Category Archives: Economic Justice
an affluent activist at occupy wall street says: raise her taxes!
Occupy Wall Street … Here’s my latest article for The Valley Advocate, about 1%er Jessie Spector, the Program Director at Resource Generation, who was arrested participating in the Occupy Wall Street protests, against her financial interest. RAISE HER TAXES Earlier … Continue reading
don’t look now, it’s media coverage of economic inequality! part two
Further congratulations to the folks at the Institute for Policy Studies, whose “Executive Excess 2011” report continues to make waves in the media. Thanks in part, no doubt, to the recent hoopla around the “Warren Buffett Rule,” proposing higher taxes … Continue reading
don’t look now, it’s media coverage of economic inequality!
While media coverage of economic inequality seems to occur with less frequency than hurricanes blowing though New York City, today appears to be the anomaly. Several publications, including The Washington Post, The New York Times, and Politico have all run stories … Continue reading
inside job: everything you ever wanted to know about the economy but were afraid to ask
I finally watched the (Oscar-winning) documentary Inside Job, “the first film to expose the shocking truth behind the economic crisis of 2008″ (that continues today). The film’s conclusion (spoiler alert!): we have a “Wall Street government,” and have since the … Continue reading
Filed under Accountable Wealth, American Dream, Economic Justice
matt damon for president! (or at least secretary of the treasury)
As Doc Brown observed in the 1985 film Back to the Future: “Ronald Reagan? The actor [is President of the United States]? Then who’s Vice-President? Jerry Lewis? I suppose Jane Wyman is the First Lady! … And Jack Benny is Secretary … Continue reading
quote of the intermittent time period: james baldwin on the debt ceiling deal
Yesterday President Obama signed the bill that allows an increase in the debt ceiling. Yesterday was also the birthday of the late, great James Baldwin, who once made this comment, not about the recent political circus around the debt ceiling … Continue reading
scott russell sanders breaks “the spell of money”
There’s an intriguing new essay by Scott Russell Sanders in the current issue of Orion, called “Breaking the Spell of Money,” which looks at an irony of wealth, and the corresponding challenge that the extremely affluent are failing to meet. … Continue reading
Filed under Accountable Wealth, Activism, Class, Economic Justice, Social Change
democracy vs. aristocracy
Check out this telling graphic from United for a Fair Economy, which makes me wonder: in a society where the political campaign prerequisites (read: money) are making it more and more difficult for most people to get elected as political representatives, … Continue reading
i’d like to buy the kochs a world …
Freedom. Opportunity. “The pursuit of happiness.” But what happens when the pursuit of one person’s happiness infringes on the opportunity of another person? When the agenda of one group of people reduces the freedom of another group’s aspirations? Conflict. Oppression. … Continue reading
Filed under American Dream, Class, Economic Justice, Economic Opportunity, Social Change
the wisdom of david simon: economic intelligence from the creator of the wire
I may be a bit slow to the proverbial party here (or there, or everywhere), but it’s only in the past week that I’ve become aware of the astute societal observations of David Simon. Simon is best known as the … Continue reading
Filed under Class, Community Investing, Economic Justice, Fair Taxation, Social Change
