Middle Class

By James A. Haught | (Charleston Gazette-Mail) | – – The progressive vision for America — to make life better for all families, not just the privileged elite at the top — has suffered setbacks. After the 2016 election, Republicans control the White House, both chambers of Congress and more than half of state governments. […]

Employment

The Rural-Urban Divide in the US in 6 Charts!

contributors

By Brian Thiede, Lillie Greiman, Stephan Weiler, Steven C. Beda, Tessa Conroy | (The Conversation) | – – Editor’s note: We’ve all heard of the great divide between life in rural and urban America. But what are the factors that contribute to these differences? We asked sociologists, economists, geographers and historians to describe the divide […]

Green Energy

Renewables now creating more jobs than Coal, Oil and Gas

contributors

TeleSur The findings of a new U.S.report bolster climate justice movement arguments that transitioning to renewables will not only save the planet but save the economy. The U.S. Department of Energy found that in 2016 solar and wind industries created more electricity generating jobs than coal, oil, and gas combined, despite the fact that renewables […]

Employment

Even in the Trump Era, Inequality can be Reduced

contributors

By Josh Hoxie | (Otherwords.org) | – – With Washington looking hopeless, it’s up to local communities to close the gap between the richest and the rest. In a lot of ways, 2016 was a big year for reducing inequality. Five states raised their minimum wage through citizen-led ballot initiatives. A job-killing free trade agreement, […]

Democratic Party

Election Postmortem: Did the Labor Unions get Taken for a Ride?

contributors

By Andrew Kolin | (Informed Comment) | – – According to a recent article in the Wall Street Journal, “Labor Unions Step Up Presidential Election Spending,” labor unions contributed to Hillary Clinton at a scale that is without precedent. The article pointed to $108.2 million contributed in this presidential election cycle. These contributions raise questions […]

Employment

Can America’s Middle Class make a Comeback?

contributors

By Munir Moon | (Informed Comment) | – – The middle class is getting crushed. But there is hope. The most common argument about the middle class destruction is the declining or stagnant income, which is true. However, the main culprits are the costs of healthcare, education, and housing that have increased at a much […]

Internet

In consumer victory over Telcoms, Fed Appeals court Upholds Net Neutrality

contributors

By Kit Walsh | (Electronic Frontier Foundation) | – – In a crucial win for Internet users, today a federal appeals court upheld [PDF] clear net neutrality rules that will let us all use and enjoy the Internet without unfair interference from Internet service providers. The rules will keep providers from blocking or slowing traffic, […]

Employment

Saudi Arabia’s Vision: Cut Subsidies to Workers, Middle Class, put Women to Work

contributors

Courtney Freer | (The Conversation) | – – Saudi Arabia has released details of its Vision 2030 – an immensely ambitious plan which Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman says will end the Kingdom’s dependence on oil by 2020. To help reach that goal, the plan details major targets, such as the establishment of a […]

Health

Now the 1% Live 15 yrs longer than the Poorest: The Death Gap’s Increasing

contributors

By Sam Pizzigati | ( Otherwords.org) | – – Rich people live longer than poor people. No big news there — we’ve known that health tracks wealth for quite some time now. But here’s what we haven’t known: The life-expectancy gap between rich and poor in the United States is actually accelerating. Since 2001, American […]