From Oregon to New Hampshire, from sea to shining sea, America’s schools arereducing the length of the school year, laying off teachers, and putting more kids back into classrooms. It’s happening because state governments are mired in the worst financial crisis since at least World War II. The recession hit them with a vengeance. Revenues […]
Robert Reich
Robert B. Reich, a co-founder of The American Prospect, is a professor of public policy at the Goldman School of Public Policy at the University of California at Berkeley. He is the author of Saving Capitalism: For the Many, Not the Few, one of the books featured in the Prospect’s High School Essay Contest.
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The Rove Machine Rolls On
It’s no accident that Karl Rove was one of Richard Nixon’s moles. Using techniques developed by his first mentor, dirty-tricks strategist Donald Segretti, Rove infiltrated Democratic organizations on behalf of Nixon’s infamous 1972 campaign. Rove’s formidable talents came to the attention of George Bush Senior, then incoming Republican National Committee chairman, and the rest is […]
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How Not to Stimulate the Economy
The President’s plan is certainly good for Wall Street. Eliminating taxes on dividends is like giving steriods to the stock market. It pumps it up. The plan would be good for all of us if Wall Street was the same as Main Street. But apart from they’re both being streets, there’s not much overlap. Ofcourse, […]
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Bush Proves He’s an Upper-Class Act
Los Angeles Times, January 7 2003 The president calls it a “jobs and growth” plan, but it’s neither. His latest round of proposed tax cuts won’t create jobs and won’t grow the economy. It will only do more of what his last round did — make the rich even richer. The economic problem right now […]
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Tame the Deficit Hawks
Wall Street Journal, January 6, 2003 Anticipating White House plans for another round of tax cuts, Democrats are sounding a lot like Herbert Hoover. They’re preaching fiscal austerity when thetimes demand just the opposite. My former cabinet colleague Robert Rubin warns that a big increase in the federal deficit could choke off any recovery, creating […]
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Tooth Fairies And Economic Plans
It’s been a bad time to keep a job, especially if you’re Paul O’Neill, Cardinal Law, Trent Lott, or even Al Gore. Until last Sunday, Gore’s job was to run for president of the United States — which in this era of permanent campaigning is a full-time occupation. Gore’s decision not to run opens the […]
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The Holiday That Won’t Stop
If you were at work yesterday, you probably had a hard time finding the people you needed to find in order to do your job. It’ll be the same tomorrow, if you’re going into work. That’s what happens when Christmas and New Years come in mid-week. Mondays are no good because of all the people […]
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Extend Unemployment Benefits!
If you’re unemployed and still don’t have a job three days after Christmas, youcan forget extra unemployment benefits. You’ve had it. That’s the message from this Ebenezer Scrooge of a Congress. Who says the recession is over? The official rate of unemployment is still stuck up there at 6 percent, which means almost 8 million […]
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The End Of The Christmas Bonus
Getting ready for that year-end bonus, heh? Maybe you’ve already spent it in anticipation. Oh, it comes in mighty handy. Two years ago, paid for that new upholstery and those lovely curtains in the dining room; last year, for that new shower stall. You don’t know the size of this year’s bonus, but it’s usually […]
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A Winning $700-Billion Balancing Act
I’ve got great holiday news for you. Starting as soon as possible, you’ll be relieved of payroll taxes on the first $20,000 of your income. The tax holiday will last two years. That means about $5,000 extra money to your family, if you’re a typical two-earner household. Ballpark cost to the government over the two […]
