Robert J. Samuelson has been writing a bi-weekly column for Newsweek since 1984. The column concentrates on the economy and socio-economic and political issues. His Newsweek column is reprinted on the op-ed page of the Washington Post, and in the weeks he does not write directly for Newsweek, he writes a similar column for the Post. All the columns appear on both Newsweek's and the Post's websites, and all are syndicated by the Washington Post Writers Group.

Samuelson began his journalism career in 1969 as a reporter for the Post. He left the Post in 1973 and was a freelance writer for almost four years before joining the National Journal magazine as its economics correspondent in late 1976. He began his weekly column at the National Journal, and the Post decided to reprint it  in 1977. Samuelson left the National Journal for Newsweek in early 1984.

He has written two books: "The Good Life and Its Discontents: the American Dream in the Age of Entitlement" (1995) and "The Great Inflation and Its Aftermath: the Past and Future of American Affluence" (2008). In addition, a collection of his columns was published in 2001 under the title, "Untruth: Why the Conventional Wisdom Is (Almost Always) Wrong."

During his career, Samuelson has won a number of awards, including a National Magazine Award in 1981, the Gerald Loeb Award for Best Commentary in 1982, 1986 and 1996, and the National Headliner Award for Consistently Outstanding Columns on One Subject in 1987, 1992, 1993 and 1995. He was a finalist in 1998 for the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary.

Samuelson graduated from Harvard College in 1967 with an B.A. in government (political science). He is married to Judith Herr. They have three children-and live in Bethesda, Maryland.