The Skunk: A newsletter from Civic Skunk Works

"Because conventional wisdom stinks"

We're starting to see an economic revolt
In nations around the world, people are protesting economic inequality and taking to the streets in political frustration. In India, thousands are protesting rising onion prices, and in Chile, a 4% subway fare hike has mobilized hundreds of thousands of people to protest and riot. We said it here first: The pitchforks are coming. This week, Cesar Hidalgo joins Nick and Paul to discuss the unrest in Chile and explain how his political organizing app is helping protestors prioritize the issues they want the government to address. Click here to listen.

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This Stinks:

What's good for workers is good for business
Corporate media consolidation is threatening our democracy and changing how we think and how our time is spent. Right now, the Disney corporation is being sued for not paying their workers a living wage while Disney's CEO makes a ridiculous amount more than median workers and the corporation profits billions every year. Disney has been a huge player in media consolidation (not to mention the newest entry into the online streaming war). Join our political experts Jessyn Farrell and Zach Silk as we break down this week in politics. Click here to watch the livestream!

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Don't buy into the misinformation about the $15 minimum wage
Next year, more than half of the United States and the District of Columbia will raise their minimum wages. All of these increases are a real cause for celebration, even as the federal minimum wage languishes at $7.25/hour.

But just as it brings wage increases for workers around the country, the first day of the new year also delivers something more insidious: a flurry of concern-trolling news stories about how the minimum wage is killing jobs. Let us be clear: Despite the loud complaints of a few surly business owners and conservative pundits, raising the wage hasn't killed jobs, raised costs for consumers, or closed restaurants. Click here to read more from Paul Constant about why you should be on high-alert for bogus anti-minimum wage stories.

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Daily Beast: "Everyone Feels Overworked and Underpaid. Why Aren't the Democratic Presidential Candidates Talking About It?"

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Last week, Gov. Jay Inslee gave salary workers a huge win and restored overtime protections for nearly 420,000 middle-class workers. This community was HUGE in helping to make that happen - thank you, thank you, thank you.

Now, workers in Washington will either get paid for every hour they work - or companies will have to hire more employees. It's a win-win for everyone, and it's what we need to restore the middle class. So why haven't more Democrats embraced the notion that, as Nick Hanauer said, '[O]vertime pay is for the middle class what the minimum wage is for the working class'?

That's a great question - so we want to know: Which Democratic presidential candidate has the best economic policies?

Skunk Survey: Which Democratic presidential nominee has the best economic message? Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, Joe Biden, Other. Vote before midnight!

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