By: Jamie Burchette *| Staff Writer

Amazon is an innovative and successful company which boasted a pretax income of $3.89 billion in 2016. Yet, the government always takes its cut. The United States has a corporate income tax rate of approximately 38.91% and the average corporate tax rate in Europe is 18.35%. In 2016, Amazon paid $1.43 billion in corporate income taxes. When trying to find a way to cut expenses and increase profits, taxes make for a tempting opportunity. There are legal ways to mitigate the cost of taxes, but Amazon went too far and is now facing the consequences. Countless celebrities and even mobsters have suffered under the might of taxes. Now, it is Amazon’s turn.

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By: Greg Volk *| Staff Writer

These days United States governmental policy on carbon emissions is – like the climate itself according to broad scientific consensus – in a state of significant change. After the Obama administration struggled to implement rules aimed at reducing carbon emissions, a chief cause of human-induced climate change, the Trump administration is trying equally as hard to undo them. Perhaps that is why some state and local governments are taking matters into their own hands.

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By: Gabriela Mejias *| Staff Writer

The FDA recently approved a new version of a previously withdrawn drug for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia. Mylotarg, produced by Pfizer, Inc., was voluntarily withdrawn from the market in 2010 after studies showed the drug failed to provide clinical benefits and carried certain safety concerns, such as a high number of deaths.

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By: Emily Marcum *| Staff Writer

What do a consulting firm, a regulatory agency, and a consumer credit reporting bureau have in common? They are all members of the financial industry who recently fell victim to hacking. In the past month, hackers have successfully stolen sensitive information from the SEC, Equifax, and Deloitte. Although these three hacks varied in scope and severity, together they illuminate the “Achilles’ heel” of the financial industry, cybersecurity! Targeting the financial industry is an obvious choice. When asked why he robbed banks, the infamous American bank robber, Willie Sutton, said it best, “Because that’s where the money is.”

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By: Gabriela Mejias *| Staff Writer

The U.S. Supreme Court opened its new term by hearing arguments in a major employment dispute case that has the potential to affect millions of employment contracts. Justices heard oral arguments from three consolidated cases, involving Ernst & Young LLP, a professional services firm, Murphy Oil USA, Inc., a gas station operator, and Epic Systems Corp., a healthcare software company. The issue at the center of the cases is this: Can employment agreements prohibit workers from joining together to bring class action suits in overtime pay and other labor disputes, and instead force employees into private arbitration? Employers, as well as the Trump administration, claim they can, while the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and employees argue that such contracts threaten workers’ right to organize.

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By: Emily Marcum *| Staff Writer

Cybersecurity is not the next frontier for most businesses; in fact, it’s more or less the only game in town. Over the last decade, the phrase “cybersecurity” has echoed in boardrooms, courtrooms, and living rooms like never before. What was once intellectual chatter, has become a “fact of life for corporations and governments.” According to U.S. President, Donald Trump, “Cyber theft is the fastest growing crime in the United States by far.”  So, it is no surprise that consumers were recently greeted with yet another disappointing headline concerning Equifax’s massive data breach.

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By: Greg Volk *| Staff Writer

“Fair trade” may once have seemed like only a wonkish policy buzzword, but today it is a possible predictor of political affiliation, a “Portlandia” punchline, and, perhaps most significantly, big business. Amazon recently paid $13.7 billion for Whole Foods, whose entire store has been called “effectively fair trade.” Consumers have been increasingly willing to pay higher prices for sustainably-sourced products, but there are signs that growth among cost-conscious consumers may be slowing and companies are reacting. After years of explosive growth, sales of Fairtrade-certified products fell for the first time in 2014. Fair trade certifications cost money. That is exactly the point.

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By: Emily Marcum *| Staff Writer

By: Tyler Cunningham *| Guest Writer

On December 18, 2014, the FSOC labeled MetLife as a systematically important financial institution. MetLife, not satisfied with its new “SIFI” label, decided to file a complaint and appeal the FSOC’s decision. On March 30, 2016, Judge Rosemary M. Collyer of the Federal District Court for the District of Columbia, overturned MetLife’s designation as a systematically important financial institution, referencing an inadequate assessment and unsubstantiated assumptions by the FSOC. Shortly thereafter, the U.S. government brought an appeal of its own, as former U.S. Treasury Secretary and chairperson of the FSOC, Jack Lew, said he strongly disagreed with Judge Collyer’s decision.

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By: Lasley Cash *| Guest Writer

On Friday, July 21, 2017, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) reported fines against three U.S. airlines – American, Delta and Frontier – for violating the Department’s airline rules aimed at protecting consumers. The violations, which were related to refunds, disability assistance, and other issues, totaled $850,000 in fines. Frontier Airlines, a low-cost Denver-based carrier, bore the largest fine of $400,000; the result of oversales and disability rule violations. American Airlines, based in Fort Worth, Texas, was hit with the next largest fine of $250,000 for failure to make timely refunds to passengers. Delta Air Lines, headquartered in Atlanta, faced the smallest fine of $200,000; the result of filing inaccurate baggage reports to the Department.

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