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October 21, 2024

Dueling Child Tax Credit Proposals: Harris vs. Vance

JD Vance and Kamala Harris have at least one thing in common: proposals to expand the child tax credit (CTC). Currently, the CTC offers households up to $2,000 per child under the age of 17. It phases in as wages exceed $2,500 (an incentive to work) and phases out for high-income workers (a disincentive to…

October 21, 2024

US Tariffs Will Not Bring Back Jobs from China

Although protectionism has become a rare point of bipartisan consensus in America, the public debate about it gets some basic facts wrong. Yes, trade is disruptive, but the US has been unwilling to take advantage of the opportunities generated by it and is instead trying in vain to recreate the jobs of the past. Washington,…

October 18, 2024

What’s Working in America’s Workforce System

The American workforce is undergoing rapid changes driven by demographic shifts,  technological advancements, and evolving skill requirements. During this time of rapid disruption, the question arises: How can our training programs and workforce development systems do a better job of supporting workers and employers to meet their skill and employment needs? The Workforce Futures Initiative (WFI)—a collaborative research effort between…

October 18, 2024

Harris and Trump Are Equally Silent on the Expanding US Debt

Donald Trump and Kamala Harris seem to agree that one of the nation’s most important challenges should remain unaddressed — a problem that has been slowly eroding the foundations of economic prosperity for decades. That problem? The national debt. The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office reports that federal debt held by the public averaged 48.3 per…

October 18, 2024

Pro-Marriage Conservatives Should Reject a Per-Child Phase-In of the Child Tax Credit

Earlier this week, scholars from the Ethics and Public Policy Center, the Niskanen Center, and other right-of-center organizations issued a memo calling for pro-family tax reforms during the upcoming debate over the future of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. While reasonable arguments can be made for most of their proposed reforms, their recommendation to phase in…

October 17, 2024

Harris’ Tax Plans Would Reduce Long-Term Prosperity. Trump’s Proposals Might Be Even Worse.

AEI Scholar and Director of Economic Policy Studies Michael R. Strain contributed to the Dispatch’s Symposium titled Economic Policy Experts: Doom, Thy Name Is Populism, as a group of experts outlined the many ways in which either potential administration’s populism could lead to poor policy and worse economic outcomes. Below is a section from Michael R. Strain contribution….

October 16, 2024

Kevin Corinth: Addressing Social Capital Poverty in America

Despite improvements in material living standards, the erosion of social connections, civic engagement, and community ties has led to a decline in overall social wellbeing. New research reveals a complex relationship between economic and social factors, highlighting the need for a more comprehensive approach to addressing societal challenges. As policymakers and communities grapple with these…

October 16, 2024

11 Ways the Federal Government Is Making It More Difficult to Access Career Pathways 

Key Points  Read the full pdf. Introduction America is becoming worse at connecting workers with jobs—in part because it is unnecessarily difficult to offer and access education and training that could prepare students for a career. Two decades ago, there were just over three million open jobs, and it took, on average, fewer than 20…

October 15, 2024

Lefty NYC Council Add-Ons to Mayor’s ‘City of Yes’ Would Worse Housing Crisis

Eric Adams’ chance for a lasting legacy hinges on his ambitious zoning and housing proposal dubbed “City of Yes” — poised to come before the City Council next week.  But as some community groups seek to derail the plan, the hard-left council looks ready to undermine it — and convert it to the “City of Yes, But.” The key to Adams’…

October 15, 2024

Why Should the US Wish to Be More Like China?

In my new paper for the Aspen Economic Strategy Group, I argue: The protectionism, trade wars, and industrial policies of the Trump and Biden administrations have not succeeded at meeting their goals and likely will not succeed at meeting their goals. They have caused manufacturing employment to decline, not to increase. They have not reduced the…