Today's Economic Issues

Starred review from March 1, 2017

Gr 9 Up-The second installment in a series that aims to help readers get a better sense of the political parties, this title focuses on economic issues. In a democracy, each party advocates for what it believes is best for the country and the people. However, the parties differ on the priorities and methods. The text broadly defines economic issues to include the traditional (taxes, social security) as well as areas that impact the economy but are not typically regarded as "economic" per se (such as research and green initiatives). Thirty-eight essays explore how Democrats and Republicans view the various economic topics. Each introduces the subject in a couple of paragraphs under "At a Glance," followed by a bulleted list of where most Democrats and Republicans stand. The more in-depth "Overview" frames the issue within the current context and provides some relevant historical background. The book considers the stances of contemporary Democrats and Republicans, differences between the two, and fault lines within both parties. The volume is accessible, and readers will be able to quickly navigate to their area of interest, while the nonpartisan essays provide a fair and complete assessment of each issue discussed. VERDICT Highly recommended as a reference for high school government courses.-Muhammed Hassanali, Shaker Heights, OH

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 1, 2016
What could the 2016 presidential campaign have actually addressed? Academics and other experts offer answers regarding public-policy economic issues. Their thoughtfully written analyses of 38 debate-worthy issuessuch as corporate taxation, energy policy, food stamps, immigration, minimum wage, and Social Securityventure into territory beyond the realm of simple true-or-false fact-checking, a constant in media reports on the campaign. Each topical analysis explains the differences in the positions, even if given scant attention in 2016, that Democrats and Republicans generally hold. Each economic issue merits a brief summary, bullet lists of each party's key arguments, a deeper analysis, and additional exposition of the parties' respective positions. Those analyses take into account nuances in positions among members of one party or the other and substantiates them by quoting policy papers or public statements of presidential candidates, most since vanquished, and other politicians. Sidebars offer extended quotes from party leaders. When the new Congress and a new president take up their responsibilities, they as well as everyday citizens can turn to these to understand where the interparty fault lines lie on issues such as defense spending, free trade, income inequality, student loans and debt, tax-code reform, and others awaiting thoughtful resolution.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)