Research Library

The $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act, which became law in mid-March, left out the mandate to increase the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour, but it did lead to an open policy discussion about current minimum wage standards. In a post for the Baker Institute Blog, public finance fellow Joyce Beebe considers some of the pros and cons of increasing the minimum wage and possible future developments.

In a post for the Baker Institute Blog, Joyce Beebe reviews current developments in state and federal paid sick leave policies, and examines key arguments of proponents and detractors.

Read the Baker Institute Blog for the latest updates on the spread of Covid-19 and the best defenses against it.

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

The collective trauma of the Covid-19 pandemic may provide a clearer understanding of why people use drugs — to help us see it not as a moral failing or a brain malfunction, but as a fundamentally human response to negative life events. Read more at the Baker Institute Blog.

Understanding how to interpret the signs of a child's distress as they adjust to a new way of life during Covid-19 — and how to respond appropriately — is important for a child's mental health and development.

Energy and environment fellow Rachel A. Meidl discusses how the Covid-19 pandemic is disrupting the waste, plastic, and recycling industries. In response, she stresses the need for a systems-level approach. Forbes blog: https://bit.ly/3cDbseB

The pandemic has compounded Mexico's existing economic problems, and López Obrador’s response to the crisis could make recovery more difficult.