Plus, analysis on the recent European Parliament elections.
We should focus on rising wages, not just inflated prices Recently, much has been said and written about the disconnect between how Americans view the economy and what the numbers say. Economists and elected officials point to the nation’s historically high job creation, new business startups, and rapid recovery from COVID-19, but public opinion on the economy remains largely negative and inflation dominates attention. Joshua Gotbaum explains why we shouldn’t focus on just inflation and shares a positive economic trend that deserves a spotlight—U.S. wages are increasing. | A closer look at the data | The European Parliament elections The impact on French politics. Final projections from the European Parliament elections indicate that there might be more continuity than expected in the legislative body’s new parliamentary formation. However, the results incited a political earthquake in France, explains Tara Varma. Germany’s paradoxical vote. Constanze Stelzenmüller discusses how the election shows divisions in Germany—both politically and geographically—and argues that extremists on the left and right are the election’s real winners. | About Brookings The Brookings Institution is a nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C. Our mission is to conduct in-depth, nonpartisan research to improve policy and governance at local, national, and global levels. If you were forwarded this email, sign up for the Brookings Brief to stay updated on our latest work. | The conclusions and recommendations of any Brookings publication are solely those of its author(s), and do not reflect the views of the Institution, its management, or its other scholars. | |