jobs and employment	266
economics	208
state and local government	191
education	190
indiana	176
economic development	174
taxes	149
budget and spending	149
law and public policy	148
workforce and human capital	142

Commentaries tagged with the middle class

July 20, 2025	It’s Stagflation, Not InflationTariffs work differently than inflation.
July 13, 2025	A Golden Age of Economic ColumnistsThe recent mayoral primaries in NYC provide plentiful material for discussion.
July 6, 2025	Churchill Was Right About AmericansSuccess demands that we look a problem squarely in the eye.
June 22, 2025	We Have a Healthy Middle ClassThe biggest issue in the middle class involves changes to consumption, not earnings.
June 15, 2025	Economic Freedom Is Essential, but It Isn’t Just TaxesBusinesses and households prioritize standard of living among other factors.
May 25, 2025	Previewing the Long-Term Effects of TariffsThe dominant effect of the Trump tariffs will be to raise production costs on almost every American manufacturing firm.
May 18, 2025	It’s TDS to Suppose These Tariffs Are WorkingTrump has pushed the U.S. into an economic downturn that will be especially hurtful to Hoosiers.
May 11, 2025	Trump’s Tariff Recession Is HereMy new forecast, completed in late April, predicts a national recession began as early as March in reaction to Trump’s tarriffs.
May 4, 2025	Two Key Economic Lessons in One BillHoosiers face trade-offs and opportunity costs in the wake of SEA1.
April 20, 2025	The Unanticipated Effects of SB1Businesses, governments and households may all feel the effects.
April 13, 2025	The Stupidest of PoliciesThis whipsawing of tariff rates has unnerved financial markets, which on Wednesday, were toying with a liquidity crisis.
March 30, 2025	The Birth and Death of Rustbelt CitiesEducational attainment is the fundamental factor leading to city growth or decline.
March 23, 2025	What the Census Tells Hoosiers About the FutureKeeping things the same really isn’t an option for communities.
February 23, 2025	I Am Confused by Tax ProposalsIndiana, like almost every other government in the world, taxes three things: wealth, consumption and income.
February 16, 2025	The End of DEI and a Call to ActionHow can we ensure that everyone has equal access to schooling, health care and economic opportunity?
February 9, 2025	The Medicaid DilemmaFor every one new job created in Indiana since 2010, we’ve had more than two new people enroll in Medicaid.
January 19, 2025	My 2025 ForecastThe Hoosier economy is growing, but at the same time falling further behind the rest of the nation.
November 24, 2024	Thanksgiving 2024For Americans, particularly poorer Americans, the current economy has never been stronger.
November 3, 2024	My Apology to LogansportThe city is well known as an immigration success story in the Midwest.
September 29, 2024	The Soft Landing MiracleThe hard part was ending inflation without also causing a recession.
September 22, 2024	Indiana’s Small Towns Need More ImmigrantsMany Midwestern counties are in their fourth or fifth decade of population decline.
September 15, 2024	IEDC’s Unhappy 20th AnniversaryIndiana must become a place where education and skills of people form the central mission of state and local economic development policies.
September 8, 2024	You Maybe Don’t Want to Ask How We Can Balance our Federal BudgetIt seems like we could easily cut spending—until you understand what we are spending money on.
August 25, 2024	Three Property Tax PlansThere are problems with each of these tax proposals from our gubernatorial candidates.
August 18, 2024	What would a conservative tax system look like?There are three big things we can tax: wealth, income and spending.
August 4, 2024	Childcare Problems Are Vexing and CostlyIndiana has both childcare and pre-kindergarten programs available to low-income households.
July 7, 2024	Freedom Is DifficultSimply living in the United States is as easy as it gets, and almost always has been.
June 30, 2024	Silly Tax Cut ProposalsIn Indiana, a 1 percent increase in the average tax rate leads to a 2 percent increase in population growth.
June 23, 2024	Some Good Reasons for Partisan Perceptions About the EconomyThe gap between rich places and poor places is growing in more ways than one.
June 16, 2024	What Is Driving Misperceptions About the Economy?In a recent survey, more than half of Americans said the economy is shrinking, when in fact it has been growing steadily for four years.
June 9, 2024	Advice for Young People Heading Directly into the Labor MarketSkipping college does not mean you cannot have a satisfying career, but it will take more planning and work to get there.
May 5, 2024	US Debt Will Change Local Economic Development PoliciesThere’s no tax cut that will generate rapid economic growth, nor is there some magical spending mix that will cause a big spike in productivity.
April 28, 2024	We Botched Our Last Curriculum Reform, We Cannot Do So This TimeA very good idea can become very bad public policy when executed poorly.
February 11, 2024	Some More Truth About Manufacturing and TradeManufacturing employment peaked decades earlier than manufacturing production.
December 31, 2023	Education After High School Is the Path to Middle-Class LifeJobs of the future require at least some college training.
December 24, 2023	Leaving Behind Dickensian PovertyThis Christmas holiday is not about worldly wealth, but it is a time of giving thanks for the many blessings we enjoy.
December 10, 2023	Manufacturing Matters, but Not for Creating JobsManufacturing is important because it is the source of a significant share of regional productivity growth.
December 3, 2023	The ‘Great Discordance’ of Economic Fact and FeelingThat Americans appear to prefer higher unemployment over historically mild inflation is not something any of us should be proud of.
November 19, 2023	Are We in a Period of New Union Activism?The bigger effect of unions appears to be how they influence labor markets outside the firms in which they’ve organized.
October 22, 2023	Economic Perceptions Driven by Educational and Geographic Differences in ProsperityThe geography of economic opportunity is shrinking.
October 8, 2023	Falling Behind Mississippi Indiana now sends 52.9 percent of high school graduates to college, while Mississippi sends 81 percent.
September 24, 2023	Don’t Expect the UAW to GrowThere is no evidence of a resurgence in the UAW or other industrial unions today.
September 10, 2023	China Is a Poor and Failing NationChina is getting in the way of its own economic growth.
September 3, 2023	Work From Home Is Here to StayAt least 1 million Hoosiers work from home at least one day per week.
August 13, 2023	A More Thoughtful Understanding of Quality of LifeRunning through a hypothetical list of amenities is the worst way to think about improving quality of life.
July 30, 2023	The Midwest Doesn’t Have a Housing Crisis, It Has a Neighborhood CrisisIn many areas, a new home cannot sell for the cost of construction.
July 23, 2023	Populists Are Wrong—Life Is Better TodayMany problems arise when comparing the past to today.
July 9, 2023	Human Capital Is the Source of ProsperitySuccessful places are both good for business and good for families.
July 2, 2023	July 4th and American-Style ConservatismA true American conservative cannot believe that government should promote that faith, or treat those of other faiths differently.
June 25, 2023	Growing and Declining Places Have Different ChallengesThe Midwest came of age at a time when natural amenities and recreational opportunities played only a modest role in prosperity or migration.
June 11, 2023	“Of Boys and Men” by Richard Reeves Is a Must ReadThe gender gap in education is larger than any racial or ethnic gap.
June 4, 2023	Increasing Importance of Summer JobsThese jobs offer an opportunity to learn as well as earn money.
May 28, 2023	Educational Attainment, the 21st Century Fund and the Future of SchoolingIndiana ranks 42nd in educational attainment.
May 7, 2023	Money Illusion and InflationPrice fluctuation could cause inflation to last longer, but it didn’t cause the inflation, it simply extends the pain.
April 23, 2023	Economic Opportunity Is Now in High Quality of Life PlacesAs Americans grew richer, we began to value more than just economic opportunity in our location choices.
March 19, 2023	Remote Work Through the Eyes of Three 20-SomethingsRemote work is here to stay.
March 12, 2023	Remote Work and Labor MarketsThere are more remote workers today than there are immigrants in the U.S.
February 26, 2023	Subsidizing Builders Fixes the Wrong Housing ProblemRemote workers and their families can now live wherever they wish.
February 19, 2023	Balancing the Federal BudgetThere’s no silver bullet that will return our debt to comfortable levels.
January 15, 2023	Three Types of Public DebtAll types of public debt are effectively transfers of wealth from the future to our present selves.
January 8, 2023	Remote Work Is Indiana’s Biggest Opportunity and RiskThere are now more Hoosiers in remote work than there are in manufacturing and logistics combined.
December 18, 2022	The Anderson Family Scholar HouseThe best assistance for a family comes comprehensively.
December 4, 2022	Inflation Will Make the Legislature’s Job Difficult This YearThe budget challenges faced by state legislatures are twofold.
November 20, 2022	Black Friday Is ChangingConsumers and businesses alike will adjust to these tighter labor markets.
November 6, 2022	Adopt the Governor’s Public Health Commission Report Proposals Hoosier health problems are in areas that are the most susceptible to public health interventions.
September 11, 2022	Benefits and Costs of EducationFor the vast majority of students, college is among the best financial investments they will ever make.
August 28, 2022	Student Loan Forgiveness Is a Policy MistakeThis addition to federal debt during this time risks worsening inflation.
July 24, 2022	Why Are Rich Places Growing and Poor Places in Decline?To participate in a new economy, a community’s workforce must possess the ability to absorb new skills that may be vastly different from what they currently know.
July 17, 2022	My 750th ColumnColumns like mine are designed to help people think about issues they might otherwise not read about.
June 26, 2022	Inflation Affects Each Family DifferentlyWe understand earthquakes and hurricanes better than we do inflation.
June 19, 2022	Yes, State Stimulus Checks Boost InflationTax reductions and rebates can only increase inflation.
May 8, 2022	The Lives of Mothers Through the Last CenturyThe women of the 20th century witnessed the most stunning technological and economic growth.
May 1, 2022	Lilly CEO Speaks to Indiana’s FutureIndiana must better educate a higher share of its young adults and make more communities into places they’d like to live.
March 20, 2022	Quality of Life Spending Is a Conservative PolicyHome prices and wages signal the desirability of communities.
March 13, 2022	Economic Lessons From America’s Most Experienced Avon LadyJob flexibility is just as appealing to workers today as it was to housewives half a century ago.
January 23, 2022	Indiana’s Long-Term Economic Prospects Are PoorState policymakers should be deeply alarmed about a return to a ‘normal’ economy.
December 26, 2021	Some Lessons from Hallmark Christmas MoviesA lot of economic ideas are packed into Hallmark movies.
November 28, 2021	A Time to Give ThanksIf Mr. Lincoln could find reason to call us together for a day of gratitude, we can now have no cause to do otherwise.
November 14, 2021	It Is Time to Be Honest About Debt, Spending and TaxationSpending that makes us more productive often pays for itself through increased GDP that is then taxed.
October 24, 2021	Deep Worries About Education and Employment Are Still With UsIndiana will start 2022 with three consecutive years of declining educational attainment of adults.
September 5, 2021	The Evolving Nature of WorkWork has the potential to provide meaning and satisfaction, unconnected to the economic importance of the task at hand.
August 15, 2021	More Questions Than Answers About the Post-COVID WorkplaceWorkplaces vary widely in their degree of flexibility and productivity during the pandemic.
July 11, 2021	What Is ‘Quality of Place?’When choosing a place to live, workers consider the wages they will earn against the cost of housing and access to amenities.
June 20, 2021	Looking Back at a Century of Father’s DaysThe lives of our fathers and their fathers are representative of the early and mid-20th century.
April 25, 2021	Polarization of Jobs and PlacesUnfortunately, short-term spending policies aren't likely have much long-term effect on the decline of middle-wage jobs.
February 7, 2021	Indiana’s Lagging Educational AttainmentFinancial security without a college degree is possible but not probable.
January 31, 2021	How This Recession Is UnfoldingIt appears now that we’ll end 2020 with a downturn that ranks in the top five to seven worst years since the 1920s.
November 29, 2020	Regional Divergence and Local TaxesIn recent decades, nearly all large urban places thrived, while smaller cities and rural places mostly stagnated.
September 6, 2020	COVID-19 and InequalityThe pandemic continues to exert a historic effect on our economy, and we must confront it with honesty, facts and determination.
November 17, 2019	Beware Claims of a Golden Age in Our EconomyWe cannot go back, and are naïve to want to do so.
November 24, 2018	Thanksgiving for Economic Growth and Human FlourishingAcross the developed world, poverty is no longer the result of economic conditions.
August 5, 2018	Midwest Must Save Middle Class NeighborhoodsIf your community isn’t thriving, your problems are far deeper than you suppose.
June 18, 2017	The State of Fatherhood in 2017Single-parent households face a number of challenges.
May 3, 2015	No Jobs for High School Grads Since 2009Job creation has occurred only for workers with an education beyond the high school diploma.
November 16, 2014	We Need Thoughtful, Sustained Policies for Growth, Not GimmicksLet's focus on an educated workforce and quality of place.

Center for Business and Economic Research - Ball State University

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Commentaries tagged with the middle class