Economic Inequality: Are We Measuring It Right and What Does It Mean?

Featuring John F. Early, Former Assistant Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics and President of Vital Few, LLC. Some political leaders are saying that income and wealth inequality are at unacceptable levels and need to be countered by higher taxes on the wealthy and more transfer payments. But the data used to support those arguments are often misunderstood and omit key elements of the picture. John Early will describe gaps in the official data used in the inequality debate and discuss alternative income measures that better capture the well‐​being of different groups. Early argues that policymakers need to get the facts right before imposing prescriptions on the economy.

• Learn more: Reassessing the Facts about Inequality, Poverty, and Redistribution