What the “Abundance Agenda” Leaves Out
Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson’s new book Abundance has plenty of merits, writes Matt Bruenig, but its emphasis on growth and innovation must be married to other egalitarian concerns.
193 Articles by: Matt Bruenig
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Matt Bruenig is the founder of People’s Policy Project.
How Many Americans Really Live Paycheck to Paycheck?
Centrist pundits take issue with Bernie Sanders’s frequent claim that 60% of Americans are living “paycheck to paycheck.” His critics’ attempts to debunk this statistic aren’t convincing.
The NLRB Can’t Punish Employers Strongly Enough
The problem of case backlogs at the National Labor Relations Board goes deeper than budget shortfalls. Without serious penalties for employers who break the law, the board will continue to be hampered by a pileup of charges.
Universalism Fixes Flawed Welfare States
Thousands of Americans cohabitate but don’t marry because doing so would result in the loss of Medicaid eligibility. Marriage penalties (and bonuses) are just part of why we need a universal social-democratic welfare state.
What Now for the NLRB?
The National Labor Relations Board has been a bright spot for progressives. Don’t think Trump’s team hasn’t noticed.
Manchin and Sinema Just Handed the GOP an NLRB Majority
Yesterday Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema voted to block the reappointment of Democrat Lauren McFerran to the National Labor Relations Board. This means that when Donald Trump takes office, he can immediately establish a GOP majority on the board.
Blame Health Insurers for Exorbitant Health Care Costs
Since the shooting of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO, a number of pundits have claimed that the main cause of exorbitant US health care costs is overcharging by providers, not health insurance companies. The argument doesn’t hold up: insurers are mostly to blame.
Democrats’ Antitrust Push Has Been Mostly Rhetorical
The Biden administration’s more aggressive approach to antitrust has been much discussed by proponents and critics alike. Yet the administration’s regulatory moves have really been small-bore tweaks around the edges, with little impact felt by voters.
What Does Trump’s Win Mean for the NLRB?
Donald Trump will probably sack National Labor Relations Board general counsel Jennifer Abruzzo, who has been friendly to unions, on day one of his presidency.
Why Is the Audubon Society Attacking the NLRB?
Last month, the National Labor Relations Board issued a complaint against the Audubon Society concerning treatment of its employees. In a wildly aggressive response, the nonprofit is arguing that the NLRB is unconstitutional.
The NLRB Is Hamstrung by the Dysfunctional US Legal System
Thanks to a corporate challenge to the National Labor Relations Board’s constitutionality, labor protections for tens of millions of workers have effectively been repealed until the Supreme Court can weigh in on the meaning of two words in the Constitution.
Labour’s Adventures in Pointless Means-Testing
Keir Starmer’s means-testing mania has produced its most absurd policy yet. Limiting access to the Winter Fuel Payment won’t lead to meaningful savings — but it will make it harder for low-income pensioners to access their benefits.
Our Verdict on Kamala Harris’s New Plans
Matt Bruenig reviews Kamala Harris’s new economic policy proposals — from money for first-time homebuyers to fighting grocery price gouging to an expanded child tax credit. Some of her ideas are good. Some are bad. Most are meh.
The ACLU Fired One of Its Workers for Criticizing Management
Yesterday a National Labor Relations Board judge found that the ACLU fired an employee for engaging in the protected activity of criticizing her working conditions.
What Will the Constitutional Challenge to the NLRB Do?
The most likely outcome of the current constitutional challenge to the National Labor Relations Board is not that the Supreme Court will destroy the agency — it’s that the board will be unable to operate in many states while the litigation is proceeding.
SpaceX Wins a First Battle in Its Assault on the NLRB
SpaceX just won a preliminary injunction in a Texas federal district court against the National Labor Relations Board. The decision moves us closer to a potential Supreme Court decision declaring the NLRB unconstitutional — and massively empowering bosses.
Why I Filed an Unfair Labor Practice Charge Against the NBA
NBA bylaws allow the league’s commissioner to punish players for statements “prejudicial or detrimental to the best interests” of the NBA or a team. The rule violates workers’ rights — which is why I’ve filed unfair labor practice charges against the NBA.
There Is No Substitute for the Welfare State
Welfare programs can’t be replaced by policies that redistribute income from some businesses to others, or from capital to labor — the primary function of the welfare state is to provide for children, disabled people, and others outside the labor force.
Why Is the ACLU Undermining Labor Rights?
The progressive ACLU is trying to establish a precedent that would strike a huge blow against workers’ rights across the country and make union organizing much more difficult. Let’s hope the organization comes to its senses soon.
Real Wages Have Declined Under Joe Biden’s Presidency
Though inflation-adjusted wage growth resumed earlier this year, real wages are still down overall since Joe Biden took office. It’s not crazy to suppose that this could be affecting people’s attitudes toward the economy.