The Middle-Class New Deal

"We are at a moment of reckoning as a country, and this bold and ambitious book should be at the center of the conversation on what can be done to make the American Dream more realistic for the many--not just the few. The Middle-Class New Deal will build an army of converts and allies for the policy revolution Dickerson bravely champions."--Dorothy Brown, author of The Whiteness of Wealth: How the Tax System Impoverishes Black Americans--and How We Can Fix It "Mechele Dickerson‘s book sounds the clarion call for the beleaguered middle class. In unblinking terms, she exposes how working families who once had adequate incomes increasingly must pay for their basic expenses with credit. The stability of those households--and our country--depends on heeding her call."--Patricia A. McCoy, author of Sharing Risk: The Path to Economic Well-Being for All "Powerfully argues that initiatives as bold and comprehensive as the New Deal are the only way to salvage a precarious middle class--and to ensure access for marginalized households historically excluded from gains. A must-read."--Chrystin Ondersma, author of Dignity not Debt: An Abolitionist Approach to Economic Justice "Through multidisciplinary research interspersed with compelling storytelling, Dickerson powerfully shows readers the public investments and policy choices that make--or too often break--the ability of American families to become financially stable and to flourish. In addition to documenting the challenges, The Middle-Class New Deal charts a feasible path forward, offering a menu of plans for policymakers at the federal, state, and local levels."--Melissa B. Jacoby, author of Unjust Debts: How Our Bankruptcy System Makes America More Unequal