On Our "Virtual Route 99" Around The World (Special Month-End Edition)

For this final edition, our team chose thoughts on the Ukraine War, the Russian State Duma Elections, Yaboklo being banned "supposedly" for copyright infringement, as Steve Rosenberg chats with Dmitry Muratov: Afghanistan after five years of Taliban Rule, along with thoughts from the Institute of Policy Studies:  

Who profits off policies that harm our communities, and who bears the costs?     Right now, devastating policy choices are fueling an affordability crisis that is pushing millions of American families into increasingly precarious conditions.    A new analysis from Karen Dolan and IPS Henry A. Wallace Fellow Layla Sayed highlights the devastating impacts of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act on children and families, spotlighting the aftermath of funding cuts to Medicaid, SNAP, and antipoverty programs that help millions of families to meet basic needs.   Those cuts funded massive tax breaks for the wealthy, an unprecedented increase for ICE, and an extra outlay for the military that brought total Pentagon spending to $1 trillion. That’s been a boon for Pentagon contractors, the private prison companies that profit off immigration detention, and billionaires.    But it’s been devastating for ordinary families. In a social media video for IPS, Layla shared her own family’s story of relying on SNAP when she was growing up. These cuts “are not just numbers,” she said. “They’re people not being fed.”   Yet these choices are just that — and it’s possible to choose differently. "A different path is possible. Expand investments in families and communities, and we won’t just have to struggle to survive; we can thrive," Layla and Karen urge.   Also this week, we’re proud to announce a new partnership with Bishop William J. Barber II and Repairers of the Breach. We’ll regularly be producing fact sheets for Barber’s Our Moral Moment podcast with Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove.    For example, one new fact sheet highlights the full costs of the Iran war to U.S. taxpayers — and how that money could be better spent on communities' urgent needs here at home. Our research found that as of June 27, the Iran war has cost U.S. taxpayers $103 billion. That $103 billion could instead pay for a year of: Medicaid for more than 12 million people, Head Start for almost 6 million new children, or SNAP food assistance to more than 45 million people. In polls, election results, and demonstrations nationwide, we see people waking up to the reality of these choices by our elected officials and the interests they represent. They’re looking for better answers — and we’re hard at work developing them. Check out our recent democracy agenda report for how we can counter corporate, billionaire, and Pentagon greed to truly invest in our communities. Tope Folarin, Executive Director P.S. Our research and our work with partners around the country to advance these vital solutions is only made possible with your support. Join us and help fuel the movement. DONATE $20.00 TO IPS TODAY

NEW FROM IPS

A Perfect Storm: How Federal Policy Changes Are Increasing Economic Insecurity for America’s Families Policy choices are pushing millions of people into increasingly precarious conditions.

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Pundits Call It Socialism, but Many Americans Call It Common Sense A new generation of progressives and self-described democratic socialists argue the economy should work for everyone, not just the billionaire class.

Is Donald Trump Good for the Korean Peninsula? North Korea ultimately prefers the predictability of Russia and China to the unreliability of the United States.

Europe Is Embracing Green Protectionism — At the Cost of a Global Green Transition Developed countries pledged to support poorer countries in their green transitions. Under a new EU policy, they’re applying penalties instead — and the U.S. may follow suit.

IPS IN THE NEWS As part of the Our Moral Moment Substack podcast, Repairers of the Breach shares a new fact sheet produced in partnership with IPS, which highlights the full costs of the Iran war to U.S. taxpayers and how money for that war could be better spent on communities' urgent needs here at home.   Across the Americas, Conexion Migrante (in Spanish), DocumentedNY, and other outlets continue to highlight our analysis with the Economic Policy Institute, which reveals the $268.9 billion price tag for immigration enforcement for FY 2025 through FY 2029.   Common Dreams cites Hanna Homestead and our National Priorities Project's analysis of the estimated cost of National Guard deployments in cities like D.C.   Sanho Tree speaks with Talking Drugs about shifts in Colombia's drug policies under a new presidency.   In The Manila Times, Ambassador Carlos Salinas highlights John Cavanagh and Robin Broad's book on the powerful story of Salvadoran water defenders who took on a mining corporation — and won.

“ "We know that investment in food programs not only gives children the best chance of a happy, healthy life but also yields economic benefits almost double the investment. We know that for child development and stability into adulthood, children need a safe home that their parents can afford. We know access to healthcare is vital for survival and thriving, and we know that tearing apart families, denying them food, shelter, and access to emergency health care is devastating for immigrant families. A different path is possible. Expand investments in families and communities, and we won’t just have to struggle to survive; we can thrive."   — Karen Dolan and Layla Sayed

RECOMMENDED READS Flock Camera Resistance is Just the Beginning. Let’s Avoid a ‘1984′ Scenario. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution   Congress Shrinks SNAP Safety Net When Families Need It Most InsideSources   ‘I’ve Never Seen This’: Massive Collapse in Support for AI Data Centers Captured in New Poll Common Dreams   One Woman’s Message From the Hell of ICE Detention The Nation