Op-Ed

Six Ways Trump’s Budget Will Hurt Ohioans

Right now, Congress is working on a giant, fast-track bill that would make historic cuts to basic needs programs to finance another round of tax breaks for the wealthy and big corporations.

As the Communications and Policy Director for the Rural Democracy Initiative, I’ve been hearing from rural leaders across the country about the devastating impacts this bill would have.

The good news is it’s not too late. But there’s little time to spare.

Misleading Drug Ads Swamp Chicago Radio Waves

Chicago

Anyone who listens to WBBM or WLS radio stations in Chicago or baseball games of the Chicago Cubs has heard them: seemingly incessant jingles selling a drug for an eye condition most have never heard of.

“Slow it down,” tease the ads with a musical lick culled from the 1975 R & B hit by the music group War, Low Rider. "I-Zer-Vay gets GA going slower,” chant the ads, trying to sell the drug IIzervay, which costs $2,220 per treatment without insurance, for the not well known disease of “GA.” (Moreover, the ads target the shrinking demographic of those who remember 50-year-old music hits.)

WHAT IS “GA”?

Geographic atrophy is a condition which can result from dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD)–another eye condition many have not heard of. It has been aggressively publicized by the former Happy Days star Henry Winkler (nee the Fonz) who says he “partnered” with IIzervay manufacturer Astellas Pharma after his father-in-law got the condition.

Why mainstream media embraces Jewish Americans who enlist in the IDF as "heroes?"

The mainstream media and US public officials embrace US-born Jews who enlist in IOF as "heroes" and "lone soldiers" whereas their Muslim counterparts who plan on and/or joined Hezbullah or Hamas to defend their native countries against the Israeli invading army as "terrorists" or charged with "providing material support to designated terrorist organization." A charge that carries a prison sentence of up to 20 years.  A lone soldier is someone who does not have support in Israel either because they do not have immediate family in Israel or they estranged from their families because they enlisted in the IDF against their wishes. I should add that Americans who went to Ukraine to fight the Russian invading army are treated the same by the mainstream media (MSM) who usually are portrayed as heroes. Make this make sense! The four people mentioned below were all US-born Jewish Americans who chose 2 enlist in the IOF instead of the US armed forces.  1- Mike Levin was killed in Lebanon during the 2006 Israeli war in Lebanon.2- Max Steinberg was killed in 2014 in during the Israeli war in Gaza.3- Elan Ganles was killed in Feb.

Only in Gaza, children write their will!

Since the blockade began, humanitarian organizations like UNICEF have warned that children are at an increasing risk of starvation, illness, and death. Over 9,000 children have been admitted for treatment for acute malnutrition since the start of the year, highlighting the urgent need for food and medical assistance. The blockade has been described as a "silent killer," with families resorting to sharing minimal food supplies, such as a single can of beans among several members of one family according to Al Jazeera report. Personal stories from families in Gaza illustrate the heartbreaking reality of this crisis. For instance, a mother described her five-year-old son, who has become emaciated and is suffering from severe malnutrition, stating that he hasn't eaten meat in months due to the unaffordability of food.

Will the Trump Administration Stop Medical Conflicts of Interest in the Military?

Robert Kennedy, Jr. (RFK), the new Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Marty Makary, the new Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner have pledged to remove industry conflicts of interest (COIs) from government agencies. But little has been released so far about their plans for the Department of Defense (DOD) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) reportedly rife with industry influences.

To End Homelessness, Invest in Harm Reduction

Homelessness and substance use disorder often occur simultaneously — but many people struggling with both are unable to get the help they need. That puts homeless service providers on the front lines of the battle for reversing overdoses while also trying to end homelessness, one life at a time.

As the CEO of a large homelessness service provider, I’ve seen first-hand how helping someone overcome substance use can lead directly to helping them overcome homelessness.

Ending homelessness is a long process. It isn’t all about lifting someone off the streets and finding them a job and a place to call home. There’s a spectrum of steps and successes along the way to help someone build confidence and independence so they can make long-term positive lifestyle changes.

Overcoming substance use is one of those steps. We have a number of strategies to approach substance use that have offered positive results. The first is the overarching principle of harm reduction, which we use because it saves lives.

With Congress Preparing a “Fiscal Tsunami”, States Can Choose Differently

Tax policy experts and lawmakers have long circled 2025 as a year to prepare for. What makes it so significant?

For one thing, Federal COVID money to states is expiring, straining state budgets at the same time the economy is starting to weaken. For another, Republicans in Congress are working to increase and extend President Trump’s tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations — while cutting trillions from health care, housing, and education programs for everyone else. And it all up and you get a fiscal tsunami.

While major tax policy changes are being made and discussed in Congress, this is also happening in the states.

There’s No Real Future Without Empathy

From Gulf of America to mass expulsion of “illegals” (people of color) to continuing genocidal complicity in Gaza to whatever the daily news brings us , , , welcome to Trump America! Welcome to the small-minded, white nation so many long for, free once again from those large, inconvenient values – e.g., the Declaration of Independence – that keep disrupting the way things are supposed to be.

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal . . .”

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