California is in far worse shape economically than the great majority of other states also struggling through the pandemic. COVID-19 may be the primary cause of our current distress, but the evolving structure of our economy has exacerbated this calamity. The worst part is our state leaders should have known this all along. read more »
The Roots of California's Tattered Economy Were Planted Long Before the Coronavirus Arrived
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Escape from New York?
Reports continue to mount on the decline of New York City through the pandemic months. In a July 2020 post, we summarized the situation: read more »
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Urban Reform Institute Releases Report on Upward Mobility
In a new report, Upward Mobility, Charles Blain, Wendell Cox and Joel Kotkin examine examine housing costs, patterns of domestic migration and how they affect upward mobility for middle and working-class citizens, especially historically disadvantage minorities. An excerpt from the report follows below: read more »
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Trump Finally Slaps Google with Anti-Trust Suit, and Protects Democracy
Sometimes Donald Trump does the right thing, even if it may be for the wrong reasons. His Justice Department’s late-term assault on Google for its monopolistic tyranny over search and digital advertising is precisely what is needed. read more »
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The Coming Post-COVID Global Order
The COVID-19 pandemic has devastated economics in the West, but the harshest impacts may yet be felt in the developing world. After decades of improvement in poorer countries, a regression threatens that could usher in, both economically and politically, a neo-feudal future, leaving billions stranded permanently in poverty. If this threat is not addressed, these conditions could threaten not just the world economy, but prospects for democracy worldwide. read more »
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Joe Biden's Tired Old Infrastructure Plan
The infrastructure plan recently released by the Biden campaign is a collection of tired ideas that have consistently failed in the past. Too much of the plan is based on last year’s groupthink and not enough of the plan recognizes the new realities that have emerged from the pandemic. read more »
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Democratic Civil War
The three heads of the Democrat Hydra will soon start biting at each other. read more »
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The Riot Ideology, Reborn — excerpted from 'The Crisis of Liberalism: Prelude to Trump
In the summer of 1966, Attorney General Nicholas Katzenbach warned that there would be riots by angry, poor minority residents in “30 or 40” American cities if Congress didn’t pass President Lyndon Johnson’s Model Cities antipoverty legislation. read more »
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The Crisis of Liberalism: Prelude to Trump — by Fred Siegel, with a Forward by Joel Kotkin
In his recently released book, The Crisis of Liberalism: Prelude to Trump, Fred Siegel leverages New York City to uncover the key political conflicts and social contradictions in American liberalism over the last century. read more »
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U.S. Commuting 2019: The Last Normal Year
Last year may be the last “normal” year in commuting (work trip travel and access) data. After decades of relative stability in the drive alone and transit market shares, it seems likely autos and transit will show large declines in 2020, both in market shares and actual numbers. During the pandemic, telework (working at home or telecommuting) has grown strongly, as people have significantly reduced their traveling physically to work. read more »
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