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It’s a fact: inequality slows growth
My latest in Salon cites new research on the inequality and growth debate. Toward the end to the piece, I discuss the political implications of the findings: First, we should not assume that the mere...
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Inequality benefits the rich and hurts the poor
For a long time, the right has argued that we shouldn’t worry about inequality because the true concern is the reduction of poverty. Conservatives also maintained that higher levels of inequality were...
View ArticleWhy the GOP hates U.S. history: Inconvenient truths that freak out American...
Conservative hero Ben Carson is worried about American teenagers joining ISIS. But it’s not because of “radical Islam.” It’s because of new high school history standards. American’s right wing, you...
View ArticleThis is your brain on money: Why America’s rich think differently than the...
Consider the following recent headlines: “What The Middle Class Doesn’t Understand About Rich People” “9 Things Rich People Do Differently Every Day” “15 Surprising Ways Rich People Think Differently”...
View ArticleReligion is historically contingent
Earlier this month, the perennial debate about religion and atheism was stirred up again by the combustible combination of Bill Maher, Ben Affleck and Sam Harris. And, while much ink has already been...
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Control of the Senate will be decided by 1.5% of the population
The Senate is a profoundly undemocratic institution. Because representation is apportioned by state, people in California (pop: 38.3 million) has the same number of representatives as Wyoming (pop:...
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Why Turning Out The Vote Makes A Huge Difference In Four Charts
Despite the best efforts of Lil’ Jon, the most recent Gallup poll suggests that turnout in the upcoming midterm election will be one of the lowest in the last five cycles. If trends hold up, it will...
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The 1% are more likely to vote than the poor or the middle class, and it...
Does it matter that the wealthy turnout to vote at a rate of almost 99% while those making below $10,000 vote at a rate of 49%? It sure seems like it would, but for a long time many political...
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The Republican Party’s cynical electoral philosophy
Last week, the Supreme Court upheld a law that could disenfranchise 600,000 Texans. But the effects of the law won’t fall equally: African-Americans and Latinos are 305 percent and 195 percent less...
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How To Take Back Democracy On November 4th
Bold prediction: Rising inequality of income and wealth will be the most important political battleground over the next few decades. Just take a look at the figures. The share of income accruing to the...
View Article5 Ways Life in America Would Be Better If Everyone Voted
With Election Day approaching on November 4th, Americans are faced with a perennial question: to vote or not to vote? In the last midterm election, in 2010, only 47 percent of the eligible population...
View ArticleBlack people, white government
In the wake of the unrest in Ferguson, Missouri, after the Aug. 9 shooting of black teenager Michael Brown by white police officer Darren Wilson, there has been a focus on racial disparities in...
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Class Bias in the 2014 Midterms
In my recent Explainer, I discussed the implications of the voting gap on policy and elections. Numerous studies show that in states where low-income voters turnout at a higher rate, inequality is...
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Voter Suppression in the 2014 Midterm
Political scientist Michael P. McDonald recently released preliminary turnout rates at the state (and national) level. These data are preliminary and will be continuously updated, but still yield some...
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Russell Brand is wrong: Voting really can change America for the better
Last year, Russell Brand declared in a New Statesman article that he had never voted because he “regard[s] politicians as frauds and liars and the current political system as nothing more than a...
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Republicans at a Crossroads: Win Over People Of Color, or Make Sure They...
Last week’s election has seen many Republicans scoffing at the thesis, put forward by John B. Judis and Ruy Teixeira in 2004, that there was an“Emerging Democratic Majority” that would usher in a long...
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When Retailers Shop the Season Doesn’t End at Christmas
Co-written with Catherine Ruetschlin, Senior Policy Analyst at Demos. Unfortunately for voters, the $3.7 billion spent over the most recent election cycle did not come with a gift receipt. Despite...
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Congress Is Rich: Here’s Why It Matters
Congress is rich. The average net worth in Congress is a bit more than $6 million, while the median net worth is $1 million. To put that in context, $4 million in net worth is enough to put someone in...
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Mr. Walton Goes to Washington
When retail workers want something, they ask their employers, get denied, get bullied and sometimes fired. Sometimes, they take to the streets, as they have for the last three years on Black Friday. By...
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The Case for a Financial Transaction Tax
The financial industry is a behemoth. Over the past 150 years, it has grown dramatically as a share of GDP. And entrance into its ranks has become a great way to enter into the top 1 percent of...
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