Archive
In OtherWords: April 18, 2018
This weekend, the U.S. once again struck out at Syrian regime targets over the alleged use of chemicals weapons. This week in OtherWords, I argue that when you look at the big picture, there's no remotely humanitarian justification for the strikes. Also this week,...
There Was Nothing Humanitarian About Our Strikes on Syria
Just after midnight on April 14, the U.S. and its allies bombed three Syrian regime targets. The reason, they said, was to punish Syria’s alleged use of chemical weapons in the town of Douma. Now, the Syrian regime’s brutality has been well documented. Maybe the...
Five Tax Myths Debunked
Tax Day has come and gone. Maybe you have a big bill from Uncle Sam or maybe you got a fat refund. Either way, it’s easy to get lost in the noise from pundits and politicians who thrive on the tax code's complexity. This is made even harder by the right-wing groups...
Christian Nationalism: Good for Politicians, Bad for America and the World
White evangelical Christians voted overwhelmingly for Donald Trump, despite his well-documented character flaws and moral failings. It turns out that their support wasn’t just about hatred of Hillary Clinton or Trump’s promise to give them the Supreme Court of their...
Another Counterproductive Assault on Food Stamps
Once again, Republicans are taking aim at poor people. What is it this time? Adding a stricter work requirement to receive what used to be known as food stamps. (Today it's known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, but that just doesn't have the same...
Life Comes at You Fast. Plan Ahead.
For some 45 years, it’s been my good fortune to team up with Susan DeMarco — my cohort, companion, and co-conspirator in all things progressive and fun. But life comes at you fast… often including an abrupt end to life. Sadly, after a blood clot had slammed into her...
Diplomacy at Last
In OtherWords: April 11, 2018
It's Tax Day this week. In OtherWords, Lindsay Koshgarian has some stunning facts about where your tax dollars go: the military. Or, more specifically, to private corporations that sell ludicrously expensive things to the military. If you're an average taxpayer, she...
It’s Time to Cut the Contractors Loose
How much of your paycheck do you plan to hand over to corporate Pentagon contractors this year? The average American taxpayer will have paid $14,520 in federal income taxes in 2017. And that’s not even including the taxes that every working person pays to take care of...
Teacher Strikes Are About a Lot More Than Paychecks
Teachers across the United States are having a moment. Educators are building on the momentum from West Virginia, where striking teachers won a 5 percent pay raise for state employees. Now the protests have spread to Arizona, Kentucky, Oklahoma, and the nation’s...
