Sarasota News Leader
September 28, 2012
However, he learned quickly that economists don't run the economy, he says. "Politicians do."
Disillusioned, he backed away from econom- ics until Barack Obama began seeking the presidency in 2008. Scott volunteered to work for the candidate in Boston and ended up reg- istering about 1,000 new voters.
Now, he says, with the economy at the fore- front of the 2012 presidential election, "We economists are back to rescue the economy from the politicians. … This is not a focus on the past; it's all about the future."
This election, Amadeo points out, "is the most important presidential election in decades. … It's really going to decide what way the econ- omy's going to go for the next four years, at least."
Of his fellow presenters on Saturday, Scott says of Somersan, "She really knows how to make economics understandable … and fun for non-economics people."
Amadeo will be taking the middle-of-the-road positions on economics, he points out, add- ing that he was pleased he could actually find someone to do that these days.
Amadeo says the goal of all the presenters is to make economics "clear and entertaining."
Her career has been focused on business and financial analysis, she points out, but she has been keenly interested in macroeconomics since she had a teacher in college "who made it sound so interesting."
Her passion, Amadeo adds, is global macro- economics.
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She started her blog on About.com in 2006, she notes. "[Economics is] fascinating; I'm al- ways learning something."
One focal point of the conference will be the federal deficit, Scott points out. With the defi- cit just having passed the $16 trillion mark, he adds, people need to understand that that means a debt of more than $50,000 for each of the approximately 311 million residents of the United States.
"The numbers are staggering," Scott says, "and I don't think people realize just how bad the situation is."
Along with the facts, though, Scott stresses the entertaining features of the conference. For example, he says, it will include an art exhibit and what he calls a soundtrack worthy of its own movie: "Songs to Create Jobs By," featuring performers from Sha Na Na to Dolly Parton.
"Economists aren't all dumb and boring," he says.
The free conference will be held from 1 to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 29, at the Bay- front Community Center, 830 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota (behind the Municipal Au- ditorium). The entrance to the building and parking are available off 10th Street and Van Wezel Way. Information tables will be avail- able beginning at 1 p.m., with the panelists' remarks starting at 2 p.m. For more infor- mation, visit IfYouWantItDoneRight.org, call 617-257-6259 or email IfYouWantItDoneR- ight@yahoo.com.
