Thursday Afternoon Links

This and that for your Thursday reading.

- Eric Levitz points out how the damage COVID-19 has caused to the U.S.' economy arises largely out of underlying ailments, including its dependence on discretionary spending by people with extreme wealth. And Robert Reich highlights how Donald Trump's racist demagoguery has distracted Americans from the continued entrenchment of the power of the corporate elite.

- Meanwhile, Nigel Wodrich and Aidan Worswick model the seemingly-underestimated amount of wealth in the hands of Canada's richest few. And Andrew Jackson discusses the need for a wealth tax to both reduce gross inequalities and wealth and power, and fund the country we want to build.

- Jared Odessky writes about the civil rights implications of allowing employers to terminate workers' employment at will. And Matthias Doepke and Ruben Gaetani study how the U.S.' college wage premium arises out of the unwillingness of employers to provide workers with either training or long-term employment.

- Finally, Emily Chung reports on the trend toward mandatory mask requirements in Canada. And the Globe and Mail's editorial board makes the case to apply them generally.