Abstract

Gordon Tullock wrote that government economists found capable of “firefighting” are assigned to do more of it, “with the result that the higher ranks of government economists aren’t able to read.” We here offer ourselves as confounding data points, for our experiences have been otherwise. We read a lot. This article reports how doing our jobs well at the White House Council of Economic Advisers (CEA) laid a substantial foundation for subsequent academic articles. We found a marked increase in our research productivity post-service, evidenced by publications in economics journals and new academic courses developed. We attribute the boost to the direct application of public sector understanding to academic research and enhanced work habits acquired from CEA’s rigorous environment.