South By North Strategies, Ltd.

Estimated Federal Aid to States

An analysis by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities estimates how much Medicaid and education assistance each state stands to receive under the Senate jobs bill now awaiting House action.

Around The Dial – August 9

Economic policy reports, blog postings, and media stories of interest:

• Naked Capitalism says employer-employee relations are broken.
• Fed Watch is “waiting for nothing” from the Federal Reserve.
• Paul Krugman worries about “an unlit, unpaved road to nowhere.”
• Robert Frank advises against giving gifts “the wealthy don’t need.”
• The N.C. Budget & Tax Center analyzes the final state budget.

Modernizing Unemployment Insurance

The unemployment insurance modernization provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) extend a total of $7 billion in incentive funding to states that make their insurance systems more responsive to the needs of low-wage workers, part-time workers, female workers, and the long-term unemployed.

Since ARRA’s enactment, 32 states have adjusted their systems and have qualified for the maximum incentive payment; eight other states have qualified for partial payment. The remaining states have until August 2011 to act.

The map (right), which was prepared by the National Employment Law Project, shows the current status of each state.

The July Employment Report

A recent segment on The PBS NewsHour analyzed the national employment report for July and what it means for working Americans, especially the 14.6 million who are jobless and actively seeking work.

Around The Dial – August 6

Economic policy reports, blog postings, and media stories of interest:

• Dean Baker asks about intergenerational equity and policy debates.
• CBPP blogs about the latest state budget cut estimates.
• The Stash explains how Jimmy Carter saved microbreweries.
• Free Exchange debunks “the union menace.”
• Paul Krugman points out “the flimflam man.”