Dean Baker co-founded CEPR in 1999. His areas of research include housing and macroeconomics, intellectual property, Social Security, Medicare, and European labor markets. His blog, Beat the Press, provides commentary on economic reporting. His analyses have appeared in many major publications, including The Atlantic, The Washington Post, the Financial Times (London), and the New York Daily News. Dean received his BA from Swarthmore College and his PhD in economics from the University of Michigan.
Dean has written several books, including Getting Back to Full Employment: A Better Bargain for Working People (with Jared Bernstein, Center for Economic and Policy Research, 2013); The End of Loser Liberalism: Making Markets Progressive (Center for Economic and Policy Research, 2011); Taking Economics Seriously (MIT Press, 2010), which thinks through what we might gain if we took the ideological blinders off of basic economic principles; and False Profits: Recovering from the Bubble Economy (PoliPoint Press, 2010), about what caused — and how to fix — the 2008–2009 economic crisis. In 2009, he wrote Plunder and Blunder: The Rise and Fall of the Bubble Economy (PoliPoint Press), which chronicled the growth and collapse of the stock and housing bubbles and explained how policy blunders and greed led to catastrophic — but completely predictable — market meltdowns. He also wrote a chapter (“From Financial Crisis to Opportunity”) in Thinking Big: Progressive Ideas for a New Era (Progressive Ideas Network, 2009). His previous books include The United States Since 1980 (Cambridge University Press, 2007), The Conservative Nanny State: How the Wealthy Use the Government to Stay Rich and Get Richer (Center for Economic and Policy Research, 2006), and Social Security: The Phony Crisis (with Mark Weisbrot, University of Chicago Press, 1999). His book Getting Prices Right: The Debate Over the Consumer Price Index (editor, M.E. Sharpe, 1997) was a winner of a Choice Book Award as one of the outstanding academic books of the year.
Among his numerous articles are “The Benefits of a Financial Transactions Tax,” Tax Notes 121, no. 4 (2008); “Are Protective Labor Market Institutions at the Root of Unemployment? A Critical Review of the Evidence” (with David R. Howell, Andrew Glyn, and John Schmitt), Capitalism and Society 2, no. 1 (2007); “Asset Returns and Economic Growth,” with Brad DeLong and Paul Krugman, Brookings Papers on Economic Activity (2005); “Financing Drug Research: What Are the Issues,” Center for Economic and Policy Research (2004); “Medicare Choice Plus: The Solution to the Long-Term Deficit Problem,” Center for Economic and Policy Research (2004); “Professional Protectionists: The Gains From Free Trade in Highly Paid Professional Services,” Center for Economic and Policy Research (2003); and “The Run-Up in Home Prices: Is It Real or Is It Another Bubble?,” Center for Economic and Policy Research (2002).
Dean previously worked as a senior economist at the Economic Policy Institute and an assistant professor at Bucknell University. He has also worked as a consultant for the World Bank, the Joint Economic Committee of the US Congress, and the OECD’s Trade Union Advisory Council. He was the author of the weekly online commentary on economic reporting, the Economic Reporting Review, from 1996 to 2006.
All from Dean Baker
Preview: What to Look for in the January 2025 CPI
Get insights into the January 2025 CPI: Find out how gas prices and food inflation are affecting the overall index.

Failed Elites, Elon Musk, and Lies the Media Tell You
Unveiling the truth behind media lies: Explore the political power and impact of Elon Musk’s ownership of a major social media platform.

Job Growth Slows, Unemployment Falls to 4.0 Percent
The January 2025 jobs report shows that the economy added 143,000 jobs in January — slightly less than most analysts had expected. But the overall pictures, writes Dean Baker, remains solid.

Egg Prices and the Cause of Harris’ Defeat
Analyzing Harris’ defeat in the US elections: insights on the impact of informed voters and the challenges of less informed ones.

It’s a Lie to Say Republicans Want to Get Rid of the Federal Government
Get insights into Elon Musk’s wild journey with Doge and his radical ideas about dismantling the federal government. Discover the truth now.

January 2025 Jobs Preview: What to Expect in the January Jobs Report
Stay up to date with the US job market. Learn about the January jobs report and its impact on unemployment and job numbers.

Elon Musk Is Helping His Billionaire Friends in the Financial Industry
Uncover the connections between Elon Musk and his billionaire friends. Explore their collaborations, investments, and shared interests.

China and the Story of Supply and Demand
Explore the dynamics of supply and demand in China. Discover how the market forces shape the economy and impact various industries.

Canada and Mexico Under Attack: The China Solution
For reasons that obviously have nothing to do with reality, Donald Trump has decided to renege on the trade deal he negotiated five years ago and start a trade war with Canada and Mexico.

Elon Is in Your Underwear
Discover the implications of Elon Musk’s involvement in your tax and Social Security records. Understand the potential impact on your banking information.
