This week, Donald Trump hosted El Salvador’s authoritarian president Nayib Bukele in the Oval Office, where the two gleefully refused to release an innocent Maryland man the U.S. mistakenly — and illegally — kidnapped and deported to a brutal Salvadoran mega-prison. Trump even defied his own Supreme Court justices, who unanimously ordered the U.S. to “facilitate” the man’s release.
We’ll have more to say about all that soon. Meanwhile, Trump’s allies on Capitol Hill are readying another round of tax cuts for billionaires and corporations, which advocates warn could lead to a “fiscal tsunami” for the states — especially as the last bit of federal COVID aid expires. This week in OtherWords, Amber Wallin shares how several states are trying to outrun this tsunami by passing more progressive tax codes — while a few others go the other direction.
Also this week, Deacon Jim Vargas, who runs a large homelessness resource center, shares about the links between treating substance use disorder and homelessness — and urges more compassionate policies toward both. And Jim Hightower spells out how billionaire Elon Musk is trying to gut Americans’ retirement benefits.
New This Week…
With Congress Preparing a “Fiscal Tsunami,” States Can Choose Differently | Amber Wallin
GOP lawmakers want to slash taxes on the rich and services for the rest. But several states are showing there’s another path.
To End Homelessness, Invest in Harm Reduction | Jim Vargas
Homelessness and substance use disorder are closely linked, but many people struggling with both are unable to get the help they need.
Trump and Musk Are Trying to Kill Social Security | Jim Hightower
While Trump pretends he wants to save Social Security, Elon Musk is strangling the program with bureaucratic red tape.
In Case You Missed It…
The “Hands Off” Rallies Were Patriotism in Action | Peter Montgomery
The gatherings were a call to our fellow Americans to defend what’s best about our country.
If You Think Eggs Are Expensive, Wait Till You See Trump’s Pentagon Budget | Lindsay Koshgarian
Breaking down your tax bill in terms of egg prices.
Libraries Are Priceless — And They Need Our Support | Aspen Coriz-Romero
Slashing federal library funding will have devastating repercussions, especially in rural areas and small towns.
Trump’s War on Federal Workers Is a Threat to Black Families | Tyler Mitchell and Dedrick Asante-Muhammad
Federal employment has been key to creating a Black middle class. That progress is now under threat — along with services all Americans rely on.
