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January 8, 2019

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A screen displays a chart of the Dow Jones Industrial Average after the close of trading on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., December 20, 2018. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid - RC1BF3A8FA20
FILE PHOTO: A sign declares the National Archive is closed due to a partial federal government shutdown in Washington, U.S., December 22, 2018. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts/File Photo/File Photo - RC137B87FED0

Inequality

The Federal Reserve can address income inequality by implementing a real time payment system. America’s slow payment system costs working families billions of dollars. Aaron Klein argues it’s past time the Federal Reserve catches up to rest of the world and implements a real time payment system.

Who was poor in the United States in 2017? The labor market is strengthening, but the poor still face significant barriers to working their way out of poverty. A new report from Lauren Bauer examines who was living in poverty in 2017 and what that means for designing policies to help the poor.

US Economy

How worried should you be about the federal debt? Interest on the federal debt exceeds annual spending on transportation, international affairs, employment training, and social services. A new Hutchins Center on Fiscal and Monetary Policy explainer looks at how big a problem this rising debt poses to the economy and the government’s ability to borrow money.

Upcoming Events

Improving opportunities for those who want to work longer (webcast available)
Thursday, January 24, 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM EST

The Flint water crisis: Lessons learned (webinar)
Tuesday, February 5, 1:00 – 2:30 PM EST

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