The Liber8 Newsletter is published 9 times per year, January through May and August through November. The newsletter is a selection of useful economic information, articles, data, and websites compiled by the librarians of
the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis Research Library.
The Economic Cost of War — May 2008
It is difficult to measure the cost of the Iraq war and related expenses; it is at least as difficult to decide exactly what costs to measure. The May 2008 issue compares the two most widely cited estimates: one from the Congressional Budget Office and the other from researchers Joseph Stiglitz and Linda Bilmes. This month's newsletter also compares these estimates to U.S. GDP over the same time frame to get a better sense of the war's cost in relation to the entire U.S. economy.
Ethanol: Is Corn the Golden Fuel? — April 2008
With oil prices well over $100 per barrel, policymakers are considering everything from new fuel efficiency standards to biomass in an effort to reduce U.S. gasoline consumption. This
month's newsletter explores the costs and benefits of America's golden fuel—ethanol.
Baby Boomer Retirement — March 2008
In late 2007, a retired teacher from Maryland became the first baby boomer to file for government retirement benefits. Standing in line behind her are 78 million more baby boomers who will begin seeking Social Security and Medicare benefits. This month's Liber8 Newsletter shows how the retirement of the baby boomers will affect these government programs and the federal budget.
The Economic Impact of an Influenza Pandemic on the United States — February 2008
They have been known to be deadly, disorderly, and expensive. Influenza pandemics occur 3 to 4 times every century,
and many health experts believe another U.S. pandemic is unavoidable. This month’s Liber8 Newsletter examines how
a modern-day influenza pandemic would likely affect our economy.
Big-Box Retail and Its Impact on Local Communities — January 2008
What is the local impact of big-box retail? Some states have begun to reconsider whether the benefits of such development are worth the costs to local
communities. (See "States Target Big-Box Stores," Wall Street Journal, June 29, 2007, for a discussion of recent state legislation focused on this issue.)
Economic Globalization — November 2007
Globalization has been covered heavily in the news recently, with special focus on the rise of China in the global economy and the sense of more job insecurity in the United States.
See "Globalization's Gains Come with a Price"
in the May 24, 2007, Wall Street Journal.
The U.S. Personal Saving Rate — October 2007
This month's newsletter focuses on the low and declining U.S. personal saving rate. As measured by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), the U.S. personal saving
rate fell into negative territory during the third quarter of 2005 and has remained close to zero since then. The July 12, 2007, issue of the Wall Street Journal Online
includes a sample of this debate, in "Is the Negative Savings Rate a Negative for the Economy?"
Subprime Mortgage Lending — September 2007
This month's newsletter covers the topic of subprime mortgage lending, with data and explanations your patrons may find useful. The subprime
market has been a closely covered news topic of late. See "Hot Topic: Behind the U.S. Mortgage Mess,"
Wall Street Journal, August 11, 2007, for recent developments.
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