In The News

Income Inequality: Too Big to Ignore

Robert H. Frank October 29, 2010
Widening income gaps erode a society’s strength, sapping optimism and innovation. In recent decades, the US joined the ranks of less developed nations as income growth is concentrated among top earners. Political economists hesitate to condemn opposition to taxes that contributes to the trend. Exorbitant spending by a wealthy few establishes new expectations and standards of one’s need, raising...

Illegal Immigration to US Slows Sharply

Miriam Jordan September 8, 2010
Because of recession and high jobless rates, illegal immigration to the US has contracted sharply, by more than half, in recent years, suggests the nonpartisan Pew Hispanic Center. “The mortgage crisis and ensuing economic slump have slashed jobs in construction, tourism and other sectors that are the mainstay for low-skilled Latin Americans,” writes Miriam Jordan for the Wall Street Journal. “...

Petraeus Condemns US Church's Plan to Burn Korans

Julian E. Barnes, Matthew Rosenberg September 7, 2010
If one needed an example of the world’s interconnectedness and the internet’s ability to empower individuals, the story of a tiny church in Florida will do. The church’s plans to burn Korans on the anniversary of the September 11th attacks captured the world’s attention and, most surprisingly, that of the US commander of international forces in Afghanistan. US military leaders typically refrain...

Facebook Deletes Accounts Purporting to Be From North Korea

Jun Yang August 25, 2010
It’s unclear if Facebook, Twitter and Google accounts claiming to represent North Korea are truly from the isolated nation. Facebook, insisting that the social networking site is for real people aiming for real connections with real identities, deleted two suspect accounts. “The move comes as South Korea, which bans its citizens from communicating with the North, clamps down on Twitter Inc....

The Burden of Thirst

Tina Rosenberg August 25, 2010
Information flows to every corner of the world much like movements of the water cycle, connecting people more than ever before. But nothing separates us more than the inequality that exists in access to water. Nearly 900 million people lack access to clean water, and more than 3.3 million – most children under age five – die each year as a result. In many developing countries, the brunt of the...

Unwanted Immigrants: America’s Deportation Dilemma

Joseph Chamie July 27, 2010
Increased labor mobility has accompanied global population growth and ease of travel. The world has roughly 50 million illegal migrants, about one quarter of which live in the US. Nations widely oppose illegal immigration, but identifying, catching and then deporting violators present a huge challenge, explains Joseph Chamie, research director for the Center for Migration Studies. Attitudes about...

Headless Bodies and Other Immigration Tall Tales in Arizona

Dana Milbank July 16, 2010
Immigration has been a major driver of US economic growth, but at a time of economic distress, it has emerged as a contentious issue. Recent attempts by politicians to exploit concerns over immigration by falsehood or exaggeration could have unintended consequences. Defending a new law targeting illegal immigrants, Arizona politicians claim rising violence along the state’s border shared with...