Research and Commentary
Julia B. Isaacs, November 2007
Julia Isaacs explores the differences between white and black families with regard to economic success and income mobility. Read More
Economic Mobility, Children & Families
PAST EVENT
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
12:30 PM to 1:30 PM
Too many Americans leave school with inadequate skills, and too many working families struggle to make ends meet. Greater investments in economic opportunity are needed to reduce poverty and increase future economic mobility for today’s poor children. On Wednesday, November 26, Brookings Senior Fellow Rebecca Blank answered questions during a web chat with Politico about poverty in the United States and creating opportunities for American families. Read More
VIDEO
Rebecca M. Blank and Stephen Hess, November 26, 2008
The financial crisis is sure to push more Americans into poverty. Senior fellow Rebecca Blank discusses what the new administration can do to combat poverty and increase opportunity for millions, and the man on the street reacts. Also, former presidential press secretary Ron Nessen interviews Stephen Hess on the qualities a new President needs in his congressional relations chief.
PAST EVENT
Monday, November 24, 2008
2:00 PM to 3:30 PM
Washington, DC
A major economic slowdown adds to the problems of lower-income Americans, who have not shared in the economic growth of the last decade. On November 24, Brookings senior fellow Rebecca Blank offered policy solutions and priorities for the president-elect to make greater investments in economic mobility and opportunity. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Lois Dickson Rice and David Mundel, December 2008, The Brookings Institution
David Mundel with Lois Rice discuss the results of a recent natural experiment on the effect of grant programs on college-going among lower income youth. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Rebecca M. Blank, November 24, 2008, The Brookings Institution
A major economic slowdown adds to the problems of lower-income Americans, who have not shared in the economic growth of the last decade. Greater investments in economic mobility and opportunity are needed. Rebecca Blank offers policy solutions and priorities for the president-elect to make greater investments in economic mobility and opportunity. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Roger C. Altman, Jason E. Bordoff, Jason Furman and Robert E. Rubin, November 2008, Hamilton Project Discussion Paper
Today, too many Americans are not fully sharing in our nation’s prosperity. Real median wages have stagnated, income inequality has increased, and changes in the economy that have brought benefits have also brought new risks and insecurities. In response to these challenges, our nation needs to act now on three fronts. First, our nation must make the right long-term investments to promote economic growth that is both strong and sustainable. Second, it is necessary to put in place economic policies that will better achieve broad-based participation in that growth. Third, for growth to be sustainable, it is necessary to restore sound fiscal policy, moving on a multiyear path to a sustainable fiscal position. This paper elaborates on these economic challenges. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Julia B. Isaacs and Isabel V. Sawhill, Fourth Quarter 2008, The Milken Institute Review
The past few decades have led to more inequality in both income and wealth than we have seen since the late 1920s. Despite this, Americans seem to care more about equality of opportunity than about equality of outcomes. Julia Isaacs and Isabel Sawhill describe ways to ensure greater equality of opportunity and economic mobility. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Navtej Dhillon and Djavad Salehi-Isfahani, October 2008, The Brookings Institution
The confluence of economic growth in the Middle East and millions of youth ready to hit the job market could be a recipe for prosperity. However, young people are encountering numerous obstacles. Navtej Dhillon, Director of the Middle East Youth Initiative, and Djavad Salehi-Isfahani, Visiting Fellow at the Wolfensohn Center for Development, argue that the root cause of youth exclusion lies in the institutions that mediate transitions from school to work and family formation. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
David F. Garrison, Margery Austin Turner, Jennifer Comey, Barika Williams, Elizabeth Guernsey, Marni Allen, Mary Filardo, Nancy Huvendick and Ping Sung, September 29, 2008, The Brookings Institution
New analysis by Greater Washington Research at Brookings, the Urban Institute and 21st Century School Fund argues that Washington, DC can become a more family-friendly city by improving its public schools, expanding affordable housing, and revitalizing its neighborhoods. The paper examines families’ current public school choices and recommends that the city strategically link its policies and investments in education, affordable housing, and neighborhood revitalization in order to better serve those already living here, attract new families with children to city neighborhoods, and encourage young couples with preschool-age children to stay in the city. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Rebecca M. Blank, September 15, 2008, Los Angeles Times
The U.S. government's method of measuring poverty, established in 1964, is badly outdated and leads to an inaccurate picture of who is, and is not, poor in America. If we want to debate new policies to help the poor, Rebecca Blank argues that we first need a poverty measure that shows us who they really are. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Navtej Dhillon, August 14, 2008, The Brookings Institution
Navtej Dhillon and Diana Greenwald argue that, despite a difficult political climate, the 'Union for the Mediterranean' can exceed expectations by convening European and Arab leaders around a pressing and shared interest: the need to improve economic outcomes for millions of young people in the broader Middle East. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Ron Haskins, Summer 2008, Pathways Magazine
The bipartisan economic stimulus package was a straightforward application of Keynesian fiscal policy: Spend your way out of recession. However, some might wonder if it’s possible to design a stimulus package that could also reduce inequality. In this paper, Ron Haskins explains why targeted stimulus may reduce poverty in the short run but cannot substitute for investments that will reduce inequality in the long run. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Djavad Salehi-Isfahani, August 05, 2008, The Brookings Institution
Contrary to recent findings by the Central Bank of Iran, Brookings Djavad Salehi-Isfahani argues poverty rates in Iran are not high when compared to international standards for developing countries, nor do they appear to be rising. However, income inequality is on the rise and poses a challenge to President Ahmadinejad in his 2009 re-election bid. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Rebecca M. Blank, July 17, 2008, Subcommittee on Income Security and Family Support of the House Committee on Ways and Means
Rebecca Blank testified before the Subcommittee on Income Security and Family Support of the House Committee on Ways and Means on the need for an improved measure of poverty in the United States. She stated that our current poverty line is based on data more than 50 years old and our poverty count does not measure the actual resources that many families have available to them.
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RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Alice M. Rivlin and Walter Smith, July 06, 2008, The Washington Post
Writing in the Washington Post, Brookings’ Alice M. Rivlin and Walter Smith of DC Appleseed argue that a community college should be established in the District of Columbia. Read More