Skip to main content

Currently Skimming:

Appendix A: Dissent and Panel Response
Pages 201-207

The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
Select key terms on the right to highlight them within pages of the chapter.


From page 201...
... The purpose of this dissent is to highlight several issues and to stress information that the panel as a whole did not have the time to fully discuss. In particular: • The report emphasizes a greater role for diary-style data collection, which we fear will lead to lower quality data.
From page 202...
... . The weighted average of Diary totals to national income account totals for cat egories that line up with the national accounts is 17 percentage points lower than the ratio for the Interview survey, though this partly reflects the different coverage of the two surveys.
From page 203...
... Modeling of microdata to construct data at the household level is problematic at best, especially since one of the purposes of the household data is to facilitate the design and estimation of behav ioral models. While both statistical and economic theory provide a guide for modeling, even careful and well-intentioned methods may yield results with dramatically misleading policy implications such as the gross overstatement of the economic returns to obtain ing a Graduate Equivalence Degree (GED)
From page 204...
... Ideally, the designs would reflect which categories of expenditures for which extra detail in spending would be especially helpful in reducing bias in the CPI and which other categories have price changes sufficiently correlated across different goods to indicate that current detail is more than is needed. If the struc ture of the CPI as a plutocratic price index is going to continue, then under-reporting by high-income households needs to be better addressed.
From page 205...
... All of these skills were critical to the panel's work, and each area of expertise reflected insight, ideas, and opinions important to designing high-quality consumer expenditure surveys and to preparing a consensus report. During panel discussions, three members continually emphasized the importance of the CE for economic analysis based on longitudinal microdata.
From page 206...
... Knowledge of the extensive scientific literature led to our recommendation that fairly substantial incentives be used in order to affect response behavior. The report has also thoroughly developed issues related to the use of outside sources of data to obtain detailed expenditures.
From page 207...
... APPENDIX A 207 research and evaluate these options, but we concluded that none of them is currently a feasible alternative given the associated risks and costs. Far from being incomplete, we believe our report, with its broad discussions, will be an important tool for the administrators and policy makers who are responsible for determining the next steps for the CE.


This material may be derived from roughly machine-read images, and so is provided only to facilitate research.
More information on Chapter Skim is available.