Blog

How Postsecondary Online Education is Empowering Today’s Students

03.20.2024

Today’s postsecondary students look different than they did 20 years ago. Their paths today are not as linear, with many students opting out of going to college right after high school. As a result, today’s students are more diverse than ever before: 34% are adults, over half are first-generation students, 22% are parents, and the…

Trade Fact of the Week: U.S. carbon emissions fell by 190 million tons in 2023.

03.20.2024

FACT: U.S. carbon emissions fell by 190 million tons in 2023. THE NUMBERS: Energy-related carbon emissions, 2023* – World total: 37.8 billion tons Change by country China: +565 million tons India: +190 million tons World: +410 million tons Japan: -100 million tons United States: -190 million tons European Union: -220 million tons *International Energy Agency,…

Biden’s Budget Demonstrates the Problems With His $400K Tax Pledge

03.19.2024

Last Monday, the Biden Administration released its budget proposal for 2025, offering a blueprint for what Biden hopes to accomplish in his second term. The budget includes some admirable initiatives and real revenue increases to pay for them, but it also relies on gimmicks to mask the reality that President Biden cannot sustainably finance his…

In Memoriam: Bernard L. Schwartz

03.14.2024

by Will Marshall I always figured if anyone could make it to 100, it would be Bernard Schwartz. Shrewd, indefatigable, and deeply engaged in civic and political life, Bernard had every reason to get up every day, dressed for success and make his way to his midtown office to watch over a city he loved…

Trade Fact of the Week: Half of the world’s 3.51 billion workers don’t have regular pay or labor law protections.

03.13.2024

FACT: Half of the world’s 3.51 billion workers don’t have regular pay or labor law protections. THE NUMBERS: World labor force, 2024* – Total labor force 3.70 billion Employed 3.51 billion Working for wages and salaries 1,780 million “Self-employed”* 1,625 million “Formal sector” workers with wage, inspection, & other rules: 1,660 million “Informal” sector workers…

Trade Fact of the Week: Americans buy 11 tons of Ukrainian honey daily

03.06.2024

FACT: Americans buy 11 tons of Ukrainian honey daily. THE NUMBERS: Sample U.S. imports from Ukraine, 2023 – Sunflower oil 31,262 tons Honey 4,075 tons Apple juice 123 million liters Hockey sticks 173,000 Electric coffeemakers 176,000 Pig iron 1.1 million tons   WHAT THEY MEAN: Here’s Jonathan Swift praising bees three centuries back: “We have…

Trade Fact of the Week: African American owned businesses export over $1 billion worth of goods per year.

02.28.2024

FACT: African American owned businesses export over $1 billion worth of goods per year. THE NUMBERS: African American owned exporting businesses* – 2021 1,139 exporters, $1.12 billion in exports 2020 1,001 exporters, $1.10 billion in exports 2019 1,514 exporters, $0.81 billion in exports 2018 1,400 exporters, $0.83 billion in exports 2017 1,200 exporters, $0.62 billion…

Odd Remarks by the U.S. Trade Representative

02.23.2024

During the “Big Tech” era, the US economy has substantially outperformed major European countries, and that advantage only widened in the pandemic years. Since 2007, U.S. productivity growth has averaged 1.2% per year, compared to only  0.1% annually for France and Germany (Table 1). And real wage growth in the U.S. averaged 1.1% annually, compared…

Trade Fact of the Week: American steel output lower in 2023 than in 2017; aluminum about the same as 2017.

02.21.2024

FACT: American steel output lower in 2023 than in 2017; aluminum about the same as 2017. THE NUMBERS: U.S. steel use* – 2023:   93 million tons 2022:   96.9 million tons 2021:   98.9 million tons 2012-2017 average: 100 million tons * U.S. Geological Survey, annual ‘apparent consumption’’ WHAT THEY MEAN: Six years later,…

Navigating the Winds of Change: Asset Managers’ Strategic Shifts in Climate Initiatives

02.20.2024

The finance industry has, until recently, taken a collective approach to climate change, showing a united front in addressing one of the great challenges of our time. But that groupthink approach is evolving, as seen by recent third-party engagement modifications made by top asset managers such as BlackRock, JPMorgan Asset Management, and State Street Global…

Trade Fact of the Week: Each January, the U.S. imports 11 million roses a day

02.14.2024

FACT: Each January, the U.S. imports 11 million roses a day. THE NUMBERS: Top sources of roses, January 2023 – Colombia 177 million stems Ecuador 137 million stems Guatemala     4 million stems Ethiopia     2 million stems Mexico     1 million stems Kenya     0.4 million stems   WHAT THEY…

New data on ridesharing driver earnings

02.08.2024

How much do ride-sharing drivers earn? Lyft has just released a paper that sheds light on this important policy question. The paper estimates “earnings after expenses” for drivers on the Lyft platform, based on reasonable and straightforward accounting for additional driver costs such as fuel, maintenance, cleaning, and depreciation. The Lyft paper finds that the…