President López Obrador was skeptical of the coronavirus threat and ignored the recommendations of his own health experts. He downplayed the crisis and relied on his intuition instead of science, with disastrous results. He will be even more distracted in the coming months as he campaigns for re-election.
Public finance fellow Joyce Beebe reviews loan programs and proposals that aim to fund mid- to large-sized entities and nonprofit organizations after the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) stops accepting applications on June 30, 2020. Baker Institute Blog: https://bit.ly/3dh14sT
In the last of a series of reports on the USMCA, fellow David Gantz considers the trade-related matters that could affect the success of the USMCA as a mechanism for encouraging investment, creating new jobs and enhancing consumer welfare in North America.
When states report an increase in Covid-19 cases, Google searches for mental health-related issues also increase, often significantly, the authors find. Their analysis of Google trends data, which is posted in Advance Social Science and Humanities, recommends that policymakers prepare for greater mental health needs in the event a predicted resurgence of Covid-19 becomes a reality.
Patrick S. Tennant, Quianta Moore, Jennifer Gonzalez, Melissa Rowan, Catie HilbelinkJune 10, 2020
Rather than offer a forecast that may overstate or understate Covid-19's impact on the U.S. and global economy, the authors highlight what to look for as the pandemic progresses, recedes or oscillates.
A social safety net in the form of unemployment benefits, job training, etc. can help cushion the blow for workers when economic events beyond their control (like the Covid-19 pandemic) cause companies to shed workers, writes Mark Finley, fellow in energy and global oil.
With the recent passing of the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act, program recipients need to be aware of tax and financial reporting-related compliance issues. Public finance fellow Joyce Beebe discusses three such issues in a new post on the Baker Institute Blog: https://bit.ly/2Yg2aQk
Political partisanship is strongly influencing the United States’ response to Covid-19, potentially leading to a suboptimal balance between reopening the economy and protecting public health. Read more at the Baker Institute Blog.
Energy fellow Michelle Michot Foss interviews Bernard Duroc-Danner, the former CEO of EVI, Grant Prideco & Weatherford, to explore the strategic shifts for businesses in the oilfield services (OFS) industry and to address how the OFS industry must restructure itself.