I really am so old that I remember when the “Population Bomb” meant the end of the human species:
While the global population is still growing, a major study from 2020 predicts it will peak in 2064 and then fall by nearly a billion people by the end of the century.
The sole purpose of science and their pals in the media has degenerated into finding things to be scared about. That is a shame.
A news report says Delta thinks it will take ’til summer of 2023 to re-build the airline back to 2019 pre-pandemic levels.
Separately, countries are looking at ways to limit tourism, or focus more on luxury/high end travelers who stay longer and spend more money. There is also talk of more fees and carbon taxes on tourists, which may limit future international travel to the well off.
Continue reading Travel and tourism post pandemic: “More exclusive, more responsible, more expensive”I think in the U.S. the government sees this as a feature. Am expecting very large tax hikes to be proposed soon.
Source: Budget 2021: Rishi Sunak warns tax rises to follow spending spree – BBC News
At this point, at lot if not most of the “stimulus” and “Relief” spending is pork spending to favor constituents. That, in turn will be used as the reason we must raise taxes.
Companies such as Walmart and GE created the outsourced, offshore manufacturing boom. Globalization was the future and it would be great for everyone. That’s what the economics theory says too.
But then the pandemic happened and much has changed.
BENTONVILLE, Ark. (KNWA) — Walmart announced Wednesday a goal to invest $350 billion in the “future of U.S. manufacturing” over the next 10 years.
Source: Walmart announces it will invest $350 billion in US manufacturing | NewsNation Now
A related issue is “carbon taxes”. Many countries know full well they outsourced their own dirty industries to other countries – so they could virtue signal how clean their country had become.
Now, though, several countries have proposed a carbon import tax – such that goods made in cheaper but dirty manufacturing facilities elsewhere – will cost the same as those made in cleaner domestic facilities.
Of course, this does mean we will all be paying more for things in the future.
Source: Houses, healthcare will get more expensive as US economy recovers
As Amazon lobbies for a higher minimum wage, experts say that the company is not making the decision solely out of the goodness of Jeff Bezos’ heart.
Source: Amazon’s $15 minimum wage push is a strategic business decision
Corporations have long used government regulation to harm competitors while benefiting themselves. It is also known as “regulatory capture” – where the businesses being regulated mostly write their own rules, and do so in a way to harm competitors or reduce future competition.
Amazon already averages over $15/hour pay so the legislation does not affect Amazon – but it would harm small businesses and others in low cost of living locations throughout the U.S.
It also enables Jeff Bezos to earn “virtue signaling” points in the public opinion-sphere.
Continue reading Why Amazon wants a $15 Federal minimum wage-to crush its competitionA word that rhymes with “Boron” comes to mind here:
A two-week quarantine period for international, inter-regional, or transcontinental travel would make a huge difference in preventing future epidemics from becoming pandemics. Standing travel quarantine policies should be implemented, even when we are not in a pandemic. These can become as normal as other preventive measures we take, such as airport security and washing hands after using the bathroom. Having travel quarantine policies in place will also make it easier to adjust for particular events, such as increasing the quarantine time if a long-incubation illness emerges or testing for a particular illness.
Source: An argument for ongoing travel quarantines. — EndCoronavirus.org
Because a 2-week mandatory quarantine in each direction of a trip is exactly the same as “airport security and washing hands after using the bathroom”?
This proposal includes quarantines for travel between U.S. states too – literally placing people under arrest and detaining them. California, if it were a country, would be the 37th largest country in the world and New York would be the 60th largest country in the world.
Continue reading Academic says quarantines should be required for all travel forever, even when there are no pandemicsGlobal supply chains and free markets are so 2020 now …
Biden to press for $37 billion to boost chip manufacturing amid shortfall
Source: Biden to press for $37 billion to boost chip manufacturing amid shortfall
There will be growth but on the other hand, much retail has done fine so far. The services area, like restaurants, hotels, airlines and everything travel related has huge upside in 2H of 2021.
Retail sales are expected to grow in 2021 between 6.5% and 8.2%, amounting to more than $4.33 trillion, the National Retail Federation said Wednesday.
Source: U.S. retail sales to rise 6.5% to 8.2% in 2021, National Retail Federation says
I’m so old, I remember a year ago when global supply chains were the future.
During the pandemic, the U.S. couldn’t import enough gloves. Recently, car makers ran out of semiconductors. So the White House wants to find ways to make more critical items in the United States.
Source: Biden To Sign Order Seeking Homegrown Fixes For Shortfalls Of Foreign-Made Items : NPR