The New Economic Populism

William Franko is Assistant Professor of Political Science at Auburn University.Christopher Witko is Associate Professor of Political Science at University of South Carolina.

• List of Tables and FiguresChapter 1 - IntroductionChapter 2 - Economic Inequality, Federalism and the New Economic PopulismChapter 3 - Growing Inequality and Public Awareness of Inequality in the StatesChapter 4 - Awareness of Inequality and Government LiberalismChapter 5 - Taxing the Rich: The Initiative, Attitudes toward Inequality, and Washington's Proposition 1098Chapter 6 - State Responses to Federal Inaction and Growing Inequality: The Case of the Minimum WageChapter 7 - Building on Success: The Case of the Earned Income Tax CreditChapter 8 - The New Economic Populism and the Future of Inequality in the U.S.Appendix A - Measurement and MethodologyAppendix B - Data and ResultsNotesReferencesIndex

"Think the United States is doing nothing to address growing economic inequality-except during those rare moments when the federal government isn't stalemated? Think again. In The New Economic Populism, William W. Franko and Christopher Witko do something unusual: they look at what the states have done to address growing inequality. And some of them have done a lot. Sophisticated but accessible, Franko and Witko's book is a must read for all studentsof the politics of economic inequality in the United States." --Jacob S. Hacker, Stanley B. Resor Professor of Political Science, Yale University"William W. Franko and Christopher Witko have written an important book that documents the interconnections among income inequality, mass opinion, and politics and policy in the American states. They bring a wealth of data and methodological sophistication to bear in building our understanding of the interplay among these concepts. This is a must-read for scholars and political observers interested in understanding the political economy of who gets what, when,and how in the face of income inequality in the American states." --James C. Garand, Emogene Pliner Distinguished Professor, Louisiana State University"Franko and Witko offer a deft overview of the depth of economic inequality in the United States, the implications and political causes, and the lack of response from the federal government. They also show how and why the states have taken the lead in responding to rising inequality. As the U.S. faces inequities not seen since the Gilded Age, The New Economic Populism provides critical insight into both the history and future of government response toinequality." --Peter K. Enns, Associate Professor of Government, Cornell University"Franko and Witko bring together much of the literature on the politics of inequality in a data-rich and rigorous analysis that capitalizes on variation across states to map the ways in which inequality serves as both a cause and consequence of much of American politics. Further, they extend this work by theorizing directly about state governments and states' particular role in the political processes shaping economic inequality-particularly in the face ofwell-documented federal inaction and gridlock." --Elizabeth Rigby, Associate Professor of Public Policy and Political Science, The George Washington University