Prof. Michael Noel is regularly called upon by the media to discuss a variety of economic issues. His expertise on Competition Economics, including Labor & Employment issues, and other current economic events makes Prof. Noel a highly demanded guest on television, radio, and podcast shows, as well as an important contributor to print and online media.

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The United States often grapples with economic challenges such as inflation, supply chain disruptions, and geopolitical events. These factors impact not only the broader economy but also individual Americans, affecting the cost of living, including food, gas, and rent. Addressing inflation usually entails tough policy choices that may involve government spending cuts and adjustments in lending to businesses. At the same time, there's also talk about helping people with student loans, which raises questions about who should get help and why education is so expensive.

Professor Michael Noel discusses these ongoing issues and more across various media platforms. Below is an overview of Prof. Noel's contributions to public discussions on key topics:

1. Gas Prices,
2. Inflation, and
3. Student Loan Forgiveness.

1. Gas Prices

 Prof. Michael Noel contributes to the discourse about gas prices on major networks such as Fox and NBC Lubbock. He points out that the challenges in reversing high gas prices stem from several factors. One big reason is the anti-oil government policies affecting oil production. He also highlights the challenges in building new oil refineries, setting up pipelines, moving oil, and obtaining necessary drilling permits.

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Prof. Noel was a guest on Marketplace, a radio show broadcasted on NPR, where he explained that people suffered from high gas prices because gasoline consumption depends on factors that are hard to change, such as the type of car you drive, how fuel efficient it is, and how far you live from the place you work.

2. Inflation

On Fox and NBC Lubbock, Professor Michael Noel commented on the extraordinary high inflation rates of 7.5% in February 2022. Prof. Noel argued that we experienced three types of inflation simultaneously:

1. Demand-pull inflation occurs when everyone wants to buy things, but there's not enough people to actually supply those things.
2. Cost-push inflation is when the costs to produce goods and services increase, which then again increase prices. The costs to produce goods went up because businesses have to pay more for their workers, as a lot of people retired early or decided to stay at home with their kids.
3. Built-in inflation occurs when workers ask for higher salaries to maintain their living costs; and as a result, producers have to increase prices of goods and services. Prof. Noel argued that we were experiencing a price wage spiral, where higher prices lead to higher wages, which again lead to higher prices, which again lead to higher wages, and so on.

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Professor Michael Noel was also featured in WalletHub's survey about Labor Day, where he talked about inflation, job security, and travel costs. Prof. Noel stated that inflation has increased the price of pretty much everything, which is in large part driven by energy costs and labor shortages. Because the price of fuel and travel is so expensive, some will find it more economical to put off that Labor Day trip and go later.

Finally, Professor Noel talked about how inflation increased housing costs on Fox and NBC Lubbock. As a result, many families have to cut back on other things. Prof. Noel believes the high rent is here to stay, but eventually the pay will start to increase so that rent becomes affordable again.

3. Student Loan Forgiveness

Professor Michael Noel talked about U.S. President Joe Biden's student debt relief program on Spectrum Evening News and Capital Tonight (August 24 & 25, 2022). Prof. Noel argued that tuition is expensive and student loans are very burdensome; and therefore, we need to rethink how to fund education. He further points out some of the issues of President Joe Biden's student loan forgiveness plan. For example, if you took out a loan before July 2022 you qualify for loan forgiveness; however, if you took a loan after July 2022, you don't get anything. Moreover, people who already paid off their student loans get nothing, as well as the people who couldn't afford to take on a loan in the first place.