Media clips

• Kamala Harris, Candidate of Economic Change, Breaks With Old Democratic Thinking

  In the 1980s, when the Economic Policy Institute was founded as a think tank for working people, EPI’s early research began to demonstrate that the income and wealth of the richest Americans was pulling away from middle-class and working Americans. At first establishment economists denied the trend—or they said it was only temporary. Today everyone—left, right and center— acknowledges the problem, and the debate is about what to do about it—or about whether we can or should do anything about it. 

  Common Dreams November 4, 2024
• Kamala Harris Is Not Doing Well With Union Voters

  But as the Economic Policy Institute pointed out, “Union workers had more job security during the pandemic . . . [and] industries with lower unionization rates tended to experience greater job loss during the pandemic.” So the wage experience of union members may be different from that of nonunion workers.

  Jacobin November 4, 2024
• Jobless rate ticks higher in October for white Americans, bucking the broader trend

  To Heidi Shierholz, president of the Economic Policy Institute, this jump indicates the distortion and volatility in month-to-month data, especially considering that the jobless rate for Black men dropped to 5.1% in September from 5.9% in August.

  “I think that the big increase that we saw in Black male unemployment in October was really just renormalizing after the big, unusual drop in September,” she told CNBC.

  Shierholz added that October’s unemployment numbers were also unusually affected by the hurricanes and labor strikes, making it even more difficult to compare these data points.

  “You never want to focus on one month’s data, and that is more true than ever right now because this month’s data was so distorted by these unusual temporary factors,” she said.

  CNBC November 4, 2024
• Are we living in two different Americas?

  These economic achievements are echoed in a recent report by the Economic Policy Institute that looked at 10 common economic measures (like gross domestic product, wages, private job growth, wealth inequality) since 1949. Despite a frequent Republican claim, the research found that U.S. economic performance is better with Democratic presidents/administrations. 

  Vicksburg Post November 4, 2024
• Final report before presidential election shows just 12,000 jobs added after hurricanes, strikes

  Manufacturing jobs fell by 46,000 last month, with the vast majority of these numbers reflecting a massive strike. Job growth was projected to fall by at least 50,000 jobs or more in October in most estimates, according to the Economic Policy Institute, a left-leaning economic think tank. The number of hours worked was also expected to change, but average weekly hours remained the same.

  States Newsroom November 4, 2024
• Mancos school district provides information on area mill levies and student voting

  Cordrey cited the Economic Policy Institute, which recently provided a report saying that teachers in Colorado earn 35.9% less than other workers with college degrees. This is reportedly the largest gap in the United States.

  The Journal (Colorado) November 4, 2024
• Black Tax Traps For Black Folks to Avoid This Holiday Season

  History tells us Black people make 24.4 percent less than white people, according to the Economic Policy Institute. But it all boils down to a real need for policy change. Who you vote for matters!

  The Root November 4, 2024
• October jobs take a hit from hurricanes, strike

  It’s the last jobs report to be released before Election Day Tuesday. Economists say this month’s report is less informative than usual jobs reports due to noise caused by the storms and strike.

  “These jobs will likely rebound quickly and add to job growth numbers in coming months,” Economic Policy Institute chief economist Josh Bivens wrote in a research note. 

  CBS Moneywatch November 4, 2024
• Trump’s Plan to Deport Millions of Immigrants Would Be a Nightmare for Workers and the Economy

  While the U.S. immigration system is far from optimal and urgently needs reforms, here are two facts that are not controversial among economists: 1) Immigration expands the U.S. economy. And 2) the economy grows without hurting the wages of U.S.-born workers.

  In These Times November 4, 2024
• Starbucks return-to-office is another corporate double standard
  According to the Economic Policy Institute, the average CEO-to-worker pay ratio at the 350 largest publicly owned US companies was about 344-to-one in 2022. 
  Bloomberg November 4, 2024