By virtually any yardstick, the U.S. economy is doing great. Unemployment is near a two-decade low. The stock market is strong. Corporate profits are at record highs. Yet a report out this week finds that almost half of Americans are having trouble paying for basic needs such as food and housing. The Urban Institute, a left-leaning Washington think tank, surveyed more than 7,500 adults about their experience making ends meet. It found that about 40% of people ages 18 to 64 faced some sort of hardship last year. “It’s certainly surprising and disconcerting that so many people are having difficulty...
