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December 1, 2025
Apocalypse Not
…several of the other categories we’ll get to in that it is not simply an average expenditure amount but based on some standard of need (from the US Department of…
November 30, 2025
Our Economy Is Not Stagnant
…of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. But the best evidence on earnings trends presents two insurmountable problems for populists who blame supposedly stagnant living standards on economic developments and policy choices over recent…
November 26, 2025
How Not to Redefine Poverty
…poverty line is supposed to reflect a constant standard of living, after adjusting for inflation over time. There are actually 48 official poverty lines, depending on how many people are…
November 20, 2025
When help holds families back
…States. Both studies used a random assignment research design – the gold standard in research methods – to measure the effects of unconditional cash handouts on various outcomes. Both studies suggest that…
November 13, 2025
Is the US Really an Outlier on Pregnancy Deaths, and Have Such Deaths Spiked?
…Deaths in U.S.” and that “Pregnancy-Related U.S. Death Rates Have Jumped in Recent Years.” The JAMA study found that the age-standardized rate of pregnancy-related mortality increased by 27.7% from 2018…
October 15, 2025
Don’t Choose Your Own Adventure: Understanding Middle-Class Earnings Trends
…45 percent compared to the 1973 standard. In terms of today’s dollars, these gains translate to about $33,600 for women and $23,200 for men who work year-round. Most of this…
September 24, 2025
Subsidized Housing and Upward Mobility
…authorities administer waiting lists, HUD does not report national or local figures for how many households are standing in line. But in many cases, growing demand has prompted the outright…
September 23, 2025
A Second Reconciliation Bill Should Focus On Reducing Deficits
…twice as much as it spends, ensuring it actually cuts deficits overall. Even a modest bill that achieves that standard is worth doing, because it will demonstrate that progress is…
September 8, 2025
A Hidden Explanation for the Wealth Gap on Racial Lines That Emerges in the Push to Promote Public Housing
…“racial wealth gap” stands at $240,120 — the difference between the assets of the median white and median black household. Median white assets are $285,000; for blacks, it’s just $44,000. …
September 3, 2025
About Those “Devastating” Welfare Caseload Reductions
…aliens and able-bodied adults who may be unwilling to work, the reforms stand a strong chance of earning popular support. Welfare expanded rapidly during the pandemic, and significant caseload expansions…