Next Economy

Puerto Rico's Problems Go Way Beyond Its Debt

The new law, PROMESA, staves off a financial emergency, but does little to fix the underlying troubles of the island and its people.

• Gillian B. White
• July 1, 2016

A Middle-Class Stronghold’s Uncertain Future

As incomes fall across the nation, even better-off areas like Sheboygan County, Wisconsin, are faltering.

• Alana Semuels
• June 30, 2016

Could the U.S. Really Gut Its Trade Deals?

Trump and others vow to pull out of the TPP and beef up tariffs, but that wouldn’t stop companies from continuing to move jobs to where labor is cheapest.

• Alana Semuels
• June 30, 2016

Why Brexit Is So Bad for the Global Economy

The regulations and trade negotiations will be a nightmare to sort out, but the scariest part right now is the uncertainty.

• Gillian B. White
• June 24, 2016

When Poverty Is Profitable

A new book details how foster-care agencies and other safety-net programs hire consultants to maximize their funding and divert it from its intended use.

• Gillian B. White
• June 22, 2016

Women Take Over the Family Farm

As men in agriculture grow older and die without male successors, their wives and daughters are learning to run the business.

• Alana Semuels
• June 22, 2016

A Space for Black Voices

In an increasingly diverse country, the media industry is still fairly homogenous. Why can’t brands like Jet and Ebony seem to capitalize on that disparity?

• Gillian B. White
• June 21, 2016

Drug Tests for the 1 Percent?

The poor must prove they’re clean before they can receive benefits from the government. Why not hold the rich to the same standard?

• Alana Semuels
• June 18, 2016

In Soccer, Pay Defies Performance

Bringing equality to the women’s team will require not only changing salaries, but also changing the way people think about investing in the capabilities of women.

• Gillian B. White
• June 15, 2016

No Driver's License, No Job

For years, conservative policymakers have urged those in need to get work. But for those without driver’s licenses—who are by and large people of color—that’s not such an easy task.

• Alana Semuels
• June 15, 2016

Is There a Better Way to Build a Stadium?

In the past, publicly financed arenas have left cities footing hefty bills. Now, the state of Wisconsin is putting $250 million into a new arena for the Milwaukee Bucks—will this venture be any different?

• Alana Semuels
• June 14, 2016

How Blacks and Whites Spend Differently

Middle-class African American families aren’t spending as much on groceries as white families, and the reason isn’t a lack of money, but a lack of options.

• Gillian B. White
• June 7, 2016

Payday Loan Rule: Progress, but Still a Long Way to Go

What else must be done to protect consumers from predatory lending?

• Gillian B. White
• June 2, 2016

The Graying of Rural America

As young people increasingly move to cities, what happens to the people and places they leave behind?

• Alana Semuels
• June 2, 2016

Welfare Utopia

Oregon, one of the whitest states in the union, also has one of the most generous safety nets. Is that a coincidence or something more troubling?

• Alana Semuels
• May 31, 2016

The False Stereotypes About Millennials Who Live at Home

They’re not really spoiled, affluent, white kids.

• Gillian B. White
• May 29, 2016

The Basic Financial Tool That Can Help the Unemployed Find Better Jobs

Without credit, they're more likely to settle for lower-paying gigs.

• Gillian B. White
• May 25, 2016

A New Growth Industry for Native Americans: Weed

Can cannabis revive Oregon’s long-struggling reservation economies?

• Alana Semuels
• May 20, 2016

The Artist Loft: Affordable Housing (for White People)

Do these tax-subsidized apartments perpetuate segregation by excluding some low-income households?

• Alana Semuels
• May 19, 2016

Can Portland Avoid Repeating San Francisco’s Mistakes?

The city is facing a housing crisis, but despite its progressive reputation, it’s done little to ensure affordability for longtime residents.

• Alana Semuels
• May 17, 2016