Executive Summary: Introduction On October 9th, China imposed export controls on rare earth minerals and related technologies. Since then, rare earth minerals have been dominating news headlines, with many experts espousing the importance of reducing the U.S.’s dependence on China for these minerals. The Trump administration’s policies have heavily focused on rare earth minerals too; … Continue reading
Tag Archives: news
We Know Little About Post-2012 Oil Shocks
Note this post was written on June 17, 2025 and does not reflect subsequent events. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY INTRODUCTION High oil prices are top of mind these days for good reason. Brent oil prices have spiked more than 12% from $64 per barrel at the beginning of June to $72—mostly on fears of a Strait of … Continue reading
Firing The Government: Inside the Largest Federal Workforce Reduction in U.S. History
Executive Summary Introduction Since the beginning of 2025, sweeping layoffs across the federal government have resulted in the dismissal of over 30,000 employees. The primary sector of federal workers facing cuts are those in their probationary period. Civil servants remain on probation for one year after they are hired, promoted, or demoted. While on probation, … Continue reading
Rethinking Occupational Licensing: Breaking Barriers
Executive Summary Introduction Occupational licensing reform has gained traction at both state and federal levels in recent years, geared towards eradicating unnecessary barriers that restrict employment opportunities. Laws regarding licensure cover nearly one-third of the U.S. workforce, creating barriers to entry rather than a safeguard for the public interest. Although licensing raises the wages … Continue reading
The State of State Backed Insurance
Executive Summary Introduction The purpose of insurance is to mitigate the risks of a probable loss for consumers. Some consumers are inherently riskier to insure than others simply based off where they choose to live. This causes many property and casualty (P&C) insurers to demand higher rates or forego plans completely. In the instance a … Continue reading
Price Transparency: How the FTC is Tackling Bait-and-Switch Pricing
Executive Overview – There is a recurring practice of firms failing to disclose upfront mandatory charges in the advertised price of their goods or services, leading to an unexpected higher final cost for consumers (e.g. “resort fees” in hotel bookings and “processing fees” in ticket purchases). – Misleading pricing threatens competition in the market, as … Continue reading
Bracing for Impact: FEMA’s Strategy for Natural Disasters and Economic Fallout
Executive Summary Introduction According to the Fifth National Climate Assessment (2023), climate change is increasing the risk of multiple disasters occurring simultaneously resulting in ‘compound extremes,’ as seen during the landfalls of Hurricanes Ian and Nicole in Florida within a span of several weeks in 2022 similarly to the landfalls of Hurricanes Helene and Milton … Continue reading
An Analysis of AI’s Impact on Terrorism
Executive Summary: • ISIS released an Artificial Intelligence (AI) generated misinformation video following a bombing attack on a Russian concert venue, which prompted fears about the depth of AI use in terrorist activities. • Generative AI has cut time, automated recruitment and information dissemination, as well as decreased the need for highly skilled members in … Continue reading
The Possible Effects of Pillar Two Taxation on the United States
Executive Summary Introduction The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) proposed a two-pillar international taxation agreement aimed at taxing digital companies and reducing profit shifting. Pillar two aims to create a minimum international corporate tax of 15% on multinational companies that bring in revenue of over €750m a year ($810 million). This tax can … Continue reading
Inhaler Pricing: A Lack of Market Competition
Executive Summary: Introduction: On January 8th, 2024 the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) sent letters to the CEOs of the four largest manufacturers of inhalers sold in the United States (AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), and Teva) launching an investigation into the high price of inhalers used for Asthma and Chronic … Continue reading
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