Tax reform is hard. It can be complicated, dull, and politically difficult. But that doesn’t change the fact that taxes are one of the most important issues facing Americans today, and progressives should take an active role in the debate. Closing loopholes, reforming rules, changing rates, creating and abolishing taxes- all of these matters play a huge and defining role in economic inequality, poverty, and social mobility. With the Republican congress taking up this issue, the time to push for progressive tax reform is now. 

In a previous post, we at United for a Fair Economy took a look at state preemption laws: laws passed by state governments which override the policies of city governments, especially progressive policies like raises in the minimum wage. These policies are in direct conflict with the ideals of a democracy, but their negative effects are concentrated among one specific group: people of color.

As news of the complete devastation across the island of Puerto Rico is released, I find myself incessantly hitting refresh on my Internet browser. With each click, my emotions and tears overwhelm me. A deep feeling of desperation follows. This has become an unintentional daily ritual since "natural disaster" Hurricane Maria struck the island. I know I am not alone.

-Eroc Arroyo-Montano

Federalism- the division of decision-making power between different levels of government- is one of the foundational features of American government.

The United States Constitution provides state governments with significant political power. States are considered to be “closer” to the people than the federal government and are therefore better suited to customize policies that meet local needs. But Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis made another argument in his dissent to New State Ice Co. v. Liebmann that: “It is one of the happy incidents of the federal system that a single courageous state may, if its citizens choose, serve as a laboratory; and try novel social and economic experiments without risk to the rest of the country.”

Last year, Raising Wages NC joined workers rights organizations from around the state in our first ever #RaisingWagesNC week of action during the labor day holiday.

Many of us have come across the term "neoliberal," or "neoliberalism" before, but for all its use, few have ever taken the chance to actually explain what it is. An inadequate popular definition has allowed the term to be abused and misrepresented in a variety of ways. Despite these misrepresentations, however, "neoliberalism" is a concept that is very useful for understanding the world we live in today.

In simple terms, neoliberalism is a broad ideology that became popular in political, economic, and governmental circles in the 1970’s and reached its peak in global popularity in the 1980’s. Neoliberalism describes the political paradigm we are in right now, the political conditions of modern society. As the name suggests, it calls for a revitalization of the classical liberal view of economic policy. It's important to understand that "classical liberal" here refers to an older understanding of the word liberal than the one it has in modern America- it is referencing the liberalism of the Enlightenment era, represented by thinkers like Adam Smith and John Locke, not modern social liberalism as embodied by Barack Obama and much of the rest of the Democratic Party. In concrete policy terms, neoliberalism means free trade, low taxes, deregulation, privatization, and balanced budgets.

Neoliberalism represents a shift in the way we look at the world: it entails seeing every aspect of society, even those typically considered civic or community affairs, in the terms of the market economy.

We are saddened and outraged by the display of white supremacist violence in Charlottesville this weekend. It is no coincidence that we see the far-right mobilizing while corporate interests continue to strip poor and working class people of their healthcare and their right to organize; that this happens while cutting public services and giving away massive tax cuts to the rich; that this happens while the budget prioritizes increases to an out-of-control war machine and climate deniers threaten to move us quicker towards a world that is increasingly unlivable for poor and working people. We are saddened, but we are not fooled.

Fighting mass incarceration means building an alliance from the inside out.

From the Inside Out: Reflections After Incarceration was a joint production between Boston artist & organizer Ernesto "Eroc" Arroyo-Montano (UFE's Director of Cultural Organizing) and the ACLU of Massachusetts that explored many of the obstacles faced by our friends and neighbors after they have been incarcerated and are continuing their life on the outside.

On Friday, May 5, Republicans rammed through a terrible bill to repeal Obamacare.  Their bill would have disastrous effects on millions in our country.  Although the exact “scoring” of this bill has not been completed, it’s pretty similar to the bill that came before, under which 24 million people would lose their health insurance, 130 million people with pre-existing conditions would be put at risk, and the very wealthy would receive a huge tax cut. 

Today, UFE's Responsible Wealth Project released a letter of over 80 upper-income New Yorkers asking Governor Cuomo and the NY Legislature to renew and expand the State's Millionaires' Tax. As New York State braces for proposed federal budget cuts that would have a devastating impact on health care, education and infrastructure investments across the state, an expanded and permanent millionaires’ tax would bring in nearly $6 billion in annual revenue, or over $2 billion more than the current tax– set to expire in 2017– generates. The full press release can be found here, and information on the 1% Plan for NY Tax Fairness can be found here.

Media Advisory
1/16/2017 

Media Contact: Mike Leyba, Communications Director, United for a Fair Economy                        [email protected]              562-266-4357

On Monday, January 16^th, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, United for a Fair Economy is releasing the fourteenth annual State of the Dream report, titled “State of the Dream 2017: Mourning in America.” This report features reflections from leaders and advocates that are fighting inequalities everyday, and contains a short, accessible snapshot of where we are as nation on the topics of wages, wealth, health, housing, immigration, and LGBT inclusion. 

If you have young children or grandchildren, you’ve probably had some difficult conversations with them since the election.

My granddaughter Genesis is 9 years old. She was born in this country while her mom was a legal permanent resident. The day after the election, she went about her routine and was on the way to her 3rd grade class. As soon as she got in the car with her mom and little sister, she asked, “Mami, who won the election?”

           Trickle-down economics, a theory that has been disproven numerous times (source), became part of mainstream rhetoric again in a recent debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.  Building on a popular United for a Fair Economy blog post first written during the George W. Bush administration, this article will discuss why Trump’s trickle-down economic plan is a farce, much as Reagan’s was. 

            Simply put, trickle-down economics is the idea that tax cuts on businesses and the wealthy will cause wealth to “trickle down” to everyone else.  The idea was particularly popular during the Reagan administration, when it was also known as “voodoo economics.”  Many people forget that humorist Will Rogers actually came up with the term “trickle down” to criticize President Herbert Hoover’s policies during the Great Depression (source).  But working people aren’t laughing about the disastrous consequences of these policies.

You may not have heard, but New Jersey Governor Chris Christie continues to prove that he’s a millionaire’s best friend– at least when it comes to taxes. Read UFE's newest article here.

Signed,

Diane Abel, Bloomfield • Elizabeth Bates, Princeton • Ira Belsky, Franklin Lakes • Theodore Chase, Jr., Princeton • Jun Choi, Edison • William Corwin, Princeton • Elizabeth Counselman, Princeton • David Drukaroff, Lakewood • Wilma Emmerich, Princeton • Grover Furr, Bloomfield • Eliane Geren, Princeton • Elizabeth Gibson, Princeton • Steve Gold, Caldwell • Carol Golden, Princeton • Ed Gracely, Sicklerville • Brian Greenberg, Shrewsbury • Lonnie Hanauer, West Orange • Stephanie Harris, Hopewell • Joann Held, Pennington • Fred Hillmann, Union • Matthew House, North Brunswick • Jeffrey Keefe, Lakewood • Pat Kenschaft and Frederick Chichester, Upper Montclair • Shelley Krause, Princeton • James Litvack, Princeton • Carleton Montgomery, Medford • Diane Riley, Madison • Beth and Andrew Rothman, Princeton • Eric Schoenberg, Franklin Lakes • Jane Silverman, Princeton • Robert Steinbaum, Montclair • Kevin Walker, Collingswood • Karl Walko, Audubon • Torry Watkins, Hightstown • David B. Wilson, Jersey City • Susan N. Wilson, Princeton • Francis Wood, Mendham

You can sign this letter by clicking here.

Last Friday, Governor Christie announced that he and legislative leaders had reached a long-overdue agreement to replenish New Jersey's Transportation Trust Fund. Under the agreement, the earned income tax credit (EITC) would be strengthened, and sales taxes would be lowered. But the accord also includes a poison pill, which is the complete elimination of New Jersey's estate tax. If your household net assets are over $675,000 and you live in New Jersey, please add your name to the list of people telling Gov. Christie to PRESERVE THE ESTATE TAX!

We are excited to introduce you to an amazing 2016 “Liberation Economics” class from across the nation – representing communities from Anchorage, Alaska to Washington DC, from Cambridge, MA to rural Kentucky.

This year we are offering more scholarship money than ever before.

We know the work for Economic Justice MUST be accessible to those who are the most deeply affected by economic inequalities. 

That's why we need you. 

As a small not-for-profit organization, we are asking for your support in assuring we can continue the vital work of education for movement building far into the future. We hope that you will pay your wisdom forward.

We are asking you to lead with us as you have so many times in the past: grassroots funding for grassroots movement building. 

Your donation is an investment in the leaders our movements need now more than ever. 

In Solidarity,

The Popular Education Team: Jeannette, Riahl, and Eroc

“United for a Fair Economy is excited to once again present LIBERATION ECONOMICS, an advanced training for experienced facilitators! For 20 years UFE has facilitated hundreds of workshops and trainings on Popular Economics Education around the country. This year UFE is honored to partner with the Highlander Center and Equipo Maiz from El Salvador to provide an advanced training for experienced organizers and facilitators.  This training will provide participants with tools for facilitating conversations about capitalism, racism and sexism that are meaningful, highly interactive and even fun!”   

A little over a year ago, United for a Fair Economy released State of the Dream 2015: Underbanked and Overcharged. This groundbreaking report looks at the banking industry from the perspective of low-wage workers and people of color. We are thrilled to be sharing a small victory that has happened partly because of this report and the policy solutions it proposed.