The Harm from Internet Shutdowns, Trump's Future, and More

February 6, 2021

A person holds up a tablet as Myanmar citizens living in Thailand protest against the military coup

Authoritarian regimes and illiberal democracies are increasingly turning to internet shutdowns as a way to limit opposition against their governments and keep certain factions and individuals in power. Darrell West writes about why this is so dangerous and counter-productive at virtually every level.

Brookings experts analyze President Biden's first foreign policy speech

This week, President Joe Biden gave his first major foreign policy speech at the U.S. State Department. Our Brookings Foreign Policy experts react to what the president said on Russia, China, refugees, and more, as well as the general tone of his remarks and how they might be interpreted in foreign capitals.

Trump's future: 9 possibilities

Former presidents all seem to do similar things: They get big contracts to write their memoirs, they travel abroad, and they make big-dollar speeches at home. But Donald Trump's post-presidency will probably not be like anything we've seen before, say John Hudak, Christine Stenglein, and Elaine Kamarck.

The future of the middle class

A better future for America's middle class is no longer just an aspiration. It is an existential necessity. Research from the Future of the Middle Class Initiative shows how we can get there.

A new contract with the middle class. From a higher minimum wage to free therapy for all, Richard Reeves and Isabel Sawhilll outline policies to address the most common challenges facing real Americans.

Voices of the middle class. The middle class has hustled and sacrificed to live up to their own definitions of a good spouse, worker, and parent. Read their stories.

The middle class monitor. In a new interactive dataset, see how the middle class is faring across 12 metrics, including homeownership, mental health, college enrollment, annual work hours, and more.

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