Questions we all should be asking 2018 candidates

Over the last year, I’ve been traveling Michigan and speaking to groups about the need for a new economic agenda for our state, one that puts a good-paying career for all front and center. Such an agenda reflects understanding that in good times and bad far too many Michigan households are experiencing declining or stagnant […]

Minnesotans doing better than Wisconsinites

Important report from the Economic Policy Institute comparing the economic progress Minnesota and Wisconsin have made since the 2010 election. EPI describes the economic paths the two states have taken this way: Governor Walker and the Wisconsin state legislature have pursued a highly conservative agenda centered on cutting taxes, shrinking government, and weakening unions. In […]

Full employment and too many low wage jobs

The Atlantic recently explored what the American economy might look like with full employment. Using today’s  metro Des Moines as the example. It’s a region with very low unemployment and a high employment to population ratio. What is happening in Des Moines is reaffirmation that full employment matters. It tilts the balance of power towards […]

Those with a four-year degree most satisfied with their education decisions

The Federal Reserve recently published their Report on the Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2017. It reports on the results of a survey of American’s assessments of their economic well-being. The report is worth reading. It’s a great overview of how well American households are doing economically today. The report finds that 42 percent of American […]