Reason.com - Free Minds and Free Markets
Reason logo Reason logo
  • Latest
  • Magazine
    • Current Issue
    • Archives
    • Subscribe
    • Crossword
  • Video
  • Podcasts
    • All Shows
    • The Reason Roundtable
    • The Reason Interview With Nick Gillespie
    • The Soho Forum Debates
    • Just Asking Questions
    • The Best of Reason Magazine
    • Why We Can't Have Nice Things
  • Volokh
  • Newsletters
  • Donate
    • Donate Online
    • Donate Crypto
    • Ways To Give To Reason Foundation
    • Torchbearer Society
    • Planned Giving
  • Subscribe
    • Reason Plus Subscription
    • Print Subscription
    • Gift Subscriptions
    • Subscriber Support

Login Form

Create new account
Forgot password

Middle Class

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick speaking with President Donald Trump looking on | Samuel Corum - Pool via CNP/CNP / Polaris/Newscom

Income tax

New Income Tax Proposal Is Progressive and Unworkable

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick says the Trump administration wants to eliminate income taxes for those making $150,000 or less—an unprecedented shift with major consequences.

Jared Dillian | 3.17.2025 10:25 AM

Two men are depicted in Memorial to Heroes of the Marine Engine Room monument in England | Photo: Chris Hellier/Alamy

Politics

What Is the 'Working Class'?

When even most upper-income Republicans say they're working class, the term has become meaningless.

Eric Boehm | 11.4.2024 6:00 AM

J.D. Vance at the Republican National Convention | Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call/Newscom

Republican Party

The 'Pro-Worker' GOP Is Anti-Worker

The New Right talks a big populist game, but their policies hurt the people they're supposed to help.

Veronique de Rugy | 7.25.2024 12:01 AM

An upward arrow is seen in front of cash | Photo 150944205 | Accountant © Darren4155 | Dreamstime.com

Economy

The Economy Is Doing Way Better Than Many Believe

Despite the popular narrative, Millennials have dramatically more wealth than Gen Xers had at the same age, and incomes continue to grow with each new generation.

Veronique de Rugy | 2.29.2024 12:15 AM

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez wears a dress that says "Tax the Rich" at the 2021 Met Gala | NDZ/starmaxinc.com/Newscom

Populism

Democrats Say They're Fighting Inequality. But Many of Their Policies Favor the Rich.

Over the last several years, they have worked nonstop to ease the tax burden of their high-income constituents.

Veronique de Rugy | 10.26.2023 12:30 PM

A person sitting on the floor with their tax documents laid out in front of them. | Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@kellysikkema?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText">Kelly Sikkema</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/xoU52jUVUXA?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText">Unsplash</a>

Taxes

IRS Targeting More Supposedly 'High-Income' Americans Than Advertised

Don’t count on that promise to not hike taxes on “people making less than $400,000.”

J.D. Tuccille | 9.22.2023 7:00 AM

TikTok logo | Lex Villenna

Social Media

TikTok and How Congress Treats Americans Like 'Unruly Children'

Plus: The editors puzzle over Donald Trump’s latest list describing his vision for America.

Matt Welch, Katherine Mangu-Ward, Nick Gillespie, and Peter Suderman | 3.6.2023 5:21 PM

The basics of middle-class life are too expensive. That's a product of decades of subsidies and spending. | Chris Kleponis/UPI/Newscom

Economics

Decades of Subsidies Have Made the Essentials of Middle-Class Life Increasingly Difficult To Afford

The basics of middle-class life are too expensive. But more subsidies won't help.

Peter Suderman | 3.2.2023 10:59 AM

bright green money with someone on a laptop in the middle on a bright red background | Illustration: Lex Villena; Mirith

Subsidies

The Biden Administration Is Taking From the Poor and Giving to the Rich

From student debt cancellation to green subsidies, the White House is giving handouts paid for by hardworking lower-wage Americans.

Veronique de Rugy | 9.1.2022 2:30 PM

marco-lenti-19CYdO70ss4-unsplash | Marco Lenti/Unsplash

Media Criticism

New York Times Writer Sarah Jeong Says Inflation in the News Is Just 'Rich People Flipping Their Shit'

Are normal Americans worried about inflation? Jeong says nope, it's a ginned-up outrage because rich people's "parasitic assets aren’t doing as well as they’d like."

Liz Wolfe | 11.17.2021 3:50 PM

Illustration_ Lex Villena, Lauren Roberts | Illustration: Lex Villena; Lauren Roberts

Government Spending

Taxing the Rich Isn't Enough to Pay for Democrats' Welfare State. They'll Need To Soak the Middle Class Too.

There simply aren't enough rich people to finance all the new spending.

Veronique de Rugy | 9.16.2021 1:04 PM

featureshenderson | Say-Cheese/iStock

Income inequality

The Truth About Income Inequality

Should we be worried about the wealth amassed by the so-called 1 percent?

David R. Henderson | 1.25.2020 6:00 AM

Q&A | Courtesy Russ Roberts

Reason Interviews

Economist Russ Roberts Isn't Worried About the Middle Class

John Osterhoudt | 1.21.2020 6:00 AM

Middle Class Thumbnail | Suburban Aerial Photo - ID 82905318 © Bryan Roschetzky | Dreamstime.com

Economics

Why the Middle Class is Better Off Than You Think

The consensus view that the American middle class "is dead, dying, hollowed out" is based on an "incomplete reading of the data," says economist Russ Roberts.

John Osterhoudt | 10.31.2019 12:25 PM

featurewarren1 | Drew Angerer/Getty

Elizabeth Warren

Elizabeth Warren's Plans Don't Add Up

The Warren worldview of ill-founded economic pessimism is both bloodless and moralizing.

Peter Suderman | 9.10.2019 6:00 AM

goodtopicschart | Chart: Mark Perry/American Enterprise Institute. Graphics: Olivier Ballou. Data source: U.S. Census Bureau

Income mobility

Americans Are Moving Up

Mark Perry | 8.18.2019 6:00 AM

berniesanders8-14 | JIM RUYMEN/UPI/Newscom

Bernie Sanders

Bernie Sanders Is Right That the 'Working Class' Is Shrinking. He's Wrong To Suggest That's a Bad Thing.

By nearly every measure, Americans are getting richer and richer. This should be cause for celebration, not concern.

Nick Gillespie | 8.14.2019 2:15 PM

Large image on homepages

Donald Trump

Trump's Scrapping of TPP Will Make America Poor Again

American consumers, exporters and manufacturing will get screwed

Shikha Dalmia | 1.23.2017 4:15 PM

Large image on homepages

Middle Class

How Globalization Saved the American Middle Class

Conservatives recommending nationalism are dangerously wrong.

Shikha Dalmia | 8.9.2016 12:00 PM

Large image on homepages

Politics

China Trade Isn't Killing America's Working Class

Government handouts maybe more responsible.

Shikha Dalmia | 3.25.2016 10:00 AM

Large image on homepages

Politics

China Bashing Is a Bipartisan Sport and It's Back With a Vengeance

American working class is spurning jobs, but somehow that's the fault of trade liberalization

Shikha Dalmia | 3.22.2016 1:17 PM

Large image on homepages | Dreamstime

Taxes

How Risk-Taking by the Wealthy Helps the Middle Class

Aim higher with tax reform to help average Americans.

John Tamny | 3.5.2016 10:00 AM

Large image on homepages | Reason

Middle Class

The Middle Class Is Shrinking! Because They're Getting Rich!

Success is seen as a disaster when you care more about income inequality than mobility.

Scott Shackford | 12.10.2015 11:20 AM

Large image on homepages

Politics

Trump's Radical Isolationism and the Crisis of White Middle-Class America

He's succeeding because he has both a scapegoat and a solution for hurting Americans

Shikha Dalmia | 11.5.2015 3:39 PM

Large image on homepages

Politics

The Bogus Concerns Behind Hillary Clinton's TPP Switcheroo

She'll even sell out her husband's trade legacy to get elected.

Shikha Dalmia | 10.20.2015 12:00 PM

Large image on homepages

Politics

Shikha Dalmia Faces Off with Charlie LeDuff and David Madland on What's Ailing the American Middle Class on Michael Moynihan's VICE Show

It ain't trade and automation

Reason Staff | 7.23.2015 9:17 AM

  • About
  • Browse Topics
  • Events
  • Staff
  • Jobs
  • Donate
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • Media
  • Shop
  • Amazon
Reason Facebook@reason on XReason InstagramReason TikTokReason YoutubeApple PodcastsReason on FlipboardReason RSS

© 2025 Reason Foundation | Accessibility | Privacy Policy | Terms Of Use

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Take Reason's short survey for a chance to win $300
Take Reason's short survey for a chance to win $300
Take Reason's short survey for a chance to win $300