The chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers, Alan B. Krueger has decided to leave the council to teach at Princeton University, so President Barack Obama has to replace him. Obama decided to appoint Jason Furman to chair the Council of Economic Advisers. Furman has a doctorate in economics from Harvard University, along with two other degrees. It is unconventional for a president to appoint someone to chair the Council who has never actually served on it. Some people might say that this appointment is nepotism, which is when a president appoints under qualified people to important positions because he is friends or somehow related to those people. However, Obama justified his choice saying that Furman is "one of the most brilliant economic minds of his generation." Furman has the reputation to prove it, for he was an aide to the Joseph E Stiglitz, who the the chairman of the Council when Bill Clinton was president. He also was the economic policy director in Obama's 2008 campaign. Furman has respect from both Republicans and Democrats because even though he is a Democrat, he has made many compromises with Republicans. Each member of the Council has a different role and Furman is expected to work closely with Obama, as he has done in the past.
Do you think having a Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers who is so close to Obama will be hurt or be beneficial to the United States' economy. Please explain your answer.
Article: Obama Names Longtime Aide as His Chief Economic Adviser
URL: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/11/business/jason-furman-is-named-obamas-chief-economic-adviser.html?_r=0
Source: New York Times
Furman sounds like a respected and knowledgeable guy. Although this is true, it does sound like a pretty significant case of nepotism to me. Obama seemed able to slither past this idea of appointing this chairman with ease simply because Furman has a well known reputation, but the fact that Obama appointed him over people who actually has served on the council before is questionable. I don't really care that Furman is respected by both political parties and has a good reputation, I still think this is a case of nepotism. I also believe that Obama being buddies with this newly appointed chairman will hurt the economy because they will influence each other when it comes to policies and affect decision making on both sides. But, no one really knows until the future what this will bring to the economy. It will definitely be a more liberal approach to dealing with the economy, and it is up for Americans to decide whether or not this is a good choice. I personally think it will be biased and not particularly good for this country.
ReplyDeleteThis does not seem like it is complete nepotism. If this person is qualified, which they seem to be considering they have a doctorate in economics and two other degrees and they were an aid to a previous chairman it should not be an issue. However, it does seem suspicious that Obama chose this person, over the group of people that are usually appointed to be chairman of the council. Actually, unlike what Ali said, if Obama is close to this person, it might actually make the government be more productive making decisions on economic issues since they are already familiar with each other.
ReplyDeleteI agree that it does not seem like nepotism fully, but I could see why someone might potentially think that. If he is qualified to do well on the council and has a good reputation than there really should be no problem even if it was nepotism. It's not as if Obama put someone on the council with no experience in the field. I think it's okay if Obama appointed him because it's not that bad since he has experience and respect from both parties as well.
ReplyDeleteHaving a the chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers close to the president is a good thing. I think it's a good thing because that means that they will be able to get along with each other when working with each other. I do not think it is nepotism because Obama has to think about how he will help our country. I think it's just a coincidence that the two of them happen to already know each other. Also the fact that he agrees with both Republican and Democrats makes him seem like a fair guy. Obama's choice was a smart decision because he is very intelligent, agreeable and he works well with the President.
ReplyDeleteI find this very interesting and hard to answer the question. If you look at it from both positions, it could help if Obama and Furman are close because they actually might get stuff done. On the other hand, they could disregard other members opinions because they only trust each other. I think that it's a better thing to have guys who are close working together. I would rather have members of government who like each other working on a very important issue than having guys who just argue about everything and never get anything done. Personally, I work better with people I get along with. So I think that since Obama and Furman trust each other and enjoy working together, it's a good thing that Furman was appointed chairman.
ReplyDeleteI think that this will be very beneficial to the economy. If he is one of the great brilliant economic minds of our time, than I think he has every right to be the chairman. I do not think the fact that he is close to President Obama could mean anything bad. Like Sasha said, if he is qualified for a position of this caliber, or something similar to this, he should do very well. Although Jason Furman may have no past experience on this board, he has still influenced the president to stand up for him, and also influence Obama's opinion due to his economic knowledge.
ReplyDeleteI think that this decision will be beneficial to the economy. I can completely see how this could be considered a case of nepotism considering that these two are good friends, but given his economic knowledge he seems like a good choice. The fact that he has a good reputation with both the democratic and republican party is also pretty important, and maybe a key reason as to why he was selected by Obama. Obama was probably looking for someone who would not stir up controversy and make solid decisions, and it just happened that he already knew the man he was looking for. Their friendship will also allow them to discuss things more often and get more in depth with arguments or decision making. Although it seems shady, I think that our nations president would know better than to put a friend in such a position. He knows that everyone has their eyes on him, so he chose the most qualified person.
ReplyDeleteI can see both sides of this argument, but personally, I believe that appointing Furman is a case of nepotism, and that this could potential hinder the government.In regards to a positive outlook on Obama appointing Furman, I can see why Furman could benefit the economy. As Ford stated, Furman does have the qualifications to sit on the Council of Economic Advisers. Also, since he is in good stands with President Obama, the transition could be smooth, with little conflict. Therefore, more progress could be made at a faster pace than is the Chairman was a person who disagreed with the President. But, even though this argument could be accurate, I do see many potential negative effects of appointing Furman to Chairman of the Council. Yes, he has many qualifications, but to me, the most important qualification to serve is missing. Furman has never sat on this Council, and therefore does not know the logistics, and has not established a relationship with the other Council members. So, as Furman begins his position, he will also have many challenges set upon him on top of the job description. Furman will need to establish himself with a group of close-knit people who rarely encounter new people with a new set of opinions on their board. The Council is already established, and adding Furman to the list will change the logistics. But,even though this would be a great factor, I still question myself, thinking :Should this matter?
ReplyDeleteI agree with ford, this doesn't seem like nepotism. This man is absolutely qualified with appropriate degrees and experience. Just because the president is familiar with this person doesn't make his gaining on the position nepotism.
ReplyDelete