A vote to advance the For the People Act in the Senate just failed to clear an all-Republican filibuster, even as the bill got the 50 votes it should have needed to pass. This week in OtherWords, I explain how the arcane filibuster is endangering our democracy.
Also this week, in the wake of stunning revelations about Jeff Bezos and other billionaires often paying no income taxes, Sarah Anderson argues this could provide the momentum we need to unrig the tax code.
Meanwhile, Jill Richardson explains the cynical politics of the war on “critical race theory.” And Khalil Bendib thinks the war on democracy isn’t abroad, but at home.
Finally, in the latest in our series of op-eds by impacted writers, Iraq vet T.J. Thompson talks about how he joined the military to get out of poverty — only to realize that sky-high military budgets were part of the reason people like him grew up impoverished in the first place. With the Fourth of July coming up, it’s an essential read — don’t miss it!
New This Week…
We Can Have the Filibuster or Democracy, But Not Both | Peter Certo
The warning from democracy advocates is clear: Kill the filibuster and pass the For the People Act, or our democracy won’t survive.
To Fight Poverty, Cut the Pentagon Budget | T.J. Thompson
For me, the military wasn’t a way out of poverty. Instead, militarism is why so many of us are poor in the first place.
Now’s the Time to Unrig the Tax Code | Sarah Anderson
Leaked IRS data proves the rumors are true: Many billionaires pay no income taxes. Will that spur reform?
The Cynical War on ‘Critical Race Theory’ | Jill Richardson
One conservative activist is weaponizing resentment over diversity trainings into an all-out, red-baiting culture war.
Democracy Or Autocracy? | Khalil Bendib
Will Biden warns about China and Russia, the real war on democracy is here at home.
In Case You Missed It…
50 Years Later, End the War on Drugs | Ellen Grover
Nixon’s War on Drugs turned out to be a war on people. President Biden should end it once and for all.
Black Churches Can Lead the Way on Voting Rights | Rev. Susan K. Smith and Rev. Levon C. Manzie
This is the civil rights issue of our time, and it’s a fight we can and must win.
Reagan’s Legacy for Women | Martha Burk
The 40th president died 17 years ago this month. For women, his legacy is a bitter harvest.
We Don’t Need Another Oil Pipeline | Sonali Kolhatkar
The fight over a northern Minnesota pipeline project could have global repercussions.
