Costs for the war in Iran continue to mount for the global economy, U.S. consumers, and perhaps soon enough, taxpayers.
This week in OtherWords, Lindsay Koshgarian highlights the Pentagon’s shocking $200 billion request to fund the war. That’s more than enough, she notes, to restore health insurance and SNAP benefits to everyone losing them under the Trump administration’s “Big Beautiful Bill.” And it’s pretty rich coming from an agency that just blew tens of millions of dollars on steak, lobster, crab, and other luxuries while Americans struggled to afford the basics.
“Too many Americans are hungry, sick, and struggling to afford housing and other necessities. We should spend our tax dollars meeting those needs,” Lindsay argues. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth “can cut back on steak and lobster if he needs the extra cash.”
Also this week, Chisom Okorafor gives a young person’s perspective on the war. As Gen Z comes of age battling a bad job market and rising prices, the war is “clouding a future we already worried would be bad,” she writes.
Finally, Jordan Liz lays out the dangers to voters from the so-called “SAVE America Act.” And Amanda Claire Starbuck argues that while President Trump has embraced the “Make America Healthy Again” movement, his administration “keeps siding with Big Ag and toxic pesticide producers that are making Americans sick.”
New This Week…
Our Tax Dollars Should Be Funding Our Communities, Not Trump’s War | Lindsay Koshgarian
For what the Pentagon wants for this war, we could easily restore SNAP and Medicaid benefits to struggling Americans.
The Iran War Is a Disaster for Young People | Chisom Okorafor
For Generation Z, the war in Iran is clouding the future we already worried would be bad.
The SAVE America Act Would Rig Our Elections | Jordan Liz
The bill would prevent millions of eligible Americans from voting — all to pave the way for authoritarianism and bigotry.
To Make America Healthy Again, Break Up Big Ag | Amanda Claire Starbuck
Despite the MAHA rhetoric, President Trump keeps siding with Big Ag and toxic pesticide producers that are making Americans sick.
In Case You Missed It…
Rural Residents Face the Biggest Risks from Postal Delays | Sarah Anderson
If the post office stops postmarking your mail the day you drop it off, that can lead to late fees, unpaid bills, and even uncounted ballots.
People Look Out for Each Other. It’s the Government That’s Letting Us Down. | Casey Tobias
Even the most dedicated volunteers can’t fill the enormous hole left by federal cuts to the safety net.
We Went on Rent Strike and Won | Cynthia Barlow
My fellow tenants and I were able to win rent relief and repairs at Bowen Tower Apartments in Raytown, Missouri. Maybe you can, too.
AI and Big Tech Are Flooding Middle America with Bribes | Jim Hightower
Data center hucksters are trying to buy state lawmakers in bulk because the public doesn’t buy what they’re selling.
