The Immigration Debate: Controversy Heats Up, Hispanics Feel a Chill
The 2007 National Survey of Latinos finds that Hispanics in the U.S. are feeling a range of negative effects from increased public attention and stepped up enforcement measures.
States Take Lead in Housing Crisis
From establishing foreclosure hotlines to temporarily freezing sub-prime interest rates, states are at the forefront of policymaking to minimize damage from the mortgage meltdown.
Economic Pessimism Grows as Nation’s Real Estate Slump Hits Wealthy Areas
Public assessments of the nation’s economy have fallen to a two-year low. Faced with a steady stream of negative news about the housing market, Americans are substantially less inclined than they were even a few months ago to say they expect home prices to rise over the next few years.
A Nation of “Haves” and “Have-Nots”?
Over the past two decades, the number of Americans who see the country as divided along economic lines has increased sharply, and twice as many people now see themselves among the society’s “have-nots.”
Home Insurance Woes Mount in U.S. Coastal Areas
Two years after Hurricane Katrina, state governments along the Gulf Coast and in other storm-prone areas struggle to keep affordable coverage available in areas seen as increasingly risky.
States Seek to Dampen Text Book Sticker Shock
Returning college students may get some pocketbook relief at campus bookstores as states and university officials take aim at some publisher and faculty practices blamed for raising prices.
1995-2005: Foreign-Born Latinos Make Progress on Wages
Foreign-born Latino workers made notable progress between 1995 and 2005 when ranked by hourly wage. The proportion of foreign-born Latino workers in the lowest quintile of the wage distribution decreased to 36% from 42% while many workers moved into the middle quintiles.
A Rising Tide Lifts Mood in the Developing World
Even in some countries where incomes are still low and life is tough, people tend to be happier with their lives — if their economy is on the upswing. And, in Muslim countries, support for suicide bombing has declined sharply in recent years. Also, a commentary by Bruce Stokes analyzes factors contributing higher levels of happiness in many countries worldwide.
Are Americans out of Sync with Economic Reality?
Americans are far more optimistic than most real estate experts about the outlook for home prices but far more pessimistic than most economists and Wall Street watchers about the overall economic outlook.
Gas Prices Grab the Public’s Attention
Interest in news about inflation at the pump goes beyond learning where to find the cheapest gallon and extends to impacts on the national economy.
