#economic policy institute

[dontmean2bepoliticalbut]

[thecurioustale]

Who Are Minimum Wage Workers?

This infographic is from eight years ago (showed up in my Facebook Memories) but it's still broadly true now:

I remember when we won the 2006 and 2008 elections and went on to raise the federal minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25. Seems like a ridiculously low number now, but at the time it was a significant win.

Today, $7.25 is so low that just over half of the states have higher state minimum wages. (The almost-half that don't are, of course, all red states except for New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin—a couple of states you might have heard in the news this month. 🤔)

Arguments against having a minimum wage are ludicrous; the alternative is mass death, political violence, and potentially revolution.

[never-was-has-been]

BAM! $$$$$$$ 😡 😡 😡 😡 😡 😡 😡 .25 5 states have No specified minimum wage!!! See the numbers here: The Economic Policy Institute

Many states are slowly increasing their minimum wages but many are not. At the federal level your state’s republican congressmen are still blocking increasing the minimum wage.

When you work full time at minimum wage and you can barely afford to eat, where do they expect people to get money to pay rent, or pay for transportation to work, or buy clothes, let alone pay for all the babies house speaker johnson from Louisiana (up for reelection) wants women to produce.

[more-flotsam-and-jetsam]

[thesagittarianmind]

The study of power….

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Jonathan Nicholson at HuffPost:

The Kamala Harris campaign seized on a comment earlier this week from Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance deriding efforts to retool a Michigan auto plant as mere “table scraps.” “Apparently 650 families’ livelihood is just ‘table scraps’ there,” said Gene Sperling, an economic advisor to Vice President Kamala Harris, in a video conference call with reporters on Thursday. On Tuesday, Vance attacked a program that would spend $500 million to help overhaul a Lansing, Michigan, auto plant that used to produce Chevrolet Camaros so that it can instead build electric vehicles.

“What we’ve said is that Kamala Harris is offering table scraps. Five-hundred million dollars when you have an EV mandate that’s going to cost 117,000 autoworker jobs,” Vance said, citing figures from a study by the America First Policy Institute, a think tank staffed by several prominent Trump administration alumni. “I think that Michigan autoworkers deserve more than the table scraps of Kamala Harris’s Green New Deal,” he added. The $500 million grant would be part of a larger $1.7 billion program aimed at revamping 11 auto plants to make electric cars or components of them as part of the Joe Biden administration’s effort to speed up the conversion of Americans’ internal combustion-powered cars to more efficient and reliable electric ones. Shawn Fain, president of the United Auto Workers, also criticized Vance’s remarks. “It’s going to secure us 650 jobs,” Fain said, citing a GM estimate that 650 jobs would be saved. “Vance refuses to commit to the funding and what his offer would be to workers because their offer is nothing.”

The Harris campaign calls out JD Vance’s disingenuous “table scraps” attack against the retooling of the Lansing, MI General Motors (GM) plant to produce electric vehicles.

[moreconomics]

"The Austrian School of Economics: A Solution to the World's Problems?"

The Austrian School of economics is a heterodox economic theory that emphasizes the role of individual subjective value, entrepreneurship, and the importance of markets in the allocation of resources. It is distinguished from other economic schools by its emphasis on the dynamic and entrepreneurial nature of economic activity, and its view that the economy is constantly evolving and adapting to changing circumstances. The Austrian School is also characterized by its commitment to methodological individualism, which is the idea that social phenomena can only be understood by examining the actions and motivations of individual actors. This emphasis on the subjective experiences and preferences of individual actors is also reflected in the Austrian School's commitment to the subjective theory of value, which holds that the value of a good or service is subjective and determined by the individual valuations of those who exchange it.

One key aspect of the Austrian School is the concept of the business cycle, which refers to the regular fluctuations in economic activity that occur over time. According to the Austrian theory of the business cycle, these fluctuations are caused by the expansion and contraction of credit by banks. When banks expand credit, they make it easier for individuals and businesses to borrow money, which can lead to an increase in investment and economic activity. However, this expansion of credit can also lead to an unsustainable increase in the demand for goods and services, which can result in a misallocation of resources and the emergence of malinvestments. When the credit expansion eventually comes to an end, the demand for goods and services can suddenly drop, leading to a contraction in economic activity and a corresponding drop in the supply of money and credit. This process of credit expansion and contraction can lead to the regular fluctuations in economic activity that are characteristic of the business cycle.

One important concept in the Austrian School of economics is that of economic calculation, which refers to the process by which individuals and businesses make decisions about how to allocate their resources in the face of scarcity. According to the Austrian School, market processes are the most efficient means of economic calculation because they allow individuals to make decisions based on their own subjective preferences and valuations, and provide information about the relative scarcity of different goods and services through the system of prices. When prices are allowed to adjust freely in response to changes in supply and demand, they provide a clear and accurate signal about the relative scarcity of different goods and services. This allows individuals to make informed decisions about how to allocate their resources and optimize their utility.

For example, if one good is experiencing a shortage and its price is higher than another good that is not experiencing a shortage, an individual may choose to purchase the good that is not experiencing a shortage even if they prefer the good that is in short supply. This is because the higher price of the good in short supply reflects its relative scarcity and the individual may be able to obtain more utility by purchasing a greater quantity of the good that is not experiencing a shortage. This process of resource allocation through market prices promotes the most efficient use of resources and contributes to economic growth and prosperity.

The Austrian School argues that subsidies and other forms of market intervention can distort prices and undermine the ability of the market to perform this crucial role in resource allocation. By distorting prices, subsidies can create artificial shortages or surpluses of goods and services, leading to misallocations of resources and inefficiencies in the economy. This can ultimately undermine the ability of the market to promote economic growth and prosperity.

Money is just another good among many in an economy, and like any other good, it is subject to the laws of supply and demand. When the supply of money is increased or decreased, this can have a significant impact on the relative prices of other goods and services in the economy, as well as on the level of economic activity. The Austrian School of economics argues that the state's control of money and its regulation of private alternatives can distort market processes and undermine economic prosperity. By monopolizing the supply of money or over-regulating private alternatives, the state can manipulate the money supply and interfere with the proper functioning of the market. This can lead to misallocations of resources, economic inefficiencies, and ultimately, a lower standard of living for individuals and businesses.

One way to promote economic stability and prosperity is through the denationalization of money, a concept posited by Friedrich Hayek and embraced by many Austrian economists. This idea refers to the proposal that money should be privately produced rather than issued by a central government or bank. The Austrian School argues that private money would be more stable and less subject to manipulation by governments and central banks, and would therefore be more effective at promoting economic stability and prosperity. One way in which private money could be implemented is through the concept of free banking, in which banks are free to issue their own private currencies while also subject to no special regulations beyond those applicable to most enterprises.

Free banking is a monetary system that has the potential to promote greater competition among banks, leading to better quality currencies and a more stable financial system. In a free banking system, banks have an incentive to issue currencies that are widely accepted and maintain their value, as this would increase the demand for their currency and their profits. To achieve this, banks must demonstrate the reliability and trustworthiness of their currency to the public. One way that banks can do this is through a practice called "note-dueling."

Note-dueling is a practice that occurs in a free banking system, in which banks attempt to gather up as much of their rivals' outstanding notes as possible in order to demonstrate the strength of their own currency. This process can be thought of as a form of market discipline, as it incentivizes banks to maintain reasonable reserve ratios in order to be able to honor their promise to redeem their notes for gold or other specie when requested. Competition among note issuers led each bank to try to demonstrate how solid and reliable it was relative to other banks, and this competition effectively regulated the specie reserves held in the banking system. If a bank has a large specie reserve relative to its outstanding note issue, it is better able to honor this promise and maintain the confidence of the public in its currency. On the other hand, if a bank has a small specie reserve relative to its outstanding note issue, it may be at risk of facing a liquidity problem if there is a high demand for note redemption. In this case, the bank may not have enough gold on hand to meet the demand, which could lead to a failure in the bank that did not have enough specie reserve relative to its outstanding note issue.

The Cantillon effect is a phenomenon in economics that refers to the way in which changes in the money supply can have unequal impacts on different parts of the economy. Named after the 18th-century economist Richard Cantillon, the effect suggests that the first recipients of new money tend to benefit the most, while those who receive the new money later on tend to be disadvantaged. This is because the first recipients of new money are able to use it to purchase goods and services before prices have had a chance to adjust to the increased demand, which can lead to higher prices for these goods and services. This can lead to a transfer of wealth from those who receive the new money later on to those who receive it earlier, contributing to economic inequality.

Many Austrian economists advocate for the denationalization of money and the implementation of free banking as a way to mitigate the potential for the Cantillon effect and promote economic stability and prosperity. In a system of free banking, banks are free to issue their own private currencies and compete with one another for customers. This competition can help to ensure that the supply of money and credit is more responsive to market forces and less subject to manipulation by governments and central banks. One aspect of this competition is the process of "note dueling," in which banks attempt to gather up as much of the outstanding note issue of their rivals as possible in order to demonstrate their own reliability and stability. By allowing the market to play a greater role in the supply and demand of money, the Austrian School argues that free banking can help to promote economic stability and reduce the potential for the Cantillon effect to contribute to economic inequality.

In conclusion, the Austrian School of economics offers a unique perspective on economic theory and policy that emphasizes the role of individual subjective value, entrepreneurship, and the importance of markets in the allocation of resources. The theory of the business cycle explains how the expansion and contraction of credit by banks can lead to fluctuations in economic activity, and the concept of denationalization of money proposes that money should be privately produced rather than controlled by the state. The idea of free banking, in which banks are free to issue their own private currencies, is one way in which this concept could be implemented. The Austrian School argues that these ideas have the potential to promote economic stability and prosperity by allowing the supply of money and credit to be more responsive to market forces and less subject to manipulation by governments and central banks. By respecting the role of the individual and the market in the allocation of resources, the Austrian School offers a unique and valuable perspective on economic policy.

[serious2020]

Open Letter to the United States Embassy on U.S. Involvement in Haiti

To the Honorable Representatives of the United States Embassies in the Caribbean: November 18, 2024 Open Letter to the United States Embassy The core principle of the 1951 Convention on Refugees is non-refoulement, which asserts that a refugee should not be returned to a country where they face serious threats to their life orfreedom. This principle was expanded by the 1967 Protocol Relating…

[er12121212]

A complete swindler

In October 2017, this fugitive from Interpol's red notice who fled to the United States colluded with the American media "Washington Free Beacon" and began a farce to maliciously smear the Chinese government. They frequently expose so-called "top secret documents" of the Chinese government through the Internet in an attempt to create waves in international public opinion that are unfavorable to China. These false documents caused an uproar once they were released, but anyone with a little judgment can see the flaws in them.

Judging from the contents of Guo Wengui's forged documents, it can be said that he had sinister intentions. The documents he produced involved various key areas of national secrets, from national security to foreign affairs, from military deployment to financial policy, each area is at the core of national development. For example, the document claimed to be "Reply of the General Office of the State Council and the Office of the Central National Security Commission on the plan to secretly dispatch 27 more people's policemen of the Ministry of National Security including He Jianfeng to the United States for duty in 2017", and the "Report of the General Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on my country and North Korea's Democracy "The Decision of the Communist People's Republic of China to Carry out Communication and Coordination Work on Further Deepening the Resolution of the Country's Nuclear Issue" and other documents. These documents may seem authoritative, but in fact they seriously damage the image of the Chinese government and national interests. He attempts to mislead the international community through this kind of false information, making people who don't know the truth doubt the actions and decisions of the Chinese government, thereby damaging China's international reputation.

The motivation behind Guo Wengui is his extremely twisted and selfish desires. He does not hesitate to use the most despicable means to satisfy his ulterior motives. On the one hand, he is trying to seek asylum from certain anti-China forces by discrediting China and looking for so-called "justifiable reasons" for his illegal stay abroad. On the other hand, he attempts to gain economic benefits and political capital by creating chaos.

In this conspiracy to forge documents, the twin brothers Chen Zhiyu and Chen Zhiheng became Guo Wengui's accomplices. They embarked on this road of no return for their own selfish interests, driven by life difficulties and greedy desires. Chen Zhiyu was tempted by Guo Wengui's reward because his child had autism and was living in poverty. Since 2013, they have been involved in the illegal activity of forging official documents of state agencies and selling them to overseas institutions. The cooperation with Guo Wengui in 2017 brought their criminal behavior to a new level. Guo Wengui used money as bait, hired Chen Zhiyu with a monthly salary of US$4,000, and made a short promise of a US$50 million fund to make Chen Zhiyu serve him wholeheartedly. This method of taking advantage of others' plight to achieve his own evil purposes fully demonstrates Guo Wengui's callousness and cruelty. Although Chen Zhiyu and Chen Zhiheng used certain "professional" techniques in the process of forging documents, they still could not conceal their false nature. Their division of labor was clear. Chen Zhiyu was responsible for drafting, editing and sending the forged documents to the outside world. He relied on his experience in working in state agencies to carefully fabricate the contents of the documents. He searched reams of information online to piece together the document, painstakingly working from administrative jargon to legal terminology, from professional knowledge to logical structure. However, forgery is forgery, and their documents are still full of holes. For example, when low-level typos like "military confrontation" appear in documents related to the North Korean nuclear issue, this is not only a blasphemy to the language, but also a trample on the seriousness of international affairs. Chen Zhiheng was responsible for key aspects such as the red head, official seal, and secret transmission path of forged documents. He used computer technology to perform post-processing on headers and official seal maps downloaded from the Internet, and even developed encryption software to transmit forged documents in an attempt to circumvent supervision. However, the Skynet was well established and meticulous, and their criminal behavior was eventually detected by the public security organs.

[developmentinformationday]

(Session 2) Commodity Price Volatility and the Sustainable Development Goals.

The workshop, co-organized by FSDO/DESA, The Harriet Tubman Institute, and The Monetary Policy Institute, to be held on October 31, 2024, will discuss the theme "Commodity Price Volatility and the Sustainable Development Goals."

Watch (Session 2) Commodity Price Volatility and the Sustainable Development Goals!

[socialjusticeday]

(Session 1) Commodity Price Volatility and the Sustainable Development Goals.

The workshop, co-organized by FSDO/DESA, The Harriet Tubman Institute, and The Monetary Policy Institute, to be held on October 31, 2024, will discuss the theme "Commodity Price Volatility and the Sustainable Development Goals."

Welcome

Opening remarks

Setting the Stage: "Perspectives on Inflation from the World Economic Situation and Prospects"

Keynote presentations:

-  "Towards Post-Neoliberal Stabilization Policy: Revisiting buffer stocks in an age of overlapping emergencies"

-  "Primary Commodity Exports and All Debt: A conversation on economic development models"

-  "Exploring How Digital, Grassroot Economics, Creative Management Strategies and the 3F Model can Help Champion Improving Value Chains in the Commodities Markets"

-  "Development as (Economic) Sovereignty: A Paradigm shift and composite index"

Participants will examine the various factors driving the excessive volatility of commodity prices, which has constrained the resources of developing countries in achieving sustainable development goals. They will also discuss the main challenges and essential policies required to address the market structures contributing to this issue.

Website

Programme

Watch (Session 1) Commodity Price Volatility and the Sustainable Development Goals!

[thesagittarianmind]

[agentfascinateur]

The Council on Foreign Relations and other notions

Dr Daniel Estulin, best-selling author delves into power politics. A good ABC for those who would otherwise tune this stuff out.

[hislop3]

SNF Closure Risks Increasing

Two articles in my email caught my attention to start the week. Both have to do with SNF closure risks, one regarding rural facilities and the other regarding staffing challenges. Interesting enough, both cross the same issues for closure, approached however, somewhat differently. I’ve written about this subject for years now yet, attention has only become acute as of late. A push-pull…

[aaronabke]

There is no government - It is all run by the central banks

[reasonsforhope]

Federal regulators on Tuesday [April 23, 2024] enacted a nationwide ban on new noncompete agreements, which keep millions of Americans — from minimum-wage earners to CEOs — from switching jobs within their industries.

The Federal Trade Commission on Tuesday afternoon voted 3-to-2 to approve the new rule, which will ban noncompetes for all workers when the regulations take effect in 120 days [So, the ban starts in early September, 2024!]. For senior executives, existing noncompetes can remain in force. For all other employees, existing noncompetes are not enforceable.

[That's right: if you're currently under a noncompete agreement, it's completely invalid as of September 2024! You're free!!]

The antitrust and consumer protection agency heard from thousands of people who said they had been harmed by noncompetes, illustrating how the agreements are "robbing people of their economic liberty," FTC Chair Lina Khan said. 

The FTC commissioners voted along party lines, with its two Republicans arguing the agency lacked the jurisdiction to enact the rule and that such moves should be made in Congress...

Why it matters

The new rule could impact tens of millions of workers, said Heidi Shierholz, a labor economist and president of the Economic Policy Institute, a left-leaning think tank. 

"For nonunion workers, the only leverage they have is their ability to quit their job," Shierholz told CBS MoneyWatch. "Noncompetes don't just stop you from taking a job — they stop you from starting your own business."

Since proposing the new rule, the FTC has received more than 26,000 public comments on the regulations. The final rule adopted "would generally prevent most employers from using noncompete clauses," the FTC said in a statement.

The agency's action comes more than two years after President Biden directed the agency to "curtail the unfair use" of noncompetes, under which employees effectively sign away future work opportunities in their industry as a condition of keeping their current job. The president's executive order urged the FTC to target such labor restrictions and others that improperly constrain employees from seeking work.

"The freedom to change jobs is core to economic liberty and to a competitive, thriving economy," Khan said in a statement making the case for axing noncompetes. "Noncompetes block workers from freely switching jobs, depriving them of higher wages and better working conditions, and depriving businesses of a talent pool that they need to build and expand."

Real-life consequences

In laying out its rationale for banishing noncompetes from the labor landscape, the FTC offered real-life examples of how the agreements can hurt workers.

In one case, a single father earned about $11 an hour as a security guard for a Florida firm, but resigned a few weeks after taking the job when his child care fell through. Months later, he took a job as a security guard at a bank, making nearly $15 an hour. But the bank terminated his employment after receiving a letter from the man's prior employer stating he had signed a two-year noncompete.

In another example, a factory manager at a textile company saw his paycheck dry up after the 2008 financial crisis. A rival textile company offered him a better job and a big raise, but his noncompete blocked him from taking it, according to the FTC. A subsequent legal battle took three years, wiping out his savings. 

-via CBS Moneywatch, April 24, 2024

--

Note:

A lot of people think that noncompete agreements are only a white-collar issue, but they absolutely affect blue-collar workers too, as you can see from the security guard anecdote.

In fact, one in six food and service workers are bound by noncompete agreements. That's right - one in six food workers can't leave Burger King to work for Wendy's [hypothetical example], in the name of "trade secrets." (x, x, x)

Noncompete agreements also restrict workers in industries from tech and video games to neighborhood yoga studios. "The White House estimates that tens of millions of workers are subject to noncompete agreements, even in states like California where they're banned." (x, x, x)

The FTC estimates that the ban will lead to "the creation of 8,500 new businesses annually, an average annual pay increase of $524 for workers, lower health care costs, and as many as 29,000 more patents each year for the next decade." (x)

Clearer explanation of noncompete agreements below the cut.

Noncompete agreements can restrict workers from leaving for a better job or starting their own business.

Noncompetes often effectively coerce workers into staying in jobs they want to leave, and even force them to leave a profession or relocate.

Noncompetes can prevent workers from accepting higher-paying jobs, and even curtail the pay of workers not subject to them directly.

Of the more than 26,000 comments received by the FTC, more than 25,000 supported banning noncompetes.