May 13 How Piketty’s inequality theory explains Mr. Darcy’s wealth By Thomas Piketty French economist Thomas Piketty has made a splash with his prediction that inequality will grow in America. But the economic relationship that explains that inequality is hardly new; it's the same phenomenon that allowed Pemberley Mansion to enrich Mr. Darcy… Continue reading
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
Apr 23 Seattle’s Socialist councilwoman on why capitalism offers nothing for young people By Kshama Sawant Seattle councilwoman Kshama Sawant is a leader in Seattle's movement to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour. But even that, she says, won't be enough to overcome an economic system that's not working for America. Continue reading
Apr 17 Most Seattle airport workers remain uncovered by minimum wage hike By Simone Pathe Last fall, voters in SeaTac, Wash., narrowly approved a ballot initiative to increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour. But nearly 5,000 airport workers still aren't receiving that higher wage because Alaska Airlines has challenged the initiative in court. Continue reading
Apr 17 Why America’s favorite anarchist thinks most American workers are slaves By David Graeber Could a guaranteed basic income give rise to another band like the Beatles? Or support a scientific breakthrough like the light bulb? Occupy activist David Graeber thinks a lump sum basic income would liberate workers to do the work they… Continue reading
Apr 15 What rates should we be paying on tax day? By Simone Pathe Fifty-two percent of Americans think their taxes are too high, but a similar majority think their taxes are fair. On this tax day, Making Sen$e revisits some of our favorite tax conversations to examine how much Americans of different income… Continue reading
Apr 10 Libertarian Charles Murray: The welfare state has denuded our civic culture By Charles Murray Charles Murray is no fan of U.S. bureaucracy. But cutting checks, he admits, is one of the few things big government does well. He thinks cutting bigger checks -- in the form of a guaranteed income for every adult citizen… Continue reading
Apr 07 Will a guaranteed income ever come to America? By Felix Oberholzer-Gee With far more economic inequality than Switzerland, why is the U.S. so much less tolerant of wealth redistribution?… Continue reading
Apr 02 Post-recession economy leaving many blacks behind, Urban League reports By Jesse J. Holland, Associated Press While unemployment has been a major impediment to African-Americans' economic progress, underemployment is a bigger obstacle for them than it is for whites or Hispanics, the National Urban League says in its latest State of Black America report. Continue reading
Mar 04 Watch Does the president’s budget present solutions for closing the economic gap? By PBS News Hour President Obama’s 2015 budget proposal includes new spending for preschool, job training and public works and would expand the Earned Income Tax Credit for low-wage workers. Judy Woodruff talks to Robert Greenstein from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities… Continue watching