Three years after China imposed the National Security Law in Hong Kong that suppresses dissent, the city’s legislators unanimously adopted Article 23, increasing a crack down on civil liberties. Article 23 was initially tabled in 2003 after mass protests, but this time pro-Beijing legislators in the city’s parliament passed the law unanimously.
(“Article 23: What is Hong Kong Tough New Security Law,” BBC News, March 18, 2024; “Security Law is the Final Nail in the Coffin,” Associated Press, March 19, 2024)
The promise of electric vehicles in the coming decade raises the prospect of a strong alliance between the resurgent United Auto Workers union and environmental justice activists working in frontline communities. After winning major wage increases, the UAW is now pursuing a major organizing campaign in the American South. The Nation reports that the UAW is investing an unprecedented $40 million dollars in organizing up and down the Electric Vehicle supply chain.
(“Why the Environmental Justice Movement Should Support the UAW Organizing Drive,” The Nation, March 11, 2024; “Biden’s New Tailpipe Emissions Rule Hailed as Historic Step,” Guardian, March 20, 2024)
The Trump tax cuts passed in 2017, the largest corporate tax cut in US history, which primarily benefited the wealthiest Americans, could be a defining issue in the 2024 election. Trump and the Republican Congress reduced the tax rate for big corporations from an already-low 35 percent to a ridiculously low 21 percent. The GOP law also lowered tax rates for the wealthiest people from nearly 40 percent to 37 percent. Several provisions of that law are set to expire in 2025, making this November’s Congressional and Presidential elections pivotal on issues of rising inequality and economic fairness.
(“Trump Plans to Make His Massive Tax Cuts for the Rich and Corporations Permanent,” In These Times, March 13, 2024; “Trump Tax Cuts on the Line in 2024 Election,” The Hill, Feb. 21, 2024)
This week’s News Summary was narrated by Anna Manzo.
