For millions of Americans, the economy doesn’t feel like it’s working the way it should. People are working harder, juggling more responsibilities, and playing by the rules—yet still struggling to afford housing, health care, child care, food, transportation, and basic utilities. Even steady employment no longer guarantees economic security.
The problem isn’t effort. It’s a system where paychecks haven’t kept up with prices, risks have been shifted onto families, and essential costs rise faster than incomes. Addressing these challenges requires practical solutions that focus on work, wages, affordability, and economic security—so growth actually improves everyday life. Below are several approaches to fixing the parts of the economy that matter most to households.
Good jobs are the foundation of a strong middle class, but too many Americans are stuck with work that is insecure, low-paid, or disconnected from real opportunity. For decades, policy choices favored offshoring, automation without guardrails, and an economy tilted toward finance rather than production. The result is an economy that creates jobs—but not enough good ones that support families and communities. LEARN MORE
Millions of Americans are working harder than ever yet feel constantly one setback away from crisis. Layoffs, illness, rising prices, or a missed paycheck can quickly spiral into long-term instability. Economic insecurity isn’t a personal failure—it’s a system that leaves too many people exposed while concentrating risk and reward at opposite ends of the economy. LEARN MORE
Life has become unaffordable not because people are irresponsible, but because the cost of basic necessities keeps rising faster than wages. Housing, healthcare, childcare, energy, and education now consume an unsustainable share of household income. Affordability is a structural problem driven by policy choices, market failures, and lack of competition—not individual budgeting mistakes. LEARN MORE
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