An American Tragedy

This edition is available to all (except the paid exclusives). Support my work and upgrade to paid here.

LISTENING: to some guns n' roses
FEELING: a mix of messy feelings
SEEING: a messy desk that needs some organizing

I live in New York, where I buy my health insurance from the state. My annual income could be better, so the state gives me a $452 tax credit every month. That helps cover a majority of my health insurance bill — though I still pay nearly $300 a month for shitty health care.

Social benefits like that tax credit are determined by our federal and state budgets (and the tax dollars that fund them). President Donald Trump's proposed budget bill threatens exactly this type of assistance for people across the country. The House just passed it.

According to THE CITY, the bill would drastically reduce New York's Essential Plan, my mom's health insurance. These days, she's been limping around due to a new arthritis diagnosis in her leg. Insurance won't alleviate her pain, but it helps with the logistics of trying to find a remedy. It allows us to go to doctor visits without stress. It covers her medicine. It gives us some peace of mind.

We will all need more of that as the climate crisis continues to unfold. On Wednesday, a new study from Harvard researchers published in the Epidemiology journal found that wildfire smoke exposure can continue to cause health effects three months later. The authors examined hospital records for 15 states from 2006 to 2016 and found an increased risk for cardiorespiratory issues such as hypertension, pneumonia, and asthma.

"As wildfires become more frequent and intense, and their burden on human health becomes clearer, addressing the health impacts is a critical public health priority," said Rosalind Wright, chair of Mount Sinai's Department of Public Health, whose team of scientists also worked on the study. "Findings from this study underscore the need to continue such preventive measures for a prolonged period after the fires have ended. Collaborative efforts across federal, state, and local levels are essential to safeguard the health of communities nationwide."

Unfortunately, communities need affordable health care to stay safe and prevent the worst outcomes. That means reliable health insurance. Trump and his GOP goons are attempting to eliminate that option for too many Americans. New Yorkers aren't the only ones who will feel the blow.

The bill heads to the Senate next, where it's likely to pass after some concessions. Will more lawmakers stand up for the people's health? For the Latino children who are set to lose health coverage? For the millions who depend on Medicaid? For the trans people whose health services are on the chopping block?

All this, to provide tax cuts to the ultra-wealthy. Wildfire air quality alerts won't affect them in their mansions decked out with air purifiers. They won't be the ones outside working when the skies are orange. The people who will, however, will no longer have the help they need to stay healthy and live the long life they deserve.

That's what the "big, beautiful bill" will do. It will attack the most vulnerable. It will probably end their lives prematurely and kill people who, with affordable health care, could have lived. Already, some 68,000 people die a year due to a lack of health insurance. That number will only go up.

Oh, the American tragedy. The country is full of wealth, but the people running it like to hoard our tax dollars and keep us poor. It never ends, does it? 🌀

>> Friends, I'll be increasing the subscription costs to make this more sustainable. I hope you will all stick around, but please reach out if you have any concerns. I outlined my proposal in an earlier edition here.

The newsletter ends here for free subscribers. Why not upgrade?

Rest in Power

While we can't say for certain that climate change led to these specific weather events (we need attribution studies for that), we do know that the Earth's rising temperatures are already creating more frequent and/or stronger disasters like these.

New South Wales in eastern Australia has been hit with deadly flooding, killing at least four people.

Wildfires have begun in Canada. One wildfire a few weeks ago killed a couple.

Meanwhile, Pakistan is starting to grow hot. That's not what resulted in 14 deaths as of Sunday — the wind, hail, and lightning did.

Currently Reading

My latest column for the Society of Environmental Journalists is all about my trip to the West Bank. I write, "Journalists of all stripes — including, yes, we environmental and climate journalists — have a duty to tell these people’s stories now, before it’s too late."

Trump's bill isn't just attacking health care and social safety nets — it's coming for the courts, too, writes Robert Reich for the Guardian.

"I’m ashamed of my government—of what this country has become," said one Israeli combat commander in a New Yorker piece by Ruth Margalit about the soldiers who refuse to fight.

The Israeli occupation of the West Bank has a climate cost, especially as the military expands its operations. Haitham Al-Sharif reports for The Nation.

Climate risks are hitting homeowners of color especially hard, Samantha Latson writes for The New York Times. This is what climate injustice looks like.

Poetry

my mom hates garlic
garlic on tortilla—
that was once a staple
in her shack by the stream
the home that raised her and my tias

can you imagine?
garlic on flour—
day in, day out

my mom hates garlic
the smell
the taste
the texture
the spice

hunger forced her to eat it
and now she avoids it like the plague

do you know what it feels to starve?
to eat to survive?
to shove food down your throat
that you despise?

I don't—
I eat garlic all the time
on cheesy bread
on string beans
on linguine

but some days,
I hate garlic, too

-ylf-

I camped in the rain over the weekend. I wouldn't recommend! Still, time in nature is always precious. Hope you get outside soon, too. xx

- Yessenia