Edward Conard

Top Ten New York Times Bestselling Author

Upside of Inequality Unintended Consequences
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Alan Blinder Wages War on the Facts

Alan Blinder claims “in the late 1970s, the U.S. labor markets began to turn ferociously against workers with low skills and education,” that “technology was clearly the major villain,” and that “the U.S. government piled on” by “[waging a] war on the poor.” His claims don’t square with the evidence.
graph1Since 1980, U.S. demand for labor pulled 25 million foreign born workers to its shores, predominantly low-skilled Hispanic workers.

graph2

At the same time, unemployment, trended downward until the financial crisis.

 

 

 

 

 

Real government spending excluding defense doubled from $7,000 per person to $14,000 per person (2005 dollars; includes state and local spending).

GraphAccording to the Cato Institute the U.S. spends “nearly $1 trillion every year to fight poverty” which “amounts to $20,610 for every poor person in America, or $61,830 per poor family of three.” These figures exclude social security, and Medicare. The real per person spending on poverty has more than doubled since the 1970s.

 

 

 

 

 

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