Pundits will debate the meaning of this year’s election for a long time. Why people support the candidates they do can often be a mystery even to those who know the subject best. But when it comes to ballot initiatives, the meaning can be be a good bit clearer.
This week in OtherWords, Sarah Anderson looks at how some of those ballot initiatives turned out this year. Voters in red and blue states alike, she writes, cast their votes to support progressive taxes on the rich, paid leave for workers, and more. “We have a choice: to focus on the bare branches or to appreciate the colorful leaves,” she concludes. “These state victories against inequality are some of the colorful leaves I’m appreciating.”
Also this week, Dori Goldberg reports from the front lines of the Teamsters’ union fight with Amazon in California. Nadia Hasan explains how stringent limits on disability aid make life harder for people with disabilities. Jim Hightower shares some good news about keeping private equity out of the housing market. And cartoonist Khalil Bendib images Washington as a freshly minted banana republic.
New This Week…
When Given a Choice, Voters Fought Back Against Inequality | Sarah Anderson
In red states as well as blue, voters passed ballot initiatives to tax the rich, fund long term care, and provide paid leave.
Most of Us Will Be Disabled Eventually. We Need Real Disability Benefits. | Nadia Hasan
The constant stress of simply getting minimal help and food is debilitating. It doesn’t have to be this way.
We’re Taking on America’s Most Anti-Union Company — And We’re Going to Win | Dori Goldberg
Amazon’s union busting crusade doesn’t scare us.
Mobile Home Residents Should Be Able to Buy Their Parks | Jim Hightower
A new Maine law offers a model for helping mobile home residents resist having their homes bought out from under them by Wall Street.
Cartoon: Banana Republic | Khalil Bendib
Lush new vegetation takes hold in Washington…
In Case You Missed It…
It Won’t Just Be Haitians Who Suffer From Anti-Immigrant Lies | Chisom Okorafor
Politicians are attempting to redefine who counts as an “American,” with my Black immigrant family and people like us on the outside.
To Secure Worker Rights, We Must Fix Our Democracy | Paul Sonn
Gerrymandering and the filibuster are holding back wage increases, the right to unionize, and other benefits for workers.
Aid Restrictions Hold Americans Back | Brazil Jefferson
I’m disabled and want to work. But if I earn “too much” — even if it’s not enough to live on — I’ll lose benefits. That’s not how it should be.
Cash is King: Why Cash is the Best Tool to End Poverty | Lakeisha McVey
Restrictive benefits and burdensome paperwork turn seeking help into a full-time job. Simple, direct cash payments are much more cost-effective.
