Tim Pawlenty, the former Minnesota governor and possible 2012 presidential candidate, has called for setting an explicit national goal for economic growth.

FORBES: Social Security Needs Growth, Not Cuts

After pressuring Governor Masaaki Shirakawa, the Bank of Japan came through, setting a formal 2% inflation target (CPI contracted 0.2% in 2012) and unveiling a new open-ended asset purchase program (QE).

FORBES: The Real Deal On Japan's New QE Bazooka And Why The Yen Trade Broke Down

The BOE's next governor told a parliamentary committee that the U.K. should debate its methods of setting monetary policy, though he sounded skeptical notes about any radical changes.

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