David Leonhardt

When Covid-19 began to sweep across the country in March 2020, schools in every state closed their doors. Remote instruction effectively became a national policy for the rest of that spring. A few months later, however, school districts began to make different decisions about whether to reopen. Across much of the South and the Great Plains as well as some pockets of the Northeast, schools resumed in-person classes in the fall of 2020. Across much of the Northeast, Midwest and West Coast, school buildings stayed closed and classes remained online for months.

Internet usage is no longer a good deal in the US. In France, consumers pay about 90 euros (or $100) a month for a combination of broadband access, cable television and two mobile phones. A similar package in the United States usually costs more than twice as much. Many Americans have a choice between only two internet providers. A few companies have grown so large that they have the power to keep prices high and wages low.