In a record-long State of the Union address last night, President Trump essentially declared victory in the fight for affordability. Millions of Americans, however, must wonder what on earth he was talking about.<\/p>\n
Last week in OtherWords, North Carolina mom and nonprofit leader Lindsay K. Saunders shared her own story of an all too familiar feeling: the vanishing promise of “middle class” life<\/strong><\/a> in an age of rising prices, rising inequality, and diminishing social supports.<\/p>\n For years, education has been touted as a way to break into the middle class. But this week, grad student Satra D. Taylor highlights the new barriers going up to students like her trying to do that<\/strong><\/a>. A first generation college student, Satra relied on Pell Grants and Grad Plus loans — while working two jobs — to make her way through school. But the GOP’s “Big Beautiful Bill” has slashed those benefits, along with Medicaid and SNAP, to fund tax cuts for billionaires.<\/p>\n “President Trump didn\u2019t even mention student aid in his State of the Union address. But this issue is central to the health of our union,” she writes. “It\u2019s about whether we as a nation believe working families deserve opportunity \u2014 or just survival. It\u2019s about whether we as a nation value the futures of our young people \u2014 or only the futures of billionaires.”<\/p>\n Also this week, Jordan Liz calls on communities to defend their immigrant neighbors<\/strong><\/a> as the administration tries to “turn documented immigrants\u00a0into<\/em> undocumented immigrants” by revoking their TPS status. Paul Armentano explains what critics still get wrong about cannabis legalization<\/strong><\/a>. And Jim Hightower warns against billionaire-funded advertising touting the “benefits” of AI data centers<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n New This Week…<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Stealing Students\u2019 Dreams to Give Billionaires Tax Breaks<\/a> | <\/strong>Satra D. Taylor Don\u2019t End TPS for Our Immigrant Neighbors<\/a> | <\/strong>Jordan Liz<\/strong> What Critics Still Get Wrong About Marijuana Legalization<\/a> | <\/strong>Paul Armentano Beware of AI Swill<\/a> | <\/strong>Jim Hightower In Case You Missed It…<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n The Epstein Class: They Are the Elites They Pretend to Hate<\/a> | <\/strong>Sonali Kolhatkar Affordability Is a Vanishing Promise for the Middle Class<\/a> | <\/strong>Lindsay K. Saunders Keeping Our Promise To Veterans Includes Funding Transit<\/a> | <\/strong>Stewart Schwartz Target Needs to Kick ICE Out of Its Stores<\/a> | <\/strong>Alliyah Lusuegro The post In OtherWords: February 25, 2026<\/a> appeared first on OtherWords<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n
\n<\/strong>I\u2019m a first-generation college student. I\u2019m worried other young people won\u2019t get the financial aid that made my education possible.<\/p>\n
\nThe Trump administration is trying to expel lawful immigrants to countries facing political turmoil \u2014 while also cutting aid and destabilizing many countries further.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Cannabis re-legalization is a work in progress. But it\u2019s here to stay \u2014 and by and large, we\u2019re mostly getting it right.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>AI billionaires are polluting our communities with glossy PR promoting their water-guzzling, utility-bill-raising data centers.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>For years, MAGA has attacked minority groups in the name of \u201cprotecting women and children.\u201d It turns out the real abusers are wealthy and powerful.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>The president\u2019s policies are making it harder for working families like mine to get by.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>For many veterans, the question of how to get to a doctor\u2019s appointment, job interview, or classroom determines whether civilian life is stable or precarious.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Immigrant and human rights advocates are calling on the iconic retailer to stop cooperating with abusive federal immigration agencies.<\/p>\n
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