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For Immediate Release
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Alan Barber 202-293-5380 x115

What if We Took Economics Seriously?

Dean Baker's new book strips away the ideology and applies the basics of economics to some of the most pressing issues of the day.

WASHINGTON

What would policy look like if we took basic principles of mainstream
economics and applied them consistently? What if we looked past
ideology and tried to find the policies that make the most sense and
work towards an economy for everyone? These are the questions answered
in Dean Baker's latest book, "Taking Economics Seriously."

Baker takes three issues - the free market, malpractice, and the big
banks - and walks the reader through a fascinating Econ 101 that
exposes the faulty arguments and misdirections that dominate economic
policy, all the while demonstrating how shifting the terms of debate
might benefit us all.

Elizabeth Warren, Chair of the Congressional Oversight panel and Leo
Gottlieb Professor of law, Harvard Law School says, " A terrific book!
Dean Baker deconstructs the myth that big corporations have any
interest in the free market and deregulation."

Simon Johnson, Ronald A. Kurtz Professor of Entrepreneurship, MIT Sloan
School of Management, and former chief economist of the IMF writes, "
Baker's analysis is always insightful and his proposals entirely
reasonable. Read this book only if you are worried about where the
United States is heading."

"Taking Economics Seriously"
uses policy ideas and concepts that should be basics for any economist
and applies them to make informed recommendations on some of the most
discussed issues of our time. Baker does so in a manner that is easily
accessible to everyone, whether a recent econ grad headed into the real
world or just someone with a sincere concern about our nation's future.
"Taking Economics Seriously" is published by MIT Press and is available online and at select bookstores.

The Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) was established in 1999 to promote democratic debate on the most important economic and social issues that affect people's lives. In order for citizens to effectively exercise their voices in a democracy, they should be informed about the problems and choices that they face. CEPR is committed to presenting issues in an accurate and understandable manner, so that the public is better prepared to choose among the various policy options.

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