By Samantha Garcia | – ( Inequality.org) – Since the Industrial Revolution, the United States has single-handedly accounted for a quarter of all CO2 emissions produced. As Congress negotiates the details of a historic budget reconciliation package, lawmakers have an opportunity to reverse course, but large fossil fuel corporations are conspiring with politicians through corporate […]
The Labor Day Dreams of Black Workers
By Marc Bayard, Sarah Anderson and Rebekah Entralgo | – As our second pandemic Labor Day approaches, Black worker leaders are determined to never again bear the brunt of a national crisis as they have under Covid-19. At least four U.S. employees have now been killed as they tried to enforce mask mandates — and […]
Jeff Bezos Should Have Thanked American Taxpayers for Paying for His Space Ride
By Scott Klinger | – ( Inequality.org ) – Shortly after emerging from his 10-minute space flight last week, Jeff Bezos thanked Amazon customers and employees for their primary role in paying for his Blue Origin joyride to the edge of space. The Amazon founder’s comments quickly elicited scorn from many employees who toil in […]
Around the World, Excessive Corporate Power Breeds Political Repression
By Manuel Perez-Rocha | – Free trade agreements and other neoliberal economic rules grant excessive privileges to transnational corporations, elevating their narrow interests above people’s livelihoods and the environment. Beyond mere economic prescriptions, neoliberalism also embraces repressive and anti-democratic measures. We are increasingly seeing this in the Northern Triangle of Central America, which includes Honduras, […]
The Decades-Long Struggle Over Big Corporations and Poverty Wages
By Phil Mattera | – ( Inequality.org ) – The Senate Parliamentarian dealt a strong blow to the Fight for $15 movement by ruling that a federal minimum wage increase could be included in the stimulus bill. Senator Bernie Sanders is pushing back with an amendment to take tax deductions away from large, profitable corporations […]
If We Want to Renew Democracy, We Need to Tax the Ultra-Wealthy
By Madeleine Johnsson | – ( Inequality.org ) – Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Rep. Pramila Jayapal’s Ultra-Millionaire Tax Act of 2021, introduced March 1, could not be a more timely reminder that the United States needs serious policy changes to address massive wealth and income inequality. While eight million Americans slipped into poverty and half […]
Taxes on the Rich: One-Sixth of What They Used to Be
By Bob Lord and Chuck Collins | – ( Inequality.org) – America hasn’t stopped taxing its wealthiest citizens entirely. But that’s where we’re headed. According to a new IPS briefing paper, the richest .01 percent of Americans, about 33,000 lucky souls today, now pay just one-sixth of what they used to pay in tax, when […]
Facing Holiday Rush, Frontlines Retail Workers Urge Billionaire Bosses to Share the Wealth
By Chuck Collins | – ( Inequality.org) – This essential workforce is hustling to help holiday shoppers while also organizing hazard pay and other COVID-19 protections. This Cyber Monday, frontline essential workers will be hustling to help holiday shoppers — while also fighting for dignity, hazard pay, and other protections as COVID-19 infection rates spike […]
The Federal Gov’t owns 92% of Student Debt. Will Biden Wipe it Out?
By Sarah Anderson and Margot Rathke | – ( Inequality.org) – Washington is abuzz with ideas for actions the Biden-Harris administration could take that would not require Congressional approval. One of the buzziest: cancellation of student debts owed to the federal government. The U.S. Department of Education owns about 92 percent of the $1.6 trillion […]