Economics

Middle Class Economics: Josh Barro nails some critical points | Jared Bernstein | On the Economy

Josh Barro does an excellent job describing many of the key points about the challenges of crafting what politicians are calling “middle-class economics.” As I see it, they’re talking about policies that reconnect overall economic growth and the prosperity of the middle class. Though median household incomes have been rising in recent years, as best we can tell, they’re still down 1.5% in real terms over the recovery and about 3% below their pre-recession peak (these are not gov’t data; they come from the private firm Sentier Research). Meanwhile real GDP’s up 14%, corporate profitability is up about 50%, and equity markets have about doubled in real terms. Continue reading Middle Class Economics: Josh Barro nails some critical points | Jared Bernstein | On the Economy →

Africana, Black Lives Matter

James Baldwin on Malcolm X (Video) | Blog#42

It is especially important, in 2015, in the midst of Black Lives Matter and Moral Monday, to look back through Baldwin’s eyes, in order to look forward. As the younger generation finds its voice and asserts its leadership of the new civil rights struggle, Baldwin’s words ring prophetic.  Continue reading James Baldwin on Malcolm X (Video) | Blog#42 →

Analysis

Inequality and the end of #ISIS

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There is a very strong case for calling ISIS a terrorist organization. However, unlike Al Qaeda, the people who founded ISIS built it on a foundation that is rooted on every last tenet of Islam. In fact, if we can accuse ISIS of anything, it is of being too punctilious in applying Islamic canon.  In this sense, ISIS is no different than the extreme of any religion. While Christianity ended its crusades a few hundred years ago, it isn’t implausible for Islam to now wage its own version. It is, after all, the youngest of the major religions. Continue reading Inequality and the end of #ISIS →

Analysis, Black Lives Matter

FBI Director Comey’s Truths about Policing and Race

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FBI Director Comey ‘s speech is notable for many reasons.  It is most notable for his directness in referencing and qualifying racism in a way few in public service have dared show in recent memory. For that, I thank and commend him. It is clear that this is a subject near and dear to his heart. Continue reading FBI Director Comey’s Truths about Policing and Race →