Economic Issues Archives - Close Up Foundation

Tariffs and Trade: The Potential Impact on the Economy

February 14, 2025

During his first administration, President Donald Trump made tariffs and trade a major part of his economic policy. As he campaigned for another term, he further emphasized how he would use tariffs and trade if reelected. His strategy of issuing tariffs would be used to create more manufacturing jobs for Americans, shrink both the federal […]

Economic Issues Executive Branch

Lina Khan, the FTC, and Antitrust Laws

February 04, 2025

Over the past four years, policy put forth by President Joe Biden’s administration represented a notable shift in the executive branch’s attitude toward multi-conglomerate merging. This merging refers to large corporations buying up smaller businesses from a variety of different industries, thus reducing the possibility of competition from small business. During the Biden administration, the […]

Economic Issues Social Issues

The Decline of Local Newspapers

December 10, 2024

A free press is a crucial part of our democracy—so important that it was enshrined in the First Amendment of the Constitution. Once a staple of information, newspapers have been steadily declining and disappearing for decades. There are nearly 6,000 newspapers that publish in the United States and, on average, two shut down every week.1 […]

Economic Issues

Revisiting the Child Tax Credit

February 14, 2024

What is the Child Tax Credit Proposal? There is an ongoing bipartisan effort in Congress to pass legislation that would provide financial support for families with young children. The bill would allow parents and guardians to receive a larger tax credit of up to $2,000 with the entire credit being refundable. This would provide some […]

The Debate About Urban (Re)Design in the United States

February 01, 2024

Amidst the mosaic of national debates surrounding climate change, economic justice, and public health, there is a growing focus on the intersection of these issues and the design of our communities. The overwhelming majority of U.S. households own at least one vehicle, and the number of vehicles registered in the United States has continued to […]

The Debt Ceiling Fight

May 19, 2023

Recently, the Republican-led House of Representatives has been at odds with the Democrat-led Senate and President Joe Biden over raising the national debt ceiling. This issue touches on one of the fundamental powers of Congress—setting the budget for the federal government. Disagreements over spending have led to the current divide between the Republican and Democratic […]

How Should We Regulate Child Labor?

March 15, 2023

On March 6, Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed into law the Youth Hiring Act, a law that, among other things, allows children between the ages of nine and 16 to be hired without the need for an employment certificate to be filed with the state. Under previous state law, an employment certificate was required […]

CEO Compensation: An Issue of Fairness or Evidence of a Functioning Free Market?

February 10, 2023

There is currently a bill in Congress, S.794 – Tax Excessive CEO Pay Act of 2021, that would increase taxes on companies on the basis of their CEO-to-worker compensation ratio. The legislation, introduced by Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and cosponsored by a host of Democrats including Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), has progressed to the Senate […]

A New Rule Results in Cost-Of-Living Reimbursement for House Members

January 18, 2023

An under-the-radar rule change proposed by Democrats in the House of Representatives in the waning days of 117th Congress could potentially increase members’ yearly compensation. The provision, approved by the House Administration Committee, would allow reimbursement for a number of living expenses, including lodging, food, and travel in Washington, D.C. How Much Do Members of […]

Biden’s Student Loan Forgiveness: Too Much, Not Enough, Just Right, or Beyond the President’s Authority?

October 25, 2022

In August, President Joe Biden’s administration announced a student loan forgiveness plan which would cancel up to $10,000 in debt for most borrowers and up to $20,000 for some borrowers.1 Current federal student loan borrowers who earn less than $125,000 per year (less than $250,000 per household) can have up to $10,000 forgiven and those […]