I read Paul Krugman’s columns in the New York Times on a daily basis. In this book, Krugman argues that government policy during the New Deal was responsible for creating a Middle Class society in the 1950’s and 1960’s and that if we so desire we can accomplish this again. He argues and I believe argues successfully that the destruction of American manufacturing, the decline of wages and the stagnation of our job opportunities are neither inevitable or the product of natural forces.

Here’s a nice paragraph –

A Progressive agenda, then, would require major changes in public policy, but it would be anything but radical. Its goal would be to complete the work of the New Deal, including expansion of social insurance to cover avoidable risks that have become vastly more important in recent decades. And as an economic matter, achieving that agenda would be eminently doable. It would amount to giving U.S. citizens no more than the level of protection from financial risk and personal misfortune that citizens of other advanced countries already have.

I am very much enjoying the book. If you want a copy you can go here on Amazon.

James Pilant