Archive
In OtherWords: September 7, 2016
It's been more than 130 years since the first Labor Day was celebrated to honor the achievements of American workers. But not everyone got to enjoy a long weekend. In fact, it's low-wage workers who are the least likely to get paid time off. Martha Burk says we might...
Presidential Politics and CEO Pay
Politicians love to beat up on overpaid CEOs. In the wake of the 2008 financial crash, Republican presidential candidate John McCain lashed out at executives of bailed-out banks, calling for their pay to be cut to the salary level of the President of the United...
Preying on Our Paychecks
Labor Day weekend should be a time for Americans to celebrate the economic achievements of workers with barbecues and beach trips. But with U.S. corporations routinely taking advantage of their low-wage employees, we might as well rename it Labor Exploitation Day. The...
Washing Our Hands of Toxins
Some people love to hate government regulations. Many believe they're just bureaucratic barriers that waste our time. But the Food and Drug Administration just passed a new regulation that'll actually protect us, and may save you a few bucks and an unnecessary...
Trump’s Tall Tax Tales
An old saying asserts that falsehoods come in three escalating levels: Lies, damn lies, and statistics. But now there’s an even higher category of lies: a Donald Trump speech. Take his recent address on specific economic policies he'd push to benefit hard-hit working...
Kaepernick’s Patriotism
In OtherWords: August 31, 2016
Despite France's highest administrative court ruling that mayors don't have a right to ban the burkini, French mayors continue to crack down on the swimsuits designed for Muslim women. "If you don't want to live the way we do," one mayor said, "don't come." This week,...
The Cure for A Taxing Allergy
Millions of families live in constant dread of what an unexpected encounter — with a bee or a food additive or even a dye — could bring. One slip, and breathing could quickly become difficult, or a heartbeat dangerously low. Severe allergies, untreated, can kill. But...
Left to Die in the Streets
As eighteen-year-old Paul O’Neal lay facedown with a pool of blood collecting at the back of his t-shirt, police officers gathered around. None of the officers attempted to administer first aid. None attempted to call for medical assistance. None evidenced even the...
Reagan Sold Your Future, Trump Will Too
Two generations ago, many white working-class Democrats bought into Ronald Reagan’s promise of a better nation. Eager for "morning in America" — and swayed by fear that advances for black people would come at their expense — they didn’t see that the shadow of a long...
