Author Bios

Robert Pallitto is an associate professor of political science at Seton Hall University and a former trial attorney. He is the editor ofTorture and State Violence in the United States (2011). Laura …

Michael Hiltzik's column appears Sundays and Wednesdays. Reach him at [email protected], read past columns at latimes.com/hiltzik, check out facebook.com/hiltzik and follow @latimeshiltzik on Twitter.

John Schmitt is a senior economist with the Center for Economic and Policy Research in Washington, DC. He has written extensively on economic inequality, unemployment, the new economy, the …