As workers flow into Puerto Rico, residents try to leave

Oct 6, 2017
A recent United Airlines flight carried volunteer workers into Puerto Rico and evacuated residents who wanted to leave.
Damaged homes are seen as people deal with the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico.
Joe Raedle / Getty Images

How hurricanes could distort September jobs numbers

Oct 6, 2017
The September jobs report from the Labor Department comes out today, and hurricanes Harvey and Irma are likely to show up in the numbers in different ways. In Texas and Florida, where the hurricanes did significant damage, employees couldn’t get to work, workplaces shut down, job interviews got cancelled. All that could make job-creation numbers […]
Resident Mirian Medina stands on her property about two weeks after Hurricane Maria swept through the island on October 5, 2017 in San Isidro, Puerto Rico.
Mario Tama / Getty Images

How much influence does a president have over the economy? In the short term, not much.

Oct 5, 2017
President Donald Trump touted the state of the economy this morning in a tweet that read “Stock Market hits an ALL-TIME high! Unemployment lowest in 16 years! Business and manufacturing enthusiasm at highest level in decades!” Unemployment WAS at a 16-year-low in June. It’s gone up since then. And it’s unclear what numbers Trump is looking […]

"Let's be honest. Corporate taxes are pretty low," this CEO says.

Oct 5, 2017
We check in with Lisa Goldenberg of Delaware Steel, who believes it's the American people who are suffering.
Income tax form at the Des Plaines Public Library in Illinois.
Tim Boyle/Getty Images

After Las Vegas shooting, gun "bump stocks" sell out

Oct 5, 2017
Some Republicans said they’d be open to considering legislation that would ban them.
Crime scene tape surrounds the Mandalay Bay hotel after a gunman killed at least 58 people and wounded more than 500 when he opened fire on a country music concert in Las Vegas on Sunday.
MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images

California legislation aims to narrow the gender pay gap

Oct 5, 2017
Some employers say the bill would shame companies without justification.
Protesters demand that woman be paid the same as their male co-workers in March in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Why is corporate interest a flashpoint for tax cutters?

Oct 4, 2017
For some companies, the deduction is key to doing business. For others, it's a fat loophole.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell speaks about tax reform as Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, Sen. Orrin Hatch and other congressional Republicans listen last month in Washington, D.C.
Alex Wong/Getty Images

For public good, not for profit.

Federal government may offer employees a bigger buyout, as a way to shrink the workforce

Oct 4, 2017
Government agencies are working on ways to trim their workforces, as requested by the Trump administration. Offering buyouts to federal employees is one way – but up till now the maximum that can be offered is $25,000. A Senate bill coming before a committee today could increase it to $40,000 – the first bump in […]

Yellen critic poised to take over as Fed Chair

Oct 4, 2017
Kevin Warsh is a name that has emerged as one of the front-runners to succeed Janet Yellen at the Chair of the Federal Reserve when her term is set to expire in February. Warsh has been outspoken about his criticism of the Federal Open Market Committee under Yellen and is very well connected in the banking […]

The Clean Power Plan is a zombie that will be hard to kill

Oct 3, 2017
The Obama-era regulation known as the Clean Power Plan is expected to be the next target for the White House to cut back regulations. It’s something of a zombie, since the Supreme Court halted its rollout, yet the EPA is required to take measures to regulate carbon pollution (due to an agency finding that greenhouse […]