Inequality should matter to conservatives, too

We all know that conservatives don't worry about equality of outcomes; they care about equality of opportunity.  Actually, they don't care about outcomes at all; they only care about establishing rules of the game.  That's a values question, that's conservatives moral bent, although personally I think they're wrong.  We'll never agree.

However, what Bernstein's and other economists' research is showing us is that growing income equality actually diminishes equality of opportunity.  Bernstein talks about it here, here, here, here.  This should worry conservatives.  The economic playing field will never be level; but we should be concerned when it's getting more unbalanced every year.

In addition, Bernstein plans to prove that income inequality leads to lower economic growth. That should concern us all, including deficit hawks who want to shore up our federal deficit.  

Inequality and Mobility, Again

By Jared Bernstein

June 26, 2013 | Huffington Post

URL: http://huff.to/1cnK7Xy

Big Gov't creates private-sector jobs all the time

Two huge take-aways here:

1) Compared to previous recessions, the real difference in the recovery from Dubya's Great Recession is not the comeback of private-sector jobs -- those are about on pace.  No, it's the huge cuts in public-sector jobs.  

Source: EPI

2) The economic "multiplier" of state and local spending is around 1.24.  And roughly 0.67 private sector jobs are lost for every public sector job cut.

So when people like Rush Limbaugh parrot the line that "government never created a job," that's just hogwash, because that's real money moving through the economy that ALWAYS ends up in the hands of the private sector eventually, with the same economic effect as any other kind of private spending or investment.

How Public Sector Jobs Beget Private Sector Ones

By Jared Bernstein

July 13, 2012 | Huffington Post

URL: http://huff.to/NGR50e

Liberals 'kicked poverty's butt'

"We kicked poverty's butt."  I love that.  

'Course, that's a qualified We.  We liberals and Democrats should take the credit.  ALL of it!  And yet we don't.  Yet we still refuse to do the Dirty Bird in the end zone like Republicans would... if only they had any policy successes to point to.

Indeed, the stats are incontrovertible.  Our policies work; theirs don't.  Scooooore-booooooard!

We gotta stop being "loser liberals," celebrate OUR successes, and get aggressive with the truth!

Half a Century of Poverty In America

By Jared Bernstein

July 9, 2012 | Huffington Post

URL:  http://huff.to/Mh0I4k

2012 elections offer 'two visions of America'

I believe we're in it together.  Once you accept that, most policies fall into place.

Obama and GOP Offer Two Visions of America: 'We're in It Together' vs. 'You're on Your Own'

By Jared Bernstein

April 4, 2012 | Rolling Stone

URL: http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/blogs/national-affairs/obama-and-gop-offer-two-visions-of-america-were-in-it-together-vs-youre-on-your-own-20120404#ixzz1rL7HETeR