New York City Nurses Confront an Austerity Avalanche
Medicaid cuts are being used to push austerity in hospitals’ contract negotiations with nurses, even as some hospitals dabble in financial speculation and their CEOs rake in millions.
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Dr. Dollar: Economic Inequality and Homelessness
Good-quality, safe, and affordable housing is fundamental to personal well-being and security. But for millions of U.S. families and
Power, Wages, and Inequality
A recent government report has an unexpected focus--power in the workplace.
Dear Dr. Dollar: Corporate Taxes: Less, Less, and Less
It seems that corporations say they need low taxes in order to do research, innovate, invest, and remain competitive. Why not take them at their word and offer them low taxes on specific terms? Say, a 10% tax on before-tax profits that are used for research, capital investment, workforce development
Dear Dr. Dollar: Financialization and Inequality
Is financialization responsible for the great increase in economic inequality of recent decades in the United States? --Anonymous, via e-mail
Dear Dr. Dollar: Climate Change, Social Justice, and the Green New Deal
The Green New Deal combines proposals to combat climate change with social justice proposals. I care about and work for social justice, but doesn't combating climate change need to be given top priority regardless of the impact on social justice? After all, if climate change isn't stopped, there wil
Dear Dr. Dollar: Do People Care About Extreme Inequality?
The extreme inequality we have in this country is not fair. According to a report from the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), in 2016 the bottom 40% of households on average had a negative net worth (assets minus liabilities) of $9,000. In that same year, the richest 10% of households had
Dear Dr. Dollar: Are Governments Economically Stupid in Failing to Suspend Patent Protection for Vaccines?
A recent study from the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) showed that the rich countries' failure to support worldwide vaccinations against Covid-19 is likely to do severe harm to their own economies.
Dear Dr. Dollar: Can the Decline of Unions Be Reversed?
It seems pretty clear that strong labor unions have been important in reducing economic inequality. But as labor unions have represented a declining share of workers, inequality has gotten worse and worse. Insofar as the decline of unions has been a result of globalization and technological change,
Dear Dr. Dollar: Why Is Student Debt Cancelation Such a Big Deal?
Now that President Biden is in office, I've noticed news reports about the possible cancellation of student debt. Why has this become such a big deal recently? And would cancelling these debts actually help? --Betty Timmons, Lindenwold, N.J.
Dear Dr. Dollar: Has Neoliberalism Underfunded Schools?
Covid-19 has created severe problems for schools, kids, their parents, and the schools' teachers and staff. But weren't these problems already there and worsened by the long-term underfunding of the schools? --Anonymous, via email
Local or Far Away?
Economists tend to assume that the sole goal of our economic activity is to get things as cheaply possible. But outside the narrow world of economics, people care about a lot of other things.
Dear Dr. Dollar: Growth, Growth, Growth: What Will Happen?
Infinite economic growth on a finite planet is impossible and ruinous. And yet the drumbeat goes on for growth, growth, growth. Surely it is true that the world is grossly overpopulated; it is projected to grow to nine billion by 2050. How will the current economy serve these billions? It won't work