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Taylor Shiroff

Taylor Shiroff is a School of Arts and Sciences junior majoring in economics and minoring in political science and mathematics. His column, "Policy Matters," runs on alternate Thursdays.

SHIROFF: Humanities majors need not abandon STEM

A colleague, Richard Suta, wrote a great article last week on why we should not consider humanities degrees useless. I would recommend reading his article, but in short, the point is that humanities courses, especially in English, investigate important subjects, train students how to think critically and inquisitively interpret the world. I think Suta’s argument is worth expanding. 1 day ago

SHIROFF: Answer to student debt crisis lies in affordability, not forgiveness

Every so often, the question of what to do about student loan debt — a $1.71 trillion issue shared by 44.7 million Americans — comes up. Should the government simply forgive this debt and cancel it? Should relief be more targeted toward those who cannot afford to pay off their debt? These questions are tricky as they treat different people differently. They also do not properly address the issue.Oct 5

SHIROFF: Students should be for open borders

Given its benefits, college students and young adults more broadly should be much more in favor of open borders.Sep 21

SHIROFF: Rutgers students can count on the Federal Reserve

When we think about economic policies, we tend to think about high-profile issues like the minimum wage or infrastructure plans. These are important, of course, but today’s undergraduates, tomorrow’s job seekers, should be thankful for the Federal Reserve too.Sep 10

SHIROFF: Mandating vaccines at Rutgers should come with relaxed coronavirus guidelines

By the time this publication picks up again in the fall semester, Rutgers must follow the science on the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and give the student body and faculty the semester they not only deserve, but also have every right to have. Apr 29

SHIROFF: As more people get vaccinated, NJ should begin reopening

We are truly arriving at the light at the end of the tunnel. On or before this coming Monday, all Americans over 16 will be eligible for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine.Apr 15

SHIROFF: American Rescue Plan Act is neither insufficient nor wasteful

An oft-appearing argument from both those on the Left and Right is that the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP) passed earlier this month consists of just stimulus checks (which are not enough) and wasteful spending. Neither case is remotely accurate. Apr 1

SHIROFF: Positives of increasing minimum wage outweigh negatives

The minimum wage got kicked out of the stimulus bill last week due to esoteric parliamentary rules. Though it did not make the cut, Congress should regardless work toward increasing the minimum wage. Doing so will not be nearly as destructive as opponents suggest, would benefit millions of workers and with some adjustments could be made into an even stronger change. Mar 11

SHIROFF: American infrastructure needs dire improvements

The stories out of Texas and other southern states recently ought to be fictional in a county as wealthy as ours is. The fact that Texas’ energy grid could not handle higher energy demand, and came within seconds of going out for months, is unacceptable and a symptom of our aging and inadequate infrastructure. When the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) dust settles, President Joseph R. Biden Jr. and Congress must invest big on infrastructure.Feb 25

SHIROFF: Overheating economy should not be concern when passing stimulus bill

The former Secretary of the Treasury Lawrence Summers is mistaken to caution against another large stimulus bill out of fear of overheating the economy. First things first: what does it mean for an economy to overheat? How does this happen?Feb 11