Podcasts about Economic Policy Institute

What would happen if the United States tripled the share of workers who belong to unions?In this episode of Policy for the People, we talk with Jennifer Sherer of the Economic Policy Institute about the case for dramatically expanding union membership—and what stronger unions could mean for workers and the economy.According to EPI's analysis, tripling union density could, among other things--Raise the average worker's pay by about 14.5%, or roughly $7,700 a year--Shift an estimated $1.2 trillion annually toward workers--Reverse about one-third of the increase in inequality since 1979The conversation explores a central question: Could rebuilding union power help address the biggest economic challenges facing working people today?Read EPI's report The Case for Tripling Union Membership: https://www.epi.org/publication/the-case-for-tripling-union-membership-how-rebuilding-union-power-would-strengthen-workers-the-economy-and-our-democracy/Support the show

Ralph welcomes Robert Reich (professor of Public Policy and former Secretary of Labor) to discuss his "Pledge to Make America Affordable Again." Then, Ralph speaks to Derek Shearer (former economic policy adviser and US Ambassador to Finland) about his recent work, "A Bold Economic Program for America."Robert Reich is Emeritus Professor of Public Policy at UC Berkeley. He has served in three national administrations, including as secretary of labor under President Bill Clinton. Mr Reich has written eighteen books, including The System: Who Rigged It, How We Fix It, The Common Good, Supercapitalism, and Coming up Short: A Memoir of My America. He is co-founder of Inequality Media, co-founder of the Economic Policy Institute, and co-founding editor of The American Prospect.Democrats have an opportunity now to talk to the working class about—and not just the working class, the middle class too—about prices, about affordability in ways that are terribly important and meaningful and that really could get prices down or at least stop the onslaught of inflation. And also that are very, very consistent with what we believe as Democrats, as progressives, as people who want to see the nation move back toward its pursuit of social justice.Robert ReichYou can bet that the right, the apologists for wealth in this country are going to say, “Oh, no, no, no, don't do that because wealthy people will leave the country!” I mean, what they always do reflexively is say, “If you do that, we'll leave.” And I say in California the same thing I would say about a national wealth tax—if they want to leave, let them leave. But they're not going to leave because there are so many advantages to staying in California in terms of: this is where a lot of the high tech talent actually is. This is where the infrastructure for high tech is already. The climate, as I talk to you, I'm looking at a beautiful day out here. You know, who wants to leave California? And if you are a billionaire, and you are just so intent on leaving California because of this one very, very minor tax, then frankly, goodbye.Robert ReichI am a believer, though, in the common sense of the American people. Now, if that makes me naive, if that makes me gullible, so be it. But I think at the end of the line, the bottom line here is that the American people will make a decision starting with the midterm elections coming up in just 96 days (something like that). And those elections are going to be critical in terms of trying to constrain Trump and the people, the sycophants and lapdogs behind him and Hegseth and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and all these people who are ripping the social contract to shreds. And I think that the one way that (this brings us back to my pledge, my affordability pledge for Democrats), I think one way the Democrats can be sure to get the House back and maybe even possibly the Senate in 96, 97 days, is to pledge to make America affordable again. And using these 10 particular steps that are widely, widely supported.Robert ReichDerek Shearer served as the US Ambassador to Finland from 1994 to 1997. Previously, he worked in government at the national, state, and local levels, including the founding board of directors of the National Consumer Cooperative Bank in 1978 and Deputy Under Secretary of Commerce for Economic Affairs in 1993. He is emeritus Chevalier Professor of Diplomacy and World Affairs at Occidental College and Diplomat in Residence at Occidental for 2025-26. During the 1992 presidential campaign, Ambassador Shearer was a senior policy adviser to Bill Clinton and helped to write the campaign's economic program, Putting People First. He has continued this policy work by co-authoring the comprehensive proposal A Bold Economic Program for America and exploring its political path forward in his recent article, Planning for the Day After Trump.The point of our program is not that it should be endorsed in its entirety. It's almost meant to be a discussion document to show what is possible—that this can be done. It doesn't require some dramatic change in the way the government operates. It just demands a change in priorities and some new lawsDerek ShearerYou can't get to those issues until you are actually in the government. And if we don't win back the House and at least have a shot at winning back the Senate, talking about these issues while Trump and the MAGA Republican Party controls the government (and might continue to control it), makes us feel good, but it doesn't change anything. What I've learned about the so-called leaders of the party is you don't really expect them to lead. They will follow when they see where the voters are going. And they'll also follow when they see if there is a Presidential candidate who takes off on these kinds of issues…I don't expect the leadership to lead on these issues. So I don't rail against them. Because what I'm doing (and I'm doing it with a lot of different people out there, including a lot of young people) is trying to find good candidates, provide them with economic ideas to run on, and then hope that we win back the House and that these kinds of then-elected officials who share our viewpoint become the Democratic Party. I mean, that's how you do these things. If we don't win these elections, then we're just kind of crying in the wilderness.Derek ShearerLet's Start the RevolutionTools for Displacing the Corporate State and Building a Country that Works for the PeopleIn his latest eye-opening exploration, political maverick Ralph Nader dissects the astonishing twists and turns of the 2020 presidential election, a race that left the nation on the edge of its seat. Although Joe Biden clinched victory with a substantial popular vote lead, Nader unveils the precarious nature of the outcome, where a mere 100,000 votes in key swing states could have catapulted Donald Trump back to the presidency. Get your copy here.News 8/7/26* This week, a new wave of Democratic primaries were held, most notably in the state of Michigan. In the closely watched Senate primary, which came down to a two-way race, Bernie Sanders-backed progressive Dr. Abdul El-Sayed emerged triumphant. Some have played up the fact that his opponent, Congresswoman Haley Stevens, overperformed relative to her polling in an attempt to downplay the significance of El-Sayed's victory. Yet, this narrative ignores the fact that Stevens enjoyed the backing of the Democratic Establishment and AIPAC, which gave her an 12-to-1 spending advantage according to Axios, and that she ran misleading ads that made it seem as though former President Barack Obama had endorsed her campaign. Viewed in this light, it is clear just how impressive El-Sayed's victory – statewide, in a must-win swing state for Democrats – is. El-Sayed will now face off against former Republican Congressman Mike Rogers in the general election.* In Detroit, the left scored another major win with the victory of Donavan McKinney. McKinney, a DSA member and Michigan state representative, won his primary race against incumbent Congressman Shri Thanedar in Michigan's 13th congressional district, the Detroit Free Press reports. Thanedar, a millionaire businessman, was a DSA member but left over disagreements over Israel. Thanedar fought hard to keep this seat, which he won in 2022, and was supported by Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries despite many members of the Congressional Black Caucus supporting McKinney. Given that this is a heavily Democratic district, McKinney is essentially guaranteed a seat in the next Congress, bringing the number of DSA-backed House Members to an unprecedented high of seven. Moreover, between McKinney and Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, the city of Detroit will now enjoy all DSA representation in Congress.* In Michigan's seventh congressional district, progressive climate activist and co-founder of the Sunrise Movement William Lawrence pulled out a win in his primary as well. NBC notes that Lawrence defeated his two more moderate opponents, retired Navy SEAL Matt Maasdam and former Ambassador to Slovakia Bridget Brink, in part by aggressively criticizing the construction of new AI data centers. Some have alleged that Lawrence received support from Republicans using dark money to boost his campaign because they believe him to be an easier candidate to defeat in the general election. However, the Hillary Clinton campaign's “pied piper” strategy to boost Donald Trump in 2016 proves that this is ever a risky strategy. Michigan's seventh district is seen as a critical battleground seat. Donald Trump won the district by just one single percentage point in 2024.* In more data center news from the Midwest, Hell Gate reports former New York City Mayor Eric Adams was in “Wisconsin Rapids—population 18,654—trying to convince residents that they should allow a real estate developer to build a data center in the heart of their town.” In a video of his pitch, the townspeople can be seen heckling, booing and shouting down the former Mayor, with attendees saying “You belong in prison!” and “You're here to steal our water!” Community activist Kaitlyn Federwitz is quoted in this piece saying “Our whole town does not want him here at all,” adding “We want our resources to be properly safeguarded, our farmers to be protected, our waterways protected.” The Wisconsin Rapids economy had been largely dependent on a local mill, which closed its doors in 2020; Federwitz spoke to this, arguing that “When the mill closed, we lost 900 jobs. We're aware we need jobs and industry in our city.” However, she added that the people of Wisconsin Rapids are “not willing to accept that a data center is the answer to that problem.”* In more news from the midwest, United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain has published a new op-ed in Newsweek contending that “Democrats Must Pick a Side: Billionaires or Working-Class.” Fain cited numerous examples of Democrats in powers betraying their working class supporters, from NAFTA to modern governors like Abigail Spanberger of Virginia vetoing collective bargaining rights for public-sector workers. He criticized Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer in particular for vetoing “nine bills restoring pensions, lowering health care costs, and restoring bargaining rights for public-sector workers,” after “Michigan Democrats fought an 18-month legal battle to force the bills to the governor's desk.” He claims that “When the courts finally ordered [the bills] delivered, Whitmer vetoed all nine the same day—without so much as a phone call to legislative leaders or the unions that helped elect her.” He ends this piece with a call for “every elected official and candidate to…[reject] corporate PAC money,” and “adopt a platform that addresses the needs of working-class people.” This clear-eyed, laser focus on the working class is what has put Fain into conversation for a 2028 presidential run by some on the populist left, particularly if Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ultimately declines to run. A recent article in POLITICO quotes Bhaskar Sunkara, the 2020 Sanders surrogate and former vice chair of the Democratic Socialists of America, saying “If he's willing to run, [Fain] might be the best candidate for the left…Since he's progressive but very much says his egalitarian value system comes from his Christianity, [he] can speak in a moral language that can reach more independents than other candidates, and I think it would set a good precedent for labor.”* For the DSA left, all eyes now turn to Wisconsin, where Francesca Hong's campaign for the gubernatorial nomination continues to pick up steam. Just this week, per Wis Politics, Hong picked up the endorsement of the SEIU Wisconsin Healthcare and Service Workers. In their endorsement statement, SEIU Wisconsin called Hong “a longtime advocate and fighter for the working class,” who is “committed to building back strong labor protections by overturning Act 10 and so-called ‘Right-to-Work' laws, expanding Badgercare, and abolishing poverty wages in Wisconsin.” The union added that Hong's “support for a $20 minimum wage, adopting family-centered policies such as paid family leave and affordable child care, and enacting much-needed regulations on corporate monopolies make her the clear choice for all Wisconsinites, not just the wealthy.” Hong currently leads in the polls, despite the sitting Democratic Governor's attempts to boost her primary rival, David Crowley. Both Hong and Crowley have racked up labor support, though Crowley decidedly leads among the building trades and firefighter unions.* In St. Louis, the left experienced its biggest setback this cycle, with former Congresswoman Cori Bush losing her comeback bid against Congressman Wesley Bell by a large margin. Bush was ousted in 2024 as part of “a broader strategy by AIPAC to unseat Israel's sharpest critics in Congress, including the ‘Squad,' which Bush was a part of,” per the Missouri Independent. This piece notes that AIPAC spent over $8 million to oust Bush in that cycle and outside groups spent $7.2 million on Bell's behalf this year. Bell's official campaign outspent Bush's by a margin well over 10 to 1. Bush is the first candidate backed by National DSA to lose their race in 2026, which, while disappointing in this case, is a stunning testament to the track record of the group.* In a totally different part of the country, this week Julian Beaudion, the Democratic nominee for Senate in South Dakota, dropped out of the race. Beaudion cited personal hardships for himself and his family in his statement of withdrawal citing a recent house fire. However, many see this as an acknowledgement that the independent candidate in this race, veteran and former park ranger Brian Bengs, has a better chance of defeating incumbent Republican Senator Mike Rounds in a head-to-head matchup. This dynamic has been playing out in other states; Democratic Senate candidates have dropped out to clear the way for independents in Nebraska and Idaho already and there is immense pressure on the Democratic nominee in Montana to do the same. For his part, Beaudion will not endorse either candidate in South Dakota, according to KELOLAND News, but South Dakota Searchlight reports the South Dakota Democratic Party will not replace Beaudion on the ballot, giving the greenlight for Democrats to coalesce around Bengs in the general election.* In another primary election story, Lehigh Valley Public Media is out with a story on the strange dynamic emerging in Pennsylvania's 7th congressional district. According to this story, this race – between incumbent Republican Ryan Mackenzie and his Democratic challenger Bob Brooks, who seems to have done the impossible by getting Bernie Sanders and Josh Shapiro on the same side in a primary – has been upended by the entry of one Andrew Tupone. Mr. Tupone, a former Republican candidate, is running on the Green Party ballot line and claims to have “joined the Green Party this spring, drawn by its environmental policies on water conservancy and opposition to data centers, after growing disillusioned with both major parties.” Yet, apparently, “Green Party leaders warned in a statement this month that a wave of candidates may be posing as party members across the state.” Chris Robinson, a Green party spokesman, claims that “The party hasn't endorsed any congressional candidates in Pennsylvania and has never heard from Tupone.” Robinson adds that he “looked at [Tupone's] Facebook page, and he seems like he's a nice Republican.” According to LVPM, “a third-party candidate wouldn't need to move the needle much,” to influence the outcome of the election, noting that the current Congressman defeated the Democratic incumbent, Rep. Susan Wild by just 1 percentage point, in 2024, while “Tim Silfies, the last third-party congressional candidate to appear on a Lehigh Valley ballot, earned 8,011 votes, or 3 percent of the vote, in 2018.”* Finally, in more third party news, POLITICO reports several leading figures on the anti-MAGA right – including Congressman Thomas Massie, former Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, and commentator Tucker Carlson – convened last weekend to “[sow] the seeds for a future third-party political organization…aimed at undercutting the Republican establishment.” This gang of three, joined by former Trump national security official Joe Kent, are particularly incensed by the president's intervention in Iran, with Greene writing “We said no more foreign wars and we meant it and supported Donald Trump because he made that promise. But he's betrayed us all.” This group is reportedly mulling a right-wing, third-party presidential campaign in 2028. While Carlson has declined to launch a presidential bid in the past, despite urging from within his circle, a sprawling new “10-point vision for America” he debuted during a recent stream implies that he is increasingly interested in articulating an alternative vision of right-wing politics from those espoused by Trump. This manifesto, as reported by Axios, includes everything from declassifying records on the JFK assasination and 9/11 to enforcing universal sobriety to “halting immigration until the effects of AI become clearer.” We will be watching closely to see if this effort moves forward or peters out as has been the pattern with other recent third party attempts.This has been Francesco DeSantis, with In Case You Haven't Heard. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

This week on Truth to Power, we bring you a community conversation entitled "Notes For Next Time: Surviving Trump and Reviving America." This online event was hosted by the Oberlin Club of Washington, D.C. on April 2nd, 2026 and it featured Oberlin College class of 1965 alumni, Bob Kuttner, co-founder and co-editor of The American Prospect magazine. For Bob and those of his generation, the arc of a lifetime can be described as a period when America made great progress toward social and economic justice, and then watched it get away. Why the great reversal? How did the failure to restore broad prosperity lead to political backlash and the rise of Trump? Moving forward, what lessons might be learned to prevail in winning the arguments and the politics? And how do we make sure there is a next time? Tune in as Bob draws on his five decades at the center of progressive thought and action to share observations and ideas, and reads brief excerpts from his memoir 'Notes for Next Time: Surviving Tyranny, Redeeming America'. He revisits the pivotal moments when different choices could have led to a fairer economy and a stronger democracy, outlines a hopeful path forward, and assess how we may yet survive Trump if we restore decent life prospects for regular people. Robert Kuttner is co-founder and co-editor of The American Prospect magazine and is a Professor in Social Planning and Administration at Brandeis University's Heller School. He was a longtime columnist for Business Week, the Boston Globe, and the Washington Post syndicate. He was a founder of the Economic Policy Institute and serves on its board and executive committee. Bob has authored thirteen books, and his magazine writing, covering the interplay of economics and politics, has appeared in most major publications. His previous positions have included national staff writer on The Washington Post, chief investigator of the US Senate Banking Committee, executive director of President Carter's National Commission on Neighborhoods, and economics editor of The New Republic. Bob earned a BA at Oberlin College in Government and holds an MA from the University of California at Berkeley. He holds honorary doctorates from Oberlin and Swarthmore. Watch the full event at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2G2OHA9cOOU Truth to Power airs every Friday at 9pm, Saturday at 11am, and Sunday at 7pm on Louisville's grassroots, community radio station, Forward Radio 106.5fm WFMP and live streams at https://www.forwardradio.org

Why have wages for working Americans stagnated for decades—even as productivity, corporate profits, and the wealth of the people at the top continued to rise? The mainstream explanations are familiar: automation, globalization, education, or simply the unavoidable forces of the market—but wage stagnation was not inevitable. It was the result of policy choices. This week, we're revisiting a conversation with economists Lawrence Mishel and Josh Bivens about the decisions that reshaped the American economy, weakened worker bargaining power, and made it harder for working people to claim their share of the prosperity they helped create. As we continue sharing more about Market Humanism—the idea that markets are human-built systems shaped by rules and power—this conversation feels especially relevant. The economy we have did not emerge naturally. It was built. And that means it can be rebuilt. This episode originally aired on June 1, 2021. Josh Bivens is the chief economist at the Economic Policy Institute. His research focuses on macroeconomics, inequality, social insurance, public investment, and the economics of globalization. Larry Mishel is a distinguished fellow and former president of the Economic Policy Institute. His research focuses on labor economics, wages and income distribution, industrial relations, productivity growth, and the economics of education. Social Media: @joshbivens-econ.bsky.social @joshbivens_DC @larrymishel.bsky.social @LarryMishel Watch Nick on The Diary of a CEO Nick recently joined Steven Bartlett and entrepreneur Daniel Priestley for a wide-ranging debate about the wealth divide, stagnant wages, artificial intelligence, and whether capitalism can still deliver broadly shared prosperity. Watch the conversation on The Diary of a CEO. Further reading ⬇️ Economic Policy Institute: Identifying the Policy Levers Generating Wage Suppression and Wage Inequality Economic Policy Institute: The Productivity–Pay Gap Economic Policy Institute: Wage Calculator: How Much More Would You Be Making If Pay Had Kept Pace With Productivity? Roosevelt Institute: Democratic Abundance: An Abundance That Works for Workers Roosevelt Institute: From Safety Net to Power Base: Reimagining, Not Restoring, the US Antipoverty System Markets Built for Humans: A Guide for Policy Professionals to the New Economics Website: http://pitchforkeconomics.com Facebook: Pitchfork Economics Podcast Bluesky: @pitchforkeconomics.bsky.social Instagram: @pitchforkeconomics Threads: pitchforkeconomics TikTok: @pitchfork_econ YouTube: @pitchforkeconomics LinkedIn: Pitchfork Economics Twitter: @PitchforkEcon, @NickHanauer Substack: ⁠The Pitch⁠

US employers spend $1.7 billion every year trying to stop workers from organizing. One union-busting consultant earned $7 million alone last year. Amazon spent more than $26.6 million on outside consultants in 2025. And the Department of Labor is enforcing disclosure requirements for unions while largely ignoring the same rules for companies and law firms that fight workers. On this episode of America's Work Force Union Podcast, LaborLab founder Bob Funk breaks down a new report produced with the Economic Policy Institute on the scale and structure of the union avoidance industry — from the law firms that drag out contract negotiations for years to the healthcare systems spending millions on union busters while patients wait for beds. Funk also explains how LaborLab's Persuader reports put legally required information directly in workers' hands during organizing campaigns. If you are facing a union-busting campaign, visit laborlab.us or email contact@laborlab.us.

What do the National Labor Relations Board, Blake Lively's lawsuit against Justin Baldoni, and Lindsey Halligan have in common? They're all swimming in the chaos soup cooked up by a Supreme Court that engages in motivated reasoning and jettisons precedent whenever it gets in the way. Eat up!   Links:    Richman v. US https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/71982634/richman-v-united-states/?order_by=desc   Corporate Union Busting in Plain Sight, Economic Policy Institute, January 28, 2025 https://www.epi.org/publication/corporate-union-busting/   Amazon Services LLC v. New York State Public Employment Relations Board (New York Litigation) [docket via CourtListener] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/71421477/amazoncom-services-llc-v-new-york-state-public-employment-relations-board/   National Labor Relations Board v. State of California (California Litigaton) [docket via CourtListener] https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/71657795/national-labor-relations-board-v-state-of-california/   National Trust for Historic Preservation v. National Parks Service https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/72028010/national-trust-for-historic-preservation-in-the-united-states-v-national/   List of Trump Clemency Grants https://www.justice.gov/pardon/clemency-grants-president-donald-j-trump-2025-present   US v. Abrego  https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/70475970/united-states-v-abrego-garcia/?order_by=desc   Abrego Garcia v. Noem  https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/71191591/abrego-garcia-v-noem Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod  

UnityPoint-Meriter Hospital workers rally for a fair contract, Wisconsin legislators kill a school funding deal, Google workers in England want a union as a voice against military deals, Economic Policy Institute speakers argue that the power of bosses is the real threat to workers as technologies develop, Max Hall of AFSCME speaks on Minnesota's new landmark employment legislation, and Texas public union officials talk to Labor Radio about a legal victory for a Texas State professor targeted for political speech.

The federal government may be swinging the hammer, but workers are building anyway. Jennifer Sherer, deputy director of the Economic Policy Institute's Economic Analysis and Research Network, joins the America's Work Force Union Podcast to discuss a moment of startling contrasts. Despite a hostile federal environment, approximately 463,000 workers joined unions in 2025. Sherer breaks down how states like Virginia are becoming the new front lines for worker power—banning captive-audience meetings, repealing "right to work" laws and protecting the right to strike when Washington fails to act. But grassroots growth is being met by a "legal ghost" in the courts. In our second segment, labor lawyer Andrew Strom joins us for a post-mortem on the Bobby Reed case. After 13 years of litigation and two victories before the NLRB, the D.C. Circuit Court used a 73-year-old legal doctrine to strip Reed—a 34-year utility veteran—of his federal protections. His "crime"? Testifying before the Texas State Senate about workplace fires without explicitly mentioning a labor dispute. Strom explains how this ruling turns civic participation into a minefield for private-sector workers and why the current Supreme Court makes a rescue unlikely. Featured Guests: Jennifer Sherer: Deputy Director, EARN (Economic Policy Institute) Andrew Strom: Labor Lawyer, Brooklyn Law School professor and OnLabor contributor Inside the Episode: The data behind the 463,000-worker union surge The "Jefferson Standard" and the death of worker free speech Bobby Reed and his 13-year fight for justice

Economist Frank Manzo IV of the Illinois Economic Policy Institute joins Patrick to discuss Tier 2 pensions, a millionaire tax, and the state economy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode Tom Hayes chats with Dave Kamper, author ofthe book “Who's Got the Power: The Resurgence of American Unions”. Dave writes extensively on labour relations and is currently a senior strategist at the Economic Policy Institute, a progressive-leaning US think tank. Tom opens by asking Dave why the US labour movement is a pale shadow of what it once was? currently a senior strategist at theEconomic Policy Institute, a progressive-leaning US think tank. In this episodeTom asks Dave why the US labour movement is a pale shadow of what it once was?

While facing decades-long political efforts to throttle and privatize the United States Postal Service (USPS), and while US Postmaster General David Steiner ominously warns that the USPS will "run out of money" within a year, postal workers continue to deliver the mail and serve communities across the country. But that job has gotten harder, more dangerous, and more complicated in recent years. From increases in targeted violence against letter carriers to the Trump administration's attacks on mail-in voting, to ICE and Border Patrol agents invading communities on their mail routes, USPS workers are confronting many daily hazards on the job that the public doesn't see. In this episode, we speak with Connor Mauche, a letter carrier in New York and a shop steward for Branch 3 of the National Association of Letter Carriers, about what it's like to be a postal worker in America in 2026.   Additional links/info:  National Association of Letter Carriers - Branch 3 website Ann DeStefano Sutherland, The Revolt of the Good Guys (a documentary about the Great Postal Strike of 1970)  Derek Dolbeare, Labor Notes, "Dispatch: Letter carriers are gearing up for another contract fight" Sara Braun, The Guardian, "Nearly blind refugee abandoned by US border patrol found dead in Buffalo" Monique Morrissey, Economic Policy Institute, "Why is President Trump attacking the Postal Service?" Susan Haigh, AP, "US Postal Service expects to run out of cash in a year without help from Congress, postmaster says" Featured Music:  Jules Taylor, Working People Theme Song Credits:  Audio Post-Production: Jules Taylor 

While facing decades-long political efforts to throttle and privatize the United States Postal Service (USPS), and while US Postmaster General David Steiner ominously warns that the USPS will “run out of money” within a year, postal workers continue to deliver the mail and serve communities across the country. But that job has gotten harder, more dangerous, and more complicated in recent years. From increases in targeted violence against letter carriers to the Trump administration's attacks on mail-in voting, to ICE and Border Patrol agents invading communities on their mail routes, USPS workers are confronting many daily hazards on the job that the public doesn't see. In this episode, we speak with Connor Mauche, a letter carrier in New York and a shop steward for Branch 3 of the National Association of Letter Carriers, about what it's like to be a postal worker in America in 2026. Additional links/info: National Association of Letter Carriers - Branch 3 websiteAnn DeStefano Sutherland, The Revolt of the Good Guys (a documentary about the Great Postal Strike of 1970) Derek Dolbeare, Labor Notes, “Dispatch: Letter carriers are gearing up for another contract fight”Sara Braun, The Guardian, “Nearly blind refugee abandoned by US border patrol found dead in Buffalo”Monique Morrissey, Economic Policy Institute, “Why is President Trump attacking the Postal Service?”Susan Haigh, AP, “US Postal Service expects to run out of cash in a year without help from Congress, postmaster says”Featured Music: Jules Taylor, Working People Theme SongCredits: Audio Post-Production: Jules Taylor Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-real-news-podcast--2952221/support.Help us continue producing radically independent news and in-depth analysis by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.Follow us on:Bluesky: @therealnews.comFacebook: The Real News NetworkTwitter: @TheRealNewsYouTube: @therealnewsInstagram: @therealnewsnetworkBecome a member and join the Supporters Club for The Real News Podcast today!

If you could order a presidential administration to do one specific thing to improve the lives of working people — what would it be? At Democracy Journal's recent conference in Washington, DC, Nick and Goldy heard some of the country's leading economic thinkers take their best shot at that magic-wand question: one idea, three minutes, no BS.  The result is a rapid-fire lineup of bold proposals — from fixing Social Security and raising wages to reclaiming time, strengthening unions, and rethinking what “affordability” really means. This week, we're sharing some of our favorites with you. This episode is a quick policy lightning round packed with big ideas, sharp arguments, and plenty to discuss. Elizabeth Garlow is a Senior Fellow at New America focused on economic policy and the future of work, with research centered on time, caregiving, and policies that improve everyday economic security. Jim Kessler is the Executive Vice President for Policy at Third Way, where he works on economic reforms aimed at expanding wealth-building opportunities and retirement security for working families. Thea Lee is a visiting fellow at American University and a longtime labor economist specializing in worker rights, trade policy, and labor standards in global supply chains. Heidi Shierholtz is president of the Economic Policy Institute, where she focuses on wage growth, labor markets, and policies that strengthen workers' bargaining power and reduce inequality. Website: http://pitchforkeconomics.com Facebook: Pitchfork Economics Podcast Bluesky: @pitchforkeconomics.bsky.social Instagram: @pitchforkeconomics Threads: pitchforkeconomics TikTok: @pitchfork_econ YouTube: @pitchforkeconomics LinkedIn: Pitchfork Economics Twitter: @PitchforkEcon, @NickHanauer Substack: ⁠The Pitch⁠

Long-term care is expensive in the United States. With Medicaid spending cuts looming and the Trump administration's deportation plans threatening the caregiving workforce, the system is under even more pressure. On today's show, Allison Hoffman, health law expert at the University of Pennsylvania's Carey Law School, joins Kimberly to unpack why the caregiving industry suffers from chronic labor shortages and how the U.S. could finance long-term care differently to make it more affordable. Here's everything we talked about today:"What Role Do Immigrants Play in The Direct Long-Term Care Workforce?" from KFF"Trump's deportation plans threaten 400,000 direct care jobs: Older adults and people with disabilities could lose vital in-home support" from Economic Policy Institute "A brief history of Medicaid and America's long struggle to establish a health care safety net" from The Conversation "The age-old problem of long-term care" from MIT News "Solving the Home Care Quandary" from The New York TimesJoin us tomorrow for “Economics on Tap.” The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern.

Long-term care is expensive in the United States. With Medicaid spending cuts looming and the Trump administration's deportation plans threatening the caregiving workforce, the system is under even more pressure. On today's show, Allison Hoffman, health law expert at the University of Pennsylvania's Carey Law School, joins Kimberly to unpack why the caregiving industry suffers from chronic labor shortages and how the U.S. could finance long-term care differently to make it more affordable. Here's everything we talked about today:"What Role Do Immigrants Play in The Direct Long-Term Care Workforce?" from KFF"Trump's deportation plans threaten 400,000 direct care jobs: Older adults and people with disabilities could lose vital in-home support" from Economic Policy Institute "A brief history of Medicaid and America's long struggle to establish a health care safety net" from The Conversation "The age-old problem of long-term care" from MIT News "Solving the Home Care Quandary" from The New York TimesJoin us tomorrow for “Economics on Tap.” The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern.

What do the National Labor Relations Board, Blake Lively's lawsuit against Justin Baldoni, and Lindsey Halligan have in common? They're all swimming in the chaos soup cooked up by a Supreme Court that engages in motivated reasoning and jettisons precedent whenever it gets in the way. Eat up!Links: Richman v. UShttps://www.courtlistener.com/docket/71982634/richman-v-united-states/?order_by=descCorporate Union Busting in Plain Sight, Economic Policy Institute, January 28, 2025https://www.epi.org/publication/corporate-union-busting/Amazon Services LLC v. New York State Public Employment Relations Board (New York Litigation) [docket via CourtListener]https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/71421477/amazoncom-services-llc-v-new-york-state-public-employment-relations-board/National Labor Relations Board v. State of California (California Litigaton) [docket via CourtListener]https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/71657795/national-labor-relations-board-v-state-of-california/National Trust for Historic Preservation v. National Parks Servicehttps://www.courtlistener.com/docket/72028010/national-trust-for-historic-preservation-in-the-united-states-v-national/List of Trump Clemency Grantshttps://www.justice.gov/pardon/clemency-grants-president-donald-j-trump-2025-presentUS v. Abrego https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/70475970/united-states-v-abrego-garcia/?order_by=descAbrego Garcia v. Noem https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/71191591/abrego-garcia-v-noemShow Links:https://www.lawandchaospod.com/BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPodThreads: @LawAndChaosPodTwitter: @LawAndChaosPodSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Did you know that immigrant labor is critical to our food system, and most of the food that gets to our plates was grown, harvested and processed by the hands of immigrants? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her conversation with Daniel Costa, JD, attorney, and Director of Immigration Law and Policy Research at the Economic Policy institute. Costa explains details of immigration policy, our dependence on immigrants for economic growth, and policies that affect immigrants' quality of life. Costa was featured on the Investigate Midwest webinar on immigrant labor in the food system:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbqm6J1jAEA. If you'd like to comment on immigrant work visas, go to the Federal Register: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/09/10/2025-17390/agency-information-collection-activities-comment-request-revision-of-h-2a-temporary-agricultural, and if you'd like to better understand how Trump's anti-immigrant policies could collapse the U.S. food industry, see this recent article: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/jul/17/how-many-immigrants-food-industry-workersRelated Websites: https://www.epi.org/people/daniel-costa/

David Cooper, Director of the Economic Analysis and Research Network at the Economic Policy Institute, joined the America's Work Force Union Podcast to discuss the Trump administration's efforts to dismantle worker protections across federal agencies, the elimination of minimum wage standards for domestic workers and federal contractors and the need for states to establish their own enforcement mechanisms. Matt Biggs, President of the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE), joined the America's Work Force Union Podcast to discuss the ongoing government shutdown's impact on federal workers, the union's legal challenges to executive orders stripping collective bargaining rights and the bipartisan legislative efforts to protect workers' rights.

The H-1B visa program — a key pipeline for skilled foreign workers in tech — has recently been upended by President Donald Trump. A recent executive order now mandates that companies to pay $100,000 per application, a move the White House says will protect American jobs.But critics warn it could shrink the talent pool, raise costs and push innovation overseas. So what's really changed, who benefits the most and how might this impact the economy? Daniel Costa, director of immigration law and policy research at the Economic Policy Institute, joins The Excerpt to unpack the issues.Have feedback on the show? Please send us an email at podcasts@usatoday.com. Episode transcript available here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Since 1935, the rules for union organizing and bargaining for most private sector companies have been set by the National Labor Relations Act. Since 1935 corporate America has repeatedly undermined and weakened labor law so that now both Trump and the Supreme Court are poised to kill or paralyze it. We'll have a roundtable discussion on where we are with labor law and where we can go if unions and workers find ourselves without enforceable rights to organize and bargain. Guests are Peter Olney, former organizing director of the West Coast Longshore Union, Lynn Reinhart, former chief counsel for the AFL-CIO now with the Economic Policy Institute, and Bill Fletcher Jr., author, labor educator and former assistant to the President of the AFL-CIO to weigh in Our feature is Know Your Rights with Michael Amash.

Heidi Shierholz, President of the Economic Policy Institute and former Chief Economist at the U.S. Department of Labor, joined the America's Work Force Union Podcast to discuss the erosion of worker protections under the Trump administration, the manipulation of economic data and the importance of unions in today's economy. Michael Pineda, chief steward at Sutter Delta Medical Center and executive board member of SEIU-UHW, discussed the recent contract negotiations with Sutter Health on the America's Work Force Union Podcast.

UFCW Local 1473 president Jake Bailey talks to labor Radio about a worker victory in an NLRB ruling shows egregious union busting in 2022 by Starbucks during a 1473 organizing drive in Madison, the Sumud Flotilla is stopped as it tries to break Israel's illegal blockade of Gaza but workers in Italy and elsewhere strike in support of Palestine, a federal judge issues a sweeping First Amendment victory in a union-backed petition fighting ICE detentions on free speech grounds but issues a warning as the Trump administration rampages unimpeded through liberal law and custom, and Daniel Costa of the Economic Policy Institute discusses the ins and outs of worker visas. THIS IS A WORT PLEDGE WEEK EDITION.

Manja Horner, founder of Boost, joined the America's Work Force Union Podcast to discuss leadership mindset roadblocks, knowledge capture strategies and how her company is helping unions modernize their operations.   Valerie Wilson, Director of the Program on Race, Ethnicity and Economy at the Economic Policy Institute, joined the America's Work Force Union Podcast to discuss President Donald Trump's recent executive order gutting the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs.

Nicholas De Leon Tech Expert from Consumer Reports talks Win 10, Assoc. Prof Ron Hira of Howard University and Research Assoc of the Economic Policy Institute talks H1B Visa and the Admin $100,000 fee.

Jennifer Sherer, Deputy Director of the Economic Analysis and Research Network (EARN) at the Economic Policy Institute, joined the America's Work Force Union Podcast to discuss workers' rights. Sherer highlighted the urgent need for state-level action to protect workers, the importance of union organizing and the ongoing threats to labor standards under the current administration. On today's episode of Labor 131 presented by the National Labor Office, Joel Suarez, Assistant Professor at Harvard University, joined the America's Work Force Union Podcast to discuss the complex factors behind labor's decline in the 1970s, the impact of economic policies and the failed Operation Dixie campaign.

  It's an article of faith on the political far right that the Trump administration's mass immigrant deportation policies will be a boon to U.S. born workers. A new report from economists at the Economic Policy Institute, however, finds the opposite to be true and that the net impact of mass deportation on employment – […]

Independent investigative journalism, broadcasting, trouble-making and muckraking with Brad Friedman of BradBlog.com

Shoot us a Text.Episode #1114: Shawn Fain's own union members want him out. Chevy's Silverado EV clocks an unbelievable 1,059 miles on a charge, and as AI reshapes white-collar work, Gen Z is finding job security in scrubs, not suits.Show Notes with links:Shawn Fain, the fiery UAW president who led the landmark 2023 strike against the Detroit 3, is now facing a revolt from within his own ranks. Several union locals have voted to launch removal proceedings, citing layoffs, retaliation, and alleged financial mismanagement.Workers at Stellantis and GM plants joined four other UAW locals in voting to oust Fain, meeting the threshold for a federal monitor to review the allegations.At issue are thousands of Stellantis layoffs since the 2023 contract, said to result from pressure to raise wages.Critics also say Fain retaliated against board members who resisted approving spending.Support for Fain remains strong among graduate student workers, but dissent is growing in Detroit-area factories.“I supported Shawn, but his spending is out of control and he's retaliatory,” said David Pillsbury, a GM worker behind the petition.Chevrolet has set a new benchmark for EV range, pushing a 2026 Silverado EV Work Truck to an eye-popping 1,059 miles on a single charge. The test, though far from real-world conditions, highlights just how much efficiency can be squeezed out of today's EV technology.40 drivers took 1 hour turns and averaged just 20–25 mph, taking seven days to complete the run.Tricks included removing the spare tire, overinflating tires, adding a tonneau cover, and shutting off climate control.The Silverado EV WT is EPA-rated for 493 miles, but the hypermiling allowed the 205-kWh battery to return 4.9 miles per kWh—beating Lucid's 749-mile record.“Getting this kind of range doesn't happen by accident,” said Kurt Kelty, GM VP of battery and propulsion.With tech and business roles slowing under AI pressure, young men are struggling to find footing, while women dominate in growing fields like nursing.Gen Z men see higher unemployment as AI disrupts entry-level business and tech roles.Healthcare remains one of the few industries adding jobs in 2025.Nearly 90% of nursing roles are held by women, offering steady opportunities.Education and hospitality — also female-led sectors — are also adding jobs.Elise Gould, a senior economist at the Economic Policy Institute, said, "It could be tougher for men who are looking for jobs where there's just not a whole lot of hiring right now."Join Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier every morning for the Automotive State of the Union podcast as they connect the dots across car dealerships, retail trends, emerging tech like AI, and cultural shifts—bringing clarity, speed, and people-first insight to automotive leaders navigating a rapidly changing industry.Get the Daily Push Back email at https://www.asotu.com/ JOIN the conversation on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/asotu/

The fallout from President Donald Trump's decision last week to fire the head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics over what he called a ‘rigged' jobs report continued Monday, as White House officials rushed to defend his actions. Amid growing bipartisan outcry, National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett put the blame on a familiar culprit in the Trump Cinematic Universe: The Deep State. He told CNBC, “All over the U.S. government, there have been people who have been resisting Trump everywhere they can.” Trump is expected to announce his new pick to run the BLS this week, but already he's made that person's job – and the bureau's job – harder by making Americans even less likely to trust their data. Heidi Shierholz, who served as the chief economist at the Department of Labor under President Barack Obama and now runs the nonpartisan labor think tank the Economic Policy Institute, joins us to talk about the BLS, the important data it compiles, and what the hell a revision is.And in headlines: Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott escalated the redistricting fight with state Democrats, Republican Rep. Nancy Mace announced her campaign for South Carolina governor, and the Trump administration has reportedly backtracked on the president's campaign promise to make health insurers cover IVF.Show notes:Call Congress – 202-224-3121Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

My conversation with Dean starts at about 31 minutes but I have your headlines and clips first! Learn more about Farm Jam Sept 5-7 Please subscribe now for as little as 5$ and gain access to a community of over 700 awesome, curious, kind, funny, brilliant, generous souls Check out StandUpwithPete.com to learn more Dean Baker co-founded CEPR in 1999. His areas of research include housing and macroeconomics, intellectual property, Social Security, Medicare, and European labor markets. His blog, Beat the Press, provides commentary on economic reporting. His analyses have appeared in many major publications, including The Atlantic, The Washington Post, the Financial Times (London), and the New York Daily News. Dean received his BA from Swarthmore College and his PhD in economics from the University of Michigan. Dean has written several books, including Getting Back to Full Employment: A Better Bargain for Working People (with Jared Bernstein, Center for Economic and Policy Research, 2013); The End of Loser Liberalism: Making Markets Progressive (Center for Economic and Policy Research, 2011); Taking Economics Seriously (MIT Press, 2010), which thinks through what we might gain if we took the ideological blinders off of basic economic principles; and False Profits: Recovering from the Bubble Economy (PoliPoint Press, 2010), about what caused — and how to fix — the 2008–2009 economic crisis. In 2009, he wrote Plunder and Blunder: The Rise and Fall of the Bubble Economy (PoliPoint Press), which chronicled the growth and collapse of the stock and housing bubbles and explained how policy blunders and greed led to catastrophic — but completely predictable — market meltdowns. He also wrote a chapter (“From Financial Crisis to Opportunity”) in Thinking Big: Progressive Ideas for a New Era (Progressive Ideas Network, 2009). His previous books include The United States Since 1980 (Cambridge University Press, 2007), The Conservative Nanny State: How the Wealthy Use the Government to Stay Rich and Get Richer (Center for Economic and Policy Research, 2006), and Social Security: The Phony Crisis (with Mark Weisbrot, University of Chicago Press, 1999). His book Getting Prices Right: The Debate Over the Consumer Price Index (editor, M.E. Sharpe, 1997) was a winner of a Choice Book Award as one of the outstanding academic books of the year. Among his numerous articles are “The Benefits of a Financial Transactions Tax,” Tax Notes 121, no. 4 (2008); “Are Protective Labor Market Institutions at the Root of Unemployment? A Critical Review of the Evidence” (with David R. Howell, Andrew Glyn, and John Schmitt), Capitalism and Society 2, no. 1 (2007); “Asset Returns and Economic Growth,” with Brad DeLong and Paul Krugman, Brookings Papers on Economic Activity (2005); “Financing Drug Research: What Are the Issues,” Center for Economic and Policy Research (2004); “Medicare Choice Plus: The Solution to the Long-Term Deficit Problem,” Center for Economic and Policy Research (2004); “Professional Protectionists: The Gains From Free Trade in Highly Paid Professional Services,” Center for Economic and Policy Research (2003); and “The Run-Up in Home Prices: Is It Real or Is It Another Bubble?,” Center for Economic and Policy Research (2002). Dean previously worked as a senior economist at the Economic Policy Institute and an assistant professor at Bucknell University. He has also worked as a consultant for the World Bank, the Joint Economic Committee of the US Congress, and the OECD's Trade Union Advisory Council. He was the author of the weekly online commentary on economic reporting, the Economic Reporting Review, from 1996 to 2006.   Join us Monday's and Thursday's at 8EST for our Bi-Weekly Happy Hour Hangout!  Pete on Blue Sky Pete on Threads Pete on Tik Tok Pete on YouTube  Pete on Twitter Pete On Instagram Pete Personal FB page Stand Up with Pete FB page All things Jon Carroll  Follow and Support Pete Coe Buy Ava's Art  Hire DJ Monzyk to build your website or help you with Marketing

  It's an article of faith in many conservative circles that the Trump administration's tough anti-immigrant policies will free up jobs for U.S. born workers. New research from Economic Policy Institute senior economist Ben Zipperer, however, demonstrates conclusively that the opposite is the case. Zipperer's calculations actually show that the net impact of mass deportation […]

  It's an article of faith on the political far right that the Trump administration's mass immigrant deportation policies will be a boon to U.S. born workers. A new report from economists at the Economic Policy Institute, however, finds the opposite to be true and that the net impact of mass deportation on employment – […]

Nina Mast, Economic Analyst at the Economic Policy Institute, joined the America's Work Force Union Podcast to discuss the shortcomings of the "No Tax on Tips" policy. She explained why this policy fails to benefit most workers, how it compares to raising the minimum wage and the broader implications for tax policy and worker welfare. Greg LeRoy, founder of Good Jobs First, joined the America's Work Force Union Podcast to discuss the trend of states losing billions in tax revenue to datacenter incentives, the potential impact on utility rates and the lack of incentive transparency in many states.

00:08 — Mouin Rabbani is a nonresident fellow at the Middle East Council on Global Affairs, previously principal political affairs officer with the Office of the UN Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Syria. 00:33 — Phil Galewitz is senior correspondent for KFF Health News. 00:45 — Daniel Costa is Director of Immigration Law and Policy Research at Economic Policy Institute. The post Trump Executive Order Signs Away Major Syria Sanctions; Plus, “Big Beautiful Bill” Cuts Healthcare, Expands ICE appeared first on KPFA.

Senior Economist for the Economic Policy Institute, Adam Hersh, discusses the immediate and potential impact of the Trump tariffs, the ongoing challenges of trade fraud, and how the loss of government resources will impact all areas of society.

Ralph welcomes Heidi Shierholz, president of the Economic Policy Institute, to break down the budget bill passing through Congress that is the largest transfer of wealth from the poor and working-class to the wealthy in United States history. Then, insurance expert, Robert Hunter returns to discuss the recent rise in auto insurance rates.Heidi Shierholz is the president of the Economic Policy Institute, a nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank that uses the power of its research on economic trends and on the impact of economic policies to advance reforms that serve working people, deliver racial justice, and guarantee gender equity. In 2021 she became the fourth president EPI has had since its founding in 1986.We've never seen a budget that so plainly takes from the poor to give to the rich… The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office found that lower and lower middle-income people will actually lose out. They may get something of a tax break, but they lose benefits. So that on net, their after-tax income will be lower after this bill, while the rich just make out like bandits.Heidi Shierholz, President of the Economic Policy InstituteThe draconian cuts that we are seeing to the safety net are not big enough, because the tax increases are so huge that this bill also increases the deficit dramatically.Heidi ShierholzMany folks are calling this the MAGA Murder Bill. They're not wrong. People will die because of the cuts that we're seeing here.Heidi ShierholzRobert Hunter is the Director Emeritus of Insurance at the Consumer Federation of America. He has held many positions in the field, both public and private, including being the Commissioner of Insurance for the State of Texas being the President and Founder of the National Insurance Consumer Organization and served as United States Federal Insurance Administrator.Decide how much you need. Don't ask for more than you really need. And then once you have it, “I need this much for my car. I need this much if I hit somebody” and so on. And then you get that statistic, and you send it out to several companies and get quotes.Robert Hunter on buying auto insuranceThere isn't any program benefiting the American people that Trump is not cutting in order to turn the country over to the giant corporations and the super-rich. It's basically an overthrow of the government and an overthrow of the rule of law.Ralph NaderNews 6/6/251. On May 23rd, the Trump administration Department of Justice officially announced it had reached an agreement with Boeing to drop its criminal case against the airline manufacturer related to the 2018 and 2019 crashes that killed 346 people, NPR reports. The turnover at the federal government in recent years has prolonged this case; the first Trump administration reached a deferred prosecution agreement with Boeing in 2021, but prosecutors revived the criminal case under President Biden, and as NPR notes, “Boeing agreed last year to plead guilty to defrauding regulators, but a federal judge rejected that proposed plea deal.” Just before the deal was reached, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Richard Blumenthal penned a letter calling on the DOJ not to “allow [Boeing] to weasel its way out of accountability for its failed corporate culture, and for any illegal behavior that has resulted in deadly consequence,” but this was clearly ignored. Paul Cassell, a law professor at the University of Utah and former federal judge who, according to NPR, is representing the families of victims for free, said, “This kind of non-prosecution deal is unprecedented and obviously wrong for the deadliest corporate crime in U.S. history…My families will object and hope to convince the court to reject [the deal]."2. That same day, Trump signed a new executive order to “cut down on regulations and fast-track new licenses for [nuclear] reactors and power plants,” per Reuters. According to the wire service, “Shares of uranium mining companies Uranium Energy…Energy Fuels…and Centrus Energy…jumped between 19.6% and 24.2%” following this announcement. Sam Altman-backed nuclear startup Oklo gained 23.1%. The administration's new interest in the nuclear industry is spurred in part by increased demand for energy as, “power-hungry data centers dedicated to artificial intelligence and crypto miners plug into the grid.” The nuclear industry is also expected to retain many tax incentives stripped away from green energy initiatives in the so-called Big Beautiful Bill.3. In yet another instance of the Trump administration going soft on corporate greed, the Republican-controlled Federal Trade Commission has dismissed their case against PepsiCo. As the AP explains, “The lawsuit…alleged that PepsiCo was giving unfair price advantages to Walmart at the expense of other vendors and consumers,” citing the 1936 Robinson-Patman Act, which bans companies from “using promotional incentive payments to favor large customers over smaller ones.” Current FTC Chair Andrew Ferguson called the case a “dubious partisan stunt,” in a press release. Former Chair Lina Khan however, called the dismissal “disturbing,” and wrote, “This lawsuit would've protected families from paying higher prices at the grocery store and stopped conduct that squeezes small businesses and communities across America. Dismissing it is a gift to giant retailers as they gear up to hike prices.”4. Instead of utilizing the federal regulatory apparatus to protect consumers and the public, the Trump administration instead continues to weaponize these institutions to target progressive groups. According to Axios, the FTC is “investigating…Media Matters over claims that it and other media advocacy groups coordinated advertising boycotts of Elon Musk's X.” As this report notes, “X [formerly Twitter] sued Media Matters for defamation in 2023 for a report it publicly released that showed ads on X running next to pro-Nazi content. X claimed the report contributed to an advertiser exodus.” While it seems unlikely the social media platform could prevail in such a suit, the suit has effectively cowed the advertising industry, with the World Federation of Advertisers dismantling their Global Alliance for Responsible Media just months after the suit was filed. Media Matters president Angelo Carusone is quoted saying, “The Trump administration has been defined by naming right-wing media figures to key posts and abusing the power of the federal government to bully political opponents and silence critics…that's exactly what's happening here…These threats won't work; we remain steadfast to our mission.”5. On Thursday, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cotez endorsed State Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani in his bid for Mayor of New York City, POLITICO reports. This endorsement came the morning after the first mayoral primary debate, a rollicking affair featuring nine candidates and including a testy exchange in which the moderators disregarded their own rules to press Mamdani to say whether he believed in “a Jewish state of Israel?” Mamdani responded that he believed Israel has a right to exist “as a state with equal rights.” This from the Times of Israel. In her endorsement, AOC wrote “Assemblymember Mamdani has demonstrated a real ability on the ground to put together a coalition of working-class New Yorkers that is strongest to lead the pack…In the final stretch of the race, we need to get very real about that.” Ocasio-Cortez said she would rank Adrienne Adams, Brad Lander, Scott Stringer and Zellnor Myrie in that order after Mamdani.6. Turning to Palestine itself, the Times of Israel reports notorious Biden State Department spokesman Matthew Miller admitted in an interview that, “It is without a doubt true that Israel has committed war crimes” in Gaza. While Miller stops short of accusing the Israeli government of pursuing “a policy of deliberately committing war crimes,” and repeats the tired canard that Hamas resisted ceasefire negotiations, he admits that the Biden administration “could have done [more] to pressure the Israeli government to agree to…[a] ceasefire.” Hopefully, Miller's admission will help crack the dam of silence and allow the truth to be told about this criminal military campaign.7. Even as Miller makes this admission, the merciless bombing of Palestinians continues. The Guardian reports “On Sunday, at least 31 Palestinians were killed after Israeli forces opened fire at the site of a food distribution centre in Rafah…On Monday, another three Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire at the same site…And on Tuesday, 27 people were killed after Israeli forces opened fire again, say Gaza officials.” This report continues, citing UN human rights chief, Volker Türk, who said on Tuesday that “Palestinians in Gaza now faced an impossible choice: ‘Die from starvation or risk being killed while trying to access the meagre food that is being made available.'” Türk added that by attacking civilians, Israel is committing yet more war crimes.8. Some high-profile activists are taking direct action to deliver food to Gaza. Democracy Now! reports 12 activists aboard The Madleen, part of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, have departed from the Italian port of Catania. This group includes Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, actor Liam Cunningham, and Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament. Despite the previous ship being targeted by a drone attack, Thunberg is quoted saying “We deem the risk of silence and the risk of inaction to be so much more deadly than this mission.” Threats to the flotilla continue to pour in. South Carolina Republican Senator Lindsey Graham tweeted, “Hope Greta and her friends can swim!” In Israel itself, IDF spokesman Brigadier General Effie Defrin ominously stated “we will act accordingly," per FOX News.9. In more foreign policy news, Gareth Gore – a Washington Post reporter and author of Opus, an exposé of the shadowy Opus Dei sect within the Catholic Church – reports Pope Leo has given Opus Dei six months to “pass comprehensive reforms” and has told the group that if significant changes are not made by December, “necessary measures will be taken.” Gore further reports that in addition to the reforms, “[Pope] Leo has also demanded an investigation into abuse allegations…[including] human trafficking, enslavement…[and] physical and psychological abuse of members.” According to Gore, the reforms were first ordered by Pope Francis in 2022, but “Opus Dei dragged its feet – in the hope the pope would pass away first.” Upon his death, Pope Francis had been on the, “cusp of signing into canon law a huge reform of Opus Dei.” The Vatican was also moving to force a vote on a revised Opus Dei constitution, which was, “quietly cancelled” within hours of Francis' death. Perhaps most tellingly, Gore reports “The Vatican has privately reassured Opus Dei victims who have long campaigned for justice that they ‘won't be disappointed'”10. Finally, a political earthquake has occurred in South Korea. Listeners may remember the failed coup attempt by right-wing former President Yoon Suk Yeol, which culminated in his ouster and could ultimately lead to a sentence of life in prison or even death. Now, the country has elected a new president, Lee Jae-myung, by a margin of 49.4% to 41.2%. Lee, who leads Korea's Democratic People's Party, has “endured a barrage of criminal indictments and an assassination attempt,” since losing the last presidential election by a margin of less than 1 per cent, per the Financial Times. Lee is a former factory worker who campaigned in a bulletproof vest after surviving being knifed in the neck last year. The FT notes “Lee…grew up in poverty and suffered [a] permanent injury at the age of 13 when his arm was crushed in a machine at the baseball glove factory where he worked…in 2022 [he] declared his ambition to be a ‘successful Bernie Sanders'.” That said, he has pivoted to the center in his recent political messaging. Beyond the impact of Lee's election on the future of Korean democracy, his tenure is sure to set a new tone in Korea's relations with their neighbors including the US, the DPRK, China and Japan.This has been Francesco DeSantis, with In Case You Haven't Heard. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Tom Spiggle, labor and employment law attorney and founder of The Spiggle Law Firm, discussed the Trump administration's attacks on federal workers, legal challenges to union rights and the Supreme Court's role in these disputes. Samantha Sanders, Director of Government Affairs and Advocacy at the Economic Policy Institute (EPI), joined the America's Work Force Union Podcast to discuss the Trump administration's actions against workers in its first 100 days, highlighting the administration's attacks on collective bargaining rights, diversity initiatives and worker safety regulations.

The U.S. Economic Policy Institute estimates there are 2.4 million ag jobs in the United States and Purdue University believes that 40% of ag jobs – new jobs – go unfilled. One entrepreneur is turning to the power of digital to transform ag labor. Scott Prince, CEO of Croft, gives us perspective on the current labor market and what he's solving for using agtech. We get into: The complexity and challenges of the ag labor market – from seasonality to workforce shortages How the Department of Labor's H-2A program is designed to help farmers overcome labor challenges, but the administrative hurdles they face in the process What the process looks like for farmers to participate in the H-2A program and why Croft was developed as a streamlined solution Identifying this as a critical need to automate for the farmer What Scott is hearing from customers using the platform What's ahead for Croft – hint: it includes expanding their analytical intensity capacity

Stand Up is a daily podcast that I book,host,edit, post and promote new episodes with brilliant guests every day. Please subscribe now for as little as 5$ and gain access to a community of over 700 awesome, curious, kind, funny, brilliant, generous souls Check out StandUpwithPete.com to learn more Dean Baker co-founded CEPR in 1999. His areas of research include housing and macroeconomics, intellectual property, Social Security, Medicare, and European labor markets. His blog, Beat the Press, provides commentary on economic reporting. His analyses have appeared in many major publications, including The Atlantic, The Washington Post, the Financial Times (London), and the New York Daily News. Dean received his BA from Swarthmore College and his PhD in economics from the University of Michigan. Dean has written several books, including Getting Back to Full Employment: A Better Bargain for Working People (with Jared Bernstein, Center for Economic and Policy Research, 2013); The End of Loser Liberalism: Making Markets Progressive (Center for Economic and Policy Research, 2011); Taking Economics Seriously (MIT Press, 2010), which thinks through what we might gain if we took the ideological blinders off of basic economic principles; and False Profits: Recovering from the Bubble Economy (PoliPoint Press, 2010), about what caused — and how to fix — the 2008–2009 economic crisis. In 2009, he wrote Plunder and Blunder: The Rise and Fall of the Bubble Economy (PoliPoint Press), which chronicled the growth and collapse of the stock and housing bubbles and explained how policy blunders and greed led to catastrophic — but completely predictable — market meltdowns. He also wrote a chapter (“From Financial Crisis to Opportunity”) in Thinking Big: Progressive Ideas for a New Era (Progressive Ideas Network, 2009). His previous books include The United States Since 1980 (Cambridge University Press, 2007), The Conservative Nanny State: How the Wealthy Use the Government to Stay Rich and Get Richer (Center for Economic and Policy Research, 2006), and Social Security: The Phony Crisis (with Mark Weisbrot, University of Chicago Press, 1999). His book Getting Prices Right: The Debate Over the Consumer Price Index (editor, M.E. Sharpe, 1997) was a winner of a Choice Book Award as one of the outstanding academic books of the year. Among his numerous articles are “The Benefits of a Financial Transactions Tax,” Tax Notes 121, no. 4 (2008); “Are Protective Labor Market Institutions at the Root of Unemployment? A Critical Review of the Evidence” (with David R. Howell, Andrew Glyn, and John Schmitt), Capitalism and Society 2, no. 1 (2007); “Asset Returns and Economic Growth,” with Brad DeLong and Paul Krugman, Brookings Papers on Economic Activity (2005); “Financing Drug Research: What Are the Issues,” Center for Economic and Policy Research (2004); “Medicare Choice Plus: The Solution to the Long-Term Deficit Problem,” Center for Economic and Policy Research (2004); “Professional Protectionists: The Gains From Free Trade in Highly Paid Professional Services,” Center for Economic and Policy Research (2003); and “The Run-Up in Home Prices: Is It Real or Is It Another Bubble?,” Center for Economic and Policy Research (2002). Dean previously worked as a senior economist at the Economic Policy Institute and an assistant professor at Bucknell University. He has also worked as a consultant for the World Bank, the Joint Economic Committee of the US Congress, and the OECD's Trade Union Advisory Council. He was the author of the weekly online commentary on economic reporting, the Economic Reporting Review, from 1996 to 2006.   Join us Monday's and Thursday's at 8EST for our Bi-Weekly Happy Hour Hangout!  Pete on Blue Sky Pete on Threads Pete on Tik Tok Pete on YouTube  Pete on Twitter Pete On Instagram Pete Personal FB page Stand Up with Pete FB page All things Jon Carroll  Follow and Support Pete Coe Buy Ava's Art  Hire DJ Monzyk to build your website or help you with Marketing

Court hearings wrapped up last week in a case brought by inmates working the farm line at the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola —an agricultural work assignment, where incarcerated men are forced to work long hours, sometimes in the heat of the summer.The Gulf States Newsroom's Kat Stromquist has been in court following this story and joins us to share more details. As we await a ruling on whether the case will be certified as a class action lawsuit, we wanted to take a deeper look at the history of prison labor, something many have said is . rooted in racism and slavery.Nina Mast, policy and economic analyst with Economic Policy Institute, evaluated the issue in a report titled “Forced prison labor in the “Land of the Free,” and joined us to share more. Urban flooding has long plagued the Treme neighborhood in New Orleans. Now residents are taking matters into their own hands. The Gulf States Newsroom's Danny McArthur reports on how people living in Treme are figuring out and addressing the root causes of urban flooding.___Today's episode of Louisiana Considered was hosted by Adam Vos. Our managing producer is Alana Schreiber. We get production support from Garrett Pittman and our assistant producer Aubry Procell.You can listen to Louisiana Considered Monday through Friday at noon and 7 p.m. It's available on Spotify, the NPR App and wherever you get your podcasts. Louisiana Considered wants to hear from you!Please fill out our pitch line to let us know what kinds of story ideas you have for our show. And while you're at it, fill out our listener survey! We want to keep bringing you the kinds of conversations you'd like to listen to.Louisiana Considered is made possible with support from our listeners. Thank you!

Lynn Rhinehart, Senior Fellow at the Economic Policy Institute, and Lauren McFerren, Senior Fellow at The Century Foundation and former National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) chairman, joined the America's Work Force Union Podcast to discuss threats to labor law and worker protections through the dismantling of federal agencies, attempts to invalidate NLRB decisions and what this means for workers' rights and union representation. Pat Gallagher, President of the North Coast Area Labor Federation, joined the America's Work Force Union Podcast to discuss Utah's recent collective bargaining battle, his meeting with U.S. Congressmen Ro Khanna, and the Ohio AFL-CIO's upcoming legislative conference.

Lynn Rhinehart, a Senior Fellow at the Economic Policy Institute and former General Counsel of the AFL-CIO, joined the America's Work Force Union Podcast to discuss the dismantling of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS), the broader implications of Trump's executive orders on federal unions and potential consequences for the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). Matt Biggs, President of the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE), joined the America's Work Force Union Podcast to discuss the strained U.S.-Canada relations, the executive order targeting federal employee collective bargaining rights and the impact recent federal actions have had on immigration judges and Social Security administrative law judges.

The Economic Policy Institute estimates there are 2.4 million employees in U.S. agriculture and Purdue finds that 40% of new ag jobs go unfilled. One entrepreneur is turning to computer vision, artificial intelligence and robotics – maybe a little autonomy – to try to address these challenges facing farmers. Mike Jacob, founder and CEO of TerraForce, joins to talk farmer-led innovation, solving for the labor gap and jobs to be done. We get into: The overview of the farm labor market, its challenges and where TerraForce specifically focuses right now in the specialty melon crop market What challenges face melon producers when it comes to harvest How Mike sees this new era of AI and computer vision shaping precision in agbioscience innovation What TerraForce does, solving labor challenges and how they plan to tackle a real problem facing farmers Mike gets into seeing his first melon harvest, identifying the problem to be solved and innovating from there The criticality of melons – yes melons – to make an impact on his community as an entrepreneur Where the TerraForce product sits today and how regional producers are the critical testbed to the company's success TerraForce's recent fundraise and what it will enable them to do Mike's take on the ag's jobs to be done: ag becoming less optimized and finding ways to become more resilient to big changes

The Economic Policy Institute estimates there are 2.4 million employees in U.S. agriculture and Purdue finds that 40% of new ag jobs go unfilled. One entrepreneur is turning to computer vision, artificial intelligence and robotics – maybe a little autonomy – to try to address these challenges facing farmers. Mike Jacob, founder and CEO of TerraForce, joins to talk farmer-led innovation, solving for the labor gap and jobs to be done. We get into:  The overview of the farm labor market, its challenges and where TerraForce specifically focuses right now in the specialty melon crop market What challenges face melon producers when it comes to harvest How Mike sees this new era of AI and computer vision shaping precision in agbioscience innovation What TerraForce does, solving labor challenges and how they plan to tackle a real problem facing farmers Mike gets into seeing his first melon harvest, identifying the problem to be solved and innovating from there The criticality of melons – yes melons – to make an impact on his community as an entrepreneur Where the TerraForce product sits today and how regional producers are the critical testbed to the company's success TerraForce's recent fundraise and what it will enable them to do Mike's take on the ag's jobs to be done: ag becoming less optimized and finding ways to become more resilient to big changes 

More than forty percent of American families are struggling to find affordable childcare. A new report from the Economic Policy Institute shows that childcare for one infant now costs more than rent in 17 states and more than in-state college tuition in 38 states. These increasing costs mean more parents of young children are at a crossroads: Drop out of the workforce to save on childcare, or have their salaries eaten up by high childcare costs?We discuss the cost of childcare and the effect high childcare costs have on our economy.Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Connect with us. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Minnesota has the third highest average cost of infant child care in this country, according to a new study out of the Economic Policy Institute. Its average cost in the state is $22,000 per year. That's 18 percent of a median family's income in Minnesota.Ann McCully, the executive director of Child Care Aware Minnesota, joined Minnesota Now to explain the nuance of the data.

For the full discussion, please join us on Patreon at - https://www.patreon.com/posts/dr-thaer-ahmad-119538590 Palestinian-American Dr Thaer Ahmad and Canadian Dr. Ben Thomson, both of whom have worked in Gaza, speak out against Israel's kidnapping and likely torture of Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya. Thaer talks about his conversation with Dr. Hussam and the kidnapping of his own uncle. Ben talks about being suspended over speaking out on Gaza and shares stories of other tortured doctors. Then political scientist Ron Hira and historian Quinn Slobodian talk about the MAGA Civil War, Elon Musk, Donald Trump and H1B visas. UPDATE: Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya's mother has tragically passed from a heart attack. Dr. Thaer Ahmad, MD, is a board certified emergency medicine physician and a board member of the Palestinian American Medical Association. He has traveled to Gaza on several medical missions and recently spent three weeks volunteering at El Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis. Since returning, he has spoken out about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the need for humanitarian aid and services to reach the people. He is an assistant clinical professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago, and the global health director for his emergency department. Dr. Ben Thomson is a renowned public health expert, nephrologist and general internal medicine doctor, an award-winning educator, a board member of the Muslim Advisory Council of Canada and the Union of Medical Care and Relief Organizations, and a global humanitarian physician. Dr. Thomson's efforts have markedly improved healthcare in Indigenous communities in Ontario and globally in places including Uganda, and in Gaza through initiatives like the Keys of Health Fellowship and EmpowerGaza. Dr. Thomson envisions a world where resilient, compassionate healthcare is accessible to all communities globally. Ron Hira, an Economic Policy Institute research associate, is an associate professor in the department of political science at Howard University. His book, Outsourcing America, was one of the first to examine the economic and policy implications of the offshoring of high-skilled jobs. It was a finalist for the Benjamin Franklin awards in the best business book category. Hira has testified before Congress on offshoring and high-skilled immigration. He is frequently interviewed by the media about his work, which intersects STEM labor markets, immigration, globalization, and competitiveness policy. He is a licensed professional engineer. Quinn Slobodian is professor of international history at the Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies at Boston University. His books, which have been translated into ten languages, include, most recently, Crack-Up Capitalism: Market Radicals and the Dream of a World without Democracy. Forthcoming is Hayek's Bastards: Race, Gold, IQ and the Capitalism of the Far Right. He has been an associate fellow at Chatham House and held residential fellowships at Harvard and FU Berlin. He co-directs the History and Political Economy Project and is on the board of editors of the American Historical Review. In 2024, Prospect UK named him one of the World's 25 Top Thinkers. ***Please support The Katie Halper Show *** For bonus content, exclusive interviews, to support independent media & to help make this program possible, please join us on Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/thekatiehalpershow Get your Katie Halper Show Merch here! https://katiehalper.myspreadshop.com/all Follow Katie on Twitter: @kthalps

In the wake of the COVID-19 recession, many economists were describing the United States’ economic recovery as K-shaped. Basically, high-income Americans bounced back quicker than those at the lower end of the income scale. So, did we ever ditch that K shape? The person who coined the phrase “K-shaped recovery” back then, says no. On the show today, Peter Atwater, president of Financial Insyghts and adjunct professor at the College of William & Mary, explains why he believes economic inequality has grown since the pandemic recovery, why considerable wage gains for low-wage workers tell only part of the story and the risks of letting a K-shaped economy run wild. Then, we’ll get into how the fragility of global shipping supply chains could be playing into Federal Reserve decisions on interest rates. And, happy wedding anniversary, Susanna! Here’s everything we talked about today: “The ‘K’ Is Not OK” from LinkedIn “Inflation Is Bringing Back the K-Shaped Economy” from Bloomberg “Behind America’s divided economy: Booming luxury travel and a jump in ‘relief’ loans” from CNBC “A tight labor market and state minimum wage increases boosted low-end wage growth between 2019 and 2023” from the Economic Policy Institute “U.S. Wealth Inequality: Gaps Remain Despite Widespread Wealth Gains” from the St. Louis Federal Reserve “First publicly funded religious charter school in US ruled unconstitutional” from The Hill “Fed's Bowman Warns of Upside Risks to Inflation, Not Time to Cut” from Bloomberg “Supply Chain Under Strain as Houthis Intensify Red Sea Strikes” from The New York Times Support Make Me Smart: Marketplace.org/givesmart We love to hear from you. Send your questions and comments to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

In the wake of the COVID-19 recession, many economists were describing the United States’ economic recovery as K-shaped. Basically, high-income Americans bounced back quicker than those at the lower end of the income scale. So, did we ever ditch that K shape? The person who coined the phrase “K-shaped recovery” back then, says no. On the show today, Peter Atwater, president of Financial Insyghts and adjunct professor at the College of William & Mary, explains why he believes economic inequality has grown since the pandemic recovery, why considerable wage gains for low-wage workers tell only part of the story and the risks of letting a K-shaped economy run wild. Then, we’ll get into how the fragility of global shipping supply chains could be playing into Federal Reserve decisions on interest rates. And, happy wedding anniversary, Susanna! Here’s everything we talked about today: “The ‘K’ Is Not OK” from LinkedIn “Inflation Is Bringing Back the K-Shaped Economy” from Bloomberg “Behind America’s divided economy: Booming luxury travel and a jump in ‘relief’ loans” from CNBC “A tight labor market and state minimum wage increases boosted low-end wage growth between 2019 and 2023” from the Economic Policy Institute “U.S. Wealth Inequality: Gaps Remain Despite Widespread Wealth Gains” from the St. Louis Federal Reserve “First publicly funded religious charter school in US ruled unconstitutional” from The Hill “Fed's Bowman Warns of Upside Risks to Inflation, Not Time to Cut” from Bloomberg “Supply Chain Under Strain as Houthis Intensify Red Sea Strikes” from The New York Times Support Make Me Smart: Marketplace.org/givesmart We love to hear from you. Send your questions and comments to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

This week, Goldy and Paul talk to Chandra Childers, a senior policy and economic analyst at the Economic Policy Institute and author of their recent report on the Southern economic development model. Although the Southern economic development model is touted as a business-friendly strategy, it has devastating consequences for workers and families in Southern states. Childers explains how this economic model is rooted in racism and economic exploitation and has led to lower wages, weaker safety nets, and fewer opportunities for workers. They also discuss how some Southern states are bucking this trend and attempting to adopt more progressive policies, as well as the potential impact of renewed unionization efforts in the region. Chandra Childers is a senior policy and economic analyst with the Economic Analysis and Research Network (EARN) at the Economic Policy Institute. Her work is primarily focused on supporting EARN's state and local policy research and advocacy network in the Southern United States. Before joining the EARN team at EPI, Childers was a Study Director at the Institute for Women's Policy Research. Twitter: @ChandraChilders Further reading:  Breaking down the South's economic underperformance The evolution of the Southern economic development strategy Rooted in racism and economic exploitation Website: http://pitchforkeconomics.com Twitter: @PitchforkEcon Instagram: @pitchforkeconomics Nick's twitter: @NickHanauer