With the American Rescue Plan passed and pandemic relief underway, we look this week at a few other national crises crying out for legislative attention.
Phyllis Richardson explains the war on voting rights underway in her state of Georgia — and 43 states across the country. Pass the For the People Act, she says. Phil Ateto shares a personal story about a harrowing battle with his insurance company over cancer treatment. Pass Medicare for All, he says. And Robin Savannah Carver wonders why Republicans who want to oppose LGBTQ equality keep talking about high school sports. Pass the Equality Act, she says.
Also this week, we look at anti-Asian bias and racism in the wake of last week’s shooting in Atlanta.
Jill Richardson shares how learning Chinese helped her see all kinds of everyday anti-Asian bias. Cartoonist Khalil Bendib points the finger at the last president’s coronavirus scapegoating. And I offer a short personal piece comparing the climate facing Chinese and Asian-Americans today to the one facing the Arab American and Muslim communities leading up to the Iraq War, which turned 18 this month.
New This Week…
The Worst Attack on Voting Rights Since Jim Crow | Phyllis Richardson
Most Americans want to make voting easier, not harder. We need to pass the For the People Act.
Medicare for All Could Save My Life | Phil Ateto
My insurance says my cancer drugs aren’t “medically necessary.” No one should have to fight for care like this.
I Want Civil Rights. They Want to Talk About Sports. | Robin Savannah Carver
Republicans are leveraging public ignorance about trans people to deny Queer Americans basic civil rights.
The Day I Became Antiwar | Peter Certo
A personal recollection on the day that launched the Iraq War — and its lessons for us 18 years later.
Anti-Asian Bias Is Pervasive | Jill Richardson
When I studied Chinese two decades ago, I couldn’t believe how white peers reacted. Imagine how Asian Americans feel.
The Real Virus | Khalil Bendib
The last administration was a superspreader of anti-Asian racism.
In Case You Missed It…
Water Is Life. Can We Protect It? | Robin Broad and John Cavanagh
Americans will have to fight hard to protect their water from corporate greed. They can learn a lot from El Salvador.
COVID Relief: The Biggest Health Care Expansion in a Decade | Olivia Alperstein
The American Rescue Plan will help over 1 million uninsured Americans get covered — and cut premiums by half for millions more.
We All Need Transit — Whether We Ride It or Not | Samantha Garcia
Without public transit, I couldn’t have gotten my degree. And all of us need it to keep our planet livable.
Biden’s Relief Package Is a Huge Victory for Workers | Rebekah Entralgo
It’s one of the largest antipoverty programs ever passed — and will save worker pensions throughout the Midwest.
