George Mason University / Bloomberg View
Tyler Cowen is a professor of economics at George Mason University, a columnist for Bloomberg View and co-writer of the economics blog Marginal Revolution. He is the author of Average Is Over: Powering America Beyond the Age of the Great Stagnation.
US progress stalled because we're too complacent, says economist America is often portrayed as the land of opportunity, where anyone who is willing to work hard can get ahead. It’s a country of innovators, entrepreneurs, and risk-takers. But is that all still true? Economist Tyler Cowen has his doubts.
Is Income Inequality Here to Stay? "All societies are unequal, but some are more unequal than others." So, "why has the US become more so than just about any other rich country in the past 30 years?" That question is raised by The Atlantic's Matthew O'Brien, in the aftermath of new figures released by the same economists who brought attention to the income gap and gave birth to the occupy movement. Those figures show that America's "1%" took more than a fifth of the nation's income last year — and the top 10% got half – something that's never happened in 100 years of data collection. But 99% have failed to see any boost at all from economic recovery. Is it all about Wall Street and the decline of organized labor? What about access to education and the impact of globalization? Steps used in the past to even the playing field aren't popular any more. Will inequality lead to unrest, or are we all just getting used to it?
An Endgame in Sight for Finance Reform As the Senate gets ready to vote on finance reform, The Financial Times has headlined, “Wall Street lobbyists braced for defeat.” Banks are highly unpopular this election year, and some conservative Republicans may join forces with liberal Democrats to crack down. But--even if Goldman Sachs could lose a big chunk of its profits—critics say the reforms deal more with symptoms than causes. Should states get back the authority they once had to protect consumers?
DOING ‘BIG’ BETTER When it comes to getting big things done in California, the Bay Bridge between San Francisco and Oakland offers important lessons about what not to do.
Very legal? Very cool? President Trump says it was very legal and very cool to run his business and campaign simultaneously, but was it?
Does Manafort have any credibility left? Is this a crazy legal strategy or a hail mary?
Remembering George H.W. Bush A balanced look at George H.W. Bush includes: the smear campaign that won him the White House, his successes in war and diplomacy, and his almost forgotten role as an environmental president. Also what lies ahead for the UK, if there’s no agreement on Brexit?