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A Vision for the U.S. Pension System at 100
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Henry J. Aaron,
The Century Foundation,
2/23/2009
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More than seventy years have passed since Congress laid the foundation of the modern U.S. pension system by enacting the Social Security Act. The full structure took nearly fifty years to complete and encompasses private pensions and tax-sheltered saving, as well as Social Security. From the start, some critics thought Social Security was a wrong-headed interference with personal liberty that would undermine self-reliance. Others came to believe that however well Social Security served an industrial nation less affluent and less mobile than America is today, it is not well designed for a post-industrial, twenty-first-century America. Still others argue that the original vision, although attractive, is unsustainable because of the much-cited “entitlement crisis.” Download the report (PDF).
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Ideas that Matter
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The Century Institute,
The Century Foundation,
1/10/2010
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A compilation of recent work from The Century Foundation's The Century Institute.
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A New New Deal
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Amy B. Dean,
David B. Reynolds,
Century Foundation Press,
Cornell University Press,
5/1/2009
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In A New New Deal, the labor movement leaders Amy B. Dean and David B. Reynolds offer a bold new plan to revitalize American labor activism and build a sense of common purpose between labor and community organizations. Dean and Reynolds demonstrate how alliances organized at the regional level are the most effective tool to build a voice for working people in the workplace, community, and halls of government. The authors draw on their own successes to offer in-depth, contemporary case studies of effective labor-community coalitions. They also outline a concrete strategy for building power at the regional level. This pioneering model presents the regional building blocks for national change.
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| > All Economics & Inequality Publications | |
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Democracy in America?
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Bernard Wasow,
The Century Foundation,
1/7/2010
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Americans are immensely proud of our constitution. Some people even claim Higher Powers were at work when it was drafted. Indeed, apart from one war between the states, the constitution has held the country together for more than 200 years, a noteworthy accomplishment. Yet, in spite of the many democratic constitutions crafted in many countries since 1800, almost none has a legislative branch in which substantial power is based not on population but on geographical happenstance. Our Senate is almost unique among modern democratic institutions in that it is constructed to guarantee inordinate power to small electoral minorities based on the historical accident of state lines. Continue Reading on the Taking Note Blog.
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The Year in Civil LIberties and the Rule of Law
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Patrick Radden Keefe,
The Century Foundation,
12/29/2009
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To many progressives, one of the most galvanizing aspects of Barack Obama’s campaign for the presidency was his pledge to roll back the executive excesses of the Bush-Cheney era and restore a sensible balance between national security and civil liberties in American political life. “We reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals,” the newly elected president declared in his inaugural address. And after eight years of secrecy and skullduggery in the name of national security, Obama’s stated determination to get the country back on track engendered an upswell of devotion that helped sweep him into office, and an almost impossibly high set of expectations. Continue to the blog
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The Regulation Gap
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Richard C. Leone,
The Century Foundation,
11/3/2009
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If Washington is “dithering” about anything these days, it’s the slow pace of financial regulatory reform. What does it take to get this show on the road? Maybe an understanding that the sensational scandals are just reflections of a larger reality.Bernie Madoff obviously represents one of the extreme cases of financial chicanery in our history. But I’m fascinated by all the attention given to the investors who lost money with Madoff. Sometimes they are described (not without relish) as complete investment boobs, whose ignorance is exceeded only by their social and celebrity status. Continue reading on the Taking Note Blog.
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Super Nanny
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Bernard Wasow,
The Century Foundation,
10/2/2009
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At a well-attended conference on September 30, organized by the Center for American Progress and the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, various experts discussed the federal budgetary outlook and its consequences. They fell into two camps. One group worries that the prospect of big, long run deficits will eventually spook bond markets. They want the Obama administration to announce what it plans to do in the long run to raise revenues and lower federal spending. Continue Reading on the Taking Note Blog.
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The Undeserving
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Bernard Wasow,
The Century Foundation,
9/18/2009
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It is no accident that civility broke down in Congress when President Obama was discussing the access of immigrants to subsidized health care. The most persistent and entrenched reason for opposing progressive change in America has been that “the undeserving” might benefit. With health care reform, too, much of the opposition, at its core, comes from those who would rather have nobody benefit than to see benefits extended to groups they despise. Continue Reading on the Taking Note Blog.
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Three Questions about the Recession
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Bernard Wasow,
The Century Foundation,
9/8/2009
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Here are three questions widely being asked about the state of the U.S. economy and answers to them:
1. Is the recession over?
This question gets a lot of people mad: how can the recession be over when nearly one in ten job seekers cannot find work and unemployment is rising? The answer is that a recession is like a flood. When the water stops rising, the recovery begins. But early in the recovery, a lot of homes are still under water. The end of the recession means things have started to improve, not that the recovery is complete. It is quite likely that the recession soon will officially be declared over. Continue Reading on the Taking Note Blog.
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Who Will Take Care of the Children?
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Beverly Goldberg,
The Century Foundation,
8/25/2009
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With the H1N1 virus, which is usually referred to as swine flu, expected to hit hard just as the new school year begins and the announcement of delays until October at best in the availability of the vaccine now in development against the disease, a great deal more attention must be paid to the child care dilemma that all too many working American parents face. The efforts going forward to contain the spread of the disease, in addition to the development of the vaccine and plans by many school districts to provide it when it becomes available, include increased attention to hand-washing, making children aware of the dangers of sharing drinks and food, and emphasizing the need to cover the mouth when coughing or sneezing—and keeping those infected with the virus away from others. Continue Reading on the Taking Note Blog.
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The Next Labor: Tax Reform
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Bernard Wasow,
The Century Foundation,
8/21/2009
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Like Hercules, whose labors went on and on, President Obama’s work stretches out before him without respite. Even before the fate of health care reform is settled, the next giant task is looming. The administration will have to tackle fiscal policy or risk loss of confidence, not only in this administration but in the dollar. One piece of that fiscal policy reform should be a full restructuring of the tax system. Continue Reading on the Taking Note Blog.
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Housing Integration in Westchester
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Richard D. Kahlenberg,
The Century Foundation,
8/12/2009
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Yesterday’s New York Times brought welcome news that suburban Westchester County New York had agreed to a landmark housing desegregation settlement to create more than 600 homes and apartments for moderate income residents in overwhelmingly white communities. For many people, the idea of integration – of housing and of schools – has a 1970's ring to it, but if we really want to provide equal opportunity for kids, and to fulfill the promise of a single nation, the Westchester agreement must be a harbinger of things to come.Continue Reading on the Taking Note Blog.
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Hard Times for State Budgets
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Thomas Smyth,
The Century Foundation,
7/30/2009
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States are still struggling to make ends meet, even after huge budget cuts already this year. As states continue to tighten their budgets because of balanced-budget requirements, the recession keeps making things worse. States are facing fiscal crises that just won’t stop. State tax revenue dropped 11.7 percent during the first quarter of 2009, according to the Rockefeller Institute. And April and May looked even worse. So states cut, and cut more. Many states had serious trouble balancing their budgets, even with the help of stimulus money, and some, like California, ran into overtime. Pennsylvania, Arizona, and North Carolina still haven’t passed their budgets yet, even though the fiscal year started July 1. Continue Reading on the Taking Note Blog.
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Wish List for Stimulus 3.0
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Thomas Smyth,
The Century Foundation,
7/8/2009
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In a slow summer week, talk of a third stimulus is beginning to make the rounds, especially after dismal unemployment numbers and a dose of reality from some of President Obama’s advisers. Just don’t call it “stimulus” – voters are not excited about any more spending. Most of the money from Stimulus 2.0 will actually be spent in fiscal year 2010, but even with that extra jolt to the economy, recovery won’t come quickly, says Paul Krugman. What should be included in Stimulus 3.0? Continue Reading on the Taking Note Blog.
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What Green Stimulus Plan?
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Thomas Smyth,
The Century Foundation,
7/7/2009
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The stimulus bill didn’t have much public policy coherence besides propping up the economy with government spending. This lack of focus is especially apparent in scatter-shot spending on “clean coal” and other green-energy plans. Spending is all over the place – and results aren’t guaranteed. Continue Reading on the Taking Note Blog.
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| > All Economics & Inequality News & Commentary | |
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| Out of College and Out of Work: Good Employment Policy for a Bad Economy
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TCF Public Policy Lunch Series for NYC Interns
- 6/17/2009
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As the current economic crisis continues onwards with no clear end in sight, and with recent unemployment statistics released this month alarmingly rampant, American youth fresh out of college are struggling to find entry-level jobs. More experienced middle-aged workers, who are forced to take low-paying positions they are overqualified for, are being hired over college graduates, who are in turn taking unskilled positions normally occupied by high school teens. The rate of jobless college graduates has doubled in the past year and is particularly high among black male graduates. Join us on June 17, 2009 as we discuss what policy should be enacted in order to provide college grads with good employment prospects in this bad economy!
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| The Longevity Revolution
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Demos and The Century Foundation
- 3/19/2009
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With our current recession deepening amid rising costs of healthcare, plunging 401k portfolios, and the collapse of the housing market, there is growing evidence that retirement security for today's seniors is unstable, at best. According to a recent Demos report, 78% of senior households are financially vulnerable, or lack the resources necessary to sustain themselves through the rest of their lives. With the baby boomer generation approaching retirement age, the future for older Americans is more uncertain than ever.
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| Robert Kuttner and David Walker Debate the Deficit
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The Agenda Project
- 11/13/2009
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Robert Kuttner, an expert contributor to The Century Foundation and Demos' joint Fiscal High Road Project debated David Walker, on the current deficit. The event was sponsored and hosted by The Agenda Project.
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| 90 Years of Progress
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- 12/1/2009
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This year marked the ninetieth anniversary of the founding of The Century Foundation (which was known for most of its history as the Twentieth Century Fund). Our founder, Edward Filene, created this organization with the goal of supporting studies and analysis that could lead to constructive action on our nation’s public policy. That heritage has compelled us to educate, provoke, and develop better answers when evidence and reason show that public debates are badly off track. Over the past nine decades, we have called attention to facts and analyses to correct widespread misconceptions and provide policymakers with new ideas for addressing the challenges facing the nation.
We have created this video to provide a glimpse into our story and how it is intertwined with America’s story for much of the twentieth century and beyond.
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| > All Economics & Inequality Events | |
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| Energy Policy |
| America's dependence on oil, and policies to change direction. |
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| Gambling |
| Legalized gambling's impact and state policy. |
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| Inequality in the U.S. |
| Causes and consequences of growing wealth and income disparity. |
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| Tax Policy |
| Policies for a fairer and more efficient tax system. |
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| The Federal Budget |
| Issues in the debate over the federal budget and its long term outlook. |
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Taking Note
