In the past couple weeks, I’ve been sitting with the multitrillion dollar tax break package that just passed the House—pushed through by Republicans. It’s quite reality-shattering, as a young person with wealth, to see this come through. If it passes the Senate, it will keep so much more money in billionaires’ pockets, at the cost of climate justice, environmental justice, and basic human needs.
An estimated 8.6M folks will lose healthcare and 3M will lose food stamps.
Seeing poor and working class families bear the cost of bolstering the top 0.1% feels like a loud and haunting echo of everything we’re fighting against at RG.
The majority of RGers aren’t the top 0.1%, and, even still, the money we hold in the stock market is still growing due to the exploitation of workers and the environment.
Some of our family members’ businesses and foundations are directly contributing to the rise of the authoritarian right, some of our parents are still living lifestyles that won’t allow them to redistribute significantly, and some of us are holding onto much more than we need. I’m still seeing my family’s wealth grow, while others are struggling to make ends meet.
In the eight years I’ve been a member and staff member of RG, I’ve been surprised that I could move away from being so driven by guilt and move into collective action. I can speak openly about my family’s money story and my own access to wealth, the privileges I’ve gained by not having college loans, and that I’d really be okay if I lost my job.
But in this moment, with what feels like an escalation of the war on poor people - how can I not feel guilt? Am I responsible? And while these questions linger in my mind, I’m reminded of what I’ve learned from RG and so many of you: Blame and shame push us toward isolation and inaction.
Instead, I am committed to stay in it for the long haul, answer the call from movements to keep showing up, to organize my own people, and find my political home.
As we’re growing our membership at RG, I invite you to jump into the RG community with me!
