By now, you’ve probably read your fair share of election analyses. What happened and why?
Maybe it was the economy. Maybe Joe Biden shouldn’t have run for reelection in the first place. Maybe the Democrats should have had a primary. Or run left. Or right.
This week in OtherWords, Tracey L. Rogers cuts through the noise with a reminder. Donald Trump, she argues, won in 2024 the same way he did in 2016: by race-baiting, immigrant-bashing, and fear-mongering to turn Americans against each other. And keeping our democracy together, she says, will require uniting again.
Also this week, our writers take stock of the changing political landscape. Sonali Kolhatkar shows how the incoming Trump administration is already rewarding fossil fuel executives, with alarming results for consumers and the planet. And Chloe Medina shares what the Project 2025 agenda, which could devastate the social safety net, will mean for families like hers with a special needs kid.
Finally, Lindsay Koshgarian connects the military’s ongoing recruitment crisis to overspending on the military itself, which has starved other investments and left young Americans simply feeling down on their country. “We need to invest in a country worth fighting for,” she says.
New This Week…
Trump’s Already Rewarding Fossil Fuel CEOs. That’s Not Good for Consumers or the Planet. | Sonali Kolhatkar
If you think fossil fuel profits lead to better prices, then look again at the Biden administration.
Another ‘Whitelash’ Election | Tracey L. Rogers
The unmistakably racist tenor of Trump’s successful campaign poses a real challenge to the future of our multiracial democracy.
We Need to Invest in Families. Project 2025 Wants the Opposite. | Chloe Medina
I’m a mom of four and have a child with special needs. Conservatives are pushing harsh cuts to programs that families like mine rely on.
Want More Young People to Join the Military? Spend Less On It | Lindsay Koshgarian
We need to invest in a country worth fighting for, not endless wars and boondoggles for military contractors.
In Case You Missed It…
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.
