The cause of poverty is a society that, for whatever reason, cannot offer people the tools to better themselves. The solution is to provide more such tools--especially education--and to use fiscal policy, especially tax credits, to reward work. Society should make sure that no one who works regularly will be forced to live in poverty.

Author, commentator and lead Bloomberg View columnist, Jonathan Alter

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A spirit of innovation, liquidity, and an investment in human capital.

Author, commentator and lead Bloomberg View columnist, Jonathan Alter

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The minimum wage is a useful way of assuring that prosperity is more widely shared. There are no reputable studies proving that the minimum wage harms either employment or economic growth.

Author, commentator and lead Bloomberg View columnist, Jonathan Alter

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Ideally, unions should lead to increased wages and benefits, thereby expanding the middle class. The erosion of union power has been a net negative for the country. Where unions don't work well is in the professions, or what should be professions, like teaching, where they often impede accountability, protect the incompetent and reduce quality with work rules.

Author, commentator and lead Bloomberg View columnist, Jonathan Alter

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It depends on how one defines "high". During the 1960s, top marginal rates in the United States were 90 percent and the economy grew strongly boneless. (Effective rates were somewhat lower). Conversely, the top rate in the 2000s was 35 percent and the economy grew slowly. When President Clinton and the Democrats raised taxes in 1993, Republicans all predicted the economy would stall. But the tax hike did nothing to dampen the tech boom. There is little or no evidence that high taxes on the wealthy--if high is defined as under 40 percent top rate--do anything to harm entrepreneurship or wealth creation.

Author, commentator and lead Bloomberg View columnist, Jonathan Alter

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All prosperous societies require a government willing to invest in infrastructure, education, medical and scientific research, and nascent technologies, as well as prudent regulation of markets and industries related to health and safety.

Author, commentator and lead Bloomberg View columnist, Jonathan Alter

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Some things are just human nature.

Author, commentator and lead Bloomberg View columnist, Jonathan Alter

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