Jorge G. Castañeda for PS Say More

The PS Say More Newsletter | [View this message in a web browser]( [PS Say More]( Welcome to Say More, a weekly newsletter offering readers exclusive insights into the ideas, interests, and personalities of some of the world’s leading thinkers. In each issue, a Project Syndicate contributor is invited to expand on topics covered in their commentaries, address new issues, and share recommendations about everything from books and recordings to hobbies and social media. This week, PS talks with Jorge G. Castañeda, a former foreign minister of Mexico and a professor at New York University. Read the full interview [here](. Jorge G. Castañeda Says More… Project Syndicate[Jorge G. Castañeda]( As you [note]( in your latest PS commentary, the problems exposed by America’s triple crisis of COVID-19, economic recession, and mass protests over racial injustice and police violence are rooted not in President Donald Trump’s failures, as dangerous as they are, but in the country’s “founding conditions.” That is why the United States has repeatedly proved “ill-equipped to retool its safety net.” You imply that the current crises can catalyze “radical change,” especially if the November election produces “sound leadership.” Why might this time be different? Jorge G. Castañeda: It is true that previous attempts at overhauling the social safety net in the US have failed. But, this time, the need for major reform is clearer than ever before. The pandemic has highlighted the health-care system’s inadequacies. The protests have driven more people to acknowledge the extent of systemic racism in the country, spurring discussion about everything from reform of law enforcement and criminal justice to broader affirmative-action policies and even reparations. And the burgeoning economic crisis has underscored the need to strengthen support for people’s livelihoods, such as through unemployment insurance, universal childcare, and a higher minimum wage. As a result, the share of voters who back such reforms is growing, and their support is deepening. It helps that the share of minority voters – in particular, from the Latinx and Asian-American communities – is growing. If voter turnout among black Americans and young people increases as expected, the Democrats could win a landslide election victory in November. Owing their success, at least partly, to voters who support strengthening the social safety net, they will be under pressure to deliver. PS: You suggest that Trump’s successor should pursue “a New Deal-like overhaul of US social, economic, and political structures.” What specific policies or reforms should lead the agenda? JGC: The reforms that a Democratic landslide could enable were suggested, in one way or another, by most of the contenders for the party’s nomination. They include livelihood support, such as universal child care, a $15 minimum wage, universal paid family leave, and stronger unemployment insurance (roughly double today’s average). Universal health care – possibly, but not necessarily, a single-payer system – is also high on the list, as is reforming or eliminating the Electoral College. To address inequality, many advocate tax reform – including a higher tax rate for the highest earners and a wealth tax on those who own the most assets – as well as free public higher education; affirmative action in education, housing, and small-business support; and possibly even a universal basic income. Finally, an end to mass incarceration, stronger gun laws, and immigration reform would go a long way toward protecting lives and upholding American values. Enacting any one of these reforms would be important. Some of them together would be monumental. Introducing all of them would be transformative. PS: In March, you [praised]( the Organization of American States, under Luis Almagro’s leadership, for its management of the 2019 Bolivian presidential election: the OAS’s finding that the vote had been subject to “significant tampering” played a major role in forcing President Evo Morales from power. More recently, however, an [independent study]( found serious flaws in the OAS analysis. Did the OAS – and Almagro – get it wrong? And how will such criticism affect the body’s ability to act as a “critical, vocal, and effective force for combating authoritarian governments and human-rights violations in Latin America”? JGC: The University of Pennsylvania academics who criticized the OAS... [Continue reading]( [From Riots to Reform in America]( [From Riots to Reform in America]( By Jorge G. Castañeda Mass protests and rioting following the killing of yet another African-American by a white police officer have compounded multiplying crises in the United States. Between the COVID-19 pandemic, a looming economic depression, and persistent racism, the American social contract has never been in more need of reform. Previously in Say More [Courtney C. Radsch]( – Advocacy Director at the Committee to Protect Journalists – addresses journalism’s racism problem, explains why criminalizing disinformation is not the answer to “fake news,” and touts one of the most important books she has read. [Read more](. [Sergei Guriev]( – a former chief economist of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and a professor at Sciences Po in Paris – thinks Vladimir Putin’s regime may be reaching a moment of reckoning, highlights the link between pandemics and inequality, and praises Twitter’s recent crackdown on fake news. [Read more](. [Check out the full Say More archive]( [PS. Take 50% off a new subscription with the discount code SUMMER50]( Project Syndicate publishes and provides, on a not-for-profit basis, original commentary by the world's leading thinkers to more than 500 media outlets in over 150 countries. This newsletter is a service of [Project Syndicate](. [Change your newsletter preferences](. Follow us on [Facebook]( [Twitter]( and [YouTube](. © Project Syndicate, all rights reserved. [Unsubscribe from all newsletters](.