Why AOC made a fashion statement out of fiscal policy

+ COVID-19 booster shots raise ethical issues US Edition - Today's top story: 'Tax the rich'? Democrats' plans to make the wealthy pay a little more will barely dent America's long slide from progressive taxation [View in browser]( US Edition | 18 September 2021 [The Conversation]( OK, a hoity-toity gala full of the rich and famous may not be the best place to start a meaningful discussion about the benefits of a progressive taxation policy. But given the attention that Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s “Tax The Rich” dress got at the Met Gala, it’s as good a place as any. Her fashion statement followed a proposal by a House committee to move taxation roughly back to where it was before the GOP slashed it a few years back. According to Gabriel Zucman and Emmanuel Saez, two economists at the University of California, Berkeley, that [wouldn’t really make the tax code much more progressive]( in the grand scale of things. In the 1950s, the super-rich saw close to 70% of their income go to taxes. But seven decades of increasingly regressive – read, rich-friendly – fiscal policy means that today’s biggest earners pay proportionately no more than virtually all income groups. In fact, the super-super-super-rich end up paying less. This week we also liked articles about [reducing methane emissions](, an [art investment app]( and the [racist roots of the new voting law in Texas](. Matt Williams Breaking News Editor U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez making a fashion statement. Ray Tamarra/GC Images via Getty Images [‘Tax the rich’? Democrats’ plans to make the wealthy pay a little more will barely dent America’s long slide from progressive taxation]( Gabriel Zucman, University of California, Berkeley; Emmanuel Saez, University of California, Berkeley In 1950, the top 0.01% of earners paid almost 70% of their income in taxes. By 2018, the super-rich paid proportionately less than the average for all other Americans. No third dose for now. AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty [FDA panel recommends limiting Pfizer booster shots to Americans 65 and older, and those at high risk of severe COVID-19]( Matthew Woodruff, Emory University An FDA panel has voted against recommending approval of a booster COVID-19 shot for the general population – disappointing some public health officials. Methane is the world’s second most abundant greenhouse gas, and it’s many times more potent than carbon dioxide. Vanderlei Almeida/AFP via Getty Images [Biden urges countries to slash methane emissions 30% – here’s why it’s crucial for protecting climate and health, and how it can pay for itself]( Drew Shindell, Duke University A large amount of methane emissions come from natural gas infrastructure and landfills – all problems companies know how to fix. - [Are COVID-19 boosters ethical, with half the world waiting for a first shot? A bioethicist weighs in]( Nancy S. Jecker, University of Washington Scientists debate the medical benefits of booster shots. But there’s another aspect to consider: bioethics. - [A new platform lets you buy shares of blue-chip paintings – but is art a wise investment?]( Kathryn Graddy, Brandeis University Art is a risky investment, with estimated long-run returns, on average, below stocks. But investing in artworks may provide diversification to an investment portfolio, as well as enjoyment. - [Texas voting law builds on long legacy of racism from GOP leaders]( Chris Lamb, IUPUI For much of the country’s history, the Republican Party was the party of Lincoln and racial equality, and the Democratic Party backed Jim Crow laws and white supremacy. The two parties switched. - [Political orientation predicts science denial – here’s what that means for getting Americans vaccinated against COVID-19]( - [Facebook has known for a year and a half that Instagram is bad for teens despite claiming otherwise – here are the harms researchers have been documenting for years]( - [Who’s covered by a vaccine mandate? Here’s a quick guide to America’s patchwork of COVID-19 shot requirements]( - [A direct recommendation from a doctor may be the final push someone needs to get vaccinated]( - [Chile has a growing Muslim community – but few know about it]( - [Poverty got worse in 2020 as many low-wage workers took the brunt of the economic blows]( - [Scientists at work: We use environmental DNA to monitor how human activities affect life in rivers and streams]( - [Cybercriminals use pandemic to attack schools and colleges]( - [Perilous situation for Afghan allies left behind shows a refugee system that’s not up to the job]( - [OxyContin created the opioid crisis, but stigma and prohibition have fueled it]( [The Conversation]( You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation]( 303 Wyman Street, Suite 300 Waltham, MA 02451 [Forward to a friend]( • [Unsubscribe](