Antisemitism on the Rise • Unionizing Trader Joe's • A $28 Meal at Taco Bell
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Yesterday, the former president of the United States singled out American Jews, calling them ungrateful.
Donald Trump took to his Truth Social platform and posted a bizarre, antisemitic rant about how American Jews do not appreciate him enough and need to “get their act together…before it is too late.”
“Somewhat surprisingly, however, our wonderful Evangelicals are far more appreciative of this than the people of the Jewish faith,” he claimed.
The former president’s words echo one of the darkest periods of world history. Unfortunately, they may signal a growing tolerance for open antisemitism in the modern Republican Party. Rightwing hero and rapper Kanye West made antisemitic remarks on Twitter and then went on Tucker Carlson’s primetime Fox News show and doubled down. Carlson edited out the remarks for the broadcast without acknowledging them, as STATUS COUP shows.
Over the summer, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis made headlines when he refused to condemn neo-Nazis rallying at a Turning Point USA event in Tampa with swastika flags alongside flags that read “DeSantis country.”
Danielle J. Brown
Antisemitism rose as the world plunged into the depths of a pandemic and resulting economic woes. Antisemitic incidents rose sharply in 2021 in the U.S. and other nations, according to research from Tel Aviv University.
Bigotry often roils below the surface of society, awaiting disruptions and uncertainty, opportunities to ooze out and burn everything in its path. In periods of upheaval and rising hate, honest reporting is an essential antidote to conspiracy theories and prejudices that are all too ready to fill in gaps in people’s understanding.
So here’s some important work from the last week by OptOut’s network of financially independent, trustworthy news outlets!
Your Weekly Independent News Roundup
Climate
HEATED published a fascinating read on the emerging "anti-ESG" or "anti-woke capitalism" movement to combat climate action.
Anti-ESG proponents want to stop corporations from following environmentally and socially conscious investing principles, commonly referred to as Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) principles.
Emily Atkin
Speaking of the anti-ESG movement, Matt Binder released an episode on his DOOMED podcast this week discussing the “bullshit” of Elon Musk, who called corporate ESG “the Devil incarnate.”
Listen on the OptOut app or wherever you get your podcasts.
GRIST covers a promising development in the fight against climate change. Nearly 200 countries agreed to cut aviation greenhouse gas emissions. The International Civil Aviation Organization, a United Nations agency that represents 193 member states, announced an “aspirational” goal of reaching net zero for aviation emissions by 2050.
Jake Bittle
Health
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention approved the new bivalent COVID-19 booster shots for all Americans ages 5 to 11 this week. STATES NEWSROOM via COLORADO NEWSLINE tells you what you need to know about the jab.
Jennifer Shutt
FLORIDA PHOENIX covers the fierce backlash from the medical community to Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo’s recommendation against COVID vaccines for young people.
Issac Morgan
THE NATION released a necessary article on a cholera outbreak in Haiti’s National Penitentiary. The inmate population is significantly larger than the facility is designed for, and the outbreak could lead to hundreds of deaths.
Loune Viaud
This week, Pennsylvania Lieutenant Governor John Fetterman, who is running against television personality Dr. Oz in a hotly contested Senate race, made headlines for an interview he gave with NBC’s Dasha Burns in which he discussed a number of topics, including his recovery from a stroke. Media honed in on Fetterman’s health with several high-profile pundits questioning his ability to do the job. DISCOURSE BLOG wrote a scathing review of this coverage.
Rafi Schwartz
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Labor
THE AMERICAN PROSPECT reports on a critical piece of news that flew under the radar last week. President Joe Biden’s Labor Department is considering a new rule that would correctly classify drivers for Uber, Lyft, and FedEx as employees, not “independent contractors.” The change would mean higher pay and required overtime. It would compel those companies to pay into Social Security and unemployment insurance.
Harold Meyerson
Want to know what’s happening with Trader Joe’s unionization efforts? PRISM’s report is a must-read about the challenges facing workers seeking better conditions at the chain grocery store.
Kimberly Rooney
In Other News
JACOBIN has a new piece about political corruption. Author Luke Savage notes that favor-trading and the revolving door have made America its most corrupt since the 19th century.
Luke Savage
This week, a Fox Business contributor claimed to have gone to Taco Bell for lunch and paid $28 thanks to inflation. The announcement set off a round of mockery online. Well, now DEFECTOR has weighed in, taking the challenge and reporting, in delicious detail, on what eating $28 at Taco Bell is actually like.
patrick
Thanks as always for keeping up with independent news from the OptOut network! See you soon.
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Did you read our latest climate-focused newsletter? OptOut Climate Editor Cristian Salazar rounds up the best independent reporting about climate change, energy, and the environment every other Wednesday.
Cristian Salazar
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