Brookings Today, 12/23/14

A roundup of some of the content published today at Brookings.

• The wealth gap between upper-income and middle-income families has nearly doubled in the last 30 years. William Galston says middle class families won’t regain security until their nest eggs are reclaimed.
• Lessons on Cuba from Germany’s opening. Diana Villiers Negroponte argues that the transformation of East Germany has important lessons for Cuba as the island opens up to new trade and economic opportunities.
• Torture needs to be illegal. Daniel Benjamin says that if the U.S. wants to convince its partners around the world that torture is in the past, it must quickly outlaw the practices that caused so much controversy.