Kids these days — in particular 18-24 year-olds — are giving up cigarettes in favor of more refined ways of upsetting their parents. Although rates of young adult cigarette use have dropped significantly in recent years to just 10%, marijuana use has crept up to about 20% (p. 23). Meanwhile, e-cigarettes have exploded in popularity … 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
Understanding Universal Basic Income
Introduction In December 2018, Finland’s Social Insurance Institution, KELA, terminated their two-year Universal Basic Income (UBI) experiment that aimed to “increase employment and simplify the Social Security system” citing insignificant changes in the employment rate of participants. Despite this outcome, prominent U.S. figures–such as Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg– and the California Democratic Party still … Continue reading
The Netflix Model for Treatment of Hepatitis C
Background: According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), hepatitis C results in more deaths than any other infectious disease. Approximately half of the people with hepatitis C virus (HCV) do not know they are infected and a large percentage of the cases go undiagnosed. As a result, the prevalence of the … Continue reading
Part 3: Combatting Maternal Mortality
Legislative Action: On June 19th, the New York State Senate passed S.8907. This legislative action was implemented in an attempt to reduce maternal mortality and morbidity. Looking at the disparities in maternal death, particularly within New York, this legislation aims to not only improve overall outcomes of maternal health but also increase their equity. … 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
Part 2: Combatting Maternal Mortality
Physiological Factors: According to a report from nine Maternal Mortality Review Committees (MMRCs), 60 percent of pregnancy-related deaths are preventable. The reason for these unnecessary deaths and the overall rise in maternal mortality cannot be definitively understood, specifically due to the overall lack of explicit and conclusive data. From a medical standpoint, common causes … Continue reading
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