The University of Massachusetts Amherst
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Badgett UMass Economics

Lee Badgett says the Indian economy has been losing as much as 1.4 percent of its national output because of laws that discriminate against the LGBTQ community.

Lee Badgett says the Indian economy has been losing as much as 1.4 percent of its national output because of laws that discriminate against the LGBTQ community. The estimate is this represents about $26 billion per year. The Indian Supreme Court recently struck down laws that criminalized homosexuality. The move is expected to boost economic activity in the hotel and tourism sectors and promote more multinational business ventures. (Businesstimes.com, 9/12/18)

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Dube UMass Economics

Two news stories about the debate over the impact of raising the minimum wage cite research done by Arindrajit Dube.

Two news stories about the debate over the impact of raising the minimum wage cite research done by Arindrajit Dube.  A new study says boosting the minimum wage helps low-wage workers and puts them on a path to higher earnings in the long term. Dube also is quoted in a story about the impact of food stamps on the workforce and how they can be seen as a subsidy to low wage employers. (Business InsiderHuffington Post, 9/5/18)

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Friedman UMass Economics

Gerald Friedman says older workers who have been pushed out of the workforce can expect some help finding work in the new, tighter job market, but they are still at a disadvantage. 

Gerald Friedman says older workers who have been pushed out of the workforce can expect some help finding work in the new, tighter job market, but they are still at a disadvantage.  “Things will get a little better, but the benefits will be limited,” for over-50 job seekers, he says. Friedman says he is “reasonably pessimistic” on the outlook for older people looking for work. “These startups want to project youth,” he says. “They have Ping-Pong tables, kids eating pizza, they work all night. They want new college graduates, or even better, people who dropped out of MIT or Harvard. The want a young-looking workforce to attract other young people.” (Globe, 8/28/18)

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Friedman UMass Economics

Gerald Epstein is interviewed about the growing U.S. economy and whether the recent tax cuts have had any visible impact on that growth.

Gerald Epstein is interviewed about the growing U.S. economy and whether the recent tax cuts have had any visible impact on that growth. He argues that the cuts benefit the wealthy and corporations but have not benefited ordinary people. (The Real News Network, 8/27/18)

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Friedman UMass Economics

Gerald Epstein comments in a story about how swipe fees for using credit cards affect local businesses.

Gerald Epstein comments in a story about how swipe fees for using credit cards affect local businesses. Epstein says there isn’t enough competition in the credit card industry to hold fees down. He says this has the effect of making small local businesses support the large companies.  (Gazette, 8/26/18)

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Epstein UMass Economics

Gerald Epstein is quoted in an article that looks at hyperinflation in the Venezuelan economy

Gerald Epstein is quoted in an article that looks at hyperinflation in the Venezuelan economy and what Massachusetts residents are doing to try to send financial help back to family members in the troubled nation. (Herald, 8/24/18)

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Ash UMass Economics

Michael Ash is quoted in an article examining the lack of hiring of African-Americans by oil and natural gas companies during the recent boom years in production.

Michael Ash is quoted in an article examining the lack of hiring of African-Americans by oil and natural gas companies during the recent boom years in production. (U.S. News & World Report, 8/24/18)

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Badgett UMass Economics

An opinion column co-authored by Lee Badgett says it’s unlikely the current U.S. Congress will pass a law protecting LGBT people from sex discrimination when they marry or reveal their sexual orientation, so any such protection will have to come from the U.S. Supreme Court.

An opinion column co-authored by Lee Badgett and Steven Boutcher, executive director of the Center for Employment Equity and senior research fellow at the Institute for Social Science Research, says it’s unlikely the current U.S. Congress will pass a law protecting LGBT people from sex discrimination when they marry or reveal their sexual orientation, so any such protection will have to come from the U.S. Supreme Court. (Houston Chronicle, 8/16/18)

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Ash UMass Economics

Michael Ash and Jenny Adams (English) have written an essay in The Conversation about the rising cost of college textbooks and the global and economic forces that can have an impact on the textbook market.

Michael Ash and Jenny Adams (English) have written an essay in The Conversation about the rising cost of college textbooks and the global and economic forces that can have an impact on the textbook market. The authors say students and faculty member do have some tools available to them to keep the cost of textbooks down. They also say colleges and universities can help by encouraging the use of open-source textbooks. (The Conversation, 8/23/18)

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Friedman UMass Economics

A study conducted by Gerald Friedman that concludes Massachusetts could save up to $22 billion by implementing a single-payer health insurance system, was cited by Jo Comerford, a candidate for the Hampshire, Franklin, Worcester seat in the Senate

A study conducted by Gerald Friedman that concludes Massachusetts could save up to $22 billion by implementing a single-payer health insurance system, was cited by Jo Comerford, a candidate for the Hampshire, Franklin, Worcester seat in the Senate. Other candidates for the seat support variations on single-payer health insurance. (Gazette, 8/17/18)