America’s Two Economies: Unpacking the Divide, Policies, and a Path Forward This episode reviews the concluding chapter of American economist and economic historian Peter Temin’s The Vanishing Middle Class. Temin argues that the United States functions as a dual economy, where a high-wage, highly educated FTE (finance, technology, and electronics) sector serves its own interests while neglecting the much larger low-wage sector. He shows how this neglect is reinforced by policies such as mass incarceration, housing segregation, and underfunded public education—often justified through racecraft—even though the low-wage sector is predominantly white. To address these entrenched inequalities, Temin proposes five key recommendations: restore and expand public education, shift resources from repression to investment in human capital, repair infrastructure and forgive debts, move toward a truly democratic government, and embrace America’s diversity. Together, these steps aim to dismantle the dual economy and create a more equitable and inclusive society by ensuring equal opportunities for all citizens. Temin concludes that while such changes will require time, the first step is to stop deepening the existing divides.

The Great Divide: How “Dual Economies” and Political Choices Shape Our Unequal World This episode reviews Chapter Thirteen of American economist and economic historian Peter Temin’s The Vanishing Middle Class. Temin expands his analysis of the dual economy—defined by a prosperous FTE (finance, technology, and electronics) sector and a struggling low-wage sector—linking the decline of the American middle class to policies that disproportionately benefit the former. The chapter then broadens the scope to a global context, noting how inequality within countries has grown even as inequality between countries has narrowed, largely due to rapid economic growth in China and India. Temin stresses that political decisions and national histories are central to shaping economic outcomes and levels of inequality, highlighting contrasts between the United States and European nations. Ultimately, he argues that technological change and globalization have transformed labor markets and widened income gaps, but these forces are not inevitable. Instead, they are mediated—and often exacerbated—by political choices and societal priorities.

The Dual Economy: Unpacking Personal Debt and National Liabilities This episode reviews Chapter Twelve of American economist and economic historian Peter Temin’s The Vanishing Middle Class. Temin explores how debt operates at both the personal and national levels within the dual economy, underscoring the stark disparities between the financially secure FTE (finance, technology, and electronics) sector and the indebted low-wage sector. The chapter examines how individual debts—such as mortgages and student loans—fall disproportionately on the low-wage sector, often as a result of public policies that subsidize housing markets while reducing support for higher education. Temin critiques debt relief programs like the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP), which largely failed to help struggling households and instead bolstered financial institutions aligned with the FTE sector. He also extends the discussion to societal debts, including government obligations such as Social Security and Medicaid. Temin argues that the FTE sector frequently works to weaken these programs while paradoxically supporting higher national spending in areas like the military. Together, these dynamics illustrate how debt, both personal and collective, reinforces inequality and sustains the divide between America’s two economies.

Invisible Cracks: How Policy and Neglect Broke American Cities This episode reviews Chapter Eleven of American economist and economic historian Peter Temin’s The Vanishing Middle Class. Temin traces the decline of American urban infrastructure and public services, particularly since the 1970s, linking it to the migration of affluent populations to the suburbs and the corresponding reduction in federal support for cities. The chapter highlights how decisions such as Milliken v. Bradley accelerated suburban flight, leaving urban schools and infrastructure increasingly neglected. Temin points to the dangers of lead contamination in older school buildings—rooted in historical choices of piping materials and compounded by underinvestment—as emblematic of this broader decline. He also applies the concept of “defensible space” to explain how poorly designed public housing eroded social capital, worsened by inadequate maintenance and rising antisocial behavior. Finally, Temin details the nationwide neglect of bridges, mass transit, and other critical infrastructure, showing how political priorities favoring low taxes over essential investment have deepened urban decay and disproportionately harmed low-wage communities.

America’s Two-Tiered Education System: Is Public School a Broken Promise? This episode reviews Chapter Ten of American economist and economic historian Peter Temin’s The Vanishing Middle Class. Temin examines the crisis in public education through the lens of the dual economy, showing how disparities between the FTE (full-time equivalent) sector and the low-wage sector are reflected in schools. The chapter traces how historical forces—including racecraft, gender roles, and Supreme Court decisions—have contributed to an unequal distribution of resources, leaving many urban schools segregated and underfunded. Temin critiques privatization efforts and short-term reforms, pointing to the failure of the Newark schools experiment, while highlighting more promising long-term approaches such as early education, sustained funding, and community engagement, exemplified by the success of Union City schools. Ultimately, Temin underscores the critical role of both human and social capital in educational success. He argues that systemic inequality, rather than diversity, drives distrust and widens the education gap, threatening public education’s promise as a pathway to opportunity.

Mass Incarceration: The Hidden Costs of America’s Dual Economy and Racial Divide This episode reviews Chapter Nine of American economist and economic historian Peter Temin’s The Vanishing Middle Class. Temin examines how the dual economy model—divided between the full-time equivalent (FTE) sector and the low-wage sector—shapes government activities, particularly through the rise of mass incarceration in the United States. He argues that the FTE sector, driven by the interests of the wealthy, prioritizes tax cuts and the dismantling of the welfare state, resulting in reduced social programs and expanded privatization. Alongside these shifts, the militarization of policing and the justice system has intensified, often fueled by racial anxieties and the “War on Drugs,” which disproportionately target Black and Latino communities. Temin contends that mass incarceration, despite its staggering costs, functions as a mechanism to repress the low-wage sector and preserve existing power structures. The growth of private prisons, motivated by profit, further deepens these inequities and reinforces the dual economy’s divide.

Democracy or Plutocracy? America at the Crossroads This episode reviews Chapter Eight of American economist and economic historian Peter Temin’s The Vanishing Middle Class. Temin examines different forms of government—democratic, oligarchic, and autocratic—distinguishing them by who holds power. While the United States is often described as a democracy, Temin argues that its historical legacy of slavery and its widening economic inequality have pushed it closer to an oligarchy, specifically a plutocracy in which the wealthy wield disproportionate influence. The chapter highlights key moments that reinforced this trajectory, from constitutional compromises over slavery to modern developments such as the Supreme Court’s decisions in Bush v. Gore and Shelby County v. Holder, as well as partisan strategies like REDMAP redistricting. Together, these events have eroded democratic norms and opened the door to oligarchic—and even autocratic—tendencies. Temin contrasts what a true democracy would look like, prioritizing public welfare and broad risk reduction through social insurance, with the policies favored by an autocracy, which would serve the extremely rich while dismantling social safety nets. He concludes that unless the United States shifts away from treating voting as a privilege rather than a right, the possibility of sustaining a durable democracy will remain precarious.

Unseen Hands: How America’s Ultra-Rich Shape Policy and Power This episode reviews Chapter Seven of American economist and economic historian Peter Temin’s The Vanishing Middle Class. Temin explores the disproportionate political influence of the extremely wealthy in the United States, focusing on the top 1 percent and even smaller, more affluent subsets. The chapter introduces the “Investment Theory of Politics,” which argues that the wealthy treat politics much like a market, investing in policies that protect and expand their interests. Temin illustrates how the very rich often push for reduced government spending, lower taxes, and deregulation while opposing social welfare programs that might benefit the broader population. The analysis further highlights the strategic and often secretive political activities of ultra-wealthy groups, including the Koch brothers, who have poured resources into reshaping policy and legislation—particularly at the state level—in alignment with their conservative, pro-business ideologies. Temin shows how their financial power has profoundly influenced the American political landscape, consolidating the priorities of the few over the needs of the many.

Beyond the Median Voter: Unpacking America's Investment Theory of Politics This episode reviews Chapter Six of American economist and economic historian Peter Temin’s The Vanishing Middle Class. Temin introduces America’s “triple split”—economic inequality, racial divisions, and gender disparities—and examines how these fractures shape politics and policy. The chapter critically assesses the Median Voter Theorem, which suggests that political candidates converge toward the center of voter preferences. Temin finds this theory inconsistent with the realities of a dual economy, where the interests of the low-wage sector are routinely disregarded despite their numerical majority. He traces how historical constitutional compromises, state-level voting regulations, and partisan redistricting have systematically restricted democratic participation, especially for marginalized groups, reinforcing the idea of voting as a privilege rather than a guaranteed right. Temin also argues that the high cost of acquiring reliable information on complex issues such as Social Security and government debt undermines the practical application of the Median Voter Theorem. As an alternative, he presents the Investment Theory of Politics, which contends that political outcomes are largely driven by the financial power of businesses, wealthy individuals, and political action committees. This perspective helps explain the persistent disconnect between public preferences and enacted policies.

Unpacking America's Persistent Inequalities This episode reviews Chapter Five of American economist and economic historian Peter Temin’s The Vanishing Middle Class. Temin examines the historical and ongoing impact of “racecraft” and gender discrimination in the United States, beginning with the experiences of economist W. Arthur Lewis to introduce the concept of an ingrained American racial system. He argues that while race lacks a scientific basis, it has functioned as a powerful social construct to justify inequality since the colonial era—evolving from the criminalization of witchcraft to systemic exclusion through Jim Crow laws, the War on Drugs, and entrenched economic disadvantages. The chapter also compares the struggles for bodily integrity and civil rights faced by Black Americans and women, showing how both groups have been denied full personhood and subjected to persistent discrimination, from voting restrictions to unequal access to justice and healthcare. Ultimately, Temin illustrates how these interlocking systems of prejudice have shaped American politics, society, and economic structures, producing enduring disparities that affect not only Black Americans and women but also many immigrant communities.

The Broken Ladder: How Education Became a Debt Trap, Not a Path to Opportunity This episode explores the growing difficulty for individuals in the low-wage sector to move into the high-wage (FTE) sector through education. Rising tuition costs and shrinking public funding for higher education have left many students burdened with significant debt, which often hinders rather than facilitates upward mobility. The text highlights how disparities in social capital, particularly among minority students, make it harder to translate degrees into well-paying jobs. It also critiques the role of for-profit colleges and current student loan policies, which frequently trap students in debt without equipping them with the skills necessary for FTE employment—a stark contrast to more supportive systems found in other countries. Ultimately, these factors reinforce stagnant wages in the low-wage sector and deepen income inequality. The struggles of individuals like Liz Kelley serve as vivid examples of how debt and systemic barriers prevent education from serving as a reliable bridge to the middle class.

The Unraveling American Dream: How Policy, Race, and Economics Shaped the Low-Wage Sector This episode reviews Chapter Three, “The Low-Wage Sector,” from American economist and economic historian Peter Temin’s The Vanishing Middle Class. Temin argues that the low-wage sector in the United States was not an inevitable byproduct of technological advancement but was deliberately created and expanded through political, economic, and social forces. He highlights how President Nixon’s Southern Strategy and the War on Drugs disproportionately targeted African Americans, setting the stage for policies that suppressed wages and limited opportunities for large segments of the population. The chapter further explores how shifts in business organization—such as subcontracting, the rise of finance, increased global competition, and immigration—eroded worker bargaining power and weakened traditional employer-employee relationships. Ultimately, Temin contends that these systemic changes produced stagnant real wages, diminished social capital, and heightened hardship for both white and minority workers in the low-wage sector. The result has been the “criminalization” of poverty and the entrenchment of a deeply stratified American economy.

From Bretton Woods to Billionaires: How the 60s & 70s Rewrote America’s Economic Rules This episode examines the turbulent decades from the 1960s through the 1980s, when social upheaval and political realignment reshaped the American economy. It traces how the Civil Rights Movement and the Vietnam War placed heavy strains on President Johnson’s administration, ultimately contributing to the collapse of the Bretton Woods monetary system. The narrative then turns to President Nixon’s “Southern Strategy” and the rise of a new conservative movement, spurred by the Powell Memo and the creation of influential think tanks such as The Heritage Foundation and the Cato Institute. This era marked a shift toward deregulation, particularly in finance, and the steady weakening of labor unions. By the time of the Reagan administration, these forces had converged into a neoliberal policy framework that deepened income inequality and continues to shape American economic life today.  

The Dual Economy: How the American Dream Got Divided (and What It Means for You) This episode reviews American economist and economic historian Peter Temin’s The Vanishing Middle Class, focusing on Chapter One, “The Dual Economy.” It introduces Temin’s adaptation of W. Arthur Lewis’s 1954 theory to explain the growing economic inequality in the United States. Temin argues that the American economy is divided into two distinct sectors: the FTE sector, made up of highly skilled workers in finance, technology, and electronics, and the low-wage sector, consisting of less-skilled workers. He highlights the stagnation of wages for the majority since 1970, contrasting it with the significant income growth of top earners, especially the wealthiest 1 percent. The chapter further examines how education, physical capital, human capital, and social capital can function both as bridges and as barriers between these two sectors, with the FTE sector leveraging these resources for continued advantage. Finally, Temin underscores the disproportionate political power of the FTE sector, which deepens inequality and obstructs efforts to address challenges faced by the low-wage sector and the nation’s educational system.

America's Vanishing Middle Class: How a "Dual Economy" Threatens National Unity This episode reviews American economist and economic historian Peter Temin’s introduction to his book The Vanishing Middle Class. It explores the growing income inequality in the United States, arguing that the nation is dividing into rich and poor and shifting from a “one-humped” to a “two-humped camel” income distribution. Temin contends that the disappearance of the middle class, along with the legacy of American history—particularly slavery and racial segregation—complicates this divide. He introduces the Lewis model of a dual economy to explain how two distinct economic sectors, with differing levels of development, have emerged and are sustained through political policies. The text further examines the intersection of race and class, highlighting how these dynamics shape policy decisions such as mass incarceration and the chronic underfunding of urban education. These forces hinder social mobility and perpetuate cycles of poverty for many. Finally, Temin suggests that understanding this dual economic structure is essential to addressing the nation’s challenges and fostering greater unity.

The Vanishing Middle Class: A Dual Economy This short debate starts our Temin Series. In this episode, we consider arguments presented by American economist and economic historian Peter Temin's book, The Vanishing  Middle Class. His book explores the concept of a dual economy in the United States, analyzing how it has led to a vanishing middle class and deepening inequality. It posits that American society is divided into an "FTE (finance, technology, and electronics) sector" and a "low-wage sector," with the former holding disproportionate political and economic power. The text traces the historical roots of this division, highlighting the enduring impact of slavery and racial discrimination on education, housing, and the justice system, including mass incarceration. The author argues that political choices, driven by the preferences of the wealthy elite through mechanisms like the Investment Theory of Politics, have exacerbated these disparities, rather than being an inevitable outcome of economic forces. The work concludes by suggesting policy changes that could foster a more inclusive and democratic society, moving away from the current plutocracy.

The Multiplicity of Legal Orders This episode reviews Chapter Five of Kitty Calavita’s Law and Society, which explores the concept of legal pluralism—the coexistence of multiple legal systems and practices within the same place and time. The discussion highlights examples such as the overlapping layers of federal, state, and local laws in the United States, as well as the complexities of administrative law, with its decentralized decision-making and potential for uneven outcomes. It also examines supranational frameworks like the European Union and the World Trade Organization, showing how these systems interact with national and local laws. In addition, the chapter looks at colonial and postcolonial contexts, where grafted and hybridized legal systems often sparked resistance and adaptation by Indigenous peoples, and it traces the growing influence of human rights discourse worldwide. Ultimately, Calavita emphasizes that law is multifaceted, encompassing formal state regulations, informal norms, and hybrid arrangements that continually interact and reshape one another.

Is the Eighth Amendment Protection Violated If Prisoners Are Deprived of Basic Sustenance? Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy rules that if a prison deprives prisoners of basic sustenance, including adequate medical care, the courts have a responsibility to remedy the resulting violation of the Eighth Amendment. Justice Antonin Scalia believes that a ruling that may result in the release of 40,000 prisoners is unwarranted and unprecedented

Is It Unconstitutional for States to Imprison Undocumented Immigrants? Justice Anthony Kennedy argues that a recent state law making it a crime to be an undocumented immigrant in Arizona impinges on the U.S. federal government's authority to regulate immigration. Justice Antonin Scalia argues that it is not unconstitutional for a state to supplement U.S. federal immigration law with its own, harsher penalties for illegal immigration.

The central question explored in this episode is whether states can constitutionally require physicians performing abortions to have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals, making abortion clinics comparable to ambulatory surgical centers. Is It Unconstitutional for a State to Require Physicians Who Perform Abortions to Have Admitting Privileges at a Nearby Hospital and for Abortion Clinics to Haye Facilities Comparable to an Ambulatory Surgical Center?