1. Mario Rizzo LSE talk on behavioral economics.

2. Pendant.

3. Noah Smith on libertarianism.

4. More AI geoguessing.

5. “Korea is facing a surge in suicides among men in their 30s to 50s, driven by worsening economic hardship, social isolation and high-profile celebrity deaths, highlighting urgent calls for stronger national suicide prevention measures.”  Link here.

6. Short video of America’s largest data center.

7. Lakers go down 4-1 to Minnesota.  More here.  And here.  POTMR.

The post Thursday assorted links appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.

       

Comments

• In reply to Infovores. Yep. Agreed. by Noah Smith
• In reply to justin.qt.chang@gmail.com. I just started 3 weeks ... by Cindy
• In reply to jason y. Google is paying $90 to $100 dollars per ... by Shams Castro
• In reply to CB. Unlike the deep thinking, critical, super ... by anonprof
• In reply to Hazel Meade. Well, if he is implying that Thomas ... by anonprof
• Plus 10 more...

 

Germany’s domestic intelligence agency on Friday designated the far-right Alternative for Germany party, or AfD, as an “extremist endeavor,” a move that lowers hurdles for the spy agency in conducting certain kinds of surveillance on the party, the second-largest in Germany’s parliament.

In a statement, the intelligence agency said the designation was “due to the extremist nature of the entire party, which disregards human dignity.” The statement cited the group’s anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant orientation.

The post Democracy in danger appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.

     

Related Stories

• Has international travel to the U.S. really collapsed?
• That was then, this is now
• We are solving for the equilibrium

 

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick:

Ending the “de minimis loophole” is a big deal. This rule allowed foreign companies to avoid paying tariffs on small shipments, giving them an unfair advantage over American small businesses. To small businesses across the country: we have your back.

The Value of De Minimis Imports by Fajgelbaum and Khandelwal:

A U.S. consumer can import $800 worth of goods per day free of tariffs and administrative fees. Fueled by rising direct-to-consumer trade, these “de minimis” shipments have exploded in recent years, yet are not recorded in Census trade data. Who benefits from this type of trade, and what are the policy implications? We analyze international shipment data, including de minimis shipments, from three global carriers and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Lower-income zip codes are more likely to import de minimis shipments, particularly from China, which suggests that the tariff and administrative fee incidence in direct-to-consumer trade disproportionately benefits the poor. Theoretically, imposing tariffs above a threshold leads to terms-of-trade gains through bunching, even in a setting with complete pass-through of linear tariffs. Empirically, bunching pins down the demand elasticity for direct shipments. Eliminating §321 would reduce aggregate welfare by $10.9-$13.0 billion and disproportionately hurt lower-income and minority consumers.

In other words, eliminating the de minimis rule is a significant tax on poorer Americans.

Frankly, it’s also a pain in the ass to have your international shipments delayed at broker (who often charges you exorbitant rates, more than the customs tax) and then have to go down to the customs office to pay the stupid tax. Yes, I am speaking from experience.

The post Not De Minimis appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.

       

Comments

• In reply to Kaleberg. Share manufacturing production for ... by M
• [JOIN US]* I am creating an honest wage from home 1900 ... by Ann B. Martin
• How many de-minimis packages does China accept from us ? With ... by Geraldo!
• In reply to Kaleberg. They don't have internet enabled cell ... by DREW 2
• In reply to Vivian Darkbloom. All these years posting MR ... by Joseph
• Plus 10 more...

Related Stories

• Trump proposes 100% tariff on movies shot outside the United States
• Driverless trucks on their way?
• Has international travel to the U.S. really collapsed?