Leave it to Washington to break what works. The proposed national rate cap strikes at the heart of a system that is serving vulnerable individuals.
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Expanding opportunity and mobility for women and workers
Welcome to the December edition of The Pointer newsletter. Inflation is a Grinch again this year. We examine the skyrocketing cost increases on iconic Christmas experiences and moments. We close the year reflecting on policy hits and misses.
Check out the latest tech, labor, and economic analysis below from IWF’s Center for Economic Opportunity.
Think someone on your team would like this newsletter? Pass it on ([link removed]) .
** ([link removed]) ON THE MARK ([link removed])
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Best & Worst Policies of 2023 ([link removed])
As 2023 draws to a close, we take a moment to review the best and worst policies from Washington to state capitals that impact women’s freedom and choices in the labor force as well as the entrepreneurial spirit of America.
Best:
* States Dropped College Requirements For Public Jobs
* Portable Benefits
* Right-to-Work for Public Unions
* Uber Drivers Remaining Independent in California
* SCOTUS Hearing CFPB Challenge Is A Win For Freedom, Taxpayers
Worst:
* IRS’ Venmo Crackdown Delayed But Not Dead This Holiday Season
* FTC Prohibition On Noncompete Agreements
* Lawmakers Reintroduce the PRO Act in Honor of Union Boss
* European Competition Rules Could Trip Up U.S. Businesses
* State-level Crackdowns on Worker Freedom
* Biden’s New Overtime Rules Come With A Price
* FTC Sues Amazon
* Biden Sneaking Childcare Subsidy Through The Back Door
* Biden Admin Wants To Punish Lenders For Asking About Immigration Status—Raising Prices For Everyone
* Rate Caps in Lending
And more…[Keep reading ([link removed]) ]
** ([link removed]) THOUGHT LEADERS ([link removed])
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Carrie Sheffield | LiveNOW Fox | the Federal Reserve, Inflation, and the Housing Market ([link removed])
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** WHAT'S THE POINT
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‘Home Alone’ Movie Shows Depressing Grocery Inflation ([link removed])
We see how much inflation hits our groceries through an illustrative look ([link removed]) at the iconic 1990 movie “Home Alone.”
The Twelve Days of Christmas Just Got More Expensive ([link removed])
If you’re as amazed as I am that these gifts ([link removed]) cost more than $200K, you’ll have to read the breakdown…
The Grinch of Inflation ([link removed])
‘Tis the season to be jolly, but for many consumers, the festive cheer comes with an unexpected companion—Christmastime inflation ([link removed]) . The cost of everyday Christmas items has risen.
A Year in Review: Best & Worst of Tech ([link removed])
From the Twitter Files to major antitrust lawsuits, 2023 left a lasting impact ([link removed]) on technology policy. As we enter a new year, many questions remain: What will online speech look like in the future? Does increased public use of generative artificial intelligence tools necessitate regulation?
** ([link removed]) PUTTING A FACE ON IT ([link removed])
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Capping Interest Rates Is a Solution That Will Beget New Problems ([link removed])
Senate Democrats introduced the Predatory Lending Elimination Act, a bill that would extend the Military Lending Act (MLA), which caps the effective interest rate on consumer loans (including fees) at 36%, to most consumer loans thereby making it applicable to all consumers. This is not the first time that a national rate cap has been introduced. It didn’t pass then and for good reasons.
Small-dollar loans offer access to credit to high-risk individuals–those with low or no credit history–which explains the nominally high Annual Percentage Rate (APR) interest rates. These loans are not meant to be long-term solutions and they are often paid off quickly.
Leave it to Washington to break what works. The proposed national rate cap strikes at the heart of a system that is serving vulnerable individuals. [Keep reading ([link removed]) ]
** ON OUR RADAR
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Our 401Ks Plummeted Nearly 25% in Value Since Biden Took Office ([link removed])
How Certificate of Need Laws Criminalize the Mentally Ill ([link removed])
** FINAL THOUGHT
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“In my state of Wyoming, it costs over $12,000 a year more to buy the very same things that we did before the massive interest rate increase and inflation. Those inflation rates are because Congress overspent during Covid and kept up Covid spending rates thereafter and continues to do that today.”
– Senator Cynthia Lummis reflecting ([link removed]) on the failure of Bidenomics and the agenda for 2024
Have a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year!
Patrice
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