This week in OtherWords, Chuck Collins sizes up the frantic warnings about “socialism” or “communism” coming from some pundits and politicians.
It’s perfectly true, Chuck writes, that a new wave of self-described democratic socialists are running in states across the country — and some are even winning. But while critics usher in a new Red Scare, Chuck argues that voters are looking past these labels and trying to find solutions to their real-life problems.
“Across the planet there are countless flavors of capitalism and socialism, unique mashups of free markets and government policies,” he points out. “Communist” China is minting billionaires almost daily while “socialist” countries in Northern Europe boast healthy market economies and high rates of entrepreneurship alongside their generous welfare states. “If Fox News existed in the 1950s, they would’ve labeled Republican President Dwight Eisenhower a socialist for taxing the wealthy and making broad public investments,” Chuck quips.
Whatever you call it, what we’ve got in the United States isn’t working for countless Americans, who see the fabled “American Dream” slipping away and want to find a way to reclaim it. So “when someone brandishes the word “socialism’ like it’s a stink bomb,” Chuck urges, “take a courageous look at the actual ideas — higher taxes on the rich? Medicare for All? A raise for working people? — being proposed. There might be more common sense than you thought.”
Also this week, as kids head back to school, Kennith RaShaun Woods II encourages more school districts to adopt restorative justice approaches as an alternative to harsh policing in their classrooms. Sofia Leyba warns us against getting too used to ICE’s abuses. And Jim Hightower says poverty is sin of systems, not individuals.
New This Week…
Is It Socialism Or Just Common Sense? | Chuck Collins
Inequality has destroyed the American Dream. It’s no wonder many Americans want something different.
Kids Need Accountability and Support, Not Handcuffs | Kennith RaShaun Woods II
As students head back to school, more districts should consider disciplinary policies built around restorative justice, not retribution.
We’re Getting Dangerously Used to ICE Abuse | Sofia Leyba
No matter where you were born or how you feel about immigration, no government should have the power to kill or jail people with so little accountability.
The Moral Poverty of the Rich and Powerful | Jim Hightower
Poverty in the United States isn’t a sin of the individual. It’s the sin of a system.
In Case You Missed It…
AI’s Natural Gas Addiction Could Be Deadly for Communities | Todd Larsen
Tech companies should be bringing their own renewable energy to power data centers, not burning fossil fuels or driving up costs for consumers.
Stop Letting Credit Card Companies Squeeze Small Businesses | Carter Dougherty
Lobby groups are spending big to stop bipartisan legislation aimed at lowering the exorbitant “swipe fees” charged by the credit card industry.
The Fight Against Flock Cameras Is Just the Beginning | Farrah Hassen
As more communities wake up to the danger of mass surveillance, the solution isn’t trading one brand of camera for another. It’s regulating the whole industry.
When Disabled People Are Priced Out, We Lose More Than a Home | Janiah Miller
Disabled people like me rely on our neighbors to make day-to-day life possible. The high cost of housing threatens these relationships.
