Publications
The Hamilton Project produces and commissions policy proposals and analyses to promote broad-based economic growth by embracing a significant role for well-designed government policies and public investment.
Papers
Progress and stagnation: US poverty, deep poverty, and the safety net, 1967–2023
Robert Greenstein and Danilo Trisi examine poverty, deep poverty, and the poverty gap in the U.S. over time.
Economic Security & Inequality
Social Insurance
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Posts
The SNAP state cost-shift policy leaves the program’s existence to chance
Economic Security & Inequality
Social Insurance
Posts
Event recap—Taking on tax: The future of corporate taxation
Tax Policy & Budget
Policy Proposals
Toward a uniform business tax system: Examining proposals to tax large pass-through entities as corporations
Tax Policy & Budget
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Posts
March 23, 2020
COVID-19 and the US economy: FAQ on the economic impact & policy response
Jay Shambaugh offers answers to frequently asked questions about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the U.S. economy and the implementation of various fisc…
Posts
March 2, 2020
What should a fiscal response to a COVID-19 outbreak look like?
Hamilton Project Director Jay Shambaugh comments on the COVID-19 virus and how economic policies with automatic triggers can alleviate the financial burden of …
Posts
February 26, 2020
Examining the Black-white wealth gap
A close examination of wealth in the U.S. finds evidence of staggering racial disparities.
Posts
December 5, 2019
Who was poor in the US in 2018?
The Hamilton Project analyzes the characteristics and labor force participation of Americans who were living in poverty in 2018. Researchers found that althoug…
Policy Proposals
March 15, 2019
Addressing modern debtors’ prisons with graduated economic sanctions that depend on ability to pay
The use of monetary sanctions to punish crimes ranging from minor traffic or public order offenses to the most serious felonies is ubiquitous in the United Sta…
Economic Facts
March 15, 2019
Nine facts about monetary sanctions in the criminal justice system
Interacting with the criminal justice system is an expensive proposition. Its reliance on bail to encourage return after pretrial release, on fines to punish a…
Posts
January 3, 2019
Who was poor in the United States in 2017?
In this economic analysis, Fellow Lauren Bauer characterizes those who were living in poverty in 2017—many facing significant barriers to working their way out…
Posts
December 20, 2018
Workers could lose SNAP benefits under Trump’s proposed rule
Following the announcement of a plan to reform SNAP rules, Fellow Lauren Bauer offers analysis suggesting that strict enforcement of work requirements will san…
