$7 diesel? $9 lattes? It’s expensive out there! And there are many causes, including wars, tariffs, corporate monopolies, deregulation, and so on.
This week in OtherWords, Paul Gordon shines a light on a less commonly reported but no less important contributor: rulings by Trump-appointed judges. He flags ruling after ruling that have undermined Americans’ ability to get paid fairly, hold down a decent job, and get their money’s worth for products like insurance.
Another reason Americans are struggling? A badly shredded social safety net.
In that vein, Sonali Kolhatkar picks apart a proposal from J.D. Vance that would pay some married parents who stay home with their kids. It’s an appealing idea, but Sonali warns that the funds would come directly out of a program that helps single parents afford child care so they can work. If Trump and Vance really wanted to help families, she argues, they wouldn’t have slashed Medicaid, SNAP, and other programs to fund tax cuts for the wealthy.
Also this week, Starbucks barista Lisa Watson is calling on consumers to boycott the chain while workers demand fair pay and better conditions. And Elizabeth Rodriguez and Kathleen Wood invite us to consider the conditions of workers who grow the houseplants that beautify so many of our homes, businesses, public spaces, and places of worship.
New This Week…
Trump Judges Are Making the Affordability Crisis Worse | Paul Gordon
Amid rising prices, Trump-appointed judges have quietly made it harder for Americans to get paid fairly — and easier for corporations to mistreat us.
Vance Wants to Reward Stay-at-Home Moms — By Punishing Single Parents | Sonali Kolhatkar
The vice president wants to pay parents who stay home by taking funds from a program that helps single parents afford child care.
Who Grows Our Houseplants? | Elizabeth Rodriguez and Kathleen Wood
For the largely immigrant workers whose labor brings beauty to our homes, public spaces, and places of worship, speaking out about working conditions can come with the risk of retaliation.
It’s Time to Boycott Starbucks | Lisa Watson
Baristas like me are struggling to afford health care while our CEO commutes by private jet and refuses to agree to a fair union contract.
In Case You Missed It…
My Daughter Belongs at Home, Not in an Institution | Margarita Spataro
This administration has given parents of kids with disabilities so much to worry about — including losing our health coverage and seeing our kids institutionalized.
Immigrants Didn’t Take Your Health Care. ICE Did. | Ramya Gosike
Millions of lawfully present immigrants are set to lose health care under the GOP’s changes. Millions more U.S. citizens will join them.
Gen Z Women Don’t Owe America Babies | Gabrielle Davis
We need an economy where having a family is actually affordable — and where reproductive choices remain our own.
Americans Don’t Trust AI. Trump Says ‘Let It Reign.’ | Jim Hightower
President Trump threatens that communities opposing centers will be “backward and poor.”
The post In OtherWords: September 24, 2026 appeared first on OtherWords.
