Lee Branstetter

The Great Depression pushed millions of Americans into catastrophic poverty. Here, a mother and her shoeless children stand beside their home, a tin shack, in Elm Grove, Oklahoma, 1st August 1936

Economists warn Trump's policies will start a 1930s-era trade war

President Donald Trump is driving the global conversation on trade toward protectionism: the imposition of tariffs on imported goods. That may seem like a good idea on the surface, but most economists beg to differ. They point out that protectionism turned the economic chaos of the 1930s into a disaster.

Economists warn Trump's policies will start a 1930s-era trade war
Japanese shipping containers in the port of Tokyo. In 2016, the US had a $69 billion deficit with Japan.

Trump warns of trade deficits. Economists say, who cares?

Trump warns of trade deficits. Economists say, who cares?
The sun sets behind the U.S. Capitol in Washington October 6, 2013.

Quick, can you name another country with a debt ceiling? It's hard

Quick, can you name another country with a debt ceiling? It's hard

Why is the world facing a possible US default with a yawn?

Why is the world facing a possible US default with a yawn?
The World

Australia's Enviable Debt

Australia's Enviable Debt
The World

How American debt compares

President Obama's debt-reduction commission is trying to trim federal deficits dramatically in the coming decade. But how does US debt compare with other nations? The World's Jason Margolis has more.

How American debt compares

Taxing corporations' foreign profits

President Obama wants to change the tax rate for American multinationals, who he says don't pay their fair share for overseas profits.

Taxing corporations' foreign profits