Politics meets the global jobs market
A tax bill that probably won’t pass, macro wins Argentina voters didn’t feel, and why remote hiring hasn’t slowed
Hey there,
It was a good start to the week. The Steelers won, and for once, the mood feels like cautious optimism. Most of the chatter is about Rodgers: Hall-of-Fame résumé, plenty of weapons around him, but he’s 41. Fans are hopeful, but every sentence ends with “if he stays healthy.”
That kind of cautious optimism feels a lot like how we talk about business. Big headline moves like new hires, funding rounds, and bold policies get all the attention. Still, people look for the weak spots. Will the foundation hold up? Can the system keep going when things get tough?
This week’s stories have that same feeling. A US bill that sounds tough on sending jobs overseas, but probably won’t work in real life. Milei’s big wins for Argentina’s economy that voters didn’t notice in their paychecks. A job market that’s slowing down in the US and Europe, but is still adding jobs in Latin America and Asia.
Headlines are hype. What lasts is whether the team holds up when the pressure comes.
Let’s get into it.
🌐 News Shortlist
1. The HIRE Act: Populism Meets Payroll
Recap: Senator Bernie Moreno recently introduced the HIRE Act, which would add a 25% tax on US companies that pay for work done overseas. The tax money would fund training for American workers, and companies could not deduct these expenses. The idea is to encourage bringing jobs back to the US.
Bills like this rarely become law. While Congress can create new taxes, enforcing this rule would be very challenging. The IRS would need to decide what counts as outsourcing versus normal international business. Countries we trade with might challenge the law, and business groups are likely to strongly oppose it.
This idea has been around for decades, with past efforts like the Bring Jobs Home Act and similar promises during the first Trump administration. None of these measures lasted. When the government has tried to limit outsourcing, it has usually done so through import taxes or presidential orders, not through tax laws like this one.
For these reasons, this bill is unlikely to pass. Moreno is a new senator with limited influence, Congress is divided, and both parties seldom agree on measures that target large companies. Unless job losses increase and outsourcing becomes a major election issue, this bill is more symbolic than practical.
Advice:
If you run a startup, there’s no need to worry (yet). The headline is more alarming than the actual details. The main takeaway is that outsourcing has returned to the political spotlight. If your business works with international teams, focus on sharing your story. Highlight how your company benefits customers and creates jobs in different places. While populist ideas get attention, building trust comes from doing good work.
2. Argentina’s Milei Defeat in Buenos Aires
Recap: President Javier Milei’s party just suffered a tough loss in Buenos Aires Province. The Peronists got 47% of the vote while his party got 34%, which is a problem before October’s midterm elections. On paper, Milei’s record should have helped: inflation is lower, the peso is steady, and more money is coming in from other countries. Still, voters chose not to support him.
Here’s why: people don’t vote based on big economic numbers, they vote based on whether they can pay their bills each month. Milei brought stability in the overall economy, but in everyday life, prices keep going up and paychecks are not enough. Add in scandals and not working with other politicians, and this result was bound to happen. You can’t run Argentina just by taking photos with Elon Musk and Donald Trump. Sooner or later, you have to do the real work of politics.
For leaders, the lesson is simple but easy to forget. News stories about growth and recovery don’t matter if people still feel like things are getting worse. Success has to be real in daily life, not just on paper. And if you ignore the basics like working together, building trust, and real results, people will push back soon.
Advice:
If you’re working in Latin America, pay attention to what’s happening day to day. Argentina might seem more stable overall, but that doesn’t mean it’s still a cheap place to hire people like it used to be. Costs are going up, skilled workers know they are valuable, and things are changing.
3. The Jobs Market Is Cooling, But Remote Isn’t
Recap: Latest reports indicate that job postings have decreased by double digits in North America (down 12%) and Europe (down 13%). In contrast, the Asia-Pacific region is up by 5%, and Latin America by 2%. Remote roles remain steady at about 7.5% of all listings.
Here’s what’s happening: the US and Europe are established markets where most companies are cutting back because of higher interest rates, slower growth, and a focus on saving money. Meanwhile, Latin America and the Asia-Pacific continue to grow. Workers cost less compared to what they produce, their economies are less crowded, and companies see more potential than risk in growing there.
Remote work remains strong for a reason. When companies reduce hiring in expensive regions, they do not stop hiring. Instead, they look for talent elsewhere. The focus shifts to finding the best people at the right price, in time zones that work. This is why Latin America and Asia-Pacific are growing while the West slows down.
For us, it tracks. The competitive advantage is that Latin America is culturally very close, shares the same time zone, and has a smaller market, so it’s easier to attract elite talent, which is what we do for our clients. Critical roles get filled, but the “where” is shifting.
Advice:
If you’re a founder, read between the numbers. The global job market is moving. Don’t just cut in expensive markets. Reallocate. That’s how you keep growing while everyone else is stuck on pause.
🔎 Remote Jobs Shortlist
These are some of the new openings my clients have this week.
You might not be hiring right now, but checking out the roles top companies are posting can give you a sense of where things are headed. Take a look at the full list here.
1. Human Resources Manager
This growing company is ready to improve how it manages its people and needs an experienced HR leader to set up the team from scratch. You’ll handle hiring, training, and team culture for a team that works in different locations, with a special focus on sales jobs in the US.
This is an active role where you’ll create programs to welcome new team members, help the team grow, and start the company’s first official plan for team culture. If you have over 5 years of HR leadership and want to help shape a team, this is your chance.
💵 $2,000 - $2,500 USD/month
📍 Latin America Remote
2. Technical Operations Specialist
This team is scaling fast and needs someone to keep the systems clean, connected, and running smoothly. You’ll be the right hand to the Head of Technology, owning daily automations and integrations across sales, marketing, and support.
Your work will include setting up campaigns, helping new users get started, making dashboards, checking for quality, and keeping records. The job involves working with many teams. If you like solving problems by digging deep, this is your kind of role.
💵 $2,500 - $3,000 USD/month
📍 Latin America Remote
3. Client Product Specialist
This startup is creating new, easy-to-use tools for financial services, and they’re looking for someone who can connect what clients need with what the team delivers.
You’ll turn feedback from banks and financial companies into clear tasks, keep track of what needs to be done, help plan work, and work closely with the product and engineering teams to meet goals. You need to be organized, know about financial products, and be comfortable using tools like Linear and Notion.
💵 $2,500 - $3,000 USD/month
📍 Latin America Remote
That’s it for this week.
Every story here has the same message: the headline is not what matters most. What happens next is what counts. Thanks for reading, and if you know someone who would appreciate this point of view, please share it with them.
Until next time,
Joseph Burns
CEO & Founder, Lupa