Finance & Economy
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Beyond Brain Drain: How Anti-LGBTQ+ Laws Undermine the Federal Workforce
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When lawmakers debate anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, the conversation is often framed as a cultural or moral dispute. House floor speeches and twitter fights are often centered on medicine, children, sports, and freedom of speech. It is effective for grabbing attention, to the point where people have built entire careers around anti-trans…
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Why Big Oil Does Not Stand To Win From Maduro’s Capture
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On January 9th, 2026, Donald Trump hosted a meeting with major executives of American oil companies to pitch them the opportunity to invest in oil production in Venezuela. Yet, the executives did not seem eager to commit to disbursing the $100 billion that Trump wanted to secure. Indeed, quite the…
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North America in Transition: The Tariff Showdown and What it Means for the Future
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The North American trade relationship faces a major test. In early 2025, President Trump announced tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada, citing irregular immigration, drug trafficking, and trade imbalances. Mexico faces a 25% tariff on all goods, while Canadian oil and energy exports endure a 10% tariff. These actions…
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Who Will Explain Capitalism Now That Buffett Won’t?
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For one weekend every spring, cameras, analysts, and small investors from around the world flew to Omaha. Business channels in Europe and Asia set up temporary bureaus in a Midwestern city many of their viewers could not locate on a map, simply because one man would sit on a stage…
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Reform, Resilience and Growth: Evolution of Indian Fiscal Policy from 1991 – 2024
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The evolution of the fiscal policy of India from 1991 to 2024 is a story of transformation, resilience and adaptation, reflecting the interplay of domestic reforms, political imperatives and global challenges. Throughout these decades, India shifted from managing a severe balance of payments crisis to becoming one of the world’s…
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BRICS and the Shift Away from Dollar Dependence
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For nearly a century, the U.S. dollar has dominated global trade and finance, accounting for 59% of global foreign exchange reserves as of 2024 (IMF, 2024). In response to this enduring dominance, BRICS — an alliance of five major emerging economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa — is…
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The National Flood Insurance Program is Unsustainable and Regressive
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In the ten days between September and October 2024, two catastrophic hurricanes, Helene and Milton, battered the southeastern United States. Insurance claim payouts related to Hurricane Helene are projected to total between six and seven billion dollars. Claims stemming from Hurricane Milton are estimated to increase by 30–50%. As of…
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The Inequality of Recession
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The public perceives recessions simply as a sign that the economy is “bad.” However, many policymakers continue to define recessions as “two-quarters of negative gross domestic product.” This outdated definition implies that policy responses could take more than six months to even begin addressing a downturn. The National Bureau of…
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Argentina Reborn: A Tale of Two Finance Ministers
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After more than a decade of stagnation, unsustainably high inflation, fiscal irresponsibility, and profound market distortions, Argentina’s newly appointed Minister of Economy forged ahead with an ambitious plan to restore currency stability, trust, and prosperity. This was evident in December 2023, when Minister Luis Caputo announced the wide-ranging reform package…
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Do the Ends of Nudge Policy Justify the Means?
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What difference can a suggested contribution make for your retirement? In 2016, the United States’ “Thrift Savings Plan” included a recommended contribution rate, or ‘anchor rate,’ in its email messaging to the plan’s participants. This relatively low-cost nudge policy led to more than $1 million in new contributions in one…
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The Future of the Child Tax Credit
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After months of negotiations, Sen. Joe Manchin announced he would not support the $1.7 trillion Build Back Better Act — legislation that would make historically unparalleled investments in clean energy, health care, and a wide range of social programs. Effectively preventing its passage in the Senate, Manchin objected to the…