STREET SMART ECONOMICS | Shifts in policy appear more possible now than they have in decades Millions of people in the streets calling for an end to police violence against Black people have given a push to policy changes that have been stalled for decade ...
30 Sep 2020 - Mary King
U.S. defense spending and the resulting militarization of our nation’s police forces dwarf investments in actual needs, such as housing and social services The excessive use of force and killings of unarmed Black Americans by police has fueled a growing n ...
6 Aug 2020 - Martin Hart-Lan...
STREET SMART ECONOMICS | Efforts to confront racism should extend to the fight for climate justice Outrage over the recent police killings of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd has sparked ever larger street protests with participants demandin ...
30 Jun 2020 - Martin Hart-Lan...
COMMENTARY | The feds should pay people to stay home while investing in a long-term recovery plan The death toll and suffering due to the coronavirus pandemic has been much worse in the U.S. than elsewhere. It didn’t have to be. Fortunately, we can still ...
27 May 2020 - Mary King
COMMENTARY | The failings of our current system are only accentuated by the coronavirus crisis We shouldn’t be satisfied with a return to normalcy. We need a “new normal.” We are now in a recession, one triggered by government-ordered closures of business ...
21 Apr 2020 - Martin Hart-Lan...
COMMENTARY | Their real goal may be to stop us from making them pay their fair share Two business associations have filed a legal challenge to Metro’s proposed May 2020 ballot measure to prevent and reduce homelessness. The grocers and manufacturers group ...
21 Mar 2020 - Mary King
COMMENTARY | As the largest greenhouse gas emitter in the world, America’s military must be reined in Climate change is happening, highlighted by dramatically shifting weather patterns and ever more deadly storms, floods, droughts and wildfires. And the e ...
14 Feb 2020 - Martin Hart-Lan...
STREET SMART ECONOMICS | Pre-K education should be the right of all of our children This fall, we could vote for free, year-round, high quality preschool for all 3-, 4- and 5-year-olds in Multnomah County, paid for with a county income tax on households w ...
24 Jan 2020 - Mary King
COMMENTARY | We need more funding for public programs; we also need to address the obscene concentration of wealth The bank robber Willie Sutton, when asked by a reporter why he robbed banks, is reputed to have answered, “Because that’s where the money is ...
20 Dec 2019 - Martin Hart-Lan...
COMMENTARY | With big businesses unwilling to bring back pensions or raise wages, seniors are left with tough decisions, and younger generations are left behind Despite its reputation as the wealthiest generation, baby boomers (generally considered to be ...
11 Oct 2019 - Martin Hart-Lan...