Economic Policy

How Freddie Mac Helps Private Equity Profit From Tenant Misery

How Freddie Mac Helps Private Equity Profit From Tenant Misery How Freddie Mac Helps Private Equity Profit From Tenant Misery

Overloaded with debt, with maintenance and repairs cut back to the bone, tenants are being bled dry to make millions for speculators—with a crucial assist from the Federal Home Loa...

Jun 13, 2023 / Feature / Eileen Markey

Biden and McCarthy sitting in chairs in the Oval Office

Next Time, Dammit, Just Default Next Time, Dammit, Just Default

Democrats feared a monster called “default”—but it’s just another Washington scare story.

Jun 9, 2023 / James K. Galbraith for The Nation

A sign on a bodega in Brooklyn reads,

The Racist, Insulting Resurgence of Work Requirements The Racist, Insulting Resurgence of Work Requirements

Work requirements expose the nasty underbelly of the vaunted American work ethic. We would rather the poor starve than risk that they might spend less time on the job.

Jun 8, 2023 / Bryce Covert

A comparison of an original and deepfake video of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

AI Doesn’t Pose an Existential Risk—but Silicon Valley Does AI Doesn’t Pose an Existential Risk—but Silicon Valley Does

The warning cries about the alleged dangers of AI is drowning out stories about the harms already occurring.

Jun 7, 2023 / Edward Ongweso Jr.

Student loan borrowers and advocates gather for the People's Rally to Cancel Student Debt during the Supreme Court hearings on Student Debt Relief on February 28, 2023, in Washington, D.C.

Congress Is Sticking Students With the Check Congress Is Sticking Students With the Check

The recent debt agreement will abolish the pandemic-era pause on student debt repayments—hitting the youngest generation of voters the hardest.

Jun 6, 2023 / Chris Lehmann

The US Capitol in Washington, DC, US, on Friday, June 2, 2023. The Senate passed legislation to suspend the US debt ceiling and impose restraints on government spending through the 2024 election, ending a drama that threatened a global financial crisis. Photographer: Nathan Howard/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Once More, the Washington Debt Ceiling Ritual Ends in a Lousy Deal Once More, the Washington Debt Ceiling Ritual Ends in a Lousy Deal

What cuts there are come in all the wrong places.

Jun 5, 2023 / Katrina vanden Heuvel

Urban sprawl, Las Vegas, Nev.

The Case Against Homeownership The Case Against Homeownership

Instead of perpetuating the Ponzi scheme of private property for some, we should be demanding economic security for all.

Jun 5, 2023 / Jane Chung

Representatives Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), Pramila Jayapal D-Wash.), and Cori Bush (D-Mo.) talk with reporters outside the U.S. Capitol after the House passed the Fiscal Responsibility Act

Here’s Why Principled Progressives Opposed a Cruel and Destructive Debt Ceiling Deal Here’s Why Principled Progressives Opposed a Cruel and Destructive Debt Ceiling Deal

These Democrats defied their president and their party leaders to vote against a deal that harms families, the poor, and the environment.

Jun 2, 2023 / John Nichols

Unionizing strippers cheering at rally

Let’s Hear It for the Strippers’ Union Let’s Hear It for the Strippers’ Union

The newly unionized Star Gardens strippers are a triumph for the labor movement, proving that regardless of their profession, when workers unite, they can win.

May 31, 2023 / Antonia Crane

Joe Biden meets with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in the Oval Office

The Debt Deal Is a Tragedy The Debt Deal Is a Tragedy

The debt-limit agreement entrenches long-term austerity. It was a huge GOP win.

May 30, 2023 / James K. Galbraith

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