Education level versus births outside of marriageThe Brookings Institute is often described as a liberal think-tank, the other side of the coin to the Heritage Foundation or the American Enterprise Institute.  However, while they certainly were pressed into the opposition during the Bush years, this article on their website is enjoyably heterodox and non-partisan- a point of view we heartily endorse. The article lays out five myths about America:

1. Americans enjoy more economic opportunity than people in other countries.

 Actually, there is relatively more economic mobility by poorer people in Nordic countries and in the United Kingdom, though America does provide excellent opportunities for immigrants.

2. In the United States, each generation does better than the past one.

In reality, wages for thirty year olds are 12% less than for those in the previous generation at the same age when adjusted for inflation- though this is offset by total income gains for families since most women work now.

3. Immigrant workers and the offshoring of jobs drive poverty and inequality in the United States.

Brookings argues the real reason is a lack of two parent homes and the fact that more than half of babies born to mothers under thirty come into the world to parents who are unmarried.

4. If we want to increase opportunities for children, we should give their families more income.

The best way to avoid poverty is to graduate from high school, work full time and get married before you have kids.*

5. We can fund new programs to boost opportunity by cutting waste and abuse in the federal budget.

Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security, along with financing the debt, will crowd out spending on social improvements for poorer young people.  So those programs should be reformed to allow for better opportunities for less well off people early in life.

*They point to the 1996 Welfare reforms as a prime example of how to reform social programs to motivate personal effort instead of government intervention.

This amounts to saying that liberals have correctly identified the symptoms, an economic malaise for the lower and middle classes, but that conservatives have struck upon the cure.  Instead of attempting to redistribute wealth through social programs, people need to take control of their own lives both personally and professionally.  Personal responsibility is a deeply conservative notion, it undermines all sorts of progressive positions- less strict criminal punishments, social planning, affirmative action and the achievement gap.  Yet, Brookings notes that the European welfare states do have better outcomes.  The truth is in the middle; lending a helping hand when it is needed is essential, but make assistance conditional to effort.  

That coherant families are extremely important to the outcomes of the children, and society at large, is second only to a third Great Awakening in the social conservative prescription for new American glory.  Brookings, however, points out that two working parents are necessary to offset the loss of real income in society.  Hardly a moral argument, yet a defense of the primacy of the family in society nonetheless.  Two gay parents would seem to be just fine from an income standpoint however, so now we can fight the culture war on common ground .  It should also be pointed out that in fact many liberal states actually have lower levels of births out of wedlock by advocating safe sex and waiting to get married- the secular way to skin that particular cat.

Finally, the sacred cows of retirement entitlements need to be reformed in common sense ways.  If you are a wealthy retired person it is unnecessary for you receive aid from the government, even if you paid for that assistance earlier in life.  Progressives believe the government can pay for nearly any social improvement, but some programs come at the expense of other, arguably better, ones.  If conservatives like Bruce Bartlett, one of the original proponents of supply-side economics, can adapt to the new world of expensive entitlements and huge debt by advocating for new taxes (Bartlett supports a Value Added Tax with a border adjustment) then it is time for progressives to put some skin in the game too.  A good compromise leaves everyone unhappy.

It is nice to see that without having to fight a rear guard battle against the Bush administration, Brookings can go back to being a voice of reason and moderation in the world.  On days like today, we need all the moderation we can get.