Experts

When it comes to predicting future costs associated with changes in the environment and natural resources, Robert Whaples says economists and policymakers have a spotty track record and should back off their pretensions of certainty. Economic models are “built on quicksand.”

Whaples, who is co-editor and managing editor for The Independent Review says, “The economic projections are shaky” not because of whether or not the science is correct but “because estimates cannot account for future unknown factors.” He says the historical record shows the unreliability of connecting an environmental change with an economic outcome. “Many pundits said $100 a barrel oil was here to stay, but globalized, integrated markets and new technologies blindsided these experts. These same forces make it nearly impossible to put a number – or even a ballpark range – to how much-rising seas or climate change will cost our country.”

Whaples can analyze issues ranging from employment trends to labor wages to worker productivity, and he isn’t afraid to take a stand on the financial benefits of eliminating the penny. If the mint stopped making pennies, he argues the U.S. could save $900 million per year.

Having provided expert analysis for leading outlets such as The New York Times, Bloomberg News, Associated Press, U.S. News and World Report, and USA Today, Whaples can explain a wide range of policy issues such as eliminating trade barriers, mandating health insurance, subsidizing sports stadiums, and changing the income tax code to eliminate mortgage interest deductions.