In a post about a survey released this month showing Americans are much less concerned about income inequality than Europeans, despite similar perceptions about the distribution of income in their countries, Paul Krugman described Americans as “delusional.” He sees this delusion stemming from racism that results in a “unique suspicion of and hostility to social insurance and anti-poverty programs,” which “empowers right-wing groups … [to] issue a lot of propaganda ... Read More
America Spends 25 Percent More per Capita on Social Welfare than Any Other Country
Despite popular misconceptions, Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) data confirms America spends more on social welfare than any other country—$13,500 per capita in 2009. This is nearly 25 percent more per capita than the second largest spender, France, and 35 percent more than Germany, Sweden, and other high-spending Scandinavian countries. Several factors obscure this truth. Europe taxes benefits more heavily, whereas benefits are often ... Read More
Will Obamacare’s subsidies increase unwed births?
Last week, the CBO warned that Affordable Care Act's subsidies will motivate 2.5 million low-wage workers to quit work at the expense of taxpayers--a 3-fold increase from its ... Read More
Yale’s The Politic: An Interview with Edward Conard
The Politic - The Yale Undergraduate Journal of Politics "An Interview with Edward Conard" By Adira Levine The Politic: What do you see as the current direction of the economy? There are two kinds of recessions. The most common recessions stem from temporary Keynesian-like lulls in demand. The economy declines briefly and then rebounds back to the prior trend line. A temporary lull in demand can cause permanent damage to the economy. Displaced workers may ... Read More
