How will the new Congress address the daunting policy challenges related to health care, the economy, and constitutional limits on the federal government?

When an economic downturn hits, one of the first concerns of policymakers should be getting business investment back on track.  Investment always takes a beating when the economy sours, so supporting private investment should become a top priority.

The U.S. economy has grown considerably over the past three decades. However, there is a prevailing sentiment that the middle class and the poor have been left behind. Our results show evidence of considerable improvement in material well-being for both the middle class and the poor over the past three decades.

President Obama has kicked off a three-day bus tour of Minnesota, Iowa and Illinois, where the corn is high and at least some factories are spewing smoke. He won these Midwestern states handily in 2008, but he's not taking anything for granted these days. To understand the political economy of the region, it helps to put it in historic perspective.

The reason why non-college white voters embrace the Tea Party movement over Democratic policies--even at their own expense--is because they value other things besides just maximizing their short-term income.

The Fed's job is to prevent inflation and promote economic growth. It should not sacrifice inflation in to manipulate short-term employment numbers.