Exit polls from the recent New Hampshire primary show that 80-90% of the voters are worried about the economy. They’ve been deliberately misinformed, but no candidate seems to have a sensible way to deal with their concerns. That is why they voted for extremists left and right.
The American economy has been growing at less than 2% per year. Productivity, which leads to higher wages, has grown at less than one percent, accounting for the very slim raises the last year or so.
Of the growth that has occurred, most of it has gone to the top 10% of taxpaying families, who now take one-half of all income reported in this country. Bernie Sanders has no practical response. Donald Trump ignores the issue.
So what could reasonably be done? Since some of the inequality comes from the rising premium for technical skills, we need to provide more vocational education for underemployed Americans of all ages. Since much inequality comes from single parent households, we need to strengthen marriage by targeting income support for two-parent households. Since excessive incarceration for non-violent felonies has weakened minority communities, we can strengthen them by offering the unemployed jobs repairing public facilities. Community corrections should replace prison terms. Since discrimination against women contributes to poverty too, stronger unions should demand equal pay for equal work. That work should earn a new minimum wage of $10-12 an hour. Studies show that this modest increase in the current minimum wage would not raise prices or unemployment unreasonably relative to the benefits for those who need it.
A program like that would attract my vote.
