unemployment

Features

Stimulus needed

How to create jobs

Aug 16, 2012 by Bruce P. Rittenhouse

Unemployment is a human crisis. Yet the Obama administration, Congress and the Fed mostly act like it's not their problem.

Features

An economist’s reflections in a time of prosperity

Aug 11, 1999 by Robin Klay

For those who remember the days of recession, high unemployment and high inflation in the 1970s, the state of the American economy in 1999 is remarkable. We are enjoying the longest peacetime recovery in U.S. history, a record low unemployment rate (4.3 percent in May), and few signs of inflation, despite rapid expansion of output and jobs. The strength of the U.S.

In the World

Will our 15 percent poor country get a jobs bill?

Sep 13, 2011 by Steve Thorngate

The new poverty numbers came out today, and they aren't pretty. The Census Bureau reports that more than 15 percent of Americans are living in poverty--a number that's gone up for three consecutive years and is the highest it's been since 1959.

In the World

Welfare reform worked, just not for the people who need welfare

Aug 26, 2011 by Steve Thorngate

This week marks the 15th anniversary of welfare reform, in which a Republican Congress and a re-election-focused Democratic president got together to fulfill the latter's promise to "end welfare as we know it."

In the World

Better than a government default

Aug 02, 2011 by Steve Thorngate

It's official: Congress passed a debt-ceiling deal, and the president signed it. While this is certainly preferable to the country defaulting on its obligations, it's not an inspiring piece of legislation.

In the World

Fighting on multiple fronts

Jul 28, 2011 by Steve Thorngate

Sarah Posner is not impressed by the latest faith-based-coalition effort to prevent lawmakers in Washington from sacrificing the nation's poor on the altar of deficit hawkery.

From the Editors

A time to spend

Jul 21, 2011

"In these tough times, Americans are tightening their belts—and their government needs to do the same." This bipartisan applause line is pithy, full of populist empathy and easy to understand. It's also exactly wrong.

From the Editors

Reactive mood

Nov 05, 2010

The glory of American politics is that voters get to "throw the rascals out"—whether or not they understand who the rascals are or the nature of the crisis the nation is in. Very little could have done by any government during this worldwide economic slowdown to address the high unemployment, except more government stimulus, which is what voters say they don't want.

From the Editors

Left out

Not everyone is prospering

Feb 02, 2000

A rising economic tide lifts everybody’s financial boat. Well, almost everybody’s. Thanks to the country’s unprecedented economic expansion, the great majority of Americans are better off financially than they were several years ago. Not only are the rich getting richer, but the middle classes too have seen a surge in income and wealth. The economic boom has even helped low-income families.

Features

Support system

Networking in the suburbs
Jul 28, 2009 by Gary Stern
Westchester County, which lies directly north of New York City, is well known for its many classic suburban communities where cars line up at train stations at 6 p.m. each day to pick up returning executives and money managers.