Robert J. Shapiro

The jobs and lifestyles of most Americans rest in large part on patents and other intellectual property rights, because the innovations they protect are the largest driving gains in growth, wages, and productivity. Those protections have weakened, but a new case against Nvidia is trying to strengthen them again. To learn more, check out my new Fortune op-ed: shorturl.at/Za3wI

It’s a good bet that Donald Trump never read Charles Darwin, but he knows how to adapt to survive. So as economic reality gets ready to collide with his three central campaign pledges, Trump and his team are quietly walking away from them. Trump himself has jettisoned his promise to bring down prices. His transition team also has leaked that his plan to deport 11 million people will actually focus on the 4% who are criminals and terrorists, which is US policy today. And his team is telling reporters that his promised tariffs are being downsized dramatically. Here’s a new essay to take you through why Trump is backpedaling so furiously. shorturl.at/mtdBv

How did Kamala Harris lose to Donald Trump after his 34 felony convictions and huge civil judgments for business fraud and sexual abuse? She was a top-rate campaigner and had all the resources she needed. But she became the nominee without the primary process that normally allows candidates to hone a winning agenda. It mattered: Her strategists never figured out how to demonstrate her commitment to take charge of the voters main concerns—high prices, stemming unauthorized immigration, and creating new opportunities for people without college degrees. You can check it out at Washington Monthly: washingtonmonthly.com/2024/1…

Throughout this campaign, Donald Trump has threatened to prosecute and jail virtually every prominent critic, every DA and judge involved in his criminal and civil cases, Jews, Muslims, Haitians and other people of color, immigrants, and donors, lawyers, and others in and around Kamala Harris’s campaign. In Washington Monthly today, I lay out why Trump’s not merely ranting or providing dark entertainment at his rallies. By instinct, he’s channeling Machiavelli’s playbook from nearly 500 years ago on how a strongman can consolidate power and determine de facto what the law is. You can check it out here: washingtonmonthly.com/2024/1…

Our Best Labor Day Recipes cooking.nytimes.com/topics/l… #NYTCooking

Harris should reset the economic narrative based on facts. Under Trump, growth & biz investment grew at half the rates as under Biden-Harris. New business starts, 45% lower. Even without 2020, jobs grew at half the rate vs. Biden-Harris. shorturl.at/bxh0L

Trump is utterly ignorant economically. Last week said, let's replace income taxes with tariffs. It would damage thousands of firms and millions of workers in US import and export industries. It also would give the top 1.5% a $1.1 trillion windfall. shorturl.at/8L4LH.

Everyone is polling to see if Trump's 34 convictions will make a difference in November. It may, but the polls will be useless in determining the impact on the outcome. Check it out: washingtonmonthly.com/2024/0…

Trump's plan to deport 11 m. unauthorized immigrants would assault the economy and taxpayers. Removing 4.5% of all employment would trigger a recession, and deporting them would cost $265 billion. For how brutal and dimwitted the plan is, check out shorturl.at/AYE2q.

Yesterday's GDP report showed 1.6% growth in the first quarter, down from the 4% rate in the second half of 2023. Topline numbers can be misleading, so here's a short primer on why the report is good news for Joe Biden, the economy, and the rest of us: washingtonmonthly.com/2024/0…

If Reagan was right and voters care most about whether they’re better off, the answer in 2024 is clearly yes. 2021 to 2023, wage and salary income per working person averaged $3,250 more than from 2017 to 2019—again, after inflation. Check out the facts: shorturl.at/kDRT4

Lying is Donald Trump’s superpower, starting with the claim that the economy was stronger under him. subject that lie to the data: Growth, investment, consumer spending, employment, business creation and more are all stronger under Biden. Check it out at shorturl.at/bgEQ2

New analysis in Washington Monthly explaining why Biden gets no credit on the economy, despite strong jobs and growth: It's all about real incomes. Good news: Real incomes up 3.3% over past year; if that keeps going, he can win a second term. washingtonmonthly.com/2023/1…

The administration has pulled off a remarkable two-step—beating inflation while expanding employment. Today's report shows that the CPI rose just 0.1% in May. Prices rose 4.0% over the preceding year—and looking forward, up over the last 6 months at an annual rate of 2.75%.

The most unreported story of the last six months: Inflation is falling Sharply and people's real incomes are rising sharply. Check out the facts: washingtonmonthly.com/2023/0…

Here's the lowdown on why the latest economic data make Biden's reelection vulnerable to the fights over the debt limit and budget: washingtonmonthly.com/2023/0…

New piece at NBC Think on why the administration and Congress are right to prevent a rail strike: nbcnews.com/think/opinion/ra…

New piece at Washington Monthly showing the economy is doing better than during most of Trump's term. And while a slowdown next year is likely, so is a healthy rebound in 2024. washingtonmonthly.com/2022/1…