Monthly "Fiscal Nonsense Index": title
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Peterson later served as the Chairman and CEO of the now bankrupt [[Lehman Brothers]] (1973-1977) and its successor firm, Lehman Brothers, Kuhn, Loeb (1977-1984). He is also the former Chairman and co-founder of the private equity firm, [[Blackstone Group]], and former chairman of the [[Federal Reserve Bank]] of New York. He was also Chairman for the [[Council on Foreign Relations]] (CFR), the founding Chairman of the [[Institute for International Economics]] (IIE), and the co-founder of the [[Concord Coalition]].
Peter G. Peterson Foundation, [http://www.pgpf.org/Special-Topics/bio-pete-g-peterson.aspx Pete G. Peterson], organizational biography, accessed January 3, 2013.
Peterson later served as the Chairman and CEO of the now bankrupt [[Lehman Brothers]] (1973-1977) and its successor firm, Lehman Brothers, Kuhn, Loeb (1977-1984). He is also the former Chairman and co-founder of the private equity firm, [[Blackstone Group]], and former chairman of the [[Federal Reserve Bank]] of New York. He was also Chairman for the [[Council on Foreign Relations]] (CFR), the founding Chairman of the [[Institute for International Economics]] (IIE), and the co-founder of the [[Concord Coalition]].
Peter G. Peterson Foundation, [http://www.pgpf.org/Special-Topics/bio-pete-g-peterson.aspx Pete G. Peterson], organizational biography, accessed January 3, 2013.
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Controversies
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Peterson-Funded Deficit-Related Projects
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===Concord Coalition Takes Peterson's Message Outside the Beltway===
===Concord Coalition Takes Peterson's Message Outside the Beltway===
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[[#Concord Coalition's "Fiscal Solutions Tour," September 2010|See below for more on Concord Coalition's previous tours]].
[[#Concord Coalition's "Fiscal Solutions Tour," September 2010|See below for more on Concord Coalition's previous tours]].
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===Peterson
Asks
College
Students to Compete to Develop Campaigns on Fiscal Issues
===
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===Peterson
& Chelsea Clinton Bring Austerity Message to
College
Campuses
===
[[Image:Up to Us Screenshot.png|right|200px]]In January 2013, the Peterson Foundation, along with the Clinton Global Initiative University (a younger version of the Clinton Global Initiative, with an annual meeting of "students, youth organizations, topic experts, and celebrities " to "develop innovative solutions to pressing global challenges"
Clinton Global Initiative University, [http://www.cgiu.org/about/ About], organizational website, accessed February 2013.
) and Net Impact (a San Francisco non-profit that works on campuses to train students to become social and environmental leaders in their careers
Net Impact, [http://netimpact.org/about-net-impact About], organizational website, accessed February 2013.
), launched a series of student campaigns called "[http://itsuptous.org/ Up to Us]" -- a campus competition to last a year and involve teams of students from ten universities in submitting applications and running campaigns to "raise awareness about fiscal sustainability, drawing connections to critical issues such as economic opportunity, budgetary choices, resources available for future investments, and other domestic and global concerns." The campaign's name and website (itsuptous.org) echo a 2009 speech that President Barack Obama made on D-Day at the cemetery overlooking Omaha Beach: "Our history has always been the sum total of the choices made and the actions taken by each individual man and woman. It has always been up to us."
Scott Wilson, [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/06/AR2009060600610.html?hpid=moreheadlines 'History . . . Has Always Been Up to Us'], ''Washington Post'', June 7, 2009.
The judges of the competition will include, along with [[Erskine Bowles]] and [[Alan Simpson]], ''ABC'''s George Stephanopoulos and President Bill Clinton's daughter Chelsea Clinton (representing the Clinton Global Initiative and the William J. Clinton Foundation), and the winning team will receive $10,000.
Peter G. Peterson Foundation, [http://www.pgpf.org/Issues/Grants/2013/012413-Up-To-Us.aspx College Students Launch Campaigns Across the Country to Activate a New Generation on the Nation's Fiscal Challenges], foundation press release, January 24, 2013.
[[Image:Up to Us Screenshot.png|right|200px]]In January 2013, the Peterson Foundation, along with the Clinton Global Initiative University (a younger version of the Clinton Global Initiative, with an annual meeting of "students, youth organizations, topic experts, and celebrities " to "develop innovative solutions to pressing global challenges"
Clinton Global Initiative University, [http://www.cgiu.org/about/ About], organizational website, accessed February 2013.
) and Net Impact (a San Francisco non-profit that works on campuses to train students to become social and environmental leaders in their careers
Net Impact, [http://netimpact.org/about-net-impact About], organizational website, accessed February 2013.
), launched a series of student campaigns called "[http://itsuptous.org/ Up to Us]" -- a campus competition to last a year and involve teams of students from ten universities in submitting applications and running campaigns to "raise awareness about fiscal sustainability, drawing connections to critical issues such as economic opportunity, budgetary choices, resources available for future investments, and other domestic and global concerns." The campaign's name and website (itsuptous.org) echo a 2009 speech that President Barack Obama made on D-Day at the cemetery overlooking Omaha Beach: "Our history has always been the sum total of the choices made and the actions taken by each individual man and woman. It has always been up to us."
Scott Wilson, [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/06/AR2009060600610.html?hpid=moreheadlines 'History . . . Has Always Been Up to Us'], ''Washington Post'', June 7, 2009.
The judges of the competition will include, along with [[Erskine Bowles]] and [[Alan Simpson]], ''ABC'''s George Stephanopoulos and President Bill Clinton's daughter Chelsea Clinton (representing the Clinton Global Initiative and the William J. Clinton Foundation), and the winning team will receive $10,000.
Peter G. Peterson Foundation, [http://www.pgpf.org/Issues/Grants/2013/012413-Up-To-Us.aspx College Students Launch Campaigns Across the Country to Activate a New Generation on the Nation's Fiscal Challenges], foundation press release, January 24, 2013.
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===Monthly "Fiscal Nonsense Index"===
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===Monthly "Fiscal Nonsense Index"
Manipulation of Polling Data
===
In December 2012, the Peterson Foundation released its first monthly "Fiscal Confidence Index"
Peter G. Peterson Foundation, [http://www.pgpf.org/Issues/Fiscal-Outlook/2012/12/121912-Fiscal-Confidence-Index.aspx Peter G. Peterson Foundation Launches New "Fiscal Confidence Index" To Measure Public Opinion About America's National Debt], foundation press release, December 19, 2012.
to very little in the way of press fanfare.
Google News, [https://www.google.com/search?q=%22Fiscal+Confidence+Index%22&hl=en&gl=us&sa=X&ei=0DoQUdfBJ-m0yAGRnIGABw&ved=0CCMQpwUoBg&source=lnt&tbs=cdr%3A1%2Ccd_min%3A12%2F1%2F2012%2Ccd_max%3A12%2F31%2F2012&tbm=nws Search for "Fiscal Confidence Index" 12/1 - 12/31/12], targeted search engine results, generated February 4, 2013.
A selection of polling data on public opinion about the national debt, its second monthly edition, released January 30, 2012,
Peter G. Peterson Foundation, [http://www.pgpf.org/Issues/Fiscal-Outlook/2013/01/013013-Fiscal-Confidence-Index-January-2013-Release.aspx Peter G. Peterson Foundation Second Monthly "Fiscal Confidence Index" Finds Pessimism about Fiscal Progress as Leaders Plan Next Steps on Debt], foundation press release, January 30, 2013.
captured a little more attention. ''Huffington Post'' dubbed it the "Fiscal Nonsense Index," and called it "a case study in how polling data can be used selectively and manipulatively -- and as a broader example of what's wrong with today's narrow, ill-informed debate over fiscal policy." The article points out that, whereas the "index" makes it seem as though Americans want debt reduction to be a top priority, "When Americans are asked in an open-ended way about the priorities of Washington, debt does not make the top of the list." For example, the national exit poll conducted on Election Day in November 2012, which asked open-ended questions, "found that 59 percent of respondents said the economy was the most important problem facing the country; 18 percent said healthcare was the biggest problem; and 15 percent said the deficit was the biggest problem."
David Callahan, [http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-callahan/the-peterson-foundations_b_2582484.html The Peterson Foundation's Fiscal Nonsense Index], ''Huffington Post'', January 30, 2013.
In December 2012, the Peterson Foundation released its first monthly "Fiscal Confidence Index"
Peter G. Peterson Foundation, [http://www.pgpf.org/Issues/Fiscal-Outlook/2012/12/121912-Fiscal-Confidence-Index.aspx Peter G. Peterson Foundation Launches New "Fiscal Confidence Index" To Measure Public Opinion About America's National Debt], foundation press release, December 19, 2012.
to very little in the way of press fanfare.
Google News, [https://www.google.com/search?q=%22Fiscal+Confidence+Index%22&hl=en&gl=us&sa=X&ei=0DoQUdfBJ-m0yAGRnIGABw&ved=0CCMQpwUoBg&source=lnt&tbs=cdr%3A1%2Ccd_min%3A12%2F1%2F2012%2Ccd_max%3A12%2F31%2F2012&tbm=nws Search for "Fiscal Confidence Index" 12/1 - 12/31/12], targeted search engine results, generated February 4, 2013.
A selection of polling data on public opinion about the national debt, its second monthly edition, released January 30, 2012,
Peter G. Peterson Foundation, [http://www.pgpf.org/Issues/Fiscal-Outlook/2013/01/013013-Fiscal-Confidence-Index-January-2013-Release.aspx Peter G. Peterson Foundation Second Monthly "Fiscal Confidence Index" Finds Pessimism about Fiscal Progress as Leaders Plan Next Steps on Debt], foundation press release, January 30, 2013.
captured a little more attention. ''Huffington Post'' dubbed it the "Fiscal Nonsense Index," and called it "a case study in how polling data can be used selectively and manipulatively -- and as a broader example of what's wrong with today's narrow, ill-informed debate over fiscal policy." The article points out that, whereas the "index" makes it seem as though Americans want debt reduction to be a top priority, "When Americans are asked in an open-ended way about the priorities of Washington, debt does not make the top of the list." For example, the national exit poll conducted on Election Day in November 2012, which asked open-ended questions, "found that 59 percent of respondents said the economy was the most important problem facing the country; 18 percent said healthcare was the biggest problem; and 15 percent said the deficit was the biggest problem."
David Callahan, [http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-callahan/the-peterson-foundations_b_2582484.html The Peterson Foundation's Fiscal Nonsense Index], ''Huffington Post'', January 30, 2013.