Ep. 105: Pandemic, Pelosi, and the People We Consider Human
Added 2020-03-18 15:16:41 +0000 UTCThe COVID-19 pandemic is ravaging the globe, leaving immeasurable human suffering in its wake. Who is left behind, struggling to survive on the frontlines of precarity, is – as with all things – determined primarily by wealth, privilege, and access to resources and political capital.
This fact has been starkly on display in recent days, as Congressional Democrats began debating their response to the crisis: corporations, wealthy investors and industry were prioritized, formal wage workers were given crumbs, and the undocumented and informal economy workers – such as domestic caregivers; undocumented workers; sex workers; and freelance, contract, and off-the-books workers – were ignored completely.
On this week's episode, we analyze a 48-hour time period of coverage in The New York Times and The Washington Post when the discussion of who was going to be prioritized and aided – and who wasn't – cemented in popular discourse with little logic or meaningful debate.
We are joined by Fahd Ahmed, Executive Director of Desis Rising Up and Moving (DRUM).
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Guest
Fahd Ahmed is Executive Director of Desis Rising Up and Moving (DRUM). A grassroots organizer who came to the United States as an undocumented immigrant from Pakistan, Fahd was previously DRUM's Legal and Policy Director and ran the End Racial Profiling Campaign, bringing together coalitions working on Muslim surveillance and Stop & Frisk to work together to pass the landmark Community Safety Act.
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Resources
Mutual Aid/Food/Supplies During COVID-19
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Show Notes
The Workers Our Coronavirus Debate Is Leaving Out
Sarah Lazare and Adam Johnson | March 16, 2020 | Jacobin
Democrats' grotesque coronavirus failure
Ryan Cooper | March 17, 2020 | The Week
How COVID-19 Is Driving Sex Workers Like Me Into Crisis
Molly Simmons | March 17, 2020 | Huffington Post
There’s a Giant Hole in Pelosi’s Coronavirus Bill
Editorial Board | March 14, 2020 | The New York Times
The Companies Putting Profits Ahead of Public Health
Editorial Board | March 14, 2020 | The New York Times
The Only Treatment for Coronavirus Is Solidarity
Jedediah Britton-Purdy | March 13, 2020 | Jacobin
Coronavirus Fears Are Decimating The Sex Industry
Michael Hobbes | March 12, 2020 | Huffington Post
The Quiet Terror of Coronavirus
Talia Lavin | March 15, 2020 | GQ
The US now has more than 56.7 million freelance workers—and they vote
Simone Stolzoff | November 5, 2018 | Quartz
Informal and Nonstandard Employment in the United States [PDF]
Demetra Smith Nightingale and Stephen A. Wandner | August 2011 | The Urban Institute
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Transcript
For a full transcript of this episode, go here.
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Comments
Great episode. It is terrifying what this administration might be able to implement during this crisis from the nutso detention idea to the stupid suspension of payroll taxes. Dangerous times, during which you guys excel for us. Thank you and be well!
2020-03-23 23:55:02 +0000 UTCSame! ::)
2020-03-22 21:36:18 +0000 UTCAnd they should have done that about 400 years ago... I laughed out loud at that one
2020-03-19 18:17:37 +0000 UTCHi guys, I wanted to address a related topic mentioned by Adam on Twitter: cash payments to homeless informal workers. I agree it is difficult but I think the humanitarian sector use of cash and voucher assistance could be a starting point. CVA is not a panacea and there are many problems with humanitarian aid but there are a lot of successful examples of distributing cash or vouchers to people not connected to other services, even sometimes people w/o IDs. A lot of care is needed; some of these agencies collect a lot of personal data which has potential to harm them especially w/ our current admin. But it is possible to do assessments to find these people, enroll them and distribute cash (better but often more reporting and ID requirements) or vouchers (less choice). The trick is to do this w/o the humanitarian sector turning this into a biz and aiding the govt in surveilling these populations.
No Borders Only Podcasts
2020-03-19 01:52:56 +0000 UTCGreat episode again, and as ever, it's very important to highlight that deficit scolds are an ever-present obstacle. Even here in Ireland, where we've had a saner response to COVID-19 than other countries (so far!), we're being warned by the Government that whatever relief packages are being put into action 'will have to be paid for in the future'. Good grief. Anyway, stay well, Adam, Nima et al.
Ciaran Colley
2020-03-18 18:47:50 +0000 UTCNancy Pelosi doesn’t care about workers b/c she’s corrupt. How did she get a net worth of over $100 million during her three decades in Congress? Nancy is a crook.
Terry Stack
2020-03-18 18:14:46 +0000 UTCGood work all. The discussion here in Ireland is being limited to sick pay but keeps being dragged 'left' by civil society and leftist political parties to include the means of social reproduction.
Eoin O'Mahony
2020-03-18 16:35:39 +0000 UTCThank you guys for making these podcasts right now, they are one of the few things that give me hope. Adam, your anger at the beginning, that's how I feel most of the time right now. How are people this cruel? How are other people not incensed? I feel like Jesus in the temple with money changers and the person going back to the cave in the Republic or Mugatu in Zoolander...a combination of rage and bewilderment. Trying to make people care is so hard. So at least your show makes some of us feel less alone.
No Borders Only Podcasts
2020-03-18 16:31:18 +0000 UTC
