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Labor, environment shape USMCA debate
Michelle R. Matisons ManufacturingU.S.-Mexico relations currently revolve around two distinct discourses. One discourse emphasizes separation and punishment, as President Trump seeks support for his border wall while Mexico strengthens border control. The other discourse emphasizes economic cooperation and trade relations, which we witness as tariff threats fade and renewed talk of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) passing in Congress heats up.
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US economy adds 75,000 jobs; unemployment rate stays at 3.6%
Seth Sandronsky Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementThe May jobs report shows that nonfarm payroll employment rose 75,000 following 263,000 new hires in April, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. May’s rate of unemployment stayed at 3.6%. Is May’s drop in job creation a sign of a slowing economy? "One month doesn’t make a trend," according to Heidi Shierholz, director of policy at the Economic Policy Institute in Washington, D.C. Meanwhile, hourly wages barely rose in May.
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FAA confirms more Boeing 737 Max problems
Michelle R. Matisons Transportation Technology & AutomotiveIt has been almost three months since a Boeing 737 Max 8 crashed in Ethiopia in March. Subsequent months have produced an especially tense safety review process since the 737 Max 8 plane model is the most common in the world. After three high-profile incidents within the past nine months, Boeing is in the midst of a greater discussion on airline regulations and safety standards. Now, it looks like the 737 Max will be grounded until at least August. What went wrong?
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Why we need more graduates to enter the trades
Brian Stack EducationEvery month or so, a community member or parent in my high school sends me an article that talks about how schools need to spend more time investing in the trades. The latest share came from the Hechinger Report’s Matt Krupnick, who wrote about how after decades of pushing bachelor’s degrees, the U.S. needs more tradespeople. Krupnick went on to share how states like California are spending millions of dollars on campaigns to revive the reputation of vocational education. California’s efforts are at the heart of a debate raging across our country. Trades have often had an "image" problem, being seen as a less-desirable alternative to college. This is wrong.
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Ford adds to auto layoffs, manufacturing turmoil
Michelle R. Matisons ManufacturingAuto manufacturing layoffs are not a new development. The last round of General Motors layoffs, announced in November, triggered a domino effect of panic and speculation that continues amidst Brexit negotiations, Green New Deal debates, and ongoing presidential campaigning. As American as apple pie, the auto manufacturing sector is a good litmus test for what ails the U.S. economy. By this logic, as goes Detroit so goes the nation. One problem is that no one can decide if we must throw the baby of cleaner energy out with the bathwater of old manufacturing chains.
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American consumers, businesses set to suffer as trade war escalates
Seth Sandronsky Civil & GovernmentIt took three days for the Chinese government to retaliate against President Trump imposing new import tariffs from 10% to 25% on $200 billion of goods earlier this month. U.S. imports in China will face retaliatory tariffs, according to China’s Finance Ministry, rising from 10% to 20 or 25% on thousands of goods, from alcoholic beverages to apparel. What does this latest move in the two nations’ escalating trade war mean for American businesses and consumers?
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New York-area pipeline halted, Keystone XL persists
Michelle R. Matisons Waste Management & EnvironmentalPipelines have become one of the biggest issues in U.S. environmental politics since the 2016 Standing Rock protests against Energy Transfer's Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL). The main issues opponents raise are groundwater contamination and spills. These concerns can be found across the country, as pipeline opponents in the Northeast recently defeated a 37-mile, $1 billion natural gas project, the Williams Companies’ proposed Northeast Supply Enhancement (NESE) Pipeline. Intended to connect natural gas fields from Pennsylvania through New Jersey to New York, the pipeline application has been rejected on a technicality, citing potential copper and mercury contamination in water.
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How will US manufacturing be affected by the trade war with China?
Michelle R. Matisons ManufacturingThe U.S. trade war with China has heated up, and now there is much speculation about daily life for American manufacturers and their employees. The logic is that higher tariffs on Chinese goods will increase trading with non-tariffed countries, and even better is Trump’s "best idea" of higher tariffs resulting in a logical move to buy American. We are quickly reminded that it’s not so simple to do that. Why not? For one, it’s difficult to find products made with solely U.S. parts.
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US tariffs on Chinese imports grow
Seth Sandronsky Civil & GovernmentThe cost of trade between China and the U.S. is rising. Tariffs, or taxes, on $200 billion of Chinese imports to the U.S. rose from 10% to 25% one minute after midnight on May 10. "The tariff increase inflicts significant harm on U.S. industry, farmers and consumers," Douglas K. Barry, director of communications and publications for the U.S.-China Business Council told MultiBriefs in an email. "American agricultural exports to China are particularly impacted. According to our recent survey, some states' exports were down 50%. The entire American agricultural sector is feeling the stress."
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Boeing confirms alert system malfunction in 737 Max 8
Michelle R. Matisons Transportation Technology & AutomotiveIn the grand scheme of deadly airline problems, Boeing’s latest crash debacles rate high on the list. Whenever an airplane crash occurs, there’s wild speculation concerning who and what to blame, and such is the case in the instances of downed Boeing 737 Max 8s. The company has now come forward admitting to a safety feature malfunction that could have caused the high-profile, high-fatality crashes. 737 Max 8 software includes an alert system that informs pilots about problems and malfunctions in-flight. The problem is that an important alert light feature was sold to Boeing customers as "optional."
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