As far as I know, yesterday’s address by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was the first time Congress invited an accused war criminal to address lawmakers in the nation’s capital.
That’s not just overblown rhetoric. As Farrah Hassen notes this week, the International Court of Justice has found it “plausible” that Israel’s government is committing genocide in Gaza — and the prosecutor for the International Criminal Court is seeking to obtain a warrant for Netanyahu’s arrest.
“But instead of arresting him,” Farrah writes, “Congress gave him multiple standing ovations” as Netanyahu shirked responsibility for the violence in Gaza, belittled Americans who opposed the war, and demanded more U.S. taxpayer-funded weapons — which, as Farrah adds, have turned up at the scene of some of the war’s worst recent massacres. “To avoid complicity in war crimes and genocide, these shipments must end,” she argues.
That’s a position supported by the vast majority of Americans outside of Congress. “The voices of the American people deserve more respect in Congress than Netanyahu’s lies and demands,” Farrah concludes. “We must not allow ourselves to become a nation that applauds mass murder.”
Also this week, A.J. Schumann and Omar Ocampo explain why AI probably won’t take your job soon — but unless workers take action, it might make work a lot more unpleasant. Meanwhile Sarah Anderson and Natalia Renta explain how the Biden administration can make sure all that taxpayer money for semiconductors funds jobs that are actually good, rather than sky-high CEO pay.
Finally, cartoonist Khalil Bendib sums up the state of the presidential race.
New This Week…
The U.S. Must Stop Arming Israel | Farrah Hassen
Congress should listen to the American people, not an Israeli prime minister who may be guilty of war crimes.
AI Probably Won’t Take Your Job, But Might Make It Worse | A.J. Schumann and Omar Ocampo
AI hasn’t shown that it can replace many workers — only that it can spy on them. Fortunately, workers are fighting back.
Semiconductor Jobs Are Coming. Here’s How to Make Them Good. | Sarah Anderson and Natalia Renta
We need stronger guardrails to make sure companies don’t blow our tax dollars on stock buybacks and sky-high CEO pay.
CARTOON: Biden Quits | Khalil Bendib
The outgoing president’s departure from the race may disappoint his rivals more than his admirers.
In Case You Missed It…
Project 2025’s Plan to Gut Medicare and Medicaid | Sonali Kolhatkar
Conservatives are planning to slash the health care plans that millions of low-income and senior Americans rely on.
The Solution to Homelessness is Housing | The Supreme Court just greenlit cruel measures to arrest and prosecute unhoused people. Instead, lawmakers should invest in what really works.
It’s Time for a Child Allowance, No Strings Attached | Tia Simmons
When children’s basic needs are met, they thrive. It’s time we got serious about investing in them.
Libraries Are Cornerstones of Our Communities — And They Need Our Help | Georgia Jensen
Public libraries promote literacy, fight poverty, and enrich our lives. It’s up to us to protect them from political attacks.
