Melissa Kearney's research illuminates COVID recovery potential
In an Op-Ed written for The Hill, Dr. Kearney writes, "Our nation is facing a once-in-a-generation challenge in the COVID-19 pandemic and associated economic crisis. These events will define us for decades to come, and we can only hope that we will be defined by the wisdom and courage of our response rather than by the failures that led us to this tragic place."
She calls on leaders to make policy choices that, "shape our recovery so that we emerge a better and more resilient nation," recommending, in part:
- A robust system of supplemental income support
- Renewed support for the SNAP (formerly Food Stamp) program
- Make housing assistance an entitlement program
- Intentional backup for employer-based medical insurance
- A plan to address the digital divide
- Increased support for higher education
"As we look ahead to the next set of bills and policies, we must deliberately spend and invest in ways that will strengthen our capitalist economy and expand economic security," she writes.
Dr. Kearney's research was also cited by Sharon Block and Terri Gerstein in an Op-Ed piece on April 6, noting the effectiveness of work-sharing programs during the Great Recession.
See Dr. Kearney's Op-Ed in The Hill
See the Block / Gerstein Op-Ed in The Hill
See Melissa Kearney's book on poverty, published on Brookings