My latest contribution to The Atlantic‘s site (from across the Atlantic): The Economics Behind Obama’s Unapologetically Liberal Second-Term Agenda.  I argue that Obama’s state of the union address where he vowed “to reignite the true engine of America’s economic growth – a rising, thriving middle class” builds on a growing body of economic evidence. A strong middle class and less income inequality aren’t just nice-sounding goals, but also the keystone for long-term economic growth in a developed economy.