Econ Focus
Second Quarter 2015
![Econ Focus - Second Quarter 2015](/-/media/RichmondFedOrg/assets/images/publications/research/econ_focus/2015_q2/econfocus_2015q2_cover.jpg?h=157&w=122&la=en&hash=5A250EE0F64BA62969DA5682250AA4D0)
Cover Story
Debt makes the wheels of commerce turn. But under certain circumstances, it can also heighten financial crises and recessions
Features
![smart grid](/-/media/RichmondFedOrg/assets/images/publications/research/econ_focus/2015_q2/econfocus_2015q2_f1_thumb.jpg?h=86&w=86&la=en&hash=6B42BAB1C3424A8D8D818AE1FE3F645A)
Building a Smarter Grid
Can "smart grid" technology change the way we use electricity?
![Health care spending](/-/media/RichmondFedOrg/assets/images/publications/research/econ_focus/2015_q2/econfocus_2015q2_f2_thumb.jpg?h=86&w=86&la=en&hash=5AB3B5C148A19027B12E34DB08BC6BF7)
What’s a Life Worth?
How to allocate our health care dollars is a challenging question, but economics could help
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