Does Immigration Increase Economic Growth?

The question of how many legal immigrants should be admitted to the United States -- and what level of skills these immigrants should have --is among the most divisive issues in the current U.S. domestic policy landscape. Much of the controversy that it sparks can be traced to a single question: Do immigrants help or harm the economy?This paper reviews scholarly literature and examines government data on immigration's contribution to economic growth and finds that both high- and low-skill immigration, on net, boosts economic growth. The paper concludes with a series of pro-growth, long-term policy reforms that Congress would do well to include in immigration reform legislation.  (This is not to imply an endorsement of the granting of legal status to nonlegal immigrants by executive action, as pledged by the White House at the time of the release of this report.

The Impact of Public Research Units on Regional Innovation Processes and Regional Economic Development

It is well-known today that innovation activities of private firms play a significant role for economic growth in less-developed regions. There are many studies on these interrelations and on explaining how regional innovation processes are working and which factors are important for them. However, some important questions have still not been completely answered by these studies. One of these questions is that of the role of public research units (PRU, which include publicly financed universities and research institutes) in the process of regional innovation. There have already been several studies on the economic impacts of selected PRU on economic growth. But it is not comprehensively answered so far to what extent the impact on economic growth of a PRU is concentrated on the region where the PRU itself is located. In other words: Whether the ”knowledge transfers offered by a PRU will have more effects on firms located nearby (at a small distance from the PRU) than on firms at other locations - or if other factors than spatial distance are more important for the decision of private firms to use knowledge transfers from certain PRU. The paper presents the results of a research project for answering this question for the case of the Halle region (= the southern part of the German Land Saxony-Anhalt). It is based on an empirical analysis (two postal surveys on PRU and on knowledge-based private firms) with a focus on the most important types of knowledge transfers. For those firms which are cooperating with PRU, if it is shown that spatial distance is an important factor, in the sense that firms which are located nearer to the PRU are cooperating more intensively with the PRU than firms which are located in other regions. But also important for the firms is the import of knowledge transfers from PRU which are located outside Saxony-Anhalt. With regard to the determining factors which are important for the spatial direction of knowledge transfers, it is shown that apart from spatial proximity, also various factors on the demand side may inhibit knowledge transfers. Therefore, for being effective, regional policy should also deal with the demand side (and not just with public research units) to create better conditions for knowledge transfers in structural weak regions.

Strengthening Community Colleges' Influence on Economic Mobility

Examines the role of community colleges in enhancing upward mobility. Compares family incomes of community college and four-year college students and incomes by degree attained. Recommends ways to help more students obtain degrees in high-earning fields

ELIMINATING THE MARRIAGE PENALTY THROUGH FLATTER TAXATION

FORUM ON MARRIED WOMEN AND THE INCOME TAX: MARRIAGE PENALTIES AND MARRIAGE BONUSES OF THE 105 H CONGRESS PANEL I: OBSERVING MONEY, MARRIAGE AND TAXATIO

Improving Union Financial Transparency

This paper uses data newly-available from labor union LM-2 forms available on the Department of Labor website, and Bureau of Labor Statistics data to deconstruct several long-running myths about the actions and prominence of labor unions in America. It then discusses the current debate centering around union democracy and the card check campaign

Hudson Institute Economic Report 01-04-2008

A weekly summary of general economic indicators, employment indicators, housing indicators, price and interest rate indicators, and surveys of economic outlook for the United States. The Economic Report includes a summary and analysis of the week's economic data

Hudson Institute Economic Report 04-18-2008

A weekly summary of general economic indicators, employment indicators, housing indicators, price and interest rate indicators, and surveys of economic outlook for the United States. The Economic Report includes a summary and analysis of the week's economic data

Hudson Institute Economic Report 01-18-2008

A weekly summary of general economic indicators, employment indicators, housing indicators, price and interest rate indicators, and surveys of economic outlook for the United States. The Economic Report includes a summary and analysis of the week's economic data

Hudson Institute Economic Report 02-15-2008

A weekly summary of general economic indicators, employment indicators, housing indicators, price and interest rate indicators, and surveys of economic outlook for the United States. The Economic Report includes a summary and analysis of the week's economic data