Economy

Economists Debate If Tax Cuts Pay For Themselves

6:24am May 09, 2017

by Ailsa Chang

A decades-old economic theory is making a comeback. The theory: tax cuts can pay for themselves. Trump administration advisers have repeated this mantra to explain their corporate tax rate cut.

Longevity disparities in the U.S. have developed depending on where people live, new research shows.

Life Expectancy Can Vary By 20 Years Depending On Where You Live

9:17pm May 08, 2017

by Rob Stein

Geographic inequality in life span is growing in the United States, with people in some counties living more than 20 years longer than those in others.

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Google wants to pump 1.5 million gallons of water per day to cool servers at its data center in Berkeley County, S.C. "It's great to have Google in this region," conservationist Emily Cedzo said. "So by no means are we going after Google ... Our concern,

Google Moves In And Wants To Pump 1.5 Million Gallons Of Water Per Day

8:21pm May 08, 2017

by Sarah McCammon

The company says it needs that much water to cool its servers at a South Carolina data center. Now, community leaders are having to balance economic benefits with environmental impact.

Restaurants With Low Yelp Ratings Suffer Under Higher Minimum Wages

5:34pm May 08, 2017

by Sam Harnett

Minimum wage increases in the San Francisco Bay Area have had an impact on the local restaurant industry, according to a study released by Harvard Business School. Restaurants with low or middling Yelp reviews have become more likely to go out of business. Places with high reviews have been unaffected. The study doesn't attempt to determine whether the wage increases have been good for employees or the local economy overall.

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Puerto Rico Government Looking At Different Ways To Reduce $120 Billion Debt

6:44pm May 07, 2017

Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rosselló talks about the dire economic situation on the island. Last week it sought a special form of protection from creditors.

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Health Care Services Is A Big Concern For Puerto Ricans In Current Economy

6:44pm May 07, 2017

NPR's Lakshmi Singh talks to Associated Press reporter Danica Coto about how Puerto Ricans are responding to austerity measures meant to address the island's billion-dollar debt.

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Berkshire Hathaway Chairman and CEO Warren Buffett visits the exhibit floor in Omaha, Neb., Saturday, where company subsidiaries display their products during the annual shareholders meeting.

The 'Oracle of Omaha' Condemns Republican Health Care Bill At Berkshire Meeting

11:34pm May 06, 2017

by Chris Arnold

At what's become an annual tradition that some call a "Capitalist Woodstock," Warren Buffett held forth on a wide range of issues, including Wells Fargo's scandal, tax cuts and driverless cars.

Economy

The Case Against 'Maximizing Shareholder Value'

7:48am May 06, 2017

Bloomberg View writer Joe Nocera talks with NPR's Scott Simon about what happened when American Airlines gave its employees a raise — and Wall Street complained.

A work crew for the Pittsburgh company Energy Independent Solutions installs solar panels at a community building in Millvale, Pa.

As Coal Jobs Decline, Solar Sector Shines

6:44am May 06, 2017

by Reid Frazier

The loss of jobs has stung as the coal industry has declined. Renewable power — especially solar — is now where the jobs are. Solar jobs outnumber those in coal, but coal jobs pay more.

Glassdoor Economist Describes U.S. Economy As 'A Red Hot Labor Market'

5:38pm May 05, 2017

NPR's Kelly McEvers speaks with Andrew Chamberlain, chief economist for Glassdoor, about the new jobs report from the Labor Department.

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