Archive
What the GOP’s Putting Under Corporate America’s Tree
Given the commitment House Republicans profess to balancing the federal budget, you'd think tax breaks for profitable businesses would be a low priority. But this holiday season, they’re set to vote for a two-year, $96 billion package of tax breaks — 80 percent of...
Turning the USA into the OK Corral
People say this is a do-nothing Congress. That’s unfair. Why, the sirens in San Bernardino had hardly gone silent before lawmakers were clamoring about a bill that might address the confluence of mental health problems and potential gun buyers. And if that draconian...
What the Red Cup Controversy Really Says about Christmas in America
I happened to be visiting the first-ever Starbucks in Seattle a few weeks ago when a mini-controversy erupted: There were no Christmas trees or snowflakes on this season's holiday Starbucks coffee cups. The horror! Facebook exploded with comments, as did Twitter. Even...
Don’t Be a Fossil-Foolish Investor
Investors who choose to steer clear of oil, gas, and coal are protecting their portfolios in the short term and the long run. Who has divested lately? The fast-growing list includes the University of California, insurance giant Allianz, the German city of Munster, and...
It’s Time to Fire Trump
I’m white. So is Donald Trump. I work as a teaching assistant in a sociology course on race while I pursue a PhD. Trump alone provides enough material to supply half my curriculum. Over the years, he's said he thinks he'd be better off if he were "a well-educated...
Put This Coal Kingpin in the Stocks
Disgraced coal baron Don Blankenship didn't get what he deserves in his recent federal trial. But he richly deserves what he got. “Guilty,” declared all 12 West Virginia jurors, who convicted this arrogant and avaricious former CEO of Massey Energy of willfully...
All-American Bullet
Pink Ribbons and Corporate PR Won’t Cure Cancer
Must everything be commercialized — even cancer? That’s a question more and more women suffering from breast cancer are asking about the so-called “pinkification” of their disease. They're referring to the ubiquitous breast cancer awareness campaign that uses pink...
In OtherWords: December 2, 2015
This week in OtherWords, I explain why building more nuclear reactors can't fix the climate crisis, Chuck Collins points out that our nation's richest 400 people now have more money than the bottom 60 percent of Americans combined, and John Kiriakou delves into the...
Have We Hit Peak Inequality?
When should we be alarmed about so much wealth in so few hands? The Great Recession and its anemic recovery only deepened the economic inequality that's drawn so much attention in its wake. Nearly all wealth and income gains since then have flowed to the top one-tenth...
