Economics
The President Didn't Always Have Power Over Trade Deals
Until the 1930s, it was Congress that set the terms of U.S. trade negotiations with other countries and raised and lowered tariffs as it saw fit, while the president did little but sign his name.
A New Oregon Law Would Make It the First State to Ban Single-Family Zoning
Democratic Governor Kate Brown is expected to sign off on the law, which would affect areas that are home to some 2.8 million people.
What Would Happen If the Government Covered Undocumented Immigrants' Health Care?
Democrats want health coverage for everybody in America, including the undocumented. What does that mean for folks already getting government-covered health care?
Is Landmarking a Tool of Gentrification or a Bulwark Against It?
From YIMBYs to NIMBYs, the Strand's recent historic preservation is a Rorschach test for activists of many stripes. Who's right?
Developers Aren't Reporting How They're Using Tax Incentives Meant for Low-Income Areas
The "opportunity zones" program, established in Trump's 2017 tax bill, might be fueling gentrification and luxury developments.
Can Economic Pressure Curb Jair Bolsonaro's Anti-Indigenous Agenda?
An impending trade deal with the E.U. has instigated further pushback from non-governmental organizations and local activists against any deal with the Brazilian government.
Hundreds of Toronto Uber Drivers Have Announced Plans to Unionize
The announcement tees up a fight between the United Food and Commercial Workers and rideshare giants like Uber and Lyft.
How Cities Across the U.S. Are Using Philanthropy to Combat Inequality
All over the country low-income citizens are struggling to attain more economic mobility. A new program funded by two large foundations is working to address that.
Democrats Agree That the Housing Crisis Is a Problem. They Just Don't Agree on How to Fix It.
For an issue on which so many agree—the rent is too damned high, especially in urban areas—housing affordability doesn't present one single obvious fix.
Can Google's $1 Billion Real-Estate Pledge Put a Dent in the Bay Area's Housing Crisis?
The growth of the tech industry has put a high premium on available housing, and new construction isn't keeping up with need.
It's Not 'Despair' That's Killing Working-Class Americans; It's Hard Work and Poverty
New research casts doubt on the trendy diagnosis of "hopelessness."
Millennials Are No More Tolerant—or Broke—Than Earlier Generations
A big new report debunks a number of generational clichés about Millennials—but emphasizes the economic struggles they still face.
What Does Invisible Labor Contribute to the Gender Pay Gap?
A conversation with Amy Westervelt, who developed the Invisible Labor Calculator to help women determine the market value of their uncompensated labor.
The Trump Administration Promised to Help Farmers. These Chicken Farmers Say It Has Not Delivered.
Many farmers thought that President Donald Trump would be better for their livelihoods than his predecessor, but now they say things have only gotten worse.
Should Baltimore Have Paid a Ransom to End a Cyberattack on City Infrastructure?
While the cost to combat the malware will be in the millions—as opposed to a $100,000 ransom—paying cyber criminals could set a dangerous precedent.
Trade Tensions Between the U.S. and China Are Hurting the American Tourism Industry
Customs data collected by the American agency show that the U.S. received 2.9 million Chinese visitors in 2018, down 5.7 percent from the year before.
How China's Growing Soy Demand Is Fueling Brazilian Deforestation
Globally, 80 percent of forest loss stems from turning over forest for agriculture to grow food for livestock and human consumption.
Inside the United States' Decades-Long Economic War With Iran
As a potential armed conflict looms, one expert takes a look at the sanctions that have been most devastating to innocent civilians.
What's Behind China's Hardline Stance in Trade Negotiations With the U.S.?
Relations between the two nations have deteriorated sharply in recent days, leading some to suggest that we are on the brink of a new cold war.
Experts Have Wanted to Update the Poverty Line for Years—but Not the Way Trump Is Planning to Do It
Amid attacks on several food security programs from the Trump administration, this proposed change could ignite yet another debate about where we draw the line.
How Overconfidence Among the Upper Classes Is Hampering Social Mobility
New research finds that high self-regard can come across as competence to potential employers.
Responsive Unions Help Make Work Feel More Meaningful
New research finds that the boons of union membership can extend beyond wages and benefits.
Who Are the Winners and Losers of Trump's Trade War With China?
While we have seen job growth in parts of the manufacturing sector, wages have continued to stagnate and consumer product prices look set to increase.
Women Own Half the Farmland in America. They Don't Earn Half the Profits.
Here's we know about women in agriculture in 2019.