The New Republic

The New Republic

Should Obama’s campaign focus on inequality? “For political purposes, it doesn’t much matter how an argument is received by people who are sure to support you. What really matters is its effect on voters who may be open to persuasion. And for Obama, that means white voters.” -William Galston, Why the President’s Campaign Shouldn’t Focus on Inequality (Photo Courtesy of Getty Images)
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Should Obama’s campaign focus on inequality?

“For political purposes, it doesn’t much matter how an argument is received by people who are sure to support you. What really matters is its effect on voters who may be open to persuasion. And for Obama, that means white voters.”

-William Galston, Why the President’s Campaign Shouldn’t Focus on Inequality

(Photo Courtesy of Getty Images)

As our primary concerns about inequality shift from being about race to being about class how can we better address discrepancies in opportunity? “Then last week came news about the achievement gap. The use of that term always used to signal a conversation about race, but the news this time was about class. The achievement gap between the poor and the wealthy has become much greater than that between blacks and whites over the past several decades. Stanford sociologist Sean Reardon has shown that from 1960 to 2007, the gap between rich and poor in standardized test scores grew by 40 percent, while the one between black and white narrowed. A study by University of Michigan researchers has shown that the rich-poor gap in college completion has grown by 50 percent just since the 1980s.” -John McWhorter, “Will This Be the First Election Where Class Trumps Race?” Photo courtesy of Mediaite
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As our primary concerns about inequality shift from being about race to being about class how can we better address discrepancies in opportunity?

“Then last week came news about the achievement gap. The use of that term always used to signal a conversation about race, but the news this time was about class. The achievement gap between the poor and the wealthy has become much greater than that between blacks and whites over the past several decades. Stanford sociologist Sean Reardon has shown that from 1960 to 2007, the gap between rich and poor in standardized test scores grew by 40 percent, while the one between black and white narrowed. A study by University of Michigan researchers has shown that the rich-poor gap in college completion has grown by 50 percent just since the 1980s.”

-John McWhorter, “Will This Be the First Election Where Class Trumps Race?”

Photo courtesy of Mediaite

The New Republic’s special on inequality is out! In our cover story, “The Mobility Myth,” we feature excerpts from TNR Senior Editor Timothy Noah’s forthcoming book The Great Divergence. In addition, the inequality issue features riveting pieces by Andre Dubus III, Nell Minnow, and Isabel Wilkerson. Also, don’t miss Timothy Noah’s TRB column on Mitt Romney’s handling of the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics and Molly Redden’s profile of the eccentric billionaire bankrolling Rick Santorum’s candidacy. Be sure to check out TNR’s Books and Arts section for detailed book reviews, including: Isaac Chotiner on the Mumbai slums, Fouad Ajami on the power of a Syrian novel, and Leon Wieseltier on what the United States should do about the uprising in Syria. Subscribe to TNR Society today and get 20 issues/year, access to our archives, and TNR events invitations for only $2.25/issue. Be sure to follow us too on Facebook and Twitter!
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The New Republic’s special on inequality is out!

In our cover story, “The Mobility Myth,” we feature excerpts from TNR Senior Editor Timothy Noah’s forthcoming book The Great Divergence.

In addition, the inequality issue features riveting pieces by Andre Dubus III, Nell Minnow, and Isabel Wilkerson.

Also, don’t miss Timothy Noah’s TRB column on Mitt Romney’s handling of the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics and Molly Redden’s profile of the eccentric billionaire bankrolling Rick Santorum’s candidacy.

Be sure to check out TNR’s Books and Arts section for detailed book reviews, including: Isaac Chotiner on the Mumbai slums, Fouad Ajami on the power of a Syrian novel, and Leon Wieseltier on what the United States should do about the uprising in Syria.

Subscribe to TNR Society today and get 20 issues/year, access to our archives, and TNR events invitations for only $2.25/issue.

Be sure to follow us too on Facebook and Twitter!

Are reports of the end of segregation exaggerated? “Their report seems accurate enough in describing the changes and is consistent, in many respects, with other research. Yet, in focusing exclusively on change, the report fails to convey that segregation is still quite high throughout much of America. Moreover, the summary and discussion are misleading in their insinuation that “the end of segregation” has failed as a “driving force” behind increasing socio-economic equality between races.” —Jonathan Rothwell, “Reports of the End of Segregation are Greatly Exaggerated” Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
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Are reports of the end of segregation exaggerated?

“Their report seems accurate enough in describing the changes and is consistent, in many respects, with other research. Yet, in focusing exclusively on change, the report fails to convey that segregation is still quite high throughout much of America. Moreover, the summary and discussion are misleading in their insinuation that “the end of segregation” has failed as a “driving force” behind increasing socio-economic equality between races.”

—Jonathan Rothwell, “Reports of the End of Segregation are Greatly Exaggerated”

Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

The very words “tax reform” are music to the ears of good-government liberals like me—and Barack Obama. They bear the hope of bipartisan compromise and grand bargains in which everyone wins. Mark Schmitt, “How Tax Reform Represents Obama’s Greatest Shot at Hope and Change”
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The very words “tax reform” are music to the ears of good-government liberals like me—and Barack Obama. They bear the hope of bipartisan compromise and grand bargains in which everyone wins.

Mark Schmitt, “How Tax Reform Represents Obama’s Greatest Shot at Hope and Change”