Economic Policy Institute

Growing disparities in life expectancy

While life expectancy has grown in the United States, the degree to which people live longer has become increasingly connected to their socio-economic status. In 2 decades, the life expectancy gap between those at the top of the socio-economic scale and those at the bottom has grown wider. Read about it in this week's Economic Snapshot.

Race, Ethnicity, and the Subprime Mortgage Crisis

As Congress and the Federal Reserve consider reform proposals in response to the subprime mortgage crisis, it is important to consider how and why the crisis came to have a disproportionate impact on communities of color. As part of its new Race, Ethnicity, and the Economy Program, EPI hosted a panel discussion on June 12 that explored the reasons for this disparate impact and which policy reforms can best serve the communities hardest hit. Audio and video from this event are now available.

Mexico feels sting of U.S. housing crisis

Mexico is feeling the sting of the shrinking construction industry, which hires many Mexican immigrants. This week's Snapshot illustrates that, as construction jobs dry up, so do the remittances many immigrant workers send back home.

New study punctures common prevailing wage myth

Critics of prevailing wage laws argue that they inflate government contract costs. But a growing body of economic studies finds that prevailing wage regulations do not increase costs. Learn more in EPI's latest briefing paper.

Weekly paychecks take hit as job market deteriorates

For a full analysis of today's employment report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, read EPI's Jobs Picture.