
Partisan Trust in the Federal Reserve
This paper examines partisanship in public perceptions of the Federal Reserve.
Abstract
In all years from 2001 through 2023, trust in the Federal Reserve was highest for respondents of the same party as the President. The partisan effects were larger than other demographic differences in trust, but do not explain the large partisan gap in inflation expectations in those years. We conducted a new survey-based information experiment before and after the Presidential inauguration in 2025, and found a changed pattern: Republicans continued to have lower trust in the Fed than did Democrats, even after a Republican President was elected and took office. Yet, Republicans had much lower inflation expectations than Democrats. Responses to open-ended survey questions point to tariffs and President Trump himself as most salient to consumers when considering how inflation will evolve.
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This paper was originally published as part of the National Bureau of Economic Research working paper series.
Economic Dynamism

The American Dream Is Not a Coin Flip, and Wages Have Not Stagnated
This paper challenges the prevailing narrative that stagnant wages are causing the American dream to fade. It contrasts subjective public opinion with revised objective intergenerational mobility measures.

Political Economy and the Rise of Commercial Humanism
Western attitudes toward commerce have transformed from early moral condemnation to a modern appreciation that sees trade as socially beneficial.
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A Bad Business on the Bayou
Chevron finds itself the victim of a political alliance between the tort bar and Louisiana Republicans.
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Congress Must Shield US Companies from European Regulations
Congress should exercise its constitutional powers over foreign commerce to guard American companies against overregulation by the European Union.
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Why the AI Revolution Will Require Massive Energy Resources
Overall energy demand will rise because of AI, a textbook example of the Jevons Paradox, where efficiency gains lower costs but stimulate greater total consumption.
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Improving Commerce and Security in the Americas: A Civitas Outlook Symposium
What possible ways forward might bring peace, commerce, and flourishing?