Research by Arindrajit Dube, economics, is cited in a column criticizing lawmakers from the city of Los Angeles for moving closer to adopting a $15 minimum wage. The writer cites Dube’s research findings that a reasonable minimum wage should be somewhere around 50 percent of the area’s median wage, which Dube had calculated to be about $10.36/hr. in Los Angeles. (Slate, 5/19/15)
Robert Pollin, economics and co-director of the Political Economy Research Institute, says while he supports global trade, there are numerous reasons to be skeptical of the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal moving through Congress. He says opposition from Democrats is based on experience of job losses from other international trade deals that were supposed to benefit American workers, but didn’t. (Republican, 5/14/15)