As the days tick down on the hottest summer in recorded history, Washington is gearing up for yet another budget fight and potential shutdown. The two events are connected, although not perhaps in the way they should be.
As my colleagues Lindsay Koshgarian and Alliyah Lusuegro argue this week, getting serious on climate means re-prioritizing our federal budget. We can’t keep over-funding the military — the most carbon-intensive institution on the planet, they explain — while short-changing climate solutions. “Climate change is the fight of our lifetime. It’s time we spent our money like we knew that,” they write.
Also this week, Sonali Kolhatkar breaks down the demands of America’s striking autoworkers and finds that they’re not only reasonable, they’d actually be a win-win for automakers. But sometimes CEO’s won’t see reason without a good strike, she argues.
Finally, Jim Hightower skewers the latest right-wing outrage cycle over an utterly non-existent federal two-beer limit.
New This Week…
Climate Is the Fight of Our Lifetime. Our Federal Budget Should Reflect That. | Lindsay Koshgarian and Alliyah Lusuegro
More than half of discretionary spending goes to the military. Only a tiny fraction addresses the most urgent threat to our security.
Meeting Union Demands Would Be a Win-Win for Automakers | Sonali Kolhatkar
But with corporations insistent on squeezing more profits no matter the cost, strikes are inevitable — and necessary.
An Attack Weaker Than Near Beer | Jim Hightower
Rather than tackle the issues, conservatives are fulminating against a federal two-beer limit that simply doesn’t exist.
Cartoon: Boiling Frogs | Khalil Bendib
The indifference of the Trumps and Manchins of the world is turning up the heat on Americans.
In Case You Missed It…
Poverty Just Jumped — And It Was No Accident | Lakeisha McVey
I’ve lived and studied poverty most of my life. But you don’t have to be an expert to see why it’s spiking after lawmakers let antipoverty programs expire.
Bogus ‘Edutainment’ May Be Coming to a Classroom Near You | Svante Myrick
A far-right propaganda network is churning out subpar, silly, and inaccurate school curricula. Here’s how to fight back for our children’s future.
End Wealth Supremacy | Marjorie Kelly
15 years after the collapse of Lehman Brothers, Wall Street is as predatory as ever. But a more democratic economy could be rising all around us.
End This Witch Hunt Against Teachers and Librarians | Jim Hightower
Texas is leading a push to reduce education to mere obedience training for a compliant, subservient workforce.
