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Alexander Hamilton
Ron Chernow
Alexander Hamilton was an illegitimate self-taught orphan from the Caribbean… Read more
Political Tribes: Group Instinct and the Fate of Nations
Amy Chua
The bestselling author of Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, Yale… Read more
Separation of Church and State
Philip Hamburger
In a powerful challenge to conventional wisdom, Philip Hamburger argues… Read more
The Strategy of Denial
Elbridge A. Colby
Elbridge A. Colby was the lead architect of the 2018… Read more
The Revolt of the Elites and the Betrayal of Democracy
Christopher Lasch
“[A] passionate, compelling, and disturbing argument that the ills of… Read more

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The Once and Future Worker: A Vision for the Renewal of Work in America (2018)

Oren Cass

The American worker is in crisis. Wages have stagnated for more than a generation. Reliance on welfare programs has surged. Life expectancy is falling as substance abuse and obesity rates climb.

These woes are not the inevitable result of irresistible global and technological forces. They are the direct consequence of a decades-long economic consensus that prioritized increasing consumption―regardless of the costs to American workers, their families, and their communities. Donald Trump’s rise to the presidency focused attention on the depth of the nation’s challenges, yet while everyone agrees something must change, the Left’s insistence on still more government spending and the Right’s faith in still more economic growth are recipes for repeating the mistakes of the past.

In this groundbreaking re-evaluation of American society, economics, and public policy, Oren Cass challenges our basic assumptions about what prosperity means and where it comes from to reveal how we lost our way. The good news is that we can still turn things around―if the nation’s proverbial elites are willing to put the American worker’s interests first.

Which is more important, pristine air quality, or well-paying jobs that support families? Unfettered access to the cheapest labor in the world, or renewed investment in the employment of Americans? Smoothing the path through college for the best students, or ensuring that every student acquires the skills to succeed in the modern economy? Cutting taxes, expanding the safety net, or adding money to low-wage paychecks?

The renewal of work in America demands new answers to these questions. If we reinforce their vital role, workers supporting strong families and communities can provide the foundation for a thriving, self-sufficient society that offers opportunity to all.

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