May 12 Watch 8:54 Why do the rich get richer? French economist Piketty takes on inequality in ‘Capital’ By PBS News Hour On a recent U.S. press tour for his bestselling book "Capital," French economist Thomas Piketty spoke to standing-room-only crowds about his examination of growing, global economic inequality. Economics correspondent Paul Solman interviews Piketty for his take on why inequality of… Continue watching
May 12 Inequality will worsen in America unless… Piketty’s Rx By Thomas Piketty The author of today's best-selling book about economics predicts that inequality is bound to get worse. His advocacy for an international tax on capital is well-known by now, but what else does he think can stem the tide of wealth… Continue reading
May 12 How the Social Security system rips off poor people By Laurence Kotlikoff Social Security benefits are calculated in a highly progressive manner, but the system is plagued with catch-22s that disadvantage poor recipients. Larry Kotlikoff explains which benefit strategy will help a financially strapped retiree maximize her income. Continue reading
May 09 Ask yourself, says a notorious ‘Occupy’ academic, should your job exist? By David Graeber Increasingly, anthropologist and Occupy activist David Graeber argues, American workers are paid to look busy. The expansion of our days with meaningless work and the growth of entire industries that shouldn't exist, Graeber writes, fuel resentment toward "real" professions like… Continue reading
May 08 Watch Hefty child care costs present catch-22 for working parents By PBS News Hour In most of the country, child care is the most expensive part of the family budget. Infant care now costs more than state college tuition in many places. But while it might demand a luxury price, offering important advantages to… Continue watching
May 08 When it’s cheaper for parents to stay home than pay for child care By Simone Pathe The high cost of child care is squeezing many low-income parents who want to work full-time but have to stay home with their children because they cannot afford appropriate care for their kids. Continue reading
May 08 Watch Hefty child care costs present catch-22 for working parents By PBS News Hour Continue watching
May 07 Capitalism in Cuba? It’s closer than the U.S. may think By Lewis Mandell Cuba is well into a carefully planned transition to a market-based economy. But you wouldn't know that from America's recent efforts to destabilize the government. Any U.S. meddling, like USAID's Twitter-like message service in Cuba, will only set back that… Continue reading
May 07 Yellen cautiously optimistic about future growth By Simone Pathe A week after the Federal Reserve’s Open Market Committee announced yet another reduction in their monetary stimulus, Fed chair Janet Yellen delivered an optimistic growth outlook before the congressional Joint Economic Committee Wednesday. Continue reading
May 06 Watch Shareholders of e-commerce giant Alibaba seek greater control and exposure with American IPO filing By PBS News Hour A Chinese e-commerce giant called Alibaba filed an initial public offering that many experts say could rank among the largest ever. The company operates multiple businesses, including some akin to Amazon or eBay. Judy Woodruff talks to Paul Sweeney of… Continue watching