What do paying taxes and racial equity have to do with one another? As it turns out, quite a lot since American tax policy is written in a way that keeps Black Americans impoverished, according to Professor Dorothy Brown, author of “The Whiteness of Wealth: How the Tax System Impoverishes Black Americans — And How We Can Fix It.” Brown, who has been trying to make this point for decades is finally being heard. This week, we delve into the world of taxes and racism and listen to the compelling research, data and narrative that Dorothy Brown has put together.
What the pandemic taught America about racial injustice
It’s been one year since the global pandemic hit. Most Americans had no idea what was in store. The number of those impacted by COVID-19 is staggering. More than half a million American lives have been lost to the virus. And for people of color, the negative impact on their lives has been disproportionate — lost jobs, homes, health and lives.
Looking back, the pandemic has shined a light on just how deep the incisions are from structural and racial inequities. We turn to Shawn Fremstad of the Center for Economic and Policy Research to discuss the whys, the whats and how Biden administration policies are an attempt to right some of the wrongs and level the field.
Mar122021
How big and little lies, plus cash, prop up the ‘American dream’
OPINION — In the 1944 film “Gaslight,” a greedy Charles Boyer, trying to convince his rich, naive wife Ingrid Bergman that she is insane, dims and brightens the gaslights in their home, while insisting it is a figment of her imagination. Today, the term “gaslighting” has come to mean that same psychological manipulation.
America is being “gaslighted.”
How else could it maintain an unshaken belief in the “American dream,” that if you work long enough and hard enough, you can achieve anything? In order to believe in the triumph of a meritocracy, a country with an even playing field, you must ignore the lobbyists, PR specialists and boatloads of money that smooth out any rocky road for a select few. And your mind must obliterate every bit of this country’s history.
Mar142019
College Admissions Scandal and What it Reveals
CHARLOTTE, NC — The rich and privileged already have advantages when it comes to admission to elite colleges and universities. It is known that the best way to guarantee a slot for your child is making a huge donation to the school, and that children of alumni are favored with points for being a “legacy” student. Now, this advantage goes even further, as federal prosecutors have charged celebrities, business leaders and college coaches in illegal schemes that include bribery and falsifying application to buy spots in elite institutions. (Mary C. Curtis)
WCCB Political Contributor Mary C. Curtis offers more perspective on how the scandal worked and what’s next for those involved
Mar132019
