May 18 Watch 6:47 Obama Labor decree makes millions more eligible for overtime pay By PBS News Hour For the first time since 2004, the federal government is changing the earnings threshold that governs who is eligible for overtime pay. Some Republicans and business advocates warn that the rules change could turn out to be a job killer. Continue watching
May 17 Watch 6:17 Urban League calls for $1 trillion ‘Marshall Plan’ to address persistent disparities between the races By PBS News Hour The title of the Urban League’s 40th annual "State of Black America" report is as stark as some of its numbers: "Locked Out: Education, Jobs & Justice." While much has changed, the report finds disparities between blacks and whites have… Continue watching
May 11 Are you in America’s shrinking middle class? By Laura Santhanam Over the last two decades, the U.S. middle class shrank across much of the country as income inequality grows nationwide. Continue reading
Apr 11 Watch 5:33 How geography changes life expectancy for America’s poorest By PBS News Hour America's poorest citizens have shorter lifespans than wealthier Americans, and new research finds that gap is growing. But the study also found that the poor who live in affluent and highly educated cities live longer than those who live in… Continue watching
Mar 18 We’re talking about inequality all wrong By Laurence Kotlikoff, Alan Auerbach The right measure is not how much wealth or income people have or receive, but their spending power after the government has levied taxes on those resources and supplemented those resources with welfare and other benefits. Continue reading
Feb 29 Column: Why sunny views of the economy are misguided By John Komlos In spite of GDP growth, in spite of earnings growth, in spite of job creation, the economy can only be characterized as Krugman has, as a “sour economy.”… Continue reading
Feb 23 Social Security, joblessness top economic concerns for Americans By Nancy Benac and Emily Swanson, Associated Press WASHINGTON — Finally, something that polarized Americans can agree on. Ask people what economic issues will be important for the next president, and Democrats, Republicans and independents alike all put a high priority on protecting Social Security and reducing unemployment. Continue reading
Feb 20 Poll shows income gap, Wall Street major issues for Democrats By Ken Thomas, Emily Swanson, Associated Press A poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research shows that most Democrats consider income inequality a very important issue and half of them think tougher regulations of the financial markets imposed after the 2008 financial crisis did… Continue reading
Feb 05 Fact-checking the 5th Democratic debate By Calvin Woodward and Christopher S. Rugaber WASHINGTON — Hillary Clinton cast the financial industry as an adversary in her presidential campaign — despite the money that industry has poured into her White House effort. Bernie Sanders once again mischaracterized the share of the wealth taken by… Continue reading
Dec 17 Watch 7:15 An economic divide can be seen in parents’ worries and aspirations By PBS News Hour Lower-income parents tend to worry that their children might fall victim to violence, while parents with higher incomes worry their kids are burdened by busy schedules. That’s one finding of a major new survey on the ways socioeconomic divides affect… Continue watching