May 20 In America, inequality begins in the womb By John Komlos Sadly, zip codes of birth do matter in the U.S. and they matter more than we think, argues economist John Komlos. Continue reading
May 18 A cautionary tale about taking retroactive Social Security benefits By Laurence Kotlikoff The more I talk to people, the more I understand how easy it is to make major mistakes in taking Social Security benefits if you don't know exactly what you're doing or, equally important, don't know exactly what Social Security… Continue reading
May 15 Racism, riots and economics: If history is the guide, why Baltimore won’t recover soon By Paul Solman What do the race riots of the 1960s suggest for the economic recovery of places like Baltimore and Ferguson, Missouri, today? Boston University economics professor Robert Margo has studied the long-term effects, and says that even where the physical damage… Continue reading
May 14 Watch 6:18 Will the proposed Asia trade pact give U.S. companies more customers? By PBS News Hour Continue watching
May 14 Watch 6:55 Do better-paid workers equal better business? By PBS News Hour Recently, insurance company Aetna voluntarily upped its minimum wage to $16 per hour, giving roughly 6,000 of its lowest-paid employees an average raise of 11 percent. Next year, the company also plans to offer lower-cost benefits to some workers. What’s… Continue watching
May 13 Watch 7:15 Trade bill is one of the most important in U.S. history, says Sen. Hatch By PBS News Hour Supporters of a proposed trade pact with Asia ran into a roadblock Tuesday when a test vote on giving President Obama fast-track authority failed in the Senate. Judy Woodruff talks to Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah, a co-sponsor of… Continue watching
May 13 Don’t make this Medicare mistake: COBRA is not like employer health insurance By Philip Moeller COBRA can provide continuation of health insurance for 18 months up to 36 months and can be a literal lifesaver for people who lose their jobs and health coverage. What it does not do, however, is take the place of… Continue reading
May 12 Watch 7:31 Why labor unions oppose the Trans-Pacific Partnership By PBS News Hour Supporters of the Trans-Pacific Partnership say the deal would bring greater prosperity by opening trade, but opponents say it fails to include labor protections and could cost jobs. In the first in a series of conversations about what’s at stake,… Continue watching
May 12 Verizon to buy AOL for $4.4 billion By Joshua Barajas Verizon announced Tuesday that it’s buying AOL Inc. for $50 a share, valued at approximately $4.4 billion, to bolster the company’s plans for mobile and web video. Continue reading
May 11 Playing God with Social Security fairness By Laurence Kotlikoff Our fiscal system, in general, and Social Security, in particular, is an incredibly complex maze of entangled provisions, most of which were put into place in piecemeal fashion over the years. Saying that provision X is unfair because it benefits… Continue reading