This Election Wasn’t About Trump

This Election Wasn’t About Trump

When a political puck named Dick Tuck lost a California senate election in 1966, he famously conceded: “The people have spoken. The bastards.” So now that the people have spoken up for Donald Trump, were they saying that they embrace his xenophobic,...
Preying on Our Paychecks

Preying on Our Paychecks

Labor Day weekend should be a time for Americans to celebrate the economic achievements of workers with barbecues and beach trips. But with U.S. corporations routinely taking advantage of their low-wage employees, we might as well rename it Labor Exploitation Day. The...
Reagan Sold Your Future, Trump Will Too

Reagan Sold Your Future, Trump Will Too

Two generations ago, many white working-class Democrats bought into Ronald Reagan’s promise of a better nation. Eager for “morning in America” — and swayed by fear that advances for black people would come at their expense — they didn’t see that the shadow...
There’s No Such Thing as a ‘Free Market’

There’s No Such Thing as a ‘Free Market’

The debates leading up to the election this year will no doubt invoke the “American value” of capitalism. But what, exactly, does that mean? And what should it mean? I’m no economist, but I took a few economics courses while earning an undergraduate...
Dining Out? Here’s Some Food for Thought

Dining Out? Here’s Some Food for Thought

Americans now spend more on dining out than on groceries. But while we increasingly seek out organic and fair trade goods at the store, we usually don’t think about the social and environmental impacts of dining out. We should. The last time you ate at a restaurant,...