“Seattle Flirts with ‘Municipal Socialism,’ ” Politico
Paul Roberts focuses on Seattle, but he could be writing about any number of large cities with left-leaning voters. As federal and state lawmakers either won’t or can’t engage in pay-and-benefit issues, city councils are stepping in. It is not just minimum wages and paid leave. Seattle considered increasing the per-mile charge that ride-share drivers earn. “Seattle labor initiatives ‘are very much efforts that are designed to start here and go elsewhere,’ says a senior city official. ‘That is the way they get pitched.’ ” — Peter Callaghan, state government reporter.
“The Fall of Wisconsin and the Rise of Randy Bryce,” The New Yorker
Only three members of the U.S. House of Representatives are tradespeople. Dan Kaufman profiles Randy Bryce, aka Iron Stache, who’s running for the seat about to be vacated by House Speaker Paul Ryan. After a series of odd jobs, Bryce entered the apprenticeship program at Milwaukee Iron Workers Local 8, and four years later, became a union ironworker. Bryce hopes to reverse some of the anti-union policies of current Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker. — Corey Anderson, creative director.
“Hard News. Angry Administration. Teenage Journalists Know What It’s Like.” The New York Times
In the age of “fake news,” mainstream media outlets certainly face tough challenges, but the situation is far more extreme for many high school student news organizations across the nation. As detailed in this New York Times story, school administrators in California, Missouri, Texas, Utah and other parts of the country are cracking down on student publications that cover protests, sexuality and other hot-bottom topics in the news. — Ibrahim Hirsi, workforce and immigration reporter.
“Temporary spaces of joy and freedom,” Literary Review of Canada
This piece is a conversation between Leanne Betasamosake Simpson and Dionne Brand, two Canadian writers — one indigenous and one black — starting from Simpson’s recent book, “As We Have Always Done: Indigenous Freedom through Radical Resistance.” The conversation explores the two writers’ Canadian context around colonialism, land, liberation, and creative work. — Jonathan Stegall, user experience engineer.
