Welcome back to the Lighthouse (and to 2024)! We’re another month into winter, now complete with a mix of freezing temperatures and snowfall. I hope you’ve all be staying warm and finding ways to get outside safely when possible. January 15th was Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which Democracy Now! marked with a special “Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in His Own Words” broadcast that I would highly recommend giving a listen!
On the COVID-19 front, levels are still high/very high in most states. COVID, the flu, and RSV are all on the rise in Wisconsin, once again overlapping in ways we hadn’t seen to this degree in the past. While I appreciated parts of the interview that WPR did with the influenza surveillance coordinator at the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, it’s disappointing to once again seen no mention of masking, one of the easiest ways we can help prevent the spread of these respiratory illnesses. They did mention getting vaccinated (although they erroneously refer to a “COVID booster” when the latest vaccine was not a booster but a brand new vaccine), but they didn’t mention how difficult is has been for parents of young children to get the RSV vaccine. Thankfully, we have the wisdom of Disability Visibility’s Alice Wong in her recent piece in Teen Vogue, COVID Isn’t Going Anywhere. Masking Up Could Save My Life.
Now, onto the newsletter!
A new child tax credit could pass this month. Here’s what it would do for low-income families.
“DeLauro called the success of the child tax credit expansion in 2021 a clear ‘antidote’ to combat child poverty. She wants to see a policy that more closely reflects that expansion and provides full eligibility to even the lowest-paid families in the form of monthly checks that they can access as they need throughout the year.”
A redesigned child tax credit is in the works, meant to mimic the temporary expansion of the credit in 2021 by allowing low-income families to claim more money and claim it more easily. I won’t go into the details, as you can read more about them in the 19th’s article, but I wanted to use this as a starting point to connect a couple of other dots. As the article explains, despite the good this would do for low-income families (at least, for the three years it would be guaranteed for), it both seems unlikely to pass and doesn’t go far enough in ensuring that the poorest among us have what they need to get out of poverty for good. Ms. magazine wrote about this as well, explaining how, as good of a start as this may be, it isn’t enough to address poverty long-term. As they say, “we should celebrate this version of the expanded CTC for what it does, while firmly keeping our eyes on the prize and continue pushing for what we all deserve.”
But what is it that we all deserve? That, I think, is the question at the root of this. When looking at something like the child tax credit, we’re looking at a small arm of one aspect of what people need, especially those caring for children: money. And as useful as this credit can be, a couple of thousands of dollars for an entire year is pretty small potatoes, even when we acknowledge how much of a difference it can mean compared to not getting it. But is it enough to help cover food expenses, for example, especially as prices rise?
WIC, the program that provides “supplemental nutrition” to those at “nutritional risk when they are pregnant, postpartum or are under the age of 5,” allows anyone who qualifies to partake in the program. But due to an increase in those who qualify, rising food costs, and funding shortfalls, whether or not this program will continue to cover everyone that qualifies could change. As someone whose first job was in grocery, I’ve also seen how limited WIC can be in the first place, usually only allowing people to get very specific items that aren’t always easy to find, like half-loaves of bread.
What about child care? Even if the ~$2000 was used solely for that, would it be enough to make a difference, even knowing that child care is so undervalued as it is? Would it even matter if the child care wasn’t available in the first place, especially as the often-more-affordable option of home-based care becomes even more challenging to maintain due to the housing crisis? It would hardly make a dent, which makes sense when, as The Hechinger Report puts it, “Unlike most developed nations, America has never treated care of its youngest children as a public good worthy of significant public investment, especially in relation to K-12 public education.” They connect the way we treat child care today to our nation’s history, one that makes this “a disparity rooted in race, class, gender, and nativism.” Without strong public infrastructure in place, giving more families a bit more money wouldn’t necessarily fix the other issues impacting their ability to access the resources they need.
All of this barely scratches the surface, but it’s enough to drive home one key point: while extra money from something like the child tax credit can certainly help, depending on Capitalist solutions to the problems it created won’t lead us to a long-term solution, because all of these issues are connected. Yes, in the short term, giving people more money will make a difference. But as long as the things we all know are necessities — food, child care, housing, etc. — are treated as commodities to purchase and not guarantees, there will also be people who aren’t able to meet these basic needs. We can’t address one without addressing them all!
And that can feel really overwhelming, I know. But that doesn’t mean we each have to address them all. We as individuals need to remember that we are also part of many broader groups, whether that’s our group of friends, our family, our neighborhood, our city, or the entire globe. “Addressing it all” doesn’t mean we each literally have to do everything ourselves, it means that we all need to think more holistically so that we can all work together to address things at their root, rather than relying on stop-gap measures and begging for politicians to do things that would undermine their power — something they’ll never do. I’m not claiming to have all the answers, but I do know we need to start asking deeper questions about what solutions to pour our energy into if we’re going to figure it out. And I know it will happen through mutual aid, because that’s the only scenario that guarantees that we all succeed. And there are so many ways to try to bring these networks into our communities.
This might look like starting or stocking a Free Fridge in your area and helping keep it stocked with a variety of food, so that people can access food and beverages without having to prove anything or jump through hoops to feed themselves and their families. It might be joining up with local activists exploring options to make housing more accessible for all, through cooperative housing solutions, changing archaic zoning laws, or chipping away at the power that landlords have over hoarding housing. And then, connect with other people working on other things. Find out how to link it all, effectively spreading the work of making change while making sure you’re working towards the same future. We have a responsibility to fight for a future where all of our needs are met, and so much of it starts with the needs of families. Where can you plug in to make change?
See also: Sometimes, even when funds are made available for what we broadly call “welfare,” they still don’t go directly to the people who need them. And sometimes, they even end up being used against them. Pay particular attention to the mention of rent and child care costs, which came into play here as well.
What's Happening at Lakeshore Liberation?
Nothing new to share this time!
What’s Going on in Reproductive Justice
Wisconsin’s GOP lawmakers are trying to restrict abortion even further by changing the already-restrictive limitation on abortions after 20 weeks down to 14 weeks. Republicans in the state Assembly already approved the bill Thursday, but the good news is that a) they are asking for it be put as a referendum for voters to vote on, which would hopefully reinforce how unpopular this is, and b) Gov. Evers already vowed to veto any abortion restrictions anyway. This is a great reminder, however, that even states where abortion isn’t totally banned don’t actually ensure that everyone seeking abortion is able to access this service.
Also in Wisconsin, Gov. Evers is expanding contraceptive access for those on BadgerCare Plus, making norgestrel (a daily oral contraceptive that doesn’t require a prescription) available for free.
Israel’s bombardment of Gaza has led to miscarriages rising by 300%. This was mentioned in the previous newsletter, but I wanted to highlight the Jezebel report on it, as well as Truthout’s op-ed from Rimsha Syed that explains how We Won’t Have True Reproductive Justice Until Palestine Is Free.
Brittany Watts, the Black woman in Ohio who was facing a felony charge for having a miscarriage while on the toilet — an extremely common occurrence — will not be charged! This is a great outcome, but the fact this came up at all (especially knowing that it was a nurse who reported her) showcases the dangers of policing pregnancy and the policing of Black pregnant people in particular.
Why do preschoolers lie? And what are some options for handling these lies? BabyCenter explains the reasons why kids this age may tell tall tales, as well as various ways to handle it in age-appropriate ways.
TeenVogue shares an op-ed about the appalling lack of sex and reproductive health education for young women in prison.
What’s Going on in Wisconsin
Workers employed by Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin are looking to unionize!
Republican lawmakers are trying to lay the groundwork for less regulation of farms in Wisconsin, specifically around animal welfare.
What I've Been Reading
While our own Senate couldn’t even pass a resolution intended to assess allegations of Israel’s human rights violations that would then give us an opportunity to, “condition, restrict, or terminate security assistance to Israel (or to do nothing at all),” South Africa filed a case with the UN’s International Court of Justice (ICJ) formally accusing Israel of violating the UN Genocide Convention. The ICJ gave its initial ruling, saying it’s “plausible” Israel is committing genocide and ordering them to abide by their obligations under the Genocide Convention. Some have criticized the ruling for not ordering a ceasefire, but others have pointed out that the only way for Israel to abide is a ceasefire. Truthout shared an analysis of what could happen from here (and if/how this can be enforced). While this is a win in some ways, I understand why so many people feel it isn’t enough to end the genocide, and certainly not quickly enough, since Israel’s government has openly state they won’t abide by it.
From Rethinking Schools, Independence or Catastrophe? is a teacher’s reflection on how to teach Palestinian history (and the history of Israel/Palestine) through multiple lenses, to help students draw their own conclusions through critical thinking and analysis/comparison of multiple sources.
Students at Columbia University held a rally for Gaza and were sprayed by an illegal chemical that causes “burning eyes, nausea, and chest pain.” The university’s first reaction was to imply that the students themselves were at fault for holding an unsanctioned rally, and while they now seem to be working to find the culprits, affected students reported that the NYPD didn’t seem too interested in helping them.
John Halstead’s piece in A Beautiful Resistance, Learning My Left From My Right, is a personal reflection on coming to understand the political spectrum as it exists in US in particular, explaining why some reject the Horseshoe Theory in favor of the Fish Hook Theory when trying to generalize the spectrum and dissecting what fascism really is.
Keep Eyes on Sudan is a site run by the Sudanese diaspora, amplifying information about what is happening in Sudan and sharing resources to take action.
Truthout published an interview discussing the largely-ignored ethnic cleansing happening to Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh. It’s a great starting point to understanding what’s happening there today and how things got to where they are.
What I'm Watching
We finished Good Omens season two, which was incredibly different from season one, but also so incredibly good! I’m surprised some people didn’t like this one as much, as I found it to be a beautiful bridge season between the previous season and what is likely to be a high-stakes season three.
What I'm Listening To
I’ve gotten in a few more Reveal episodes, and here were some I particularly enjoyed:
We Regret to Inform You looks at how police notify families when they’ve killed someone. As the episode description explains: “Praet advises officers to use that interaction as an opportunity. Instead of delivering the news of the death immediately, he suggests first asking about the person who was killed to get as much information as possible.”
Cashing in on Troubled Teens investigates how massive psychiatric hospital chains profit off of keeping kids stuck in them.
The Spy Inside Your Smartphone is a chilling look at how government surveillance, under the guise of “catching criminals,” is often used to spy on journalists.
I’ve been a fan of Danny Lavery since he was writing for Dear Prudence, and I followed him to Big Mood, Little Mood when he shifted into giving advice there. Now with that podcast ending, he’s been appearing on Outward, which I hadn’t heard before. The episodes I’ve listened to have been great so far, and I really appreciated their recent episode The Outing of Bubba Copeland, which I found to be a refreshingly compassionate look at this recent tragedy.
Places to Donate To
My sister was in a hit and run recently while riding her bike, which has resulted in medical bills and on-going physical therapy. If you’re able to help her, all money raised will be going towards medical bills and caring for herself and her animal companions as she recovers!
Tara is a trans woman from the South that is working to attend university but is in need of financial help to make it happen!
The International Solidarity Movement (ISM) is a “Palestinian-led movement committed to resisting the long-entrenched and systematic oppression and dispossession of the Palestinian population, using non-violent, direct-action methods and principles.” They are currently raising funds to help support their work through ensuring their organizers have a place to stay, money for travel, etc.
Abortion funds are struggling to keep up with increased demand and costs while donations drop. If you can, donate (or set up a recurring donation) to your local abortion fund and/or the ones in states that are filling gaps for neighboring states with abortion bans!
Questions? Comments? Suggestions?
Feel free to share them below or contact me directly.