This week, while Amazon workers went without bathroom breaks, Jeff Bezos went to space — briefly. Fellow billionaires Elon Musk and Richard Branson have also set their sights on the stars.
In OtherWords, Sam Pizzigati reflects on what the “billionaire space race” says about ballooning inequality in this country and wonders: Should we even let them come back to earth?
All three billionaires have relied heavily on tax breaks and other favors from the government, but why should they have all the fun? This month, millions of ordinary families got a real, no-strings attached federal deposit in their bank accounts. Domenica Ghanem shares stories from several Americans who are benefiting from a historic expansion of the child tax credit — and argues that it should be made permanent.
Elsewhere, Elisa McCartin reports on job losses in Janesville, Wisconsin. But this isn’t just an old story about factories going under, she writes. It’s a story about how Wall Street-backed private equity firms are killing jobs across the country — and how to stop them.
Also this week, Medea Benjamin and Leonardo Flores explain how the Biden administration should respond to protests in Cuba. Jill Richardson links farm worker deaths to climate change and our centuries-old agricultural model. And Khalil Bendib says “moderate” Democrats are complicit in the GOP’s attacks on democracy.
New This Week…
The Billionaire Space Race Is a Wake-Up Call | Sam Pizzigati
Bored billionaires want tax breaks to escape a planet they helped pollute. Should we even let them back?
The Mom and Pop Tax Break | Domenica Ghanem
This month, millions of U.S. parents will get direct deposits in their bank accounts. There’s no catch.
Rein In Private Equity Before It Destroys More Jobs | Elisa McCartin
The Hufcor plant in Janesville, Wisconsin was profitable before investors gobbled it up. Now it’s the latest highway robbery by private equity.
Cubans Are Suffering. Biden Needs to End the Embargo. | Medea Benjamin and Leonardo Flores
Biden should reverse Trump’s sanctions and call an end to 60 years of brutal economic warfare.
Farm Workers Are Dying. Blame Our Exploitative Food System. | Jill Richardson
Our food system is built on exploited labor — a problem that’s getting worse as the climate changes. What’s the solution?
Death By a Thousand Cuts | Khalil Bendib
The GOP’s war on democracy wouldn’t be possible without a few “moderate” Dems.
In Case You Missed It…
Don’t Go Small on Infrastructure | Shailly Gupta Barnes
By raising taxes on the wealthy and redirecting other public resources, we can meet everyone’s needs and strengthen our economy.
Sports Teams: The ‘Everlasting Tax Shelter’ | Bob Lord and Sarah Anderson
A perverse loophole allows owners of profitable teams — and their heirs — to lower their tax bills by claiming huge paper losses.
Historic Relief for American Families Is on Its Way to Your Bank Account | Karen Dolan
If you’re a parent, odds are you’ll be getting a direct deposit very soon.
Getting Out of Poverty Shouldn’t Be About Luck | Adriana Cadena
I grew up poor and undocumented. Here’s what I’ve learned.
