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Trade Fact of the Week: Trump campaign proposes the highest U.S. tariff since 1937.
03.27.2024

FACT: Trump campaign proposes the highest U.S. tariff since 1937. THE NUMBERS: U.S.’ “trade-weighted average tariff”* – 2022 2.8% 2016 1.5% 1990 3.3% 1960 7.2% 1937 15.6% WHAT THEY MEAN: The 2024 election’s core questions are more basic than policy choices. Such as: Can a person who has attempted to overthrow a settled election and…

The FTC’s Odd View of Online Inflation
03.27.2024

During the inflationary surge of 2021-2022, PPI demonstrated that the inflation rate for digital goods and services was lower than the inflation rate for “physical-economy” goods and services such as food, energy, and housing. In the digital sector, price increases were moderated by faster productivity growth and higher investment rates. In particular, key digital sectors…

What the DMA Experiment Means for Japan
03.26.2024

Japan should keep a close eye on the European Union’s recent rollout of the Digital Markets Act (DMA). As the results of the EU regulatory experiment unfold over the next year, taking account of the lessons — and downsides — of the DMA could greatly improve Japan’s digital regulatory efforts. First, the economic backdrop: The…

Biden Budget’s Tax on Executive Compensation is an Imperfect Solution
03.21.2024

Skyrocketing executive pay has become an increasingly important indicator of income inequality and has prompted questions as to what policy tools can rein it in. The Biden administration recently proposed to tackle the problem by prohibiting corporations from deducting salaries over $1 million for all their employees. Although this approach may be an improvement to…

The Cautionary Tale of ESG Oversight: Arkansas Should Heed Texas’ $886 Million Cost for Prioritizing Politics
03.20.2024

With the creation of a new ESG Oversight Committee, Arkansas has made a substantial shift in the state’s changing investment and sustainability landscape. The committee was fully formed last month when Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders appointed Tom Lundstrom as the committee’s fifth and final member. This committee is charged with identifying financial service providers who…

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…