James K. Galbraith

James K. Galbraith holds the Lloyd M. Bentsen Jr. Chair in Government/Business Relations at the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs, the University of Texas at Austin. He is a former executive director of the Joint Economic Committee in the US Congress.

EconomicsMay 30, 2023

The Debt Deal Is a Tragedy

The debt-limit agreement entrenches long-term austerity. It was a huge GOP win.

James K. Galbraith
EconomyMay 18, 2023

More “Dangerous Nonsense” From “The New York Times” on the Debt Ceiling

There are multiple legal pathways to resolve the current debt “crisis.” Having the president and House speaker agree on spending cuts to programs already approved by Congress is not one of them.

James K. Galbraith
Economic PolicyMay 11, 2023

The Debt Ceiling Drama Is All Stagecraft

Remember: The US Treasury is obligated to make payments. The rest is optics.

James K. Galbraith for The Nation
BankingMarch 21, 2023

What Elizabeth Warren, Larry Summers, and Paul Krugman All Got Wrong About SVB

It’s a war for the dollar—and the big banks. The rest of us better hold on tight.

James K. Galbraith for The Nation
The stakes are higher now than ever. Get The Nation in your inbox.

Sign up
EconomyJanuary 19, 2023

The Debt Ceiling Explained. Once More, With Feeling…

What The New York Times doesn’t know might hit you in the wallet.

James K. Galbraith
The LeftFebruary 18, 2022

How the Left Should Think About Inflation

There is no compelling reason to raise interest rates, now or later.

James K. Galbraith for The Nation
Election 2020July 29, 2020

The Democratic Party Platform Needs a Pandemic Plank

The Biden-Sanders Unity Task Force presumes that the economy will recover as the virus recedes and the world returns to normal. This presumption is wrong at every level.

Emma Galbraith and James K. Galbraith
EconomyMarch 18, 2020

The Mobilization That Must Start Now

With the coronavirus bearing down on our economy, we must deploy all our resources now to survive—so that one day we may thrive.

James K. Galbraith
Election 2020March 10, 2020

It’s Time to End the Structural Fraud in American Elections

Even with the best of intentions, our elections are designed to cut off new movements and truncate their votes.

James K. Galbraith
InequalityJune 22, 2018

Extreme Inequality Creates Global Disorder

And it’s a problem that can only have a political solution.

James K. Galbraith