By Rachel Goldfarb, originally published on Next New Deal
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The President and Inequality (All In with Chris Hayes)
Roosevelt Institute Senior Fellow and Chief Economist Joseph Stiglitz discusses the place of inequality in this week's State of the Union address, and the deeper question of why we don't implement the economic policies that would absolutely make a difference.
A History of Executive Orders (All In with Chris Hayes)
Roosevelt Institute Fellow Dorian Warren talks about the similarities between President Obama's plans for executive orders, as announced in the State of the Union, and President Franklin D. Roosevelt's use of the executive order, which also pushed for progressive labor policy.
Obama’s Toughest Job (NYRB)
Roosevelt Institute Senior Fellow and Director of the Bernard L. Schwartz Rediscovering Government Initiative Jeff Madrick comments on the State of the Union, complimenting the president for making jobs a central focus despite the challenges of that issue.
The Post Office Should Just Become a Bank (TNR)
David Dayen argues that there's one policy the president could push through that would contribute to many of the goals he articulated in the State of the Union: postal banking, which would create jobs, help the poor, and could be accomplished through executive order.
Why Alt-Labor Groups Are Making Employers Mighty Nervous (TAP)
Lane Windham says that for all that anti-union groups want to tout low union membership numbers, labor isn't going anywhere. Alternative labor groups are growing and gaining power, as the growing discussion about raising the minimum wage makes clear.
GOTD: Inequality Is Not A Four Letter Word (Blog of the Century)
Benjamin Landy contrasts Tuesday's State of the Union with the president's December 4 speech at the Center for American Progress. His shift from "inequality" to "opportunity" is clearly a political one, since he still endorsed progressive policies, but why the centrist rhetoric?
New on Next New Deal
The Rise of 'Insourcing' Gives Internet Companies a New Way to Exploit Workers
Roosevelt Institute | Campus Network National Operations Strategist Lydia Bowers cautions that while Internet-based service companies like Uber and Taskrabbit may make life easy for their customers, they don't give their workers any real protections.