Archive
Less Beer, More Can
Anyone who says that America has lost its innovative edge in technology and manufacturing hasn't chugged a can of Bud recently. The buzz is back, baby! Well, actually, Budweiser is no longer American. It's now part of a Belgian outfit called Anheuser-Busch InBev, the...
This Week in OtherWords: May 15, 2013
This week in OtherWords, Jill Richardson warns readers gearing up for their summer barbecues about the rise of superbugs. Those antibiotic-resistant bacteria are getting hard to avoid if you buy meat in American supermarkets. We also have an op-ed by Raul A. Reyes on...
The Swinging Electorate
It's official: African Americans are the nation's most important swing state. Last summer, I predicted that the African American vote would tip the scales in the 2012 election of Barack Obama. My organization, the National Urban League, foresaw a continuation of a...
License to Kill
Regulations stink, right? Lots of politicians run on promises that they'll get rid of them to make way for an economic boom. Well, have you ever considered what our world would look like without regulations? In the early 20th century, almost all paint contained lead....
No Junior Partner
During his recent trip to Latin America, President Barack Obama made a herculean effort to suggest that his administration is forging a new relationship with Mexico and the rest of Latin America based on a partnership of equals. "Just as Mexico is being transformed,...
Uncle Sam: Please Tax the Titans
I’ve already told you the story of Mrs. Campbell, my well-meaning high school guidance counselor. In case you missed it, I’ll tell you again. High school seniors in Detroit, where I grew up, had career counseling before they were turned loose on society. You took...
A Primer for Taming Corporate Power
The 79-year-old corporate gadfly Robert Monks, the former top federal regulator over America's pension system, earlier this year opined that Corporate America operates "for the personal enrichment and glorification of its manager-kings." Too harsh a judgment? Hardly....
Those Uninvited Guests at Your Barbecue
Planning a Memorial Day barbecue? When you buy meat for that festive meal, watch out for some uninvited guests. An alarming amount of American meat harbors not just pathogens, but "superbugs" — antibiotic-resistant bacteria. For now, you'd better cook your meat well...
The Parched Truth about American Jobs
At last, some excellent economic news for folks long-mired in the stagnant labor market. "Jobs Spring Back," exclaimed a typical headline on recent reports that 165,000 private-sector jobs were added in April. Wow — the thunderous, three-year boom of prosperity that...
Don’t Fence Me In
No job now, Provides the pay, To let me find, A place to stay. Many folks with big incomes are responding to the tensions of America's growing economic inequality by moving into gated communities. This isn't new, just growing more common. Ten percent of us are already...
