Media clips
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The Economic Policy Institute, a left-leaning think tank, suggests short-term measures that would generate confidence and real economic impact, like pledging that the government will cover all health-spending related to Covid-19, a measure taken by South Korea. This could alleviate spending concerns among citizens who worry about future medical bills and also improve self-reporting and treatment, a boon for public heath efforts.
The Institute also suggests that lawmakers could provide short-term cash payments to households, or take on cost-sharing measures, to make up the difference for workers who see hours reduced because of the spreading virus. These payments could prevent the demand shock if low-income workers miss weeks of paychecks.
Quartz March 6, 2020 -
The Economic Policy Institute, a left-leaning think tank, suggests short-term measures that it says would build confidence and have a real economic impact — such as the government covering health spending related to the virus. The institute also proposes lawmakers provide short-term cash payments to households to make up the difference for workers who see their hours reduced as the virus spreads.
Inside Sources March 6, 2020 -
Josh Bivens, research director at the nonprofit think tank Economic Policy Institute, said that while the Federal Reserve is a very important economic institution, it is “largely a sideshow in the response to Covid-19,” using the official name of the coronavirus.
“For one thing, their main instrument to boost demand (cutting interest rates) operates with a lag that is long enough to likely miss much of the epidemic’s duration,” he wrote in a blog post Tuesday. “Further, unlike fiscal policy responses, the Fed’s tool really cannot be tailored or targeted in any way to alleviate particular distress.” (Parentheses in original.)
Courthouse News Service March 6, 2020 -
As this graphic from the Economic Policy Institute shows, wages at the bottom are up because of those states and localities that increased the minimum wage.
The National Memo March 5, 2020 -
Among people near retirement, worries over these costs are second only to the fear of running out of money, according to a 2019 report from Empower Retirement. For many, that concern is well-founded; out-of-pocket medical costs average $285,000 for a 65-year-old couple retiring in 2019, according to Fidelity Investments. That amount would wipe out savings accounts for many older workers — the average retirement savings among people ages 56 to 61 was less than $250,000 at the end of 2016, according to data from the Survey of Consumer Finances analyzed by the Economic Policy Institute.
Investment News March 5, 2020 -
Much of the current research on income reveals it as the primary driver for racial wealth disparities. At the same time, focusing on income, specifically minimum wage legislation, has the rhetorical “benefit” of not singling out any particular demographic disproportionately targeting earners of color. Raising the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2024 would increase the incomes of all black workers by 38.1 percent, and white workers by 23.2 percent, according to the Economic Policy Institute. This increase should also result in a corresponding decrease in dependence on any government sponsored means-tested programs, and so should theoretically appeal to conservatives looking to reduce the size of government.
The Root March 5, 2020 -
And far too many women can’t even take their cases to court in the first place. Courts have upheld forced arbitration, which can shield big corporations who legally bar workers from suing over harassment and discrimination. These clauses are frequently paired with nondisclosure agreements silencing employees from speaking out about discrimination, like the ones Mike Bloomberg and his company have used to prevent his employees from going public.* A report from the Economic Policy Institute found that over 60 million American workers — disproportionately women and people of color — can’t hold their boss accountable for illegal treatment as a result of forced arbitration. I’ve committed to ending forced arbitration and taking on sexual harassment — but we also need a fair and impartial judiciary that won’t roll back women’s rights.
Teen Vogue March 5, 2020 -
TV Clips
March 5, 2020 -
Radio Clips
Radio clip from 101.9 WDET (radio) at 2020-03-02 07:53:23.000
Radio clip from 89.7 WGBH at 2020-03-02 07:55:08.000
Radio clip from 90.7 WFAE at 2020-03-02 07:52:13.000
Radio clip from 90.7 WFAE at 2020-03-02 07:57:13.000
Radio clip from Capital Public Radio at 2020-03-02 04:53:36.000
Radio clip from KERA (90.1) at 2020-03-02 06:54:43.000
Radio clip from KPCC-FM (Radio) at 2020-03-02 04:50:55.000
Radio clip from KUNR Public Radio at 2020-03-02 06:55:11.000
Radio clip from KUOW-FM (Radio) at 2020-03-02 04:55:08.000
Radio clip from KUOW-FM (Radio) at 2020-03-02 06:55:10.000
Radio clip from WAMU-FM (Radio) at 2020-03-02 07:50:07.000
Radio clip from WHYY (Radio) at 2020-03-02 07:50:03.000
Radio clip from WJCT at 2020-03-02 07:55:07.000
Radio clip from WLRN Radio at 2020-03-02 07:50:10.000
Radio clip from WUNC-FM (Radio) at 2020-03-02 07:50:07.000
March 5, 2020 -
Meanwhile, at the state level, among the ten most populous states, Pennsylvania is among the worst when it comes to the severity of wage theft. In Pennsylvania and Texas, the average victim of a minimum wage violation is cheated out of over 30 percent of earned pay, according to a study by the Economic Policy Institute. Under Pennsylvania’s wage theft law, a worker is only entitled to a maximum of $500 or 25 percent of the wages owed, whichever is greater. The law also states that the potential criminal penalty to an employer is a maximum fine of $300 and up to 90 days imprisonment.
Next City March 5, 2020