This week, the Emmy Awards honored the late Norman Lear, the legendary screenwriter and All in the Family creator who passed away late last year at age 101.
Lear was more than a great producer or entertainer — he was a citizen. As Svante Myrick recalls this week, Lear founded People for the American Way (PFAW) 40 years ago to fight back against what he regarded as the growing threats to American rights, liberties, and economic security from a dangerous far right movement.
Now the head of PFAW, Svante reflects on his unlikely friendship with the much older Lear, whom Svante calls “the most deeply principled and decent human I ever met.” Don’t miss Svante’s moving tribute to Lear and the late icon’s vision of America.
Also this week, Chuck Collins reports some shocking new findings that rich people own pretty much the entire stock market and explains how to fix it. And Clara Moore, noting that lawmakers are considering bringing back a version of the expanded Child Tax Credit, shares how the credit changed her life for the better.
New This Week…
I Still Believe in Norman Lear’s America | Svante Myrick
Ours was an unlikely friendship. But the late Hollywood legend, honored at this year’s Emmys, was the most principled and decent person I ever met.
The Rich Own Nearly All Stocks. Here’s How We Level the Playing Field. | Chuck Collins
The bottom half of Americans now own just 1 percent of household stock market wealth. “Baby bonds” could change that.
The Child Tax Credit Changed My Life. Lawmakers Have a Chance to Bring it Back. | Clara Moore
Poverty is a policy choice by lawmakers with warped priorities. Now they have a chance to choose better, if only modestly.
Cartoon: Tweedledee vs. Tweedledum | Khalil Bendib
On the Middle East, the current White House occupant isn’t doing much to distinguish himself from his predecessor.
In Case You Missed It…
MLK Would Have Been 95 This Year. Let’s Make His Dream a Reality. | Dedrick Asante-Muhammad and Chuck Collins
King’s lifetime saw substantial economic progress for Black Americans, but in our century progress has slowed to a crawl. Here’s how we get it back on track.
Civilian Casualties in Gaza Are No Accident | Mitchell Zimmerman
Israeli leaders have openly endorsed starving, killing, and displacing Palestinian civilians — and that’s what they’re doing. Is Biden listening?
The Case for Free Public Transit | Liam Crisan
Cities across the U.S. have been embracing a bold new transit policy: zero fares. The results are promising.
Biden’s New Transit Rule Is Good News for People and the Planet | LeeAnn Hall
The administration rolled out a new rule to make sure federal transit dollars are invested in sustainable projects that create local jobs and allow communities to be part of the solution.
