Jul 23 Why the Fed’s policy on interest rates is key to fighting poverty By Dean Baker Rarely mentioned in discussions of poverty is the Federal Reserve Board’s policy on interest rates, which has an enormous impact on the rate of economic growth and the level of unemployment. Continue reading
Jul 22 The truth about Greek debt and German generosity By Laurence Kotlikoff What we're seeing is mostly theater — yes, a Greek tragedy starring supposedly evil Germans and supposedly defenseless Greeks, argues Laurence Kotlikoff. In the show, which is restaged every six months or so, the Germans force the Greeks to attend… Continue reading
Jul 22 Medicare coverage for aging parents’ care is not nearly enough By Philip Moeller Medicare does cover skilled nursing care, which can be delivered in a home setting. But its coverage was never designed to be a long-term solution. Continue reading
Jul 21 Trade debate masks America’s competitive disadvantage By George C. Lodge Lowering trade barriers through the Trans-Pacific Partnership will have little impact on the U.S.’s deteriorating ability to compete in the world economy. In the name of realism and the national interest, is it time for a national economic strategy?… Continue reading
Jul 21 More children are in poverty today than before the Great Recession By Laura Santhanam, Megan Crigger Today, 22 percent of children live in poverty, up from 18 percent in 2008. Continue reading
Jul 20 If Social Security tells you you’re dead, don’t believe them By Laurence Kotlikoff What do you do when Social Security informs you and your credit card company that you're deceased? One reader shares her story. Getting Social Security to admit that she was alive proved no easy task. Continue reading
Jul 20 The profundity of Germany versus Greece, via Monty Python By Paul Solman An Olympian view of the — at heart — surprisingly similar weltanschauungen of the two nations, courtesy Monty Python. Continue reading
Jul 18 Is China manipulating its currency? The Big Mac Index says yes By Kristen Doerer The Economist came out with their annual index of McDonald’s Big Mac, priced in different currencies. The index is a light-hearted measurement of “whether currencies are at their ‘correct’ level.”… Continue reading
Jul 17 What we know — and what we don’t — about global warming By Gernot Wagner, Martin L. Weitzman With sea levels rising and global temperatures increasing, Gernot Wagner and Martin L. Weitzman, co-authors of “Climate Shock,” argue that we should insure ourselves against climate change. Continue reading
Jul 16 Watch 8:22 The economic options for combatting climate change By PBS News Hour As greenhouse gases accumulate and global temperatures slowly rise, what can we do to insure against the catastrophes of climate change? Economics correspondent Paul Solman talks to the authors of "Climate Shock: The Economic Consequences of a Hotter Planet."… Continue watching