Mar 19 Watch 8:37 What’s splitting a new generation of haves and have-nots By PBS News Hour Political scientist Robert Putnam grew up in Port Clinton, Ohio, a town where, he says, both rich and poor children grew up together and had bright opportunities. But in the past few decades, social mobility has declined and the haves… Continue watching
Mar 19 Why you should care about other people’s kids By Robert Putnam Since Robert Putnam's youth, America has become more racially and religiously integrated, but more segregated by class. In his new book "Our Kids," the Harvard professor -- of "Bowling Alone" fame -- argues that social immobility presents an economic problem… Continue reading
Mar 18 Watch 4:25 News Wrap: Fed opens possibility of interest rate hike By PBS News Hour In our news wrap Wednesday, the Federal Reserve said it was open to raising interest rates, but the job market must improve and inflation has to move closer to 2 percent for a rate hike. Also, gunmen attacked Tunisia’s National… Continue watching
Mar 18 Watch 9:02 The American Dream is alive in the Twin Cities, but not for everyone By PBS News Hour Continue watching
Mar 18 Somewhere between patient and impatient, Fed looks to June rate hike By Simone Pathe At its March policy meeting, the Federal Open Market Committee refused to lay out a time table for raising interest rates, with Janet Yellen saying that a June rate hike is possible but not definitive. The Fed's economic forecasts, however,… Continue reading
Mar 18 Guess who really pays for your Medicare By Philip Moeller As Congressional leaders grapple with a possible permanent solution to Medicare cuts to physicians, Making Sen$e Medicare columnist Philip Moeller delivers a little tough love about the role that Medicare beneficiaries play in the nation’s expanding "entitlement deficits."… Continue reading
Mar 17 Watch 4:04 What House Republicans hope next year’s budget will look like By PBS News Hour House Republicans revealed their 2016 budget plan, pushing for deep cuts to lower the deficit, while preserving defense spending. What are the political calculations behind the proposal? Political editor Lisa Desjardins joins Gwen Ifill for a look at the priorities… Continue watching
Mar 17 France, Germany and Italy to join China-led bank against U.S. wishes By Shehryar Nabi France, Germany and Italy said on Tuesday that they would become founding members of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), a proposed development bank spearheaded by China, despite U.S. discouragement from doing so. Continue reading
Mar 17 Why you shouldn’t expect wages to rise any time soon By John Komlos For months, the thorn in the side of otherwise sunny jobs reports has been sluggish wage growth. As unemployment falls, wages are supposed to rise. Those expectations will likely play a role in the Fed's policy deliberations this week. But… Continue reading
Mar 17 GOP proposes $3.8 trillion budget that boosts defense, overhauls Medicare By Andrew Taylor, Associated Press WASHINGTON — House Republicans on Tuesday unveiled a $3.8 trillion budget plan for next year that effectively breaks tight budget limits on military spending while promising a familiar roster of big cuts to social programs such as food stamps and… Continue reading