The State of Social Security Social Security’s retirement trust fund runs out of reserves in late 2032. After that, incoming payroll taxes cover about 78 percent of scheduled benefits, an automatic 22 percent cut, unless Congress acts first. The trust fund is not a reserve of cash. It holds Treasury securities. For roughly 25 years Social Security … Continue reading
Tag Archives: United States
“I Got a Rock”: Policy Gaps in American Critical Minerals Stockpiling
Executive Summary Throughout 2025 and 2026, China has leveraged its control over critical mineral supply chains, forcing the United States to the negotiating table; the resulting shortages caused disruptions in the production of goods from automobiles to computers. In February 2026, the Trump Administration inaugurated Project Vault, a critical minerals stockpiling program intended to reduce exposure to foreign-induced supply shocks through storing minerals for civilian use. Although Project Vault is … Continue reading
Debt / Economy / Fiscal policy / Trade
The Twin Deficit Hypothesis: An Analysis of the U.S.
Executive Summary The relationship between fiscal deficits and trade balance in the United States is complex, and the twin deficit hypothesis (TDH) and Ricardian equivalence hypothesis (REH) suggests two differing opinions on the relationship. The TDH postulates a positive connection between fiscal deficits and trade balance (net exports) while the REH argues there is no … Continue reading
America / Economy / Fiscal policy / Politics / Presidency
President Biden and the State of Inflation
Executive Summary Last week, President Biden outlined his plan to counter inflation as the rate rises to around 7% The President placed the blame of inflation on rising prices in a myriad of sectors including motor vehicles, prescription drugs, energy, and childcare His solutions include programs to cut costs as well as protect wages by … Continue reading
Gig Workers and the Debate Over California’s Proposition 22
Introduction Over the course of the pandemic, many Americans turned to app-based food-delivery services at unprecedented levels. The Wall Street Journal reported that between March-April 2020, as many localities imposed lockdowns or individuals themselves decided to self-quarantine, new customer acquisitions by food-delivery services increased from 19,810 to 33,376 customers. This sharp increase in business for app-based delivery … Continue reading
Differences in Time Commitment Between Male and Female Workers, and Its Relation to the Gender Wage Gap
Introduction For many women’s rights organizations in America, the purported gender wage gap of “eighty-two cents for every dollar made by men,” among full-time year-round workers, is frequently pointed to as an instance of modern-day sexism. Advocates of gender equality continue to draw attention to the matter by popularizing “Equal Pay Day” each year and insisting that … Continue reading
Economy / Fiscal policy / Tax / Taxes
Zig-Zug: Fixing America’s Crooked Tax System
If you ask the mayor of Zug, a tiny Swiss suburb, what his town’s population is, he would likely give you the official estimate of 27,000. But a quick dive into Switzerland’s most recent census report reveals that Zug is also home to over 30,000 businesses. This means one of two things. Either each of … Continue reading
A Dishonest Truth: Corruption in the U.S.A.
Welcome to Chicago, the corruption capital of the country! Kind of catchy, don’t you think? Far from being plastered on the city’s next welcome billboard, this slogan may soon become a rallying cry for Chicagoans tired of being the punchline in a fill-in-the-blank corruption joke. The dubious distinction comes from a report released by the … Continue reading
Economy / Environment / Fiscal policy / Tax / Taxes
Exchanging Trash for Treasure
The Michigan state government recently stumbled across a startling statistic. Over the past decade its revenue streams were $8-10 million below what it expected. The cause? Residents of nearby states have been smuggling millions of bottles and cans into Michigan, taking advantage of its nation-leading 10-cent bottle refund. Michigan is one of 10 states nationwide … Continue reading
Energy / Foreign Policy / Iran / Politics
Flawed Progress: The Iranian Nuclear Framework
The recent unveiling of a framework for future talks about Iran’s nuclear program has some hailing it as a great step towards an Iran without nuclear weapons, while others believe giving Iran any nuclear capability is a step in the wrong direction. While this framework represents significant progress, it does not go far enough in … Continue reading
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