Using Canada as a Future Indicator for the U.S.

Using Canada as a Future Indicator for the U.S.

Jack Geiger
Economics

Republicans and Democrats can both agree on the fact that the coronavirus is costing the US economy a substantial amount of money. Stimulus is nearly entirely funded through government issued debt, or bonds. Debt has been a gargantuan issue for the US government for the last decade, which leaves Democrats and Republicans fighting over the size of stimulus bills. Canada’s rationale and commentary behind their recent stimulus measures may prove insightful to the United States in deciding how to proceed. The stakes are rising as countries get deeper into debt and the economic horizon is still uncertain. One strategist commented, “Canada could come off as heroic if this spending is done right…If Canada fails, all the emergency spending might have been done in vain because we won’t have the capacity to power the post-vaccine recovery” (Vieira and Mackrael, 2020). As the United States legislature debates another stimulus bill, lawmakers should consider the reasons behind Canada’s recent economic actions.

Remote Work: The New Commonplace?

Remote Work: The New Commonplace?

Jasmine Rawson
Business Current Events

The CDC confirmed the first coronavirus case in the United States on January 21, 2020. Although it was the first of many, no one foresaw the perilous snowstorm to come. Rapidly, more deadly cases popped up around the country and the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic on March 11, 2020 (AJMC 2021). It was then that fear began to spread, and businesses worldwide began to close their in-person operations due to health concerns. Thus began months of work from home. Due to health concerns, opportunities for businesses to cut costs, and increases in employee productivity from working remotely, remote work will likely become a more common and frequent occurrence after the pandemic ends.

The Rise of SPACs

The Rise of SPACs

Jack Geiger
Investing

A new investment vehicle recently invaded markets, having a profound effect on traditional investing. A SPAC, or Special Purpose Acquisition Company, has drawn enormous attention in recent months. SPACs are becoming extremely popular with nearly everyone who has large sums of money and willing to invest. From NBA All-Star Shaquille O’Neal, to Republican giant Paul Ryan, to world-renown investor Bill Ackman, SPACs are a must have. According to Peter Atwater, founder of research firm Financial Insyghts, “If you don’t have your own SPAC, you’re nobody” (Ramkumar and Farrell, 2021). These new investment vehicles have uprooted traditional capital raising.

Is This As Good As It Is Going To Get?

Is This As Good As It Is Going To Get?

Alex Naimo
Finance, Investing

As the year 2020 will live in infamy for the negative health implications it brought to the globe, 2020 will also be remembered for the most contradicting state of global capital markets which investors have ever seen. As 2021 begins, the S&P 500 Index hit an all-time high of 3,870.90 on January 26th, while the ensuing coronavirus has been exponentially increasing in cases per day (Yahoo Finance, 2021). Reactions from investors have been contradictory as they have been put into a dilemma on the basis of fundamental analysis, ethics, and capital allocation.

Effect of International Students on the US Economy

Effect of International Students on the US Economy

Shreya Sharma
Economics

Of the 19.9 million students that attend college in the US, 1 million of those students come from countries from around the world. In light of the pandemic, many of these students have not been able to travel back to their home countries due to travel bans and the danger of traveling abroad. But as per the policy issued by Immigrant and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during the week of July 6th, all international students were forced to leave the country as numerous colleges transitioned to online/hybrid classes for the fall. Under its policy, ICE ruled that all students with study visas will not be allowed to take a full course load or continue living in the United States if their colleges have transitioned to online-only for the fall semester. The policy also states that students that have previously left the country will not be allowed to return either. ICE put this policy in place due to the “extraordinary circumstances” posed by this virus and are calling for a suspension of employment and student visas. Colleges across the country decided to take a stand against this new policy and although the final verdict resulted in the policy being revoked, it is important to recognize the impact these students have on the US economy and our global standing.

The Fight Against Human Trafficking Begins at the Computer

The Fight Against Human Trafficking Begins at the Computer

Monica Wallace
Current Events

The seventh episode of the fifth season of the Emmy-Award Winning TV series Friends features a conversation between Phoebe Buffay and Joey Tribbani while sipping coffee in the famed Central Perk. In jest, Phoebe challenges Joey’s masculinity during the scene to which he responds defensively, “Hey, I am secure with my masculinity… You’ve seen my huge stack of porn, right? (Friends). His response represents a similar theme echoed throughout the series, modern popular culture, and society as a whole: male consumption of porn is both universal and representative of how “real men” should act. Meaning, if you fail to fulfill this expectation, you have forfeited an integral element of your manhood.

Kelp & Climate

Kelp & Climate

Ethan Wildes
Environmental Policy, Economics

As the new President-elect Joe Biden prepares to take office in January, he plans to usher in a new administration and agenda that aims to bring large changes to how America handles climate change. Part of his plan includes “an enforcement mechanism to achieve net-zero emissions no later than 2050” (Plan for Climate Change, 2020). Bringing a nation to net-zero emissions takes more than just talk. It involves compensating for existing carbon dioxide emission sources like cows and industrials, greenhouse gas emitters that won’t simply disappear in the next thirty years. It goes beyond simply reducing our emissions. To accomplish this, we will need to see significant methods of removing these emissions from the atmosphere. One such method, and the focus of this article today, is the farming of kelp.

Election Controversies and Delayed Presidential Transitions: Then Compared to Now

Election Controversies and Delayed Presidential Transitions: Then Compared to Now

Naomi Buchanan
Government Current Events

Donald Trump’s presidency has been different than others and the transition has been no exception. Since Joe Biden’s victory, Trump has been adamant that the election has been rigged against him despite no evidence of fraud, leading to a contentious transition of power. Trump’s four years in office have been branded by divisive partisan politics, Twitter outbursts and personal feuds so it is unsurprising that his reelection loss has been handled without grace. Throughout American history, the period of time between Election Day and Inauguration Day has traditionally been used to coordinate a smooth transition between the incumbent and the president-elect. Instead, president Trump has spent the remainder of his time in the White House focused on spreading unfounded claims about widespread government corruption to his supporter base. While Trump’s theatrics have resulted in a notable nationwide divide, disputed election results are not new in recent American history.

The Relationship Between Game Theory and COVID Guidelines

The Relationship Between Game Theory and COVID Guidelines

Celia Schurman
Political Theory, Economies in Games

Amidst a growing number of COVID-19 cases and elevated uncertainty surrounding the trajectory of the pandemic, municipalities across the US are reinstating lockdown restrictions. Heated criticism comes from every direction, as both lockdown-proponents and opponents contest the best method for managing the virus. While everyone has different opinions on the matter, a familiar question has resurfaced: will people adhere to stay-at-home orders? Enforcing lockdown measures has proved to be difficult. Despite safety guidelines, many people continue to ignore recommended precautions, and the question of “why?” arises. While the answer is often reduced to saying that deviators simply don’t care about public welfare, this generalization doesn’t capture all the factors at play. Behavioral economics can explain why many people deviate from COVID recommendations; the pandemic can be treated as a game, and as such, game theory can elucidate why public consensus on how to handle the pandemic is not uniform. Examination under the lens of game theory shows that individuals often benefit more by not following guidelines. From this conclusion, the added benefit of further lockdowns becomes questionable.

Using Canada as a future indicator for the US

Using Canada as a future indicator for the US

Jack Geiger
Politics

Republicans and Democrats can both agree on the fact that the coronavirus is costing the US economy a substantial amount of money. Stimulus is nearly entirely funded through government issued debt, or bonds. Debt has been a gargantuan issue for the US government for the last decade, which leaves Democrats and Republicans fighting over the size of stimulus bills. Canada’s rationale and commentary behind their recent stimulus measures may prove insightful to the United States in deciding how to proceed. The stakes are rising as countries get deeper into debt and the economic horizon is still uncertain. One strategist commented, “Canada could come off as heroic if this spending is done right…If Canada fails, all the emergency spending might have been done in vain because we won’t have the capacity to power the post-vaccine recovery” (Vieira and Mackrael, 2020). As the United States legislature debates another stimulus bill, lawmakers should consider the reasons behind Canada’s recent economic actions.

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