No Matter How You Look at It, the Big Beautiful Bill is a Monstrosity
Here are three views of the bill's horrific distributional consequences.
63 articles
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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. Based on the study, Oxfam commented: "The U.S., U.K., Germany, France, Japan, and Italy toget
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
Bob Sutcliffe – In Memoriam
By Arthur MacEwan Bob Sutcliffe, who died at age 80 on December 23, was an influential socialist economist over several
Dear Dr. Dollar: Are Taxes the Best Way of Dealing with Inequality?
What steps can we take to reduce extreme economic inequality? Are taxes on the rich, on their income and their wealth, the best option? --Anonymous, via e-mail
Dear Dr. Dollar: With Foreign Trade, Are Progressives and Trump on the Same Page?
Progressives opposed the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). President Donald Trump stopped U.S. engagement in the TPP and redid NAFTA. Similarly, progressives--or at least many progressives--have argued that trade arrangements between the United Stat
Dear Dr. Dollar: Why Has the U.S. Economy Been Doing So Well?
Why has the U.S. economy been doing so well? --Anonymous, via email
Dear Dr. Dollar: Does U.S. Prosperity Depend on Exploitation?
I regularly hear the claim that U.S. prosperity *depends* on exploiting poorer countries, but I have never once seen an actual argument for it. What is the support for this claim? --Ryan Cooper,
Dear Dr. Dollar: Why Is the Fed Raising Interest Rates?
Why is the Federal Reserve raising interest rates? What's the impact?????????????????--Anonymous, via email