This week, the House censured Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), the only Palestinian American in Congress, in a disturbing rebuke of her calls for a ceasefire to stop the fighting in Gaza.
But it’s the lawmakers who condemned Tlaib who should be chastened, Farrah Hassen writes in OtherWords this week. Farrah points out that two-thirds of Americans support a ceasefire and tens of thousands of us are now regularly joining rallies calling for one. “Our elected officials must listen to the majority of American people who are demanding peace,” she writes, not waste time punishing speech.
Meanwhile, Bilal Baydoun offers a clear-eyed explanation of why the Fed’s focus on “inflation” misses the mark when it comes to what’s really driving higher prices for Americans. “The Fed can’t build more homes, break up price-gouging corporate monopolies, or lower the cost of prescription drugs. But it can make life even more expensive” for ordinary people, he writes. What we need instead is public investment and corporate regulation.
Also this week, Sam Pizzigati explains why the UAW’s contract win could have global significance. Jim Hightower points out the Big Pharma ties of the new House Speaker. And cartoonist Khalil Bendib imagines Donald Trump governing from a prison cell.
New This Week…
Americans Want a Ceasefire. It’s Our Politicians Who Are Out of Touch | Farrah Hassen
Our elected officials should listen to the two-thirds of Americans calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.
It’s Time to Talk About Affordability, Not Just Inflation | Bilal Baydoun
Regulation and public investment are a better response to high prices than more interest rate hikes.
The Global Significance of the UAW’s Win | Sam Pizzigati
The watershed agreements America’s auto workers won could inspire working people here and abroad. And that’s by design.
Mike Johnson’s Revolving Door | Jim Hightower
Man of the people? The new House Speaker just appointed Big Pharma’s top lobbyist as his policy director.
Cartoon: Hands in the Cookie Jar(s) | Khalil Bendib
If Donald Trump trudges to victory in 2024, he may have to govern from a prison cell.
In Case You Missed It…
Don’t Silence Palestinian Voices | Sarah Gertler
The absence of Palestinians and their advocates from news coverage isn’t just unfair. As a Jewish American, I think it’s harmful.
School Lunches Should Be Free | Sonali Kolhatkar
During the pandemic, schools were allowed to treat the idea of feeding students to be as essential as educating them. That’s how it should be all the time.
Let’s Trash Junk Fees | Sarah Anderson
President Biden is cracking down on deceptive fees that cost American consumers tens of billions of dollars a year.
The Price of Amazon’s “Prime” Business Model Is Our Bodies | Denise Kohr
The billion-dollar company profits off pushing workers like me to our physical limits — only to ignore us when we’re hurt on the job.
