Optimist Economy

• AI Suggested Five Horrible Titles for This Episode

  A recent article in the Washington Post proposed that U.S. labor data has just started to show the bite artificial intelligence is taking out of U.S. jobs – in this case, for computer programmers. Is AI going to cause mass joblessness? Silicon Valley bros seem to think so. Journalists seem to think so. So what’s with Kathryn’s ho-hum reaction? The long view: The United States has seen lots of technological progress over time, but technology has been the most villainized since 1980—also the era of declining worker power. It’s our gutted worker protections that make periods of technological transition so painful. Read More:More than a quarter of computer-programming jobs just vanished. What happened? [The Washington Post] Majority of U.S. adults think AI will eliminate jobs over next two decades, but experts’ views are more mixed [Pew Research Center]You can also find Optimist Economy on:TikTokYouTubeInstagramSubstack Support us by becoming a paid Substack subscriber or at https://buymeacoffee.com/optimisteconomy

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• Work Rules for the Modern World

  Never heard of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938? It’s why there’s a minimum wage, overtime pay, and 12-year-olds can’t legally have a job. It’s also due for a 21st-century update. What would these “New Work Standards” include? Let’s start with the right to request remote work, part-time schedules, or non-traditional hours. This shift would be a game-changer for folks with disabilities, parents juggling young kids, or anyone going through tough personal times. This is also a way to grow the economy by keeping people attached to the workforce. Consider this part one of – if Kathryn has her way – a 63-part series on how to update the FLSA.Read More:Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 [U.S. Dept of Labor history page]Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau [PDF]The TurboTax Trap [ProPublica]The 988 LifelineYou can also find Optimist Economy on:TikTokYouTubeInstagramSubstackSupport us by becoming a paid Substack newsletter subscriber or at https://buymeacoffee.com/optimisteconomy

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  38:28
• Robin Loves a Tax Story

  The United States is more than 20 years into a tax experiment – an era of a cumulative $7 trillion in tax cuts. How’s that working out? Well, we have worsening income inequality and public faith in the tax system is cratering. Meanwhile every social policy is conceptualized as some kind of tax cut/credit. The question for our optimistic future is, are you ready for tax fairness if that means you don't get that deduction?You can also find Optimist Economy on:TikTokYouTubeInstagramSubstack (Coming soon!)

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  33:27
• Social Security Don’t Miss

  What’s with the persistent narrative of Social Security's impending doom? Are the baby boomers draining the trust fund? Are Americans living too long? No and no. There are just two of the many misunderstandings people have about what Kathryn will tell you (for hours if you let her) is, truly, the most popular and effective public program in U.S. history. She’s also optimistic that Congress will make necessary reforms just before the trust fund is depleted in 2035. Which is good. Because Robin does want to be able to retire.Read More:A Young Person’s Guide to Social SecurityTen Years Since Hurricane Katrina | SSAYou can also find Optimist Economy on:TikTokYouTubeInstagram

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  52:45
• Is This a Recession or Not?

  Wouldn’t it be funny if we launched a podcast called “Optimist Economy” at the very moment the economy started to slide? Nice timing, us! In this bonus episode we dive into the data that has folks spooked. We also talk about if willy-nilly tariff policy (technical economic term there) is to blame, whether a recession is more like a wildfire or a hurricane, and how a recession might affect you. Also, who gets to declare, “Recession on!” Can we squeeze an ounce of optimism out of a recession episode? We try. You be the judge.Some of the stuff we talk about:GDP NowThe NBER’s Business Cycle Dating CommitteeEconomic News Releases from the Bureau of Labor StatisticsWSJ: The U.S. Economy Depends More Than Ever on Rich PeopleYou can also find Optimist Economy on:TikTokYouTubeInstagram

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  47:20

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