financial well-being. What does it take, however, for a President to be a successful manager of the national economy?
Stephen Weatherford, professor of political science at UC Santa Barbara, will answer this question and more when he speaks on "How Presidents Manage the Economy: The Good, the Bad, and the Political" at a UCSB Affiliates Town Forum lecture on Tuesday, Dec. 5 at 7:30 p.m.
According to Weatherford, Presidents need to know enough about the economy's operation to select wise advisors and to foster constructive debate over economic policy. They must balance the temptations of short-term popularity and partisan electoral tactics against the responsibility for steady economic growth and material gains that are shared widely. In addition, they must shape policy with due respect for the Federal Reserve, Congress, and the private sector.
Weatherford's talk will address how Presidents have managed these trade-offs, and what we can learn from good--and poor--economic management that will strengthen our ability as citizens to hold Presidents accountable, and to give future presidents an incentive for responsible policy-making.
The lecture will be held in the First Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall, 21 East Constance Ave. in Santa Barbara. Tickets are $8 for Affiliates and Chancellor's Council members and $10 for the general public. Advance registration is recommended by calling the UCSB Office of Community Relations at 893-4388.
Weatherford, who specializes in the areas of political economy, representation, public opinion, and elections, is completing a book titled "Presidential Control of the Economy" in which he examines economic policymaking by post-WWII Presidents from Dwight D. Eisenhower to Bill Clinton.
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