House set to lose six centuries of experience as Dingell, other long-serving members retire
The spate of congressional retirement announcements may seem like a lot but is within historical norms. But the retirement of several long-serving members likely will further reduce overall experience levels in both the House and Senate,
Chart of the Week: How metro areas drive the U.S. economy
A handful of metropolitan areas generate the bulk of U.S. economic activity.
Q/A: How Pew Research mapped the conversations on Twitter
A conversation with Lee Rainie, director of the Pew Research Internet Project, about the project’s new report on mapping Twitter conversations.
American unions membership declines as public support fluctuates
Though unions retain much public support, the share of American workers who actually belong to one has been falling for decades and is at its lowest level since the Great Depression
Minimum wage hasn’t been enough to lift most out of poverty for decades
The current federal minimum wage falls below the poverty threshold for most households. A new CBO report says raising the minimum will increase income for millions of low-wage workers but cost thousands their jobs.
5 facts about love and marriage
Love remains Americans’ top reason to marry. (Phew.) In a Pew Research Center survey conducted last year, 88% of Americans cited love as a “very important” reason to get married, ahead of making a lifelong commitment (81%) and companionship (76%). Contrary to generations of grandmothers’ advice that “It’s just as easy to love a rich […]
Chart of the Week: A long history of cable consolidation
The proposed Comcast-Time Warner Cable merger comes after decades of cable-industry consolidation.
Americans have been lukewarm, skeptical about economy since 2000
Americans have held lukewarm-to-gloomy views of the economy for a decade and a half, in good times and bad.
Chart of the Week: How the Winter Olympics has raised its ‘cool’ factor
Since the early 1990s, as the Economist chart above shows, Olympics organizers have steadily added more and more freestyle skiing, snowboarding and other X Games-style events in a bid to appeal to younger viewers.
Who smokes in America?
CVS’ decision to stop selling tobacco products comes as smoking continues to decline and smokers are consuming fewer cigarettes.
