The Trump Administration’s Overtime Protection Rule In March of 2019, the Department of Labor issued a proposed rule to update and extended eligibility for overtime pay for employees that do not perform managerial, executive, or administrative taks. The proposed rule, Defining and Delimiting the Exemptions for Executive, Administrative, Professional, Outside Sales and Computer Employees, mandates … Continue reading
Category Archives: Politics
As unaffordable housing swells, its causes (and proposed solutions) should be considered
The nation undoubtedly faces an affordable housing problem, one that can be understood through the economic lens of housing supply-and-demand. Since the Great Recession, mortgage rates have remained low but at the expense of overall housing costs, with prices of the average American home soaring to $316,000 in June of 2019. A study by Freddie Mac attributes the rise … Continue reading
From the Past to the Present: U.S. Protectionism
Since assuming office, President Trump has shaken the foundation of global trade with his use of tariffs. Tariffs, in simple terms, are taxes levied on imported goods. Trump’s intentions, in line with his America First campaign promise, are to boost the domestic manufacturing industry, reduce the U.S. trade deficit, and to leverage foreign countries into … Continue reading
Now vs. the ’90s: Comparing America’s Two Longest Expansions
Two economic roads have diverged in an American wood. Fortunately, America has been able to travel both. Today, July 1, the U.S. economy entered into its record-setting forty-first consecutive quarter of expansion, surpassing only the forty-quarter boom of the 1990s. What will become a quick clip in the twenty-four-hour news cycle should instead be a … Continue reading
Will the Raise the Wage Act Work?
Small Businesses: the Forgotten of the Shutdown
The effects of the 35-day shutdown furloughed government employees, postponed many immigration cases and hindered the daily life of millions of Americans. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimated the global cost to be 11 billion dollars and GDP to fall 0.2 percent this quarter and 0.1 percent lower over the year. Yet, the case of … Continue reading
Regulatory Sandboxes: The Future of Financial Technology
As a result of the current regulatory climate in the United States, Financial Technology (FinTech) companies are often confused as to which laws, agencies and regulations apply to them due to the infancy of the industry. A select few countries around the world have adopted what is known as a “regulatory sandbox” to adapt … Continue reading
America First vs the WTO
America First vs the WTO The World Trade Organization (WTO) is the foremost intergovernmental organization for regulating international trade. Its purpose is to promote free-flowing trade by providing its membership with forums for three interrelated functions – negotiation, illumination, and litigation. As of 2018, 164 members or (contracted parties) representing 96.4% of world trade, 96.7% … Continue reading
Drawbacks of Raising the Minimum Wage
Raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour has grown in popularity over the past few years. On the surface this law seems fair and reasonable, but in-depth analysis recognizes the issues that come along with this policy. A $15 minimum wage hurts the people it is trying to help because businesses are unable to … Continue reading
Privatized Healthcare Fosters Innovation
Healthcare was a major topic of discussion among politicians this past midterm election. Every election cycle it seems that more citizens are calling for government to intervene in the industry. On the left, we see a rise in popularity of single-payer healthcare or programs such as the Affordable Healthcare Act. Such programs may seem great … Continue reading
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