Four years ago, Barack Obama had just won a comfortable re-election, buoyed, in part, by a resounding victory among Hispanic voters. Obama had trounced his opponent, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, 71 percent to 27 percent among Hispanics, leading some Republicans to worry that they were fighting a losing demographic battle.A few leading Republican senators, including then-2016 presidential hopeful, Marco Rubio, even begrudgingly accepted the need for comprehensive immigration reform and were even willing to consider controversial topics like pathways to citizenship, fast-tracking the green card process for certain skilled immigrants and reforming the visa process for low-skilled workers.It’s safe to say that Donald Trump’s election has changed all of that.Trump’s hardline immigration views were a centerpiece of his campaign—indeed, his announcement speech is probably most famous for his line about Mexico illegally sending over people who bring drugs and … [Read more...] about Trump and GOP seem poised to usher in sweeping changes in immigration policy
Uptick silicon valley
‘Armies of Attorneys’ Hired to Aid Chipmakers During Slump
Companies that manufacture computer chips are retaining “armies of patent lawyers” to combat rival products or collect patent royalties.The uptick has meant a much busier U.S. International Trade Commission, which has started investigating 42 intellectual property complaints this year, the largest number since 1983, Bloomberg reports.“Lawyers are expensive, particularly patent lawyers in Silicon Valley, but it’s a great area to get money,” Hans Mosesmann, a semiconductor analyst for Raymond James & Associates in New York, told Bloomberg. “You’re going to see more litigation and more aggressive maneuvering.”Overproduction and falling demand for chips have led to a slump in the market.Qimonda, LSI and Spansion, are among the companies that are pursuing cases at the ITC, which Bloomberg notes typically winds up investigations in half the time taken by U.S. courts. Plus, the ITC has the authority to halt imports at the border.In … [Read more...] about ‘Armies of Attorneys’ Hired to Aid Chipmakers During Slump
Me Too, But Now What? What Board Members Need to Know About Workplace Sexual Harassment
Allegations of workplace sexual harassment and assault have recently made headlines from Silicon Valley to Hollywood and have brought down the careers of numerous high-profile executives. Partially a response to the uptick in reports and partially a catalyst for new complaints, the “Me Too” hashtag prompted thousands of women and men to take to social media and share stories of sexual harassment and assault.Now, in boardrooms from coast to coast, directors and trustees are grappling with how to respond. This primer discusses the impact that sexual harassment and assault allegations can have on companies and identifies steps that a Board member can take to both respond to allegations and avoid future claims. While this primer focuses on sexual harassment and assault, it is important to note that applicable law and Human Resources policies cover other forms of harassment as well.Why Sexual Harassment and Assault Allegations Should Matter to the BoardIf there is a lesson from … [Read more...] about Me Too, But Now What? What Board Members Need to Know About Workplace Sexual Harassment
Texas Is CNBC’s Top State for Business in America This Year
Riding the rising tide of energy prices — and the job growth that goes with it — Texas lands the top spot in CNBC's 2018 America’s Top States for Business rankings. This is familiar territory for the Lone Star State, which becomes the first four-time winner in our annual study, now in its 12th year. But it has been a long time coming. This is the first time since 2012 that Texas has claimed top honors. Not coincidentally, West Texas Intermediate Crude Oil — the state’s most important export — peaked at just over $108 per barrel that year, a figure it has not seen since. But it has risen enough — around 60 percent in the last year, powering through the $70-per-barrel mark in June — to turbocharge the $1.6 trillion Texas economy. “The Texas economy remains in a broad-based expansion,” said Dallas Federal Reserve economists Christopher Slijk and Jason Saving in a recent report. “The state’s energy sector continues to … [Read more...] about Texas Is CNBC’s Top State for Business in America This Year
Bad air from California’s Camp Fire makes people sick, but for how long?
Breaking News Emails Get breaking news alerts and special reports. The news and stories that matter, delivered weekday mornings. SUBSCRIBE Nov. 23, 2018 / 9:45 AM GMT By James Rainey Wind and rain arrived in Northern California this week, providing welcome relief to a region buffeted by the state's deadliest wildfire and then besieged for nearly two weeks by a dome of thick, noxious smoke. A high-pressure system had stalled over the Sacramento Valley and the San Francisco Bay Area, leaving residents up to 200 miles south of the Camp Fire coughing, wheezing and tearing up from the acrid fumes. The ashy cloud closed schools throughout the region for more than a week and forced the delay of the UC Berkeley-Stanford football game, postponed for the first time in more than half a century. Smoke from the fire that destroyed much of Paradise, California, blew all the way to the Atlantic coast. "You see it everywhere and you feel something in your chest, a heaviness that is slightly … [Read more...] about Bad air from California’s Camp Fire makes people sick, but for how long?