Maxwell School News and Commentary

Len Burman, Paul Volcker Chair in Behavioral Economics, suggests eliminating a provision of current law in which assets that increase in value can go essentially untaxed across generations as a way to reduce inequality.

"This is a real institutional threat to the separation of powers to use emergency powers to enable the president to bypass Congress to build a wall on his own initiative that our elected representatives have chosen not to fund," says William C. Banks, professor of public administration and international affairs. 

A study by Katherine Michelmore, assistant professor of public administration and international affairs, suggests that low-income students are more likely to apply to selective colleges if they’re aware that they can receive financial aid.

“We made a simple letter directly for the property owner receiving it, from a person working for the city. The request, (needed) steps and personalized note were laid out to draw immediate attention,” describes Joseph Boskovski '14 M.P.A., a co-founder of the Maxwell X Lab.

"I do think we can see a strategy, but that doesn’t mean it’s a good strategy,” says Mary Lovely, professor of economics. "They’re going to use these bilateral deals to strong-arm countries into lining up behind the U.S. on China. But when we get there, what’s the next step? I don’t know what the endgame is."

"My sense is that [Ayatollah] Khamenei is throwing [President] Rouhani under the bus, in a number of ways,” says Mehrzad Boroujerdi, professor of political science and expert on Iranian politics.

"If jobs and wealth are the metric for 'winning the trade war,' China, not America, will emerge the victor," says Mary Lovely, professor of economics.

"The whole press conference was Trump repeatedly scoring own goals with the ball that Putin had given him," says Brian Taylor, professor of political science, adding, "Putin must’ve been extremely happy."