This week in OtherWords, Ron Carver puts today’s gun control debate into a personal and historical context, drawing on his experience on the front lines of the civil rights movement in the 1960s, and research into what prompted the Founders to enshrine the right to bear arms in our Constitution. Donald Kaul finds a striking similarity between the Manti Te’o scandal and the Republican Party’s fantasies, Sam Pizzigati explains what’s wrong with the Washington Beltway’s new “Lexus lanes,” and Martha Burk describes a new advantage French women have over their American sisters.
On our blog, you’ll find my summary of seven steps President Obama can take if he wants to belatedly embrace a progressive agenda, and Sarah Anderson’s four practical suggestions raising much-needed revenue.
Below you’ll find links to our latest work. If you haven’t already subscribed to our weekly newsletter, please do.
- Second Amendment Vigilantes / Ron Carver
It’s a myth that the right to bear arms stemmed from the Founders’ wish that Americans be free to stage an armed rebellion against our own government, should it become tyrannical. - Border Fears Riddled with Holes / Raul A. Reyes
Despite the rhetoric from immigration hardliners, we are indeed securing our borders. - Making Caregiving Count in France / Martha Burk
French women who take time off to have kids won’t get a big fat zero in their Social Security accounts like most of their sisters in the United States. - A Chance to Invest in TV News / Jason Salzman
TV stations should say, “we’re sick of gross political ads, too, and we’re going to hire reporters with our election-year ad windfall.” - Forget Fake Girlfriends, Republicans Have an Imaginary President / Donald Kaul
One of our major political parties has become infected with the Notre Dame virus. - The Capital of Inequality / Sam Pizzigati
The Washington region’s increasingly rich elite are now zipping along in Lexus lanes. - Coke Still Needs to Get Real / Jill Richardson
The soda giant’s slick campaign to make us think its products are getting healthier might change public perceptions — but it won’t make soda good for you. - Duck and Cover 2.0 / Jim Hightower
The police-industrial complex aims to deploy thousands of domestic drones in the next few years. - The High Cost of Free Trade / William A. Collins
Negotiations over the new Trans-Pacific Partnership are secret — not even members of Congress get to see the drafts. - Automatic Congressional Allegiance / Khalil Bendib Cartoon
Emily Schwartz Greco is the managing editor of OtherWords, a non-profit editorial service run by the Institute for Policy Studies. OtherWords.org