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Michael R. Strain

Michael R. Strain

Writing for PS since 2022
37 commentaries

Michael R. Strain, Director of Economic Policy Studies at the American Enterprise Institute, is the author, most recently, of The American Dream Is Not Dead: (But Populism Could Kill It) (Templeton Press, 2020).

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  1. Could High-Skill Immigration Increase Under Trump?
    strain35_Christina HouseGettyImages_commencement_ceremony Christina House/Getty Images

    Could High-Skill Immigration Increase Under Trump?

    Jan 16, 2025 Michael R. Strain argues that the recent kerfuffle over foreign workers underscores the president-elect’s pragmatic instincts.

  2. Populism Never Lasts
    strain34_Nic AntayaGetty Images_trumpsupporters Nic Antaya/Getty Images

    Populism Never Lasts

    Dec 13, 2024 Michael R. Strain draws on history to assess the durability of Donald Trump's brand of politics.

  3. A Trump Boom?
    strain33_TheWashingtonPostGettyImages_make_america_wealthy_again The Washington Post/Getty Images

    A Trump Boom?

    Nov 19, 2024 Michael R. Strain thinks the president-elect’s economic policies could be wildly successful if he avoids his worst impulses.

  4. US Tariffs Will Not Bring Back Jobs from China
    kruger76_Justin SullivanGetty Images_shipping Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

    US Tariffs Will Not Bring Back Jobs from China

    Oct 21, 2024 Michael R. Strain decries both parties’ reluctance to prepare Americans for the employment opportunities of today and tomorrow.

  5. The Debt That Shall Not Be Named
    stain31_Jemal CountessGetty Images for the Peter G. Peterson Foundation_USdebt Jemal Countess/Getty Images for the Peter G. Peterson Foundation

    The Debt That Shall Not Be Named

    Sep 27, 2024 Michael R. Strain warns that both US presidential candidates are ignoring one of the most pressing issues facing the country.

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  1. laidi34_Maja HitijGettyImages_scholz_frederiksen Maja Hitij/Getty Images

    Europe Can and Must Resist Trump

    Zaki Laïdi explains how the European Union should respond to American imperial nationalism.
  2. bouverot1_JOEL SAGETAFP via Getty Images_aiactionsummit Joel Saget/AFP via Getty Images

    Bending the Arc of AI Development Toward Shared Progress

    Anne Bouverot outlines the French government's objectives for the AI Action Summit in Paris.
  3. hampton2_Luis TatoGettyImages_somalia_debt_crisis Luis Tato/Getty Images

    Developing Countries Need a New Approach to Long-Term Financing

    Hannah Wanjie Ryder & Kate Hampton propose reforms that would facilitate low-interest lending to fund critical climate and development goals.
  4. delong267_Chip SomodevillaGetty Images_whitehousepress Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

    Trump’s Smoke and Mirrors

    J. Bradford DeLong upbraids US journalists for refusing to distinguish bluster from genuine policy initiatives.
  5. bp deepseek Photo illustration by Anthony Kwan/Getty Images

    Why Does DeepSeek Matter?

    Chinese tech startup DeepSeek’s release of a high-performance, low-cost artificial-intelligence platform has roiled financial markets and raised fundamental questions about the business models of American AI giants. Will the technology turn out to be a boon for competition in a critical industry, or should it be viewed as a geopolitical shot across the West’s bow?

  6. mazzucato79_Artur WidakNurPhotoGettyImages_amazon_web_services Artur Widak/NurPhoto/Getty Images

    Resisting Digital Feudalism

    Mariana Mazzucato calls for urgent action to shape the development of AI before it becomes another means of rent extraction.
  7. op_shafik2_ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDSAFP via Getty Images_trumpvance Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images

    World Order in a Time of Monsters

    Minouche Shafik

    A stable and cooperative global order cannot be built without first repairing broken national social contracts. While unequal and anxious countries become fertile ground for nationalism and selfishness, prosperous economies are more likely to foster generosity and support for international cooperation.

    highlights the critical importance of reinvigorating social contracts at the national level.
  8. rodrik231_Andrej IvanovGettyImages_us_canda_border Andrej Ivanov/Getty Images

    How Not to Respond to Trump’s Tariffs

    Dani Rodrik advises America’s trade partners not to embrace retaliation, because that would harm mainly themselves.
  9. landau5_Thierry MonasseGettyImages_eu_competitiveness_compass Thierry Monasse/Getty Images

    Europe Found Its Values and Lost Its Way

    Jean-Pierre Landau warns that the EU’s focus on high-level principles is undermining its economic dynamism and global influence.

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