Category Economic Policy
Statehood as a Solution for Puerto Rico’s Economy
Kelly Straub, MPA, Staff Writer, Brief Policy Perspectives In the wake of Hurricane Maria’s devastation, Puerto Rico’s economic and political future looks increasingly uncertain. The past decade has been especially difficult for the island territory. Puerto Rico’s recession began in 2006 when corporate tax breaks that benefitted the Puerto Rican manufacturing sector ended. The Great Recession […]
Can Dodd-Frank Prevent the Next Financial Crisis?
Zhao Zhai, MPP, Staff Writer, Brief Policy Perspectives In the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, President Obama signed the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank) into law. Dodd-Frank, which was named after its two sponsors, Senator Chris Dodd and Congressman Barney Frank, was crafted in response to the crisis and framed […]
It’s the service economy, stupid
Steve Bruns, MPP, Staff Writer, Brief Policy Perspectives During the 1992 presidential election, James Carville, then an aide to candidate Bill Clinton, insisted the Clinton campaign focus on the plight of working people, coining the mantra: “it’s the economy, stupid.” Now fast-forward to 2016 and Carville’s advice still holds true. Despite signs of a post-recession […]
Who’s Paying for Louisiana’s Industry?
Nathan Rupp, MPP, Staff Writer, Brief Policy Perspectives Louisiana, like many states, is in debt. Under the supervision of Governor Bobby Jindal, the state went from having a billion-dollar budget surplus to a $1.6 billion deficit. In January 2016, John Bel Edwards was elected Governor, succeeding the term-limited Jindal. Since taking office, Edwards has tried […]
The Almighty Dollar: Why the Greenback is Surging and What It Means
By Jason Marshall, MPP, Staff Writer, Brief Policy Perspectives Although there’s still a little more than a month left before President-elect Donald Trump takes the oath of office, foreign exchange markets already are in motion. That trend is likely to continue given that the U.S. dollar surged to 14 year highs in November and the […]
Currency Mismatch: A Challenge Facing Emerging Market Investment
Jason Marshall, MPP, Staff Writer, Brief Policy Perspectives After the Great Recession came the New Normal. The worst economic downturn in the U.S. since 1929 has decreased annual GDP growth by .5% – 1% when compared to pre-recession average growth rates, and significantly decreased the returns of financial securities in economically advanced countries. In response, investors […]
Better Than the Minimum Wage – Refundable Tax Credits and the Earned Income Tax Credit
Conor McGrath, MPA, Staff Writer, Brief Policy Perspectives A debate over raising the minimum wage has recently found its way into the 2016 Presidential Debate. Among the three candidates running for the Democratic nomination, Bernie Sanders and Martin O’Malley have promised to raise the national minimum wage to $15 per hour, up from the current […]
