In this clear-eyed account, Daniel Gitterman focuses on two policy tools that have been used to aid the working poor since the early twentieth century: the federal tax code and the minimum wage. The tax code can be fine-tuned in many ways- through changes to exemptions, deductions, credits, tax brackets, and rates- to alter the amount of income workers are left with at the end of the day. In combination with the minimum wage, it helps determine the economic well-being of many lower-income households. Forging a new political bargain that balances labor-market flexibility with security for poor working families is one of the most critical challenges facing government today.--P. [iv] of cover.