Center for Business and Economic Research - Ball State University


CBER Data Center
Projects and PublicationsEconomic IndicatorsWeekly CommentaryCommunity Asset InventoryManufacturing Scorecard

About

Commentaries are published weekly and distributed through the Indianapolis Business Journal and many other print and online publications. Disclaimer

RSS Feed

Disclaimer

The views expressed in these commentaries do not reflect those of Ball State University or the Center for Business and Economic Research.

Recent

Previewing the Long-Term Effects of TariffsThe dominant effect of the Trump tariffs will be to raise production costs on almost every American manufacturing firm.

It’s TDS to Suppose These Tariffs Are WorkingTrump has pushed the U.S. into an economic downturn that will be especially hurtful to Hoosiers.

Trump’s Tariff Recession Is HereMy new forecast, completed in late April, predicts a national recession began as early as March in reaction to Trump’s tarriffs.

Two Key Economic Lessons in One BillHoosiers face trade-offs and opportunity costs in the wake of SEA1.

View archives

Top Tags

jobs and employment 262
economics 203
state and local government 188
education 186
indiana 173
economic development 171
taxes 146
budget and spending 145
law and public policy 144
workforce and human capital 139
Browse all tags
Reporter / Admin Login

Commentaries tagged with society

April 13, 2025 The Stupidest of PoliciesThis whipsawing of tariff rates has unnerved financial markets, which on Wednesday, were toying with a liquidity crisis.
April 6, 2025 American Scientific Brain Drain Is Now HappeningUniversities need to be free, not conformist.
March 23, 2025 What the Census Tells Hoosiers About the FutureKeeping things the same really isn’t an option for communities.
March 9, 2025 A 1960s Rural Development PlanFarming and manufacturing jobs aren’t coming back, even as we hit new production records.
February 16, 2025 The End of DEI and a Call to ActionHow can we ensure that everyone has equal access to schooling, health care and economic opportunity?
February 2, 2025 The Great State of Illiana (or is it Indinois?)Deep economic divergence has gripped the United States for four decades.
January 26, 2025 A Whirlwind Policy Start to the YearGov. Braun and General Assembly have proposed a number of changes.
December 15, 2024 Indiana’s Commission on Higher Education Issues an Eye-Opening ReportOur current level of educational attainment and college attendance rates puts us squarely in the bottom 10 states and territories.
December 8, 2024 Sorting and Policy DivergenceWithout room for state-level differences in what it meant to be a Republican or Democrat, states began to align with national politics.
November 24, 2024 Thanksgiving 2024For Americans, particularly poorer Americans, the current economy has never been stronger.
November 17, 2024 The Degrowth Movement Is Wrong and ImmoralDegrowthers are terribly mistaken in three big ways.
November 10, 2024 Economic and Policy Expectations for a Trump PresidencyIt is not hard to gauge the policy choices Trump will prefer.
November 3, 2024 My Apology to LogansportThe city is well known as an immigration success story in the Midwest.
October 27, 2024 Indiana Is Ground Zero for Anti-American IdeologiesBad ideas rarely die of their own accord.
October 6, 2024 Thinking About Marijuana LegalizationIndiana may look to neighboring states when considering policies and effects.
September 22, 2024 Indiana’s Small Towns Need More ImmigrantsMany Midwestern counties are in their fourth or fifth decade of population decline.
September 1, 2024 Urban Growth Dominates the US Economy – and Puts Rural Places at RiskEducation becomes more important as more people become educated.
August 18, 2024 What would a conservative tax system look like?There are three big things we can tax: wealth, income and spending.
August 11, 2024 Project 2025 Is a Roadmap to DisasterThe document is alarming enough that former President Trump denied knowledge of its existence.
August 4, 2024 Childcare Problems Are Vexing and CostlyIndiana has both childcare and pre-kindergarten programs available to low-income households.
July 28, 2024 Biden’s Presidency Has Been Very ConsequentialBiden has held elected office for all but four of the last 54 years, serving on a city council, as U.S. senator, vice president, and, finally, president.
July 7, 2024 Freedom Is DifficultSimply living in the United States is as easy as it gets, and almost always has been.
June 23, 2024 Some Good Reasons for Partisan Perceptions About the EconomyThe gap between rich places and poor places is growing in more ways than one.
June 16, 2024 What Is Driving Misperceptions About the Economy?In a recent survey, more than half of Americans said the economy is shrinking, when in fact it has been growing steadily for four years.
May 26, 2024 Why They DiedFor more than 235 years, our soldiers have died bearing true faith and allegiance to the Constitution.
May 12, 2024 The Good, the Bad and the Antisemitic Ugliness on CampusFor every one protesting student, hundreds of others were studying for final exams, completing term papers or preparing end-of-course presentations.
April 28, 2024 We Botched Our Last Curriculum Reform, We Cannot Do So This TimeA very good idea can become very bad public policy when executed poorly.
April 21, 2024 Some Thoughts on the Caitlin Clark EffectAdvance ticket sales for WNBA games in Indianapolis are at record levels—and record prices.
March 31, 2024 The Political Economy of InflationThe public seems to prefer high unemployment to high inflation.
March 24, 2024 The Lasting Effect of the KKK in IndianaIndiana had the highest share of residents in the Klan at any time in history.
March 17, 2024 Deep Ideological Chasm Behind SB202 Will RemainThe central fight over ideological bias on campus involves two competing visions of the world.
March 3, 2024 Indiana Needs More Municipal FlexibilityCities aren’t just critical to Indiana’s economy, they are the future of Indiana’s economy.
February 25, 2024 SB202 Offers the Wrong Solutions to a Real ProblemMy reference to ideological imbalance refers to the creation of an artificial close-mindedness that stifles debate, isolates important perspectives and diminishes the richness of a college education.
February 4, 2024 Libertarians Going CrazyLibertarian viewpoints offer us a useful reminder of what restraints we must put upon those who govern us.
January 14, 2024 Thinking Hard About the IREAD TestAbout one in five Hoosier 3rd graders fail to pass the statewide reading test.
December 31, 2023 Education After High School Is the Path to Middle-Class LifeJobs of the future require at least some college training.
December 24, 2023 Leaving Behind Dickensian PovertyThis Christmas holiday is not about worldly wealth, but it is a time of giving thanks for the many blessings we enjoy.
November 12, 2023 Defend Democracies on This Veteran’s DayOur Constitution offers the highest form of a liberal democracy.
November 5, 2023 Municipal Elections Are Critical to Your ProsperityIn Indiana’s cities, like most cities nationwide, the problems mayors face aren’t partisan issues.
October 29, 2023 The Association for Business and Economic ResearchResearch discovers something no one knows about a problem.
October 15, 2023 An Exogenous Economic Shock from HamasArmed conflict is always economically damaging but may spur long-term growth.
July 23, 2023 Populists Are Wrong—Life Is Better TodayMany problems arise when comparing the past to today.
July 2, 2023 July 4th and American-Style ConservatismA true American conservative cannot believe that government should promote that faith, or treat those of other faiths differently.
June 11, 2023 “Of Boys and Men” by Richard Reeves Is a Must ReadThe gender gap in education is larger than any racial or ethnic gap.
June 4, 2023 Increasing Importance of Summer JobsThese jobs offer an opportunity to learn as well as earn money.
May 7, 2023 Money Illusion and InflationPrice fluctuation could cause inflation to last longer, but it didn’t cause the inflation, it simply extends the pain.
April 23, 2023 Economic Opportunity Is Now in High Quality of Life PlacesAs Americans grew richer, we began to value more than just economic opportunity in our location choices.
April 16, 2023 What New AI Might Do to Labor MarketsThe human advantage lies in creative intelligence and social organization.
April 2, 2023 The Five Skills Employers Tell Me They NeedI’ve asked countless numbers of leaders in business, government, military, and organizations.
March 26, 2023 Bank Failures Warn of Deeper Economic ProblemsDuring the Great Recession, a whopping 0.014 percent of banks were closed by the FDIC.
March 19, 2023 Remote Work Through the Eyes of Three 20-SomethingsRemote work is here to stay.
March 12, 2023 Remote Work and Labor MarketsThere are more remote workers today than there are immigrants in the U.S.
March 5, 2023 The Amish in IndianaIt is hard not to draw similarities between the Amish and newer immigrant groups.
January 22, 2023 Some Labor Market Facts You Won’t Read ElsewhereIndiana is simply not producing a 21st century workforce.
January 15, 2023 Three Types of Public DebtAll types of public debt are effectively transfers of wealth from the future to our present selves.
December 18, 2022 The Anderson Family Scholar HouseThe best assistance for a family comes comprehensively.
November 6, 2022 Adopt the Governor’s Public Health Commission Report Proposals Hoosier health problems are in areas that are the most susceptible to public health interventions.
October 16, 2022 Partisan Effect of Disinformation on COVID DeathsNationwide, at least 250,000 Americans died of COVID because they chose not to be vaccinated.
September 18, 2022 Why Do We Care About a Monarchy?Strong, stable, adaptable institutions help us navigate change while ensuring continuity.
September 11, 2022 Benefits and Costs of EducationFor the vast majority of students, college is among the best financial investments they will ever make.
August 14, 2022 SB1 Will Be Deeply Damaging to Indiana’s EconomyPublic policy is about trade-offs, it is just imperative to know what they are.
July 31, 2022 Trying to Measure the Effect of Abortion Bans on Our EconomyThe effect we see right now is vastly different from what we’ll see in a few years.
July 17, 2022 My 750th ColumnColumns like mine are designed to help people think about issues they might otherwise not read about.
July 10, 2022 The Tensions of Economic Policy in a Volatile TimeDiffering political views can lead to very different policy choices.
July 3, 2022 The 246th Anniversary of ‘The Great Experiment’Our nation may be at its most divided, but I have great hope.
June 26, 2022 Inflation Affects Each Family DifferentlyWe understand earthquakes and hurricanes better than we do inflation.
May 29, 2022 Let Us Ask More of Ourselves on Memorial DayToday’s challenges demand an understanding of evolving facts and trends.
May 8, 2022 The Lives of Mothers Through the Last CenturyThe women of the 20th century witnessed the most stunning technological and economic growth.
March 20, 2022 Quality of Life Spending Is a Conservative PolicyHome prices and wages signal the desirability of communities.
March 13, 2022 Economic Lessons From America’s Most Experienced Avon LadyJob flexibility is just as appealing to workers today as it was to housewives half a century ago.
January 23, 2022 Indiana’s Long-Term Economic Prospects Are PoorState policymakers should be deeply alarmed about a return to a ‘normal’ economy.
January 16, 2022 Americans Are Quietly Realizing Dr. King’s VisionMLK’s words are part of the canon of American political writing, and belong to a long tradition of Enlightenment thought.
December 26, 2021 Some Lessons from Hallmark Christmas MoviesA lot of economic ideas are packed into Hallmark movies.
November 28, 2021 A Time to Give ThanksIf Mr. Lincoln could find reason to call us together for a day of gratitude, we can now have no cause to do otherwise.
November 14, 2021 It Is Time to Be Honest About Debt, Spending and TaxationSpending that makes us more productive often pays for itself through increased GDP that is then taxed.
October 10, 2021 COVID and the Risks of Medical Care Delays As we think about the longer-term effects of COVID, we must consider how many people have deferred medical care because of the disease.
September 12, 2021 Lessons from Afghan Refugees and September 11Our fight against the extremists who attacked us 20 years ago is ongoing.
September 5, 2021 The Evolving Nature of WorkWork has the potential to provide meaning and satisfaction, unconnected to the economic importance of the task at hand.
July 18, 2021 Free Speech and Senate Bill 414The origin of free speech problems on campus lie primarily outside the classroom.
July 4, 2021 The Ideals of Independence DayLiberty flows from the simple act of being human, not from government, religion, ancestry or race.
June 20, 2021 Looking Back at a Century of Father’s DaysThe lives of our fathers and their fathers are representative of the early and mid-20th century.
May 9, 2021 Mother’s Day Thoughts in the Wake of COVIDThe experience of women in the labor force has differed from that of men in key respects.
May 2, 2021 Why Are We Hearing About a Labor Shortage?Government benefits are not to blame.
December 13, 2020 How to Stop Worrying About National PoliticsLocal government requires pragmatic competence, not ideological showmanship.
November 29, 2020 Regional Divergence and Local TaxesIn recent decades, nearly all large urban places thrived, while smaller cities and rural places mostly stagnated.
November 22, 2020 Some New and Better Data About Labor MarketsWorker benefits and child care options may affect labor participation.
November 1, 2020 The Economic Policies of the Losing Party Also MatterEach party may face identity crisis depending on the outcome of the election.
September 6, 2020 COVID-19 and InequalityThe pandemic continues to exert a historic effect on our economy, and we must confront it with honesty, facts and determination.
July 26, 2020 Challenges for Indiana’s Colleges Threaten Long-term GrowthSome of the costs of COVID-19 on US colleges are already emerging.
June 7, 2020 What Long-Term Changes Might We Anticipate from These Crises?The first half of 2020 has given us a trade war, global pandemic, economic downturn, and protests.
March 8, 2020 A Decelerating Economy on the Brink of RecessionThe arrival of Covid-19 is already exacting a toll on the weakened manufacturing sector.
November 17, 2019 Beware Claims of a Golden Age in Our EconomyWe cannot go back, and are naïve to want to do so.
September 8, 2019 The Costs of Natural DisastersNatural disasters impose costs on society, businesses, households and government.
August 11, 2019 Trade and the Division of LaborThe elemental essence of human interaction is trade.
November 24, 2018 Thanksgiving for Economic Growth and Human FlourishingAcross the developed world, poverty is no longer the result of economic conditions.
September 16, 2018 Some Advice for High School GraduatesMost young workers will have to look to the private sector for training.
August 26, 2018 College Starts AgainHere you can entirely reinvent yourself in ways that will never again be possible.
August 19, 2018 It Is Time to End the War on DrugsWe need another approach.
August 12, 2018 Ten Years of This ColumnThis has been an exciting and tumultuous time to write about economic policy, and along the way I’ve learned quite a few things.
October 8, 2017 The Model Speech on Diversity and RespectEstablishing respect for one another is the job of all leaders.
April 23, 2017 Bad Regulation Leads to Bad Customer ServiceCustomer dissatisfaction with businesses is common.
December 11, 2016 The Problems of Slow Economic GrowthSlow economic growth leads to a delayed standard of living increase.
June 5, 2016 More Free Speech ShenanigansAs citizens, we must necessarily make judgments about research in which we aren’t experts.
July 5, 2015 Same-Sex Marriage, Liberty and FamiliesThose who think the Supreme Court’s ruling on same sex marriage is the problem have entirely misdiagnosed the deep challenges to families.
August 24, 2014 Who Actually Pays Taxes Isn't an Easy GuessIt is the laws of economics, not government rules, that determine who bears the burden of taxation.
August 3, 2014 A Century After the Great WarWWI triggered dramatic change that we can still feel today around the world.
July 6, 2014 Court Rulings Uphold FreedomSome issues should stay as matters of individual conscience, not public policy.
April 13, 2014 Measuring the UnmeasurableMany things we value are not bought and sold, and so have no visible price.
March 30, 2014 Where Is the Fraud in Benefit Programs?Most government assistance programs, including SNAP and disability assistance, experience abuse of 1.5 percent or less.

© Center for Business and Economic Research, Ball State University

About Ball State CBER Data Center

Ball State CBER Data Center is one-stop shop for economic data including demographics, education, health, and social capital. Our easy-to-use, visual web tools offer data collection and analysis for grant writers, economic developers, policy makers, and the general public.

Ball State CBER Data Center (cberdata.org) is a product of the Center for Business and Economic Research at Ball State University. CBER's mission is to conduct relevant and timely public policy research on a wide range of economic issues affecting the state and nation. Learn more.

Terms of Service

Center for Business and Economic Research

Ball State University • Whitinger Business Building, room 149
2000 W. University Ave.
Muncie, IN 47306-0360
Phone:
765-285-5926
Email:
cber@bsu.edu
Website:
www.bsu.edu/cber
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/BallStateCBER
Twitter:
www.twitter.com/BallStateCBER
Close