With nearly half of Americans struggling to afford basic necessities, there is no justification for spending another $200 billion on an illegal war on Iran.
We must let lawmakers know—we want a government that supports us, not pointless wars.
@nationalpriorities.bsky.social
Intuit, owner of TurboTax, helped get the free, federal Direct File tax program shut down, decrying it as expensive.
The *entire program* per year would have cost less than the $492 million Intuit has received from the federal govt since 2021.
It’s always about the profits.
Paying climate reparations is not just an act of justice. It is indispensable to the saving of the planet. And it's possible to start now.
IPS scholar @johnfeffer.bsky.social:
NEW: This U.S. war against Iran is deepening the on-going de-legitimation of the rule of law — something that must be taken seriously if future wars are to be averted.
IPS scholar Phyllis Bennis:
In the 2000s, President Bush pushed for a simple, free online option to file taxes.
Brad Smith, then CEO of Intuit, understood the existential threat to TurboTax — and began a 20-year lobbying effort to eliminate the “public option.”
End corporate greed. Make filing taxes free.
Pew also measured opinion on the effects of the war closer to home and by about 2 to 1, found Americans saying the U.S. military action in Iran would make the U.S. less safe (40%) rather than safer (22%).
Reuters/Ipsos: 61% of Americans disapprove of U.S. military strikes in Iran.
Pew: 59% of Americans say the U.S. was wrong in using military force in Iran.
Quinnipiac: 54% of registered voters oppose the U.S. military action in Iran.
Americans want to end this war.
Ensuring safety, freedom, and health care for trans people is crucial and deeply tied to safety, freedom, and care for us all.
Happy Trans Day of Visibility. Love and solidarity with the trans community throughout this country.
NEW: Trump's war on Iran has been economically devastating. Already, everything from gas to food to flights to fertilizer has been made more expensive.
Gen Z is already less financially secure than previous generations. It's no wonder dissent is strongest among young people, writes Chisom Okorafor:
President Trump’s recent walk-back on pesticide reforms puts corporate interests before the health of Americans.
If we truly want a healthier country, we must first break up the handful of mega-corporations shaping agricultural policy.
Donald Trump claims that the SAVE America Act is necessary to stop "voter fraud."
In reality, it’s a blatant attempt to scapegoat immigrants and trans people on false pretenses—all in an effort to further this administration's authoritarian agenda.
TODAY at 3:00 ET! If you’re serious about the future of giving, don’t miss this one.
Hegseth’s Pentagon blew nearly $100 billion last September alone. As they raced to use up funds in their budget, the Pentagon shelled out millions on lobster, steak, and crab — all while working Americans were battling rising food prices and getting their SNAP benefits cut.
NEW: In his new book CONTROL, @glengalaich.bsky.social asks whether philanthropy isn’t just about generosity, but about who gets to decide?
Monday 3/30, join his unfiltered conversation on the future of giving with IPS scholar @bdevaan.bsky.social. Register: www.linkedin.com/events/money...
On top of the already bloated $1 trillion Pentagon budget, the $200 billion requested by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to wage war on Iraq is a massive waste of resources that should be spent improving the lives of Americans, writes Lindsay Koshgarian.
Too many Americans are hungry, sick, and struggling to afford housing and other necessities. We should spend our tax dollars meeting those needs — not throwing more at our $1 trillion Pentagon for a pointless war most of us oppose.
In addition to the economic devastation President Trump’s war on Iran has already caused, the threat of sending young people to die makes opposing this unjust and illegal war all the more important, writes Chisom Okorafor.
In addition to equal rights and taxing the rich, surveys show that Americans also agree on something else—we don’t want our country to be involved in regime-changing wars.
It’s time for our elected officials to listen.
@karendolan.bsky.social on @theprogressivemag.bsky.social
By devoting resources to war, the Trump administration is making a conscious choice to hurt Americans, writes @nationalpriorities.bsky.social director Lindsay Koshgarian.
With the $200 billion Pete Hegseth requested to wage war on the people of Iran, we could fund:
- Six times the number of kids in Head Start, AND
- Medicaid for 17 million people, AND
- Medical care for the 1.8 million veterans of the last forever war
NEW: The Water Defenders, the award-winning book on the historic 2017 metals mining ban in El Salvador, is now available as a beautiful graphic novel.
“If you’re in need of some inspiration... look no further than this crucial and absorbing account." Preorder now: ohiostatepress.org/books/titles...
While much of the discussion about the current war with Iran has focused on Israel’s role as an instigator, doing so glosses over decades of hawkish policy and military violence against Iran originating from the U.S., writes IPS policy expert Khury Petersen-Smith.
NEW: Trump just voted by mail in a Florida special election — while he’s pushing for legislation to ban universal mail-in voting.
How Congress spends our tax dollars is a statement of our national priorities.
Our members of Congress must listen to the American people and prioritize the dignity and well being of families over more costly, disastrous war. 👇
NEW: Americans are broadly united on critical issues related to our families, health, and war and peace. This administration is thumbing its nose at us with a costly, unpopular war that threatens all of these.
IPS scholar @karendolan.bsky.social in @theprogressivemag.bsky.social:
In what could become a test for universities nationwide, students and educators at Cal State are protesting the school’s $17 million deal with OpenAI, citing the fiscal, moral, and intellectual irresponsibility of the decision. @millsrodrigo.bsky.social
Pete Hegseth is requesting $200 billion for his and Trump's disastrous Iran war.
$200 billion could fund Medicaid for all 17 million people AND food stamps for all 22 million people who will lose each of these due in part to Trump's budget cuts — with *billions to spare.*
Fund life. Not death.
I’m finally dumping TurboTax.
