Economic Growth

Mississippi could be a national trendsetter thanks to a U.S. Supreme Court decision that allows states to legalize sports betting.

The recently released Rich States/Poor States report by the American Legislative Exchange Conference ranks Mississippi as the sixth worst state in economic performance, but the state is in the middle of the pack at 24th for economic outlook.

The Complacent Class: The Self-Defeating Quest for the American Dream, offers a provocative and scary thesis – there is a troubling trend in America towards more stasis and less risk-taking that threatens America’s potential for long-term economic growth along with the prosperity of its middle class.

Guess what the world’s most populous country will be in four years? What will the world’s third largest economy be in 11 years? Third largest military in the world today? The answer to all these is India.

In Masters of Craft, Ocejo focuses on four of the myriad new “artisanal professions” – bartending, distilling, barbering and butchering. His in depth look at these four crafts provides a narrow but fascinating perspective on how the millennial generations, many of which are just entering the workforce, are grappling with a post-industrial economy that has seen many traditional career paths disrupted or eliminated entirely.

Thanks to an upcoming change in Mississippi law, craft brewers in the Magnolia State will be able to tap deeper into a growing national market.