Issue 282

Retirement Savings in the Dark

For most of the 20th century, there was a clear wall between working people’s pension funds and the riskier corners of financial markets. This wasn’t accidental—it was the law.

The Shrinking Cushion of Unpaid Care

Many feminists urge a transition toward a dual-earner/dual-carer system in which women and men alike earn money and provide unpaid care for their families and communities. But is this possible in the current economic system?

Green Stimulus = More Jobs

By Heidi Garrett-Peltier

Improving energy efficiency doesn’t just save money and cut pollution—it can also create jobs. Read more »
Tax Havens and the Financial Crisis

By Rachel Keeler

The G20 leaders concluded that “The era of banking secrecy is over.” But will leaders from countries made rich from offshore banking follow through to shut it down? Read more »
Corporate America’s
Counter-Stimulus Strategy

By Roger Bybee

Why is steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal trying to close down two U.S. steel plants, and what does he have in common with Marie Antoinette? Read more »
Pushing on Strings

By Gerald Friedman

The explosion of U.S. banks’ excess reserves since last fall illustrates the dramatic failure of monetary policy. Read more »