Ask an economist

Or, more aptly, ask 40 of the top economists alive what they think about a given policy statement. I found out about the IGM Forum's Economic Experts Panel from Luke Stein while at the American Economic Association meeting last weekend. The responses are best for yielding insight into what is and is not considered an open question from the point of view of economics. It's only been going on for a little while as far as the website seems to indicate, but the responses are illuminating. A sampling:

• "In general, using more congestion charges in crowded transportation networks — such as higher tolls during peak travel times in cities, and peak fees for airplane takeoff and landing slots — and using the proceeds to lower other taxes would make citizens on average better off."
• "A tax on the carbon content of fuels would be a less expensive way to reduce carbon-dioxide emissions than would a collection of policies such as “corporate average fuel economy” requirements for automobiles."
• "Public school students would receive a higher quality education if they all had the option of taking the government money (local, state, federal) currently being spent on their own education and turning that money into vouchers that they could use towards covering the costs of any private school or public school of their choice (e.g. charter schools)."

The diversity of opinions on that last one make it particularly worthwhile.