Thomas Hayes

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    How increasing wealth concentration and inequality leads to less generous state welfare policies.

How increasing wealth concentration and inequality leads to less generous state welfare policies.

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The growth of income and wealth inequality has led to greater political influence for the 1 percent. But what are the social policy outcomes of this increasing inequality? In new research, Thomas Hayes and Lyle Scruggs examine support for social safety nets among different income groups as well as the link between state welfare generosity and income inequality. They […]

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    Granting gay rights does not lead to public opinion backlash, even among evangelicals.

Granting gay rights does not lead to public opinion backlash, even among evangelicals.

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More than a year ago, the US Supreme Court ruled that same-sex couples across the country had the right to marry. Ahead of that ruling, many commentators were concerned that there might be an anti-gay backlash if the right to marry was upheld by the Court. In new research using online survey experiments, Benjamin G. Bishin, Thomas J. Hayes, […]

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    Economic inequality: still on the presidential agenda, still much more to be done.

Economic inequality: still on the presidential agenda, still much more to be done.

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Last week the Obama Administration issued an executive order on guidelines for overtime pay, a measure which will help 12.5 million Americans. Thomas Hayes writes that this move is President Obama’s latest effort to address inequality in America, an effort which has met with some success, despite opposition from a polarized Congress. Looking ahead to the general election, he […]

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    How states can influence inequality with tax and spending tools.

How states can influence inequality with tax and spending tools.

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While much of the debate and discussion on how to address inequality has been focussed on the role of the federal government, state governments also have a role to play. In new research, Thomas Hayes and D. Xavier Medina Vidal find that states which have higher levels of cash assistance and unemployment compensation and higher corporate tax revenues have […]

  • Permalink President Obama presents the 2015 State of the Union Credit:  NASA HQ PHOTO (Flickr, CC-BY-NC-2.0)Gallery

    Obama’s highlighting of economic inequality poses a dilemma for the Republican Party in the lead up to 2016.

Obama’s highlighting of economic inequality poses a dilemma for the Republican Party in the lead up to 2016.

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Last week President Obama delivered his 6th State of the Union address, which had a major focus on the growing economic inequality between the wealthiest one percent and the poor and the middle classes. Thomas Hayes writes that while the President’s proposals to address inequality such as tax credits for education and child care and new taxes on high-income […]

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    States with a higher concentration of income going to the top one percent are more likely to adopt income tax

States with a higher concentration of income going to the top one percent are more likely to adopt income tax

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Americans are taxed at a federal – and often state – level. But what affects whether or not states adopt taxes? In new research, Thomas Hayes and Christopher Dennis have determined that the concentration of wealth matters for state tax systems. They find that there is a positive relationship between income going to the top 1 percent and the likelihood […]

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    Senators of both parties respond to the preferences of the wealthy, and ignore those of the poorest.

Senators of both parties respond to the preferences of the wealthy, and ignore those of the poorest.

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Senators in Congress are elected to represent their constituents, regardless of their personal circumstances such as income. But, with rising inequality in America an increasing concern, do Senators actually represent the preferences of both rich and poor? Using new research, Thomas J. Hayes examined the Senate’s responsiveness across a range of issues between 2001 and 2010. He finds that Senators […]

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