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Evolution of the “Job Gap” and Possible Scenarios for Growth

May 3, 2013 • Charts

The Hamilton Project tracks the monthly “job gap,” which is the number of jobs that need to be created in order to return to pre-recession employment levels while still absorbing the workers entering the labor force each month.

NEW PAPER

An Evidence-Based Approach to Improving Worker Training Programs

Papers • April 2013 • Michael Greenstone, Adam Looney

There is significant pressure facing policymakers at all levels of government to fund programs that provide the best results for the best value. Worker training programs provide one example of where better use of evidence could dramatically improve outcomes for many Americans. In this month’s employment analysis, The Hamilton Project explores how the use of evidence and data could help workers determine which training programs can most effectively help them find employment and increase their earnings.

State-by-State “Jobs Gap”

March 29, 2013 • Charts

Every month, The Hamilton Project tracks the “jobs gap,” which is the number of jobs that need to be created in order to return to pre-recession employment levels while still absorbing the workers entering the labor force each month. Here, the Project compares changes in employment levels since the onset of the Great Recession across states.

NEW PAPER

Sequestration’s Threat to America’s Most Vulnerable

Papers • March 2013 • Michael Greenstone, Adam Looney

In this month’s employment analysis, The Hamilton Project looks at current poverty trends in the United States, the important role of government support programs, and how sequestration could remove critical aspects of the safety net in the midst of continued labor-market weakness. The Project finds sequestration could throw many American families back into poverty during this sensitive period of economic recovery by cutting the very programs that are helping them stay above water.

Real Specifics: 15 Ways to Rethink the Federal Budget—Part II: Addressing Entitlements, Taxation and Revenues—Panel 3: New Sources of Revenue and Efficiency

February 28, 2013 • Video

Senior Research Associate at The Urban Institute Benjamin H. Harris; Fellow and Policy Director of Economic Studies at The Brookings Institution Adele Morris; Assistant Vice President and Senior Economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas Pia Orrenius; Professor of International Economics at the University of Maryland School of Public Policy Phillip Swagel; and Associate Principal at McKinsey & Company Tyler Duvall participate in a roundtable discussion on new sources of revenue and efficiency moderated by Senior Fellow and Director of The Hamilton Project at The Brookings Institution Michael Greenstone.

Real Specifics: 15 Ways to Rethink the Federal Budget—Part I: Budgeting for a Modern Military—Full Audio

February 22, 2013 • Audio

On February 22nd, The Hamilton Project at Brookings hosted a forum and released new proposals on ways to create greater efficiency in the U.S. defense budget while maintaining our national security. Former Treasury Secretary gave opening remarks before retired four-star Admiral Gary Roughead, a former chief of Naval Operations; Kori Schake, a reserach fellow at the Hoover Institution; and Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Cindy Williams, a former assistant director of the Congressional Budget Office, offered two new proposals for reducing future defense budgets. The authors were joined by former Deputy Secretary of Defense John Deutch, former Undersecretary for Defense Michèle Flournoy, and former Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Sam Nunn (D-Ga.) for a roundtable discussion on the new proposals, and a broader discussion around the dynamics of ongoing defense budget negotiations.  Following the roundtable, the panelists took audience questions.

Real Specifics: 15 Ways to Rethink the Federal Budget—Part I: Budgeting for a Modern Military—Photo Gallery

February 22, 2013 • Photo Galleries

THP’s two-part budget series kicked off on Feb. 22nd with a forum on the defense budget, which included a lively roundtable discussion with Fmr. Sen. Sam Nunn (D-GA), Adm. Gary Roughead (USN Ret.) and other distinguished experts.

Real Specifics:  15 Ways to Rethink the Federal Budget—Part I:  Budgeting for a Modern Military

Events • February 22, 2013 • Washington, DC

On February 22nd, The Hamilton Project at Brookings hosted  a forum and released new proposals on ways to create greater efficiency in the U.S. defense budget while maintaining our national security. Retired four-star Admiral Gary Roughead, a former chief of Naval Operations; Kori Schake, a research fellow at the Hoover Institution; and Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Cindy Williams, a former assistant director of the Congressional Budget Office, offered two new proposals for reducing future defense budgets.

15 Ideas for Smart Deficit Reduction

Papers • February 2013 • Michael Greenstone, Adam Looney

Hamilton Project Director Michael Greenstone and Policy Director Adam Looney preview The Project’s forthcoming budget report, which includes fifteen pragmatic, evidenced-based proposals to reduce the deficit and achieve broad-based economic benefits.

Real Specifics: 15 Ways to Rethink the Federal Budget

February 20, 2013 • Video

Not All Cuts Are Created Equal:  Why Smart Deficit Reduction Matters

Papers • February 2013 • Michael Greenstone, Adam Looney

The federal budget deficit is still the nation’s major economic focus. In this month’s employment analysis, The Hamilton Project explores the potential impacts of enacted budget cuts, including the looming sequester, on America’s economic well-being. The Project finds that smart deficit reduction will require creative thinking about which budget areas can be made more efficient without damaging programs that are essential to promoting economic growth.

The Economics of Immigration Reform

Papers • January 2013 • Michael Greenstone, Adam Looney

Immigration reform has taken center stage of the policy debate.  While most Americans agree that our immigration system is flawed, there remains a lack of understanding about immigration’s effects on wages, jobs, budgets, and the U.S. economy in general.  Two recent Hamilton Project papers provide important economic context for the issue and a potential path forward.

The Fiscal Cliff Deal and Our Long-Run Budget Challenge

Papers • January 2013 • Michael Greenstone, Adam Looney

This week, lawmakers passed the American Taxpayer Relief Act to avoid much of the near-term drag on the economy that could have been triggered by the tax increases and spending cuts in the so-called fiscal cliff. In this month’s employment analysis, The Hamilton Project explores the projected effects of the bill on economic growth and the long-run budget deficit. The Project finds that the immediate budgetary effects of the bill are a positive step, but the debt-to-GDP level will continue to rise and lawmakers face more work in the months ahead.  

How Long Will it Take to Get to 6.5 Percent Unemployment?

Papers • December 2012 • Michael Greenstone, Adam Looney

The Fed recently announced that it would keep interest rates at historic lows until the unemployment rate dropped below 6.5 percent, so long as inflation remained below 2.5 percent. In a new analysis, The Hamilton Project presents  a range of estimates of how long it will take for the unemployment rate to fall to 6.5 percent based on different rates of job growth and an assumption about the growth of the labor force.

The Impact of Fiscal Cliff Negotiations on American Jobs: The Tradeoff Between Deficit Reduction and Economic Growth

Papers • December 2012 • Michael Greenstone, Adam Looney

As the year draws to a close, policymakers and the media have their sights fixed on the “fiscal cliff” – the rapidly approaching day on which federal law mandates precipitous cuts in spending and increases in taxes. In this month’s employment analysis, The Hamilton Project examines how various approaches to confronting the fiscal cliff are projected to impact the employment situation in the coming year. 

The Importance of Unemployment Insurance for American Families and the Economy

Papers • December 2012 • Michael Greenstone, Adam Looney

About two million U.S. residents stand to lose extended unemployment insurance benefits next month when legislation that temporarily increased how long people can claim benefits will expire. As lawmakers negotiate a path around the fiscal cliff and consider whether to extend these benefits, The Hamilton Project looks at the evidence on unemployment insurance, finding that the benefits of UI extension likely outweigh the costs.

How Does Our Economic Future Compare with That of 2008? A Glimpse at America’s Road to Recovery

Papers • November 2012 • Michael Greenstone, Adam Looney

As Americans prepare to cast their ballots for president, many voters are pausing to assess the state of the economy. In this month’s employment analysis, The Hamilton Project reviews the available data to explore whether America’s economic future looks brighter today than it did four years ago and finds that the data clearly indicate a much rosier future for the United States than was the case in 2008.

The Uncomfortable Truth About American Wages

Papers • October 2012 • Michael Greenstone, Adam Looney

The stagnation of wages in recent years has many causes, but reflects a failure to invest enough in the skills and productivity of the American workforce, Hamilton Project Director Michael Greenstone and Policy Director Adam Looney write in the New York Times' Economix.

Regardless of the Cost, College Still Matters

Papers • October 2012 • Michael Greenstone, Adam Looney

There is ongoing debate about the rising cost of college and whether that investment is still worthwhile in today’s economy. In this month’s employment analysis, The Hamilton Project examines the rising cost of college over the last 30 years and finds that while college costs are growing, the increase in earnings one receives from a college degree—and, by extension, the cost of not going to college—are growing even faster. 

Back to School:  Promoting Attainment and Achievement in K-12 Education - Panel 1: “Staying in School: A Proposal to Raise High School Graduation Rates”

September 27, 2012 • Audio

Hamilton Project Director Michael Greenstone moderates roundtable discussion with Associate Professor of Economics at the University of Toronto Phillip Oreopoulos, Superintendent of the Houston Independent School District Terry Grier, Senior Associate of the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching Elena Silva, and President of the National Education Association Dennis Van Roekel at the Back to School: Promoting Attainment and Achievement in K-12 Education event.

Back to School:  Promoting Attainment and Achievement in K-12 Education - Panel 1 “Staying in School: A Proposal to Raise High School Graduation Rates”

September 27, 2012 • Video

Hamilton Project Director Michael Greenstone moderates roundtable discussion with Associate Professor of Economics at the University of Toronto Phillip Oreopoulos, Superintendent of the Houston Independent School District Terry Grier, Senior Associate of the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching Elena Silva, and President of the National Education Association Dennis Van Roekel at the Back to School: Promoting Attainment and Achievement in K-12 Education event.

Back to School: Promoting Attainment and Achievement in K-12 Education - Event Photos

September 27, 2012 • Photo Galleries

On September 27th, The Hamilton Project at Brookings hosted a forum to discuss new approaches to promoting attainment and achievement in K-12 education.  The event included featured remarks by U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, highlighting recent progress on education reform, the difficult work still ahead, and the need for innovation to help advance reform efforts. 

Back to School:  Promoting Attainment and Achievement in K-12 Education

Events • September 27, 2012 • Washington, DC

On September 27th, The Hamilton Project at Brookings hosted a forum to discuss new approaches to promoting attainment and achievement in K-12 education.  The event included featured remarks by U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, highlighting recent progress on education reform, the difficult work still ahead, and the need for innovation to help advance reform efforts. 

A Dozen Economic Facts About K-12 Education

Papers • September 2012 • Michael Greenstone, Adam Looney

The Hamilton Project explores both the condition of education in the United States and the economic evidence on several promising K-12 interventions that could improve the lives of Americans.

Innovation is the Key to Better Education

Papers • September 2012 • Michael Greenstone, Adam Looney

Although innovation has revolutionized the American economy as a whole over the last century, the education sector has benefitted relatively little from these advances.In a forthcoming paper, The Hamilton Project compares the nation’s total expenditures on research and development by sector and finds spending on education lags behind other areas such as pharmaceuticals and medicine.

Education Is The Key To Better Jobs

Papers • September 2012 • Michael Greenstone, Adam Looney

Is it enough to find a job, or should we be more focused on the quality of that job? There may be a range of perspectives on the best way to move our economy forward, but one element essential to any answer is education. The Hamilton Project examines the effects of education on income level and shows more education opens the gateway to better, higher-paying jobs.

August Jobs Report:  The Private Sector Continues to Grow

Papers • August 2012 • Michael Greenstone, Adam Looney

The unemployment rate fell to 8.1 percent in August, according to today’s employment report, which is the lowest rate since the onset of the recession. The private sector added more than 100,000 jobs, continuing a steady recovery that has added 4.6 million jobs over the last 30 months. As of August, our nation faces a “jobs gap” of 11.3 million jobs.

A Record Decline in Government Jobs: Implications for the Economy and America’s Workforce

The Hamilton Project Blog • August 3, 2012

The Hamilton Project examines the short- and long-term ramifications of declines in public-sector employment since the end of the Great Recession.

A Record Decline in Government Jobs: Implications for the Economy and America’s Workforce

Papers • August 2012 • Michael Greenstone, Adam Looney

The Hamilton Project examines the short- and long-run impacts of public-sector job cuts since the Great Recession. If the share of government employment to population had remained at historical levels, the unemployment rate would be approximately 7.1 percent.

The Role of Fiscal Stimulus in the Ongoing Recovery

The Hamilton Project Blog • July 6, 2012

The Hamilton Project examines the relationship between government spending and unemployment, finding that states that spent more during the Great Recession experienced a smaller increase in their unemployment rate.

The Role of Fiscal Stimulus in the Ongoing Recovery

Papers • July 2012 • Michael Greenstone, Adam Looney

The Hamilton Project examines the relationship between government spending and unemployment, finding that states that spent more during the Great Recession experienced a smaller increase in their unemployment rate.

New Directions for U.S. Energy Policy: A Hamilton Project Forum at Stanford University - Event Photos

June 13, 2012 • Photo Galleries

The U.S. energy system is benefiting from an unprecedented increase in North American supplies of natural gas and petroleum.  These changes are strengthening our economy and altering the relationships between our energy choices and health, climate change, and national security.  At the same time, there is tremendous hope that innovation in the energy sector will identify new solutions to these problems. On June 13th, The Hamilton Project at Brookings held an event at Stanford University to explore how best to manage these opportunities while achieving our long-term energy and environmental goals.

New Directions for U.S. Energy Policy: A Hamilton Project Forum at Stanford University

Events • June 13, 2012 • Stanford, CA

The U.S. energy system is benefiting from an unprecedented increase in North American supplies of natural gas and petroleum.  These changes are strengthening our economy and altering the relationships between our energy choices and health, climate change, and national security.  On June 13th, The Hamilton Project at Brookings held an event at Stanford University to explore how to best manage these opportunities while achieving our long-term energy and environmental goals.
 

New Directions for U.S. Energy Policy - Panel 1: The Future for U.S. Natural Gas

June 13, 2012 • Video

Hamilton Project Director Michael Greenstone moderates roundtable discussion with UC Berkeley Professor Lucas Davis, MIT Professor Christopher R. Knittel, Council on Foreign Relations Senior Fellow Michael Levi, Weston Solutions Senior Vice President and Managing Director for Strategic Growth Kathleen McGinty, and Texas Railroad Commission Chairman Barry Smitherman at the New Directions for U.S. Energy Policy: A Hamilton Project Forum at Stanford University event.

New Directions for U.S. Energy Policy - Panel 1: The Future for U.S. Natural Gas

June 13, 2012 • Audio

Hamilton Project Director Michael Greenstone moderates a roundtable discussion with UC Berkeley Professor Lucas Davis, MIT Professor Christopher R. Knittel, Council on Foreign Relations Senior Fellow Michael Levi, Weston Solutions Senior Vice President and Managing Director for Strategic Growth Kathleen McGinty, and Texas Railroad Commission Chairman Barry Smitherman at the New Directions for U.S. Energy Policy: A Hamilton Project Forum at Stanford University event.

Energy Policy Opportunities and Continuing Challenges in the Presence of Increased Supplies of Natural Gas and Petroleum

Papers • June 2012 • Michael Greenstone, Adam Looney

A new Hamilton Project framing memo summarizes recent changes in the energy sector, and lays out five principles for shaping energy and environmental policy. 

The Role of Oil and Gas in Driving Job Growth

Papers • June 2012 • Michael Greenstone, Adam Looney

The Hamilton Project explores what increased domestic natural gas and oil production means for the American energy sector, the environment, and employment.

U.S. Immigration Policy - Roundtable: A Market-Based Approach to Immigration Reform

May 15, 2012 • Video

U.S. Immigration Policy - The Challenges and Opportunities for Immigration Reform in the United States

May 15, 2012 • Audio

Council on Foreign Relations Senior Fellow Edward Alden moderates a discussion between former U.S. Senator Chuck Hagel (R-NE), Silver Lake Co-Founder Glenn Hutchins, National Council of La Raza President and CEO Janet Murguía, and UNITE HERE President John Wilhelm on many of the broader issues surrounding today’s immigration reform debate.  

U.S. Immigration Policy - Roundtable: A Market-Based Approach to Immigration Reform

May 15, 2012 • Audio

UC Davis Economist Giovanni Peri presented a new proposal for a market-based approach to immigration reform, followed by a discussion of the proposal with National Public Radio Ombudsman Edward Schumacher-Matos, 3M Senior Vice President Legal Affairs and General Counsel Marschall Smith and Ocean Mist Farms Director of Human Resources Jorge Suarez, moderated by Hamilton Project Director Michael Greenstone.

U.S. Immigration Policy: The Border Between Reform and the Economy Photos

May 15, 2012 • Photo Galleries

On May 15, The Hamilton Project at Brookings held a forum exploring the challenges and opportunities for immigration reform in today’s political and economic climate.  Cecilia Muñoz, Assistant to the President and Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council, gave featured remarks on the Obama Administration’s efforts to reform America’s broken immigration system and why that is an economic imperative.

In the first panel, UC Davis Economist Giovanni Peri presented a new proposal for a market-based approach to immigration reform.  A panel of experts representing a range of perspectives discussed details of the proposal.  A second panel of thought leaders discussed many of the broader issues surrounding today’s immigration reform debate.  Participants included: former U.S. Senator Chuck Hagel (R-NE), Silver Lake Co-Founder Glenn Hutchins, National Council of La Raza President and CEO Janet Murguía, and UNITE HERE President John Wilhelm. 

U.S. Immigration Policy:  The Border Between Reform and the Economy

Events • May 15, 2012 • Washington, DC 20045

America’s immigration policy no longer serves the needs of our fast-changing global economy.   Failure to address immigration reform at the national level has resulted in missed opportunities to spur America’s economic growth and productivity.  On May 15, The Hamilton Project held a forum exploring the challenges and opportunities for immigration reform in today’s political and economic climate. 

The U.S. Immigration System: Potential Benefits of Reform

Papers • May 2012 • Michael Greenstone, Adam Looney

The Hamilton Project provides background information on the state of America’s immigration system, and discusses the economic benefits of reforming the system.

What Immigration Means For U.S. Employment and Wages

Papers • May 2012 • Michael Greenstone, Adam Looney

Our nation’s immigration policy continues to be an issue of debate among policymakers, particularly the impact on the U.S. labor force. The Hamilton Project highlights the economic evidence on what immigration means for U.S. jobs and the economy.

Economic Facts About Taxes: Roundtable: Key Principles for a Successful Reform Effort

May 3, 2012 • Video

Hamilton Project Director Michael Greenstone moderates a panel discussion between Business Roundtable President and former Michigan Governor John Engler; Center for American Progress Chair and Counselor John Podesta; NBER President and CEO James Poterba; and Brookings Senior Fellow Alice Rivlin at The Hamilton Project event "Economic Facts About Taxes: Rates, Revenues and Reform Options."

Economic Facts About Taxes: Rates, Revenues and Reform Options Photos

May 3, 2012 • Photo Galleries

On May 3, The Hamilton Project hosted a policy forum on the economic context for tax reform and the economic criteria that should be used when evaluating tax reform options.  As part of the event, the Project released a new policy memo, “A Dozen Facts About Tax Reform,” to help shed light on various aspects of the reform debate. Following opening remarks, former Council of Economic Advisers Chair Martin Feldstein and Lawrence H. Summers, former Assistant to the President for Economic Policy and former U.S. Treasury Secretary, discussed the broad economic case for tax reform. A second panel of experts debatde key principles for a successful tax reform effort, drawing from a range of experiences.  Participants included Business Roundtable President and former Michigan Governor John Engler; Center for American Progress Chair and Counselor John Podesta; NBER President and CEO James Poterba; and Brookings Senior Fellow Alice Rivlin.  After each panel, the speakers took audience questions.

Economic Facts About Taxes: Roundtable: Key Principles for a Successful Reform Effort

May 3, 2012 • Audio

Hamilton Project Director Michael Greenstone moderates a panel discussion between Business Roundtable President and former Michigan Governor John Engler; Center for American Progress Chair and Counselor John Podesta; NBER President and CEO James Poterba; and Brookings Senior Fellow Alice Rivlin at The Hamilton Project event "Economic Facts About Taxes: Rates, Revenues and Reform Options."

Economic Facts About Taxes: Welcome, Overview of “A Dozen Facts About Tax Reform,” and Roundtable: The Economic Case for Tax Reform

May 3, 2012 • Audio

Former Treasury Secretary and Hamilton Project Advisory Council member Robert E. Rubin welcomes the crowd at the event "Economic Facts About Taxes: Rates, Revenues and Reform Options," followed by an overview of “A Dozen Facts About Tax Reform" by Hamilton Project Policy Director Adam Looney.  Economics Editor of The Economist Zanny Minton Beddoes then moderates a discussion on the broad economic case for tax reform with former Council of Economic Advisers Chair Martin Feldstein and Lawrence H. Summers, former Assistant to the President for Economic Policy and former U.S. Treasury Secretary.
 

Reductions in After-Tax Income as a Consequence of Eliminating Certain Tax Expenditures

May 3, 2012 • Charts

Eliminating or limiting tax expenditures are commonly endorsed tax reform options. However, as with other approaches to raising taxes, the distributional consequences of reducing tax expenditures depend largely on which tax expenditures are eliminated. This chart presents the distributional consequences of eliminating each of the six largest individual tax expenditures.

Changes in Income and Tax Rates: The tax code has exacerbated increasing income inequality

May 3, 2012 • Charts

Earnings have risen dramatically at the top since 1979—by more than 250 percent for households in the top 1 percent of the income distribution. At the same time, many households at the middle and bottom have experienced stagnating incomes or even declines in earnings. Widening income inequality for workers has had significant consequences for American families, including greater disparities in the economic situations of children.

Federal Spending vs. Tax Expenditures: Total tax expenditures are greater than many critical spending programs

May 3, 2012 • Charts

One of the primary reasons America’s tax revenues remain low relative to other industrialized countries is our use of special tax preferences, or “tax expenditures,” that provide individuals and businesses with opportunities to reduce their tax bills by undertaking certain actions. The magnitude of tax expenditures is comparable to the largest government spending programs; in total, they are about 8 percent of GDP.

Before-Tax Profits Required to Pay $1 to Investors Across Sectors: Industry-specific tax breaks incentivize investment in specific industries.

May 3, 2012 • Charts

This chart shows how different effective corporate tax rates translate into pretax profitability. Companies in high-tax industries, such as steel, trucking, or utilities, must earn more than $1.40 in before-tax profits, on average, to return $1 to investors. On the other hand, companies in low-tax industries, such as biotechnology and Internet services and software, need to earn less than $1.20.

A Dozen Economic Facts About Tax Reform

Papers • May 2012 • Michael Greenstone, Adam Looney

To provide an economic context for tax reform, The Hamilton Project has a new paper focusing on the role of our tax system in the long-run budget deficit, global competitiveness, and rising income inequality.

Economic Facts About Taxes: Rates, Revenues and Reform Options

Events • May 3, 2012 • Washington, DC

Fiscal issues will rapidly come to the fore next fall as the federal government faces the looming expiration of the Bush-era tax cuts, the onset of the deficit “trigger,” and another debate on the debt limit. Across the political spectrum, one of the few points on which today’s policymakers can agree is that the tax code is in desperate need of reform. On May 3, The Hamilton Project hosted a policy forum on the economic context for tax reform and the economic criteria that should be used when evaluating tax reform options. 

Increase in Pretax Earnings After a 10 Percent Tax Cut: Tax cuts have relatively small effects on the amounts people work.

May 2, 2012 • Charts

This chart uses the economic evidence from twenty-three published studies cited in Chetty (2011) to illustrate how a 10 percent cut in individual income tax rates might increase the pretax earnings of the typical tax-paying family earning about $70,000 per year.

Paying Too Much for Energy? The True Costs of Our Energy Choices

Papers • April 2012 • Michael Greenstone, Adam Looney

In the Spring issue of Daedalus, Michael Greenstone and Adam Looney draw from previous Hamilton Project research to examine the “true social cost” of current energy consumption - nearly three times the amount that appears on utility bills.

Just How Progressive is the U.S. Tax Code?

Papers • April 2012 • Michael Greenstone, Adam Looney

As tax time approaches, one focus of debate has been the progressivity of the U.S. tax code. Evidence shows that the current U.S. tax system is less progressive than the tax systems of other industrialized countries, and considerably less progressive today than it was just a few decades ago.

The Truth about Taxes: Just About Everyone Pays Them

The Hamilton Project Blog • April 6, 2012

A popular tax myth is that a large segment of Americans do not pay taxes and instead freerideoff of our society.  The Hamilton Project exploresthis myth and finds that virtually allAmericanswill pay some form of taxduring their lifetime. 

The Truth about Taxes: Just About Everyone Pays Them

Papers • April 2012 • Michael Greenstone, Adam Looney

A popular tax myth is that a large segment of Americans do not pay taxes and instead free ride off of our society.  The Hamilton Project explores this myth and finds that virtually all Americans will pay some form of tax during their lifetime. 

Understanding the “Jobs Gap” and What it Says About America’s Evolving Workforce

The Hamilton Project Blog • March 9, 2012

The Hamilton Project examines how our nation’s changing demographics may impact the composition of America’s workforce in the years ahead.  By exploring these changes, we can better understand how long it will take the labor market to recover, and what the labor force may look like in the new economy.

Understanding the “Jobs Gap” and What it Says About America’s Evolving Workforce

Papers • March 2012 • Michael Greenstone, Adam Looney

The Hamilton Project reexamines the current rate of labor force expansion, and how shifts in labor force participation will decrease the time it will take to close the “jobs gap.” As a result of new methodology based on population estimates, we now project that at a job creation rate of 208,000 per month, it will take until 2020 to close the jobs gap, rather than late 2023 as we had projected with the old method. 

The Marriage Gap:  The Impact of Economic and Technological Change on Marriage Rates

The Hamilton Project Blog • February 3, 2012

The Hamilton Project examines the decline the marriagesover the last 50 years, highlighting thecorrelation between income level and likelihood of marrying. The decline in marriage is concentrated among less-educated, lower-income Americans.

The Marriage Gap:  The Impact of Economic and Technological Change on Marriage Rates

Papers • February 2012 • Michael Greenstone, Adam Looney

The Hamilton Project examines the decline the marriages over the last 50 years, highlighting the correlation between income level and likelihood of marrying. The decline in marriage is concentrated among less-educated, lower-income Americans.

Shrinking Job Opportunities: The Challenge of Putting Americans Back to Work

The Hamilton Project Blog • January 6, 2012

The Hamilton Project compares trends in unemployment duration before and after the Great Recession and finds that the probability of finding new employment is considerably lower today than it was before the recession.

Shrinking Job Opportunities: The Challenge of Putting Americans Back to Work

Papers • January 2012 • Michael Greenstone, Adam Looney

The Hamilton Project compares trends in unemployment duration before and after the Great Recession and finds that the probability of finding new employment is considerably lower today than it was before the recession.

What is Happening to America’s Less-Skilled Workers? The Importance of Education and Training in Today’s Economy

The Hamilton Project Blog • December 2, 2011

The Hamilton Project explores the employment and earnings trends facing America’s less-educated workers over the last few decades, and highlights training and workforce development opportunities that could be part of the policy solution.

What is Happening to America’s Less-Skilled Workers? The Importance of Education and Training in Today’s Economy

Papers • December 2011 • Michael Greenstone, Adam Looney

The Hamilton Project explores the employment and earnings trends facing America’s less-educated workers over the last few decades, and highlights training and workforce development opportunities that could be part of the policy solution.

Training America’s Workforce for the Future: Roundtable: Creating More-Effective Education and Workforce Development Systems in the States

November 30, 2011 • Audio

Hamilton Project Director Michael Greenstone moderates a panel discussion between Georgetown University Professor of Public Policy Harry J. Holzer, Wisconsin Regional Training Partnership Vice President Rhandi Berth, Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program Executive Director Maureen Conway, and Walla Walla Community College President Steven VanAusdle at the event "Training America’s Workforce for the Future: New Policies to Boost Employment and Wages."

Training America’s Workforce for the Future: Roundtable: Opportunities to Reduce Displaced Workers’ Earnings Losses Through Retraining

November 30, 2011 • Audio

Hamilton Project Director Michael Greenstone moderates a panel discussion between New Horizons Economic Research President Louis S. Jacobson, Wisconsin Regional Training Partnership Vice President Rhandi Berth, AFL-CIO Legislative and Policy Specialist for Workforce Issues Daniel Marschall, and Walla Walla Community College President Steven VanAusdle at the event "Training America’s Workforce for the Future: New Policies to Boost Employment and Wages."
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Training America’s Workforce for the Future: New Policies to Boost Employment and Wages Photos

November 30, 2011 • Photo Galleries

The Hamilton Project at Brookings held forum and released new policy proposals on training programs geared toward the needs of today’s workforce.  In a rapidly- changing global economy, the skills of some workers have become less valuable, while other skills are in short supply.  By collaborating with industry partners and drawing on evidence about what works, training programs can better prepare workers for jobs in growing industries. A diverse group of policy leaders, stakeholders and training experts participated in the forum to share a range of perspectives, including White House Council of Economic Advisers Chair Alan Krueger, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.), and Siemens President and CEO Eric Spiegel.

Impacts of Training Program Earnings by Years After Training

November 30, 2011 • Charts

It is critical that worker training programs be rigorously evaluated so that scare training resources can be targeted toward the most effective programs.

Training America’s Workforce for the Future: Roundtable: Opportunities to Reduce Displaced Workers’ Earnings Losses Through Retraining

November 30, 2011 • Video

Hamilton Project Director Michael Greenstone moderates a panel discussion between New Horizons Economic Research President Louis S. Jacobson, Wisconsin Regional Training Partnership Vice President Rhandi Berth, AFL-CIO Legislative and Policy Specialist for Workforce Issues Daniel Marschall, and Walla Walla Community College President Steven VanAusdle at the event "Training America’s Workforce for the Future: New Policies to Boost Employment and Wages."

Training America’s Workforce for the Future: Roundtable: Creating More-Effective Education and Workforce Development Systems in the States

November 30, 2011 • Video

Hamilton Project Director Michael Greenstone moderates a panel discussion between Georgetown University Professor of Public Policy Harry J. Holzer, Wisconsin Regional Training Partnership Vice President Rhandi Berth, Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program Executive Director Maureen Conway, and Walla Walla Community College President Steven VanAusdle at the event "Training America’s Workforce for the Future: New Policies to Boost Employment and Wages."

Federal Funding for DOL Training Programs, 1985-2011

November 30, 2011 • Charts

Federal spending on job training programs by the U.S. Department of Labor has gradually fallen since the 1980s, aside from a bump in 2009 from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Training America’s Workforce for the Future: Moderated Discussion: Human Capital, Economic Growth, and Job Creation in the New Millennium

November 30, 2011 • Video

Former U.S. Treasury Secretary Robert E. Rubin leads a moderated discussion with White House Council of Economic Advisers Chair Alan B. Krueger at The Hamilton Project event "Training America’s Workforce for the Future: New Policies to Boost Employment and Wages."

Training America’s Workforce for the Future: New Policies to Boost Employment and Wages

Events • November 30, 2011 • Washington, DC

On November 30, The Hamilton Project at the Brookings Institution held a forum and released new policy proposals on training programs geared toward the needs of today’s workforce.  In a rapidly changing global economy, the skills of some workers have become obsolete while other skills are in short supply.  By collaborating with industry partners and using evidence about what works, training programs can better prepare workers for jobs with high-demand, both now and in the future.

Training America’s Workforce for the Future: Welcome and Announcement of 2011 Hamilton Project Policy Innovation Prize Winner

November 30, 2011 • Video

Former U.S. Treasury Secretary Robert E. Rubin welcomes the crowd and presents Harry J. Holzer with the 2011 Hamilton Project Policy Innovation Prize at the event "Training America’s Workforce for the Future: New Policies to Boost Employment and Wages."

Building America’s Job Skills with Effective Workforce Programs: A Training Strategy to Raise Wages and Increase Work Opportunities

Papers • November 2011 • Michael Greenstone, Adam Looney

Amid the Great Recession and rapid technological changes, both workers with less education and workers who have been displaced from long-tenured jobs face challenges because they lack the particular skills that employers demand for good-paying jobs. In a new Hamilton Project strategy paper, Michael Greenstone and Adam Looney address the importance of developing workers’ skills through training and workforce development programs, and examine newly available evidence on policies that boost job opportunities and wages.

Earnings of Workers Who Lost Their Job in the Great Recession

November 4, 2011 • Charts

Recent research suggests that hardship for dislocated workers extends beyond periods of unemployment.  Once reemployed, workers typically earn significantly less than they did prior to job loss.

Unemployment and Earnings Losses: The Long-Term Impacts of The Great Recession on American Workers

The Hamilton Project Blog • November 4, 2011

The Hamilton Project explores the experiences of workers who lost their jobs during the height of the Great Recession and finds that even those workers who have found new employment often earn significantly less than before.

Unemployment and Earnings Losses: The Long-Term Impacts of The Great Recession on American Workers

Papers • November 2011 • Michael Greenstone, Adam Looney

The Hamilton Project explores the experiences of workers who lost their jobs during the height of the Great Recession and finds that even those workers who have found new employment often earn significantly less than before. 

Change in Family Earnings of Children, 1975-2010

October 7, 2011 • Charts

Over the last 35 years, the opportunity gap for children whose parents are at different ends of the earnings distribution has grown.  Children at the 90th percentile of the distribution of family earnings have experienced a 45 percent increase, while children at the 25th percentile have experienced a decline of over 20 percent.

What Is Happening to America’s Children? A Look At The Widening Opportunity Gap for Today’s Youth

The Hamilton Project Blog • October 7, 2011

Resources available to children can have long-term effects on their quality of life. The Project examines the family earnings devoted to the typical American child and finds that half of children are now worse off than their counterparts 35 years ago.

What Is Happening to America’s Children? A Look At The Widening Opportunity Gap for Today’s Youth

Papers • October 2011 • Michael Greenstone, Adam Looney

Resources available to children can have long-term effects on their quality of life. The Project examines the family earnings devoted to the typical American child and finds that half of children are now worse off than their counterparts 35 years ago.

Promoting K-12 Education to Advance Student Achievement Photos

September 27, 2011 • Photo Galleries

On September 27, The Hamilton Project at Brookings helda forum to highlight new policy ideas and perspectives on how to improve student performance in K-12 education.  The program concluded with a discussion on the path forward in education reform with Teach for America Founder and CEO Wendy Kopp and American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten, moderated by David Leonhardt, D.C. bureau chief of the New York Times.

Promoting K-12 Education to Advance Student Achievement

Events • September 27, 2011 • Washington, DC

On September 27, The Hamilton Project at Brookings held a forum to highlight new policy ideas and perspectives on how to improve student performance in K-12 education.  The program concluded with a discussion on the path forward in education reform with Teach for America Founder and CEO Wendy Kopp and American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten, moderated by David Leonhardt, D.C. bureau chief of the New York Times.

Promoting K-12 Education: Introduction and Panel I: The Power and Pitfalls of Education Incentives

September 27, 2011 • Audio

Hamilton Project Advisory Council member Robert E. Rubin welcomes the crowd at the event "Promoting K-12 Education to Advance Student Achievement," and Advisory Council member Roger C. Altman provides an overview of a new strategy paper. Hamilton Project Director Michael Greenstone moderates a panel discussion between Harvard University Professor and EdLabs CEO Roland Fryer, former Superintendent of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Peter Gorman, New Visions for Public Schools President Robert L. Hughes, and United Federation of Teachers President Michael Mulgrew.

Promoting K-12 Education: Panel III: New Assessments for Improved Accountability

September 27, 2011 • Audio

Hamilton Project Director Michael Greenstone moderates a panel discussion between University of Chicago Professor Derek Neal, former Superintendent of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Peter Gorman, New Visions for Public Schools President Robert L. Hughes, and United Federation of Teachers President Michael Mulgrew at the event "Promoting K-12 Education to Advance Student Achievement."

Promoting K-12 Education: Panel II: Organizing Schools to Improve Student Achievement: Start Times, Grade Configurations, and Teacher Assignments

September 27, 2011 • Audio

Hamilton Project Director Michael Greenstone moderates a panel discussion between University of Michigan Professor Brian A. Jacob, Columbia University Professor Jonah E. Rockoff, former Superintendent of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Peter Gorman, New Visions for Public Schools President Robert L. Hughes, and United Federation of Teachers President Michael Mulgrew at the event "Promoting K-12 Education to Advance Student Achievement."

Promoting K-12 Education: Panel III: New Assessments for Improved Accountability

September 27, 2011 • Video

Hamilton Project Director Michael Greenstone moderates a panel discussion between University of Chicago Professor Derek Neal, former Superintendent of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Peter Gorman, New Visions for Public Schools President Robert L. Hughes, and United Federation of Teachers President Michael Mulgrew at the event "Promoting K-12 Education to Advance Student Achievement."

Promoting K-12 Education: Panel II: Organizing Schools to Improve Student Achievement: Start Times, Grade Configurations, and Teacher Assignments

September 27, 2011 • Video

Hamilton Project Director Michael Greenstone moderates a panel discussion between University of Michigan Professor Brian A. Jacob, Columbia University Professor Jonah E. Rockoff, former Superintendent of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Peter Gorman, New Visions for Public Schools President Robert L. Hughes, and United Federation of Teachers President Michael Mulgrew at the event "Promoting K-12 Education to Advance Student Achievement."

Annual Earnings of Teachers and Non-Teachers

September 27, 2011 • Charts

Over the last 40 years, the salary gap between teachers and nonteachers has grown by over $10,000.

Average Mathematics Test Scores for 17-Year-Old White and Black Students

September 27, 2011 • Charts

Investments in education have narrowed the black-white skill gap for much of the twentieth century, but has stagnated since the 1980s.

Average Mathematics Test Scores for 15-Year-Olds, OECD Countries

September 27, 2011 • Charts

The United States scores below the OCED average in mathematics, despite spending $3,000 more per student than the OCED average.

Average Math and Reading Test Scores for 17 Year Olds

September 27, 2011 • Charts

Over the last 30 years, math and reading test scores for high school seniors have barely moved.

Promoting K-12 Education: Introduction and Panel I: The Power and Pitfalls of Education Incentives

September 27, 2011 • Video

Hamilton Project Advisory Council member Robert E. Rubin welcomes the crowd at the event "Promoting K-12 Education to Advance Student Achievement," and Advisory Council member Roger C. Altman provides an overview of a new strategy paper. Hamilton Project Director Michael Greenstone moderates a panel discussion between Harvard University Professor and EdLabs CEO Roland Fryer, former Superintendent of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Peter Gorman, New Visions for Public Schools President Robert L. Hughes, and United Federation of Teachers President Michael Mulgrew.

Improving Student Outcomes: Restoring America’s Education Potential

Papers • September 2011 • Michael Greenstone, Adam Looney

For decades, education has boosted U.S. productivity and earnings, forged a path out of poverty for many families, helped disadvantaged students narrow the learning gap with their peers, and developed a workforce that continues to be among the most productive and innovative on Earth.  However, in recent years educational attainment and performance have stagnated.  In a new strategy paper, The Hamilton Project provides a dual-track approach to improving educational outcomes for K-12 students by addressing structural barriers and implementing short-term cost-effective reforms to improve student performance.