Author: From the Wire
Mine waste dams threaten the environment, even when they don’t fail
“These ecosystem modifications directly affect organisms on land and in the water downstream. Every decision to allow a mine to proceed with a tailings storage facility indelibly transforms rivers and their ecosystems for hundreds to thousands…
The lie of health care ‘choice’
In our corporate-run health system, consumer “choices” are shaped entirely by profit-seeking monopolists. By Jim Hightower | February 19, 2020 Lyndon Johnson had a saying about special interests trying to get his support to pass some…
Letter from Winona LaDuke
“Let us put our minds together to see what kind of future we can make for our children….” Sitting Bull By Winona LaDuke That’s really this time….
A broken promise to teachers and nonprofits workers
Trump wants to cancel student loan forgiveness for public servants. But what if you’ve already taken the loans? By Jill Richardson | February 19, 2020 Before sharing my opinions about Trump’s recent proposal to cut student…
The irony of the centrist-progressive debate
Moderates consistently warn that progressive ideas can’t win “the middle.” But just look at the polls. By Jim Hightower | February 12, 2020 With dozens of Democratic candidates, scores of televised debates, and swarms of reporters…
Something Democrats and Republicans have in common: Exaggerated stereotypes about both parties
Misconceptions abound on both sides of the aisle. Victor Moussa/Shutterstock.com Douglas J. Ahler, Florida State University With animosity between party supporters already at an all-time high, buckle up for what promises to be one of the…
Is your city making you fat? How urban planning can address the obesity epidemic
Editors note: With thoughtful planning Flagstaff could turn our continued growth into a health boon for the community. The Ohio City Farm in Cleveland provides low-cost land, shared facilities and technical assistance to support entrepreneurial farmers….
Why Trump’s post-impeachment actions are about vengeance, not retribution
“Since the end of his Senate impeachment trial, President Donald Trump has carried out a concerted campaign against his Democratic political opponents as well as members of his administration who cooperated with them.” Austin Sarat, Amherst…
Trump admin’s Clean Water rollback will hit some states hard
But the effects of removing this “environmental safety net” won’t be felt equally. States with fewer local protections and resources will suffer the most — as will their people and wildlife. Oceans & Clean Water February…
Can the U.S. slash food waste in half in the next ten years?
Emerging efforts by cities and the federal government show that progress is possible, but experts say systemic changes are still needed. February 14, 2020 – by Tim Lydon Can the United States make progress on its…
‘These are the Bad Times’: Trump to deploy heavily armed Border Patrol tactical units to help with immigration arrests in Sanctuary Cities
“It is unbelievable how much this action will undermine public safety. Unbelievable.” by Eoin Higgins, staff writer, CommonDreams In a move that appears destined to escalate tension between the White House and opponents, President Donald Trump…
Hundreds of county jails detained immigrants for ICE
To hold immigrant detainees for ICE, state and local governments enter into agreements with ICE known as Intergovernmental Service Agreements. These agreements require ICE to pay the local government per diem for each bed that the…
To boost bottom lines, Single-Payer may be just what these restaurateurs ordered
Shefali Luthra, Kaiser Health News February 6, 2020 Providence, R.I. — Last winter, James Mark was a 2018 James Beard Award finalist. A few months later, both GQ and Bon Appétit ranked Big King, his newest…
How Trump’s proposed benefits changes will create hardship for rural people with disabilities
“Additional reviews would cost $1.8 billion to administer while saving $2 billion in terminated benefits.” Rural Americans are more likely than urban Americans to experience disability. Natee K Jindakum/Shutterstock.com By Lillie Greiman, The University of Montana…
How credit cards make us more unequal
Credit card companies fleece retailers to give high-end spenders cash back — a system the rest of us end up subsidizing. By Sam Pizzigati | February 10, 2020 What happens when we use our credit cards?…
Georgia Governor Kemp loses vote purge suit brought by reporter Palast
Nicole Powers for The Palast Investigative Fund February 9 Atlanta In an extraordinary and unexpected move, Federal Judge Eleanor Ross has declared Gov. Brian Kemp the loser in a lawsuit brought by investigative journalist Greg Palast…
Deported to death: US sent 138 Salvadorans home to be killed
At least 138 people deported from the United States to El Salvador since 2013 have been killed, according to a new report by Human Rights Watch, which investigates human rights abuses worldwide. Updated February 7,…
Raising the minimum wage in restaurants could be a win for everyone
Nicole Hallett, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York Critics would have you believe that upping the minimum wage in restaurants will lead to massive layoffs and closures. But since raising the minimum wage…
Report: ‘No Evidence That Fracking Can Operate Without Threatening Public Health’
More than 1,500 scientific studies on the health and climate impacts of fracking prove its dangerous effect on communities, wildlife and nature. By Tara Lohan, The Revelator In 2010 when I first started writing about hydraulic…
Pedestrians and bicyclists now account for one in five traffic deaths
By Hillel Aron / FairWarning February 7, 2020 Policymakers have eagerly promoted walking and bicycle riding as a way to get healthy exercise while reducing traffic congestion, air pollution and carbon emissions. But those activities are…
The Census Bureau is building Trump a huge list of noncitizens. Will it be secure?
By Will Carless / February 1, 2020 When the Supreme Court ruled in June that the Trump administration could not place a citizenship question on the 2020 census, civil rights advocates breathed a sigh of relief….
Fear of a census undercount
“I know for a fact that a lot of community members wanted to come today, but they are scared,” said City Councilmember Luis Chavez, who gave a speech about the importance of a full 2020 census…
Sociologist Jeremy Slack on the Horrors that Await Immigrants Deported from the U.S.
Slack led a massive research effort to learn what happens to those whom immigration authorities deport and dump all along the Mexican border. By Lise Olsen, Feb 4, 2020, As an 18-year-old freshman at the University…
E-cig flavors may be more than alluring; they could cause damage themselves
E-cigarette vapor also contains nicotine, heavy metals and formaldehyde, as pungent as they are harmful. Mixing in delectable flavorings disguises their unpleasantness, much like the cherry additive that camouflages the otherwise medicinal taste of children’s cough…
