Lindsey Joins Bush Policymaking Team

An Economics professor who advised President Bush during the fall presidential campaign will leave Harvard to join the White House staff.

Associate Professor of Economics Lawrence B. Lindsey, a supply-side economist who has been a vocal proponent of lower taxes, will become the associate director of the office of policy development, an executive branch agency which advises the president on the economy and other domestic issues.

Lindsey's new office is headed by IBM Professor of Government and Business Roger B. Porter, who is Bush's assistant for economic and domestic policy matters.

Although his appointment has not yet been officially announced by the White House, Lindsey will be in charge of the agency's economic recommendations to the president.

Lindsey is best known by students for his job as head section leader for Social Analysis 10, "Principles of Economics," taught by Baker Professor of Economics Martin S. Feldstein.

Lindsey's research interests include the influence tax rates have over individual behavior, and he has often called for a reduction in capital gains taxes to spur increased investment.

The Bowdoin College graduate has also served as a consultant to the conservative opposition party in Sweden and has advised think tanks in the Republic of Ireland, West Germany and the United Kingdom on subjects of tax reform and rate reductions.

With his political appointment, Lindsey adds his name to a growing list of faculty members from Harvard's "liberal boutique" filling the ranks of the Bush administration. Richard L. Thornburgh, former director of the Institute of Politics (IOP), is

Bush's attorney general, and the formerPennsylvania governor took his deputy at the IOP,David Runkel, with him to serve as hiscommunications director.

Two Kennedy School lecturers in public policywill also be making the trek to Washington. RobertBlackwill will work for the National SecurityCouncil, and Kurt Campbell said last month he wasawaiting security clearance for a post with thejoint chiefs of staff.

Lindsey, who left for Washington Monday, couldnot be reached for comment.

Feldstein has chosen Douglas W. Elmendorf toreplace Lindsey as head teaching fellow for Ec 10.Elmendorf, who has yet to receive his doctorate,said yesterday he will serve out the spring as aninstructor in economics and will probably begranted an assistant professorship July 1st afterhe defends his dissertation.

"The possibility [this promotion] would occurwas known to Professor Feldstein, ProfessorLindsey and me at the beginning of the year," saidElmendorf, who is in the midst of his first yearas an Ec 10 section leader. "Although it wassudden in a sense, it was not unexpected."

The 26-year-old Elmendorf, like Lindsey beforehim, is affiliated with the National Bureau ofEconomic Research. Feldstein serves as thepresident and chief executive officer of theCambridge-based think tank.

Changes

Elmendorf will be in charge of hiring, trainingand monitoring teaching fellows for Ec 10, whichis perennially one of the College's largest courseofferings. Elmendorf will also work with Feldsteinto shape the course's curriculum in future years.

"One of the goals for the future is to do morework on international economics than we've done inthe past," said Elmendorf, who added that timeconstraints might preclude adding material to thecourse