JUST IDEAS
Accelerating Education, Slowing Mobility
Economic mobility is little more than a myth for most people who grow up in families with low incomes. A child born in poverty in the early 1980s had single-digit chances of having a high income as an adult. If we want to simply raise incomes from one generation to the next, we’re failing. Nearly all Americans born in 1940 had incomes higher than their parents’ by the time they reached the same age, but today, only half of adults born in 1980 make more than their parents did.
A cynical way to make poor people disappear
The Trump administration has proposed a change in the way the federal government measures poverty. On the surface, this proposal may appear to be an innocuous, technical adjustment. It’s not. Instead, this change would dramatically reduce the number of people who qualify for vital basic assistance programs, including Medicaid, children’s health care and food assistance.
Statement on Continued Anti-Immigrant Actions by the Trump Administration
The Trump Administration’s vicious anti-immigrant actions warrant condemnation from decent people everywhere. Policies that separate families, deny basic provisions in border facilities, and take away access to food and shelter are having a deeply destructive, long-term impact on immigrant families and communities.
Here’s how we can boost youth employment
Nearly 10 years into an economic recovery, young people in the United States are still struggling. Youth unemployment rates are double that of the prime-age U.S. population, and an estimated 4.6 million individuals ages 16-24 are neither in school nor working. Youth of color face disproportionately higher disconnection rates and additional barriers to school and career success. Young people are forced to navigate too many uncoordinated, underfunded systems — often on their own.
Ensuring the Youth Opportunity Guarantee Works for Undocumented Youth
Undocumented youth are an integral part of the United States. Regardless of documentation status, immigrants contribute to our country—supporting their families, serving their communities, and contributing to local, state and national economies. However, the nearly 2.1 million undocumented youth under the age of 24 are often left out of opportunities and programs, and therefore face uncertainty about their job prospects and futures.
Transition to the Green Economy: Vehicle for the Youth Opportunity Guarantee?
More than eight years into an economic recovery, the labor market is not bringing young people into the labor force. Approximately 4.6 million young Americans remain disconnected from school and work…
On Trump’s menu: Taking food assistance away from those who need it most
A new rule from U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) plans to take away food assistance from at least 750,000 people if they cannot meet harsh new work reporting requirements. The rule would significantly weaken the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP),...
Remarks at Life of Learning Ceremony
Thank you, Jack, and Bill Treanor, and congratulations to all of you being honored this evening. It is a special occasion. I am so proud to be part of this Law Center and University. As much or more than any other law school in the country, we stand for and work for...
The Earned Income Tax Credit: A Tool to Weather Hardship
Extreme weather events, such as Tropical Storm Florence and Hurricane Michael, highlight a heavy truth about ongoing climate change: They hit low-income communities the hardest. And the future may be bleaker still.
House farm bill: The latest assault on disability rights
Over the last year, people with disabilities have fought against attacks on their health care, civil rights, and supports that make inclusion in society possible. Now, as the House and Senate prepare to iron out a final version of the bill, we urge those involved to adopt the Senate’s approach to SNAP.
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