Featuring:

Susan Dudley
Director, Regulatory Studies Project
George Mason University

Dr. Jerry Ellig
Senior Fellow
Mercatus Center at George Mason University

It’s no secret to veteran legislative staff that governing can be a chaotic and complicated experience. It’s often difficult to understand the various incentives involved in the political process, and sometimes it’s even more
challenging to assess the actual effects of legislative decisions once they are made. In light of the dynamic and turbulent political environment in which you exist, enhancing your economic literacy can help inform the
debate, clarify issues, and improve outcomes.

With this in mind, the Mercatus Center at George Mason University and the Center for Economic Education at The University of Alaska–Anchorage invite you to join us for a staff only morning workshop that will introduce you to “the economic way of thinking.”  Through lectures, discussions, and interactive games, our faculty will explain how economic incentives influence government action. This big picture perspective will give participants unique insights into legislator behavior, voting incentives, and the regulatory process, all of which are essential for predicting, measuring, and achieving beneficial policy results. You’ll even earn prizes and rewards for your performance in the games, so don’t miss out!

Our program is broken into three components, and you are welcome to join us for any and all of them.
8:30 – 9:30AM Bootleggers and Baptists: Why Economics Matters
9:45 – 11:00AM Interactive Trading Games: What is a Market?
11:00 – 11:30AM Lessons from the Games: Policy Applications

Attendees will leave with and a firm grasp of a “real-world” economic framework that provides a foundation for successful policymaking. 

We can accommodate upwards of sixty participants, but space is limited!
Seating will be provided on a first come, first serve basis. If you’d like to participate, please arrive on time.