From Inclusion and CEPR, a great report on how unions can raise incomes and benefits for low-wage workers. Unionized workers in low-wage jobs made 16 percent more than non-unionized workers, and were 25 percent more likely to get health insurance, and 25 percent more likely to get a pension. And that matters a lot: These union effects are large by any measure. To put these findings into perspective, between 1996 and 2000, a period of sustained, low unemployment that helped to produce the best wage growth

Doing the work of his moneyed constituency, Joint Economic Committee ranking member Rep. Jim Saxton (R-NJ) issued a press release this week proclaiming that inequality in American remains unchanged since 2001. Citing the Census Bureau's latest Gini Coefficient, a numerical measure of income inequality, Saxon warns Congress about enacting any legislation aimed at curbing inequality.

To follow up on yesterday's post, Debt on Arrival, the Senate Finance committee acted today, voice voting to increase the debt limit by $850 billion to close to $10 trillion. That's a 14-digit figure, in case you are counting.

The Washington Monthly has two interesting articles on how to reduce the cost of health care- and at the same time, expand coverage and improve quality. Proof once again that there are humane and just ways to deal with the long-term fiscal gap. Jason Furman, of the Brookings Institution's Hamilton Project, testified to Congress on the real "dynamic" affect of the regressive Bush tax cuts- they'll be a net loss for three-quarters of all taxpayers, who'll be burdened with paying them off in taxes and benefit cuts over the long haul. In other words, tax cuts don't pay for themselves- people do.