Money and Computing

"The Trump administration has enacted tariffs on imported solar panels, washing machines, steel, and aluminum, plans to impose tariffs on Chinese imports, and is investigating further tariffs on Chinese imports and automobile imports. • The effects of each tariff will be lower GDP, wages, and employment in the long run. The tariffs will also make the US tax code less progressive because the increased tax burden would fall hardest on lower- and middle-income households. • Rather than erect barriers to trade that will have negative economic consequences, policymakers should promote free trade and the economic benefits it brings." more »

Rose Madeline Mula writes: Within an hour, a slate of ten contestants on The Proposal is quickly winnowed down to one, who then becomes engaged to a mystery man or woman, who has been hidden behind a pod until the end. Before the climactic engagement, the couple has spent a total of less than five minutes or so talking to each other. What’s next? A program where a marriage of strangers will be consummated, on camera, before the first commercial break?And I really don’t understand apps like Tinder that enable guys and gals to dial up an immediate “hook-up” with an unknown partner as easily as ordering delivery of a pizza. more »

A working paper entitled “Millennial Marriage: How Much Does Economic Security Matter to Marriage Rates of Young Adults” finds that socio-economic indicators associated with labor force participation, wages, poverty and housing all relate to marriage rates for young adults ages 18 to 34. Specifically, full-time employment, median annual wages for all types of workers, and owning a home were associated with higher marriage rates. more »

It is now illegal for employers to ask job applicants about their previous salary in at least eight states and eight counties and cities. The laws and ordinances passed in the last two years are aimed at narrowing the persistent pay gap between men and women. A prospective employer who knows your current salary can offer you a pay bump based on that figure – or keep your new salary low. If you’re a woman, you likely make less in your current job than a male recruit with the same skills and experience. more »