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PPI’s Trade Fact of the Week: Working-class Americans on trade policy – no clear consensus on past agreements, little support for new tariffs, strong hope for training and apprenticeships

11.29.2023

FACT: Working-class Americans on trade policy – no clear consensus on past agreements, little support for new tariffs, strong hope for training and apprenticeships. THE NUMBERS: “Effects of agreements to lower tariffs and other barriers on me and people like me,” among Americans with less than college education* –  Positive Negative Not much either way…

PPI’s Trade Fact of the Week: ‘American’ foods are the base of som tam, goulash, vindaloo, Swiss chocolate, and French fries

11.21.2023

FACT: ‘American’ foods are the base of som tam, goulash, vindaloo, Swiss chocolate, and French fries. THE NUMBERS: Sample agricultural commodities – North America:               Squash, pumpkins, blueberries, cranberries Central America:            Tomatoes, chocolate, vanilla, peanuts, chili peppers South America:              Cashews,…

A New Way to Scale Apprenticeships in America

11.17.2023

Today marks the end of National Apprenticeship Week (NAW). Acknowledged nationally, NAW is a time when apprenticeship partners and providers showcase the success and value of these programs. And it’s no wonder we celebrate these opportunities, apprenticeships are instrumental in building pipelines to good jobs for individuals while also ensuring employers have the talent, they…

PPI’s Trade Fact of the Week: U.S. Internet policy is suddenly uncertain

11.15.2023

FACT: U.S. Internet policy is suddenly uncertain. THE NUMBERS: U.S. export growth, 2012-2022*- Energy 176% Information & “potentially digitally-enabled” services: 59% All goods and services: 34% Agriculture 34% Manufactured goods: 19% Other (non-digitally deliverable) services -10% *Sources: WTO for all goods and apparel; UN Food and Agricultural Organization for fish; Stockholm International Peace Research Institute…

PPI’s Trade Fact of the Week: Military spending was 2.3% of world GDP last year

11.08.2023

FACT: Military spending was 2.3% of world GDP last year. THE NUMBERS: World exports, 2022*- All goods     $24,000 billion Clothes            $315 billion Fish                  $151 billion Arms transfers   $32 billion *Sources: WTO for all goods and apparel; UN Food and Agricultural Organization for…

Another Cycle, Another Win for Reproductive Rights

11.08.2023

Yesterday marked yet another election cycle in which voters rejected Republicans’ ongoing attempt to limit abortions and restrict reproductive care. Republicans continue to lose ground on this issue, even on their own red state turf. Every time abortion rights are put to a popular vote, they win and right-wing abolitionists lose. The truth is that…

In Assessing Amazon’s Market Power, the FTC Must Think about Consumers

11.03.2023

This week, an updated complaint filed by the Federal Trade Commission has raised additional questions about the merits of the FTC’s case regarding alleged anticompetitive practices by Amazon in their online storefront. As has previously been stated by PPI’s Director of Competition Policy, Diana Moss, the FTC has a heavy lift in defending the markets…

PPI’s Trade Fact of the Week: 13 of the 54 World Series players this year are “international”

11.01.2023

FACT: 13 of the 54 World Series players this year are “international.” THE NUMBERS: MLB rosters by birthplace – All players 969 U.S.* 719 Dominican Republic 104 Venezuela 62 Cuba 21 Mexico 15 Canada 10 Japan 8 Colombia 7 11 other countries 23 * Includes 15 Puerto Rican players, whom MLB for some reason counts…

PPI’s Trade Fact of the Week: Americans are buying fewer Chinese-made smartphones, laptops, TVs, and toys this year

10.25.2023

FACT: Americans are buying fewer Chinese-made smartphones, laptops, TVs, and toys this year. THE NUMBERS: Chinese share of U.S. laptop computers – Jan. to Aug. 2023        82% 2022:                            91.5% 2021:                   …

PPI’s Trade Fact of the Week: Trade in 2022: $32 trillion in exports, in a $100 trillion world economy

10.18.2023

FACT: Trade in 2022: $32 trillion in exports, in a $100 trillion world economy. THE NUMBERS: U.S. shares of world exports* – 2022:   7.8% of manufacturing, 12.7% services, 9.6% agriculture, 8.5% fuels & mining 2017:    9.4% of manufacturing, 14.4% services, 9.8% agriculture, 6.7% fuels & mining * Data from the WTO’s annual World Trade…

PPI’s Trade Fact of the Week: Florida green turtle nesting counts up 80-fold since the 1970s

10.11.2023

FACT: Florida green turtle nesting counts up 80-fold since the 1970s. THE NUMBERS: Green turtle nest counts at 27 Florida “core index beaches” – 2022-2023      ~40,000 nests? 2020-2021      ~23,000 nests 2010-2011        ~10,000 nests 2000-2001      ~4,000 nests 1990-1991         ~1,000 nests 1980s       …

PPI’s Trade Fact of the Week: The U.S. does 28% of the world’s scientific research and development spending

10.04.2023

FACT: The U.S. does 28% of the world’s scientific research and development spending. THE NUMBERS: R&D spending, 2020* – World (known) $2.4 trillion United States $668 billion China** $526 billion (?) European Union $440 billion Japan $173 billion South Korea $105 billion * National Science Foundation estimates, 2022 ** Estimate from 2022; 2023 likely will…