Ever since the great financial crisis, financial reformers have pushed banks to prevent future taxpayer bailouts by adopting “bail-in” mechanisms. One increasingly popular strategy, encouraged by the Basel III framework for banking regulation, is for banks to issue “contingent convertible” bonds that convert to ordinary stock if the bank’s capital reserves get too low. It’s… Keep reading →
Public Policy
Stanford and Oxford Economists Propose Strategy to Reduce the Risk of Taxpayer-funded Bank Bailouts
By businesswireConservation, Quality, Reuse and Efficiency Take Center Stage at Colorado Water Conservation Board Meeting This Week
By businesswireExperts from a variety of conservation groups will offer their public comments this week about the importance of sustaining Colorado’s rivers as part of the first-ever statewide Colorado Water Plan. They will focus on the benefits of keeping rivers flowing for recreation and tourism, resilient and profitable agriculture and rural communities, and the need for… Keep reading →
U.S. Chamber Commends Senate Introduction of Asbestos Trust Transparency Legislation
By businesswireLisa A. Rickard, president of the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform (ILR), made the following statement regarding the introduction of the “Furthering Asbestos Claim Transparency (FACT) Act of 2014” (S. 2319) yesterday in the U.S. Senate. The legislation would require asbestos personal injury settlement trusts, which currently operate with little oversight and transparency, to… Keep reading →
National health spending (NHS) in March 2014 grew 7.1% over March 2013, the highest 12-month rate since February 2005, well before the recession, which began in December 2007. The health spending share of GDP reached an all-time high of 17.9% in March, just above its February value of 17.8%. Health care prices in March 2014… Keep reading →
Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki granted a request by his own VA Office of Inspector General, and has placed Phoenix VA Health Care System director Sharon Helman and two others on administrative leave, effective May 1. Helman faces allegations that she was aware, and defended the use of, a secret list of patients… Keep reading →
Capt. Lee Moak, president of the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA) underscored today in testimony before the U.S. House Aviation Subcommittee the serious economic threat to U.S. airlines posed by state-supported foreign airlines and foreign airlines’ business plans that conflict with U.S. policy. He reinforced ALPA’s call for the U.S. government to make certain… Keep reading →
National Poll Dispels Popular Assumptions About Improving Local Economies and Attracting New Residents
By businesswireA wide-ranging national survey released today by the American Planning Association (APA) finds that Millennials and Baby Boomers want cities to focus less on recruiting new companies and more on investing in new transportation options, walkable communities, and making the area as attractive as possible. The poll also showed the perceived importance of shared economies,… Keep reading →
Manufacturers’ News, Inc.– Manufacturing employment in Washington increased 2.3% over the past year, reports the 2014 Washington Manufacturers Directory®, an industrial database and directory published by Manufacturers’ News, Inc. (MNI). According to data collected by MNI, Washington manufacturers added 7,228 jobs from February 2013 to February 2014. Manufacturers’ News reports Washington is now home to… Keep reading →
National Labor Exchange Providing Over 1.5 Million Job Listings to U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Newly Enhanced Veterans Job Bank
By businesswireThe National Labor Exchange (NLx) was named the provider of job content to the newly enhanced Veterans Job Bank found on the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs eBenefits platform. A public-private partnership between DirectEmployers Association and its longtime partner the National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA), the NLx includes 1.5 million opportunities found on… Keep reading →
For changing long, complicated forms that help people when they are shopping for home loans into shorter, more easily understood forms, the Consumer Protection Financial Bureau’s (CPFB) Loan Estimate Form was honored with the Center for Plain Language’s Grand ClearMark Award as the best example of clear, concise communication. In contrast, a Federal Motor Carrier… Keep reading →