OtherWords

OtherWords is a complimentary editorial service managed by the Institute for Policy Studies, a respected think tank. Every week, we share a selection of ready-to-publish op-eds and columns, along with an original cartoon, which we distribute to readers, editors, and publishers through our website and newsletter. Our work reaches hundreds of publications and millions of readers annually. At no charge, we provide polished, fact-checked, and easily understandable op-eds on various timely topics contributed by a diverse group of writers. Notably, over half of our bylines are from women, about a third are from writers under 35, and around 25% come from writers of color. Our aim is to support publications in educating their audiences with viewpoints that may not be available elsewhere, allowing them to dedicate more resources to local reporting. While we focus on politics, policy, and social issues from a progressive viewpoint, we maintain a strictly non-partisan stance.

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In OtherWords: May 28, 2025

1 week ago | otherwords.org | Peter Certo

With more tariffs and uncertainty looming, the last thing anyone wants is to feel insecure at work. But as this week’s writers show, some bad actors are using workarounds to poke holes in federal labor law. Lena Simet, for example, reports on how app-based employers like Uber, Lyft, and so on classify their employees as “independent contractors” despite controlling every aspect of their work — all to get around minimum wage laws, taxes, and other rules responsible employers follow.
Hiding Exploitation Behind an App

1 week ago | otherwords.org | Peter Certo

Alejandro thought that driving full-time for Uber offered freedom — flexible hours, quick cash, and time to care for his young son. But that promise faded fast. “There are hours when I make $20,” he told me. “And there are hours when I make $2.” As his pay dropped, he pawned his computer and camera, began rationing his insulin, and started driving seven days a week just to break even.
This Federal Budget Will Be a Disaster for Black Workers

1 week ago | otherwords.org | Peter Certo

The House recently passed a massive Trump budget bill that will cut trillions in taxes for the ultra-wealthy while eviscerating Medicaid, SNAP, and other services for working Americans. It now moves to the Senate. This bill has been called a massive transfer of wealth from the poor to the rich.
When Religious Employers Get a Pass, Workers Pay the Price

1 week ago | otherwords.org | Peter Certo

Like nearly a third of U.S. adults, I was raised Catholic. So when Pope Leo XIV was elected, I took note. What stood out to me was not just our shared nationality, but the legacy of his chosen name. His predecessor, Leo XIII, issued Rerum Novarum, an 1891 encyclical that supported labor unions and championed workers’ rights.
In OtherWords: May 21, 2025

2 weeks ago | otherwords.org | Peter Certo

This week, House Republicans are sprinting to pass a giant budget bill chock full of the Trump administration’s priorities. Among other things, the bill would deeply slash social programs like Medicaid and food assistance to fund enormous tax cuts for corporations and the wealthy. In OtherWords, Michael Chameides lays out what all that and more will mean for rural communities in particular.
Public Transit Is In Crisis. Congress Can Fix It.

2 weeks ago | otherwords.org | Peter Certo

Transit is essential. It’s how we get to health care appointments, parks, school, and work. Essential workers, small businesses, and under-served communities throughout the country depend on transit. Transit is a key component of economic opportunity, jobs, and a more environmentally sustainable society — and it’s a road to equity for disconnected communities.
The Senate Shouldn’t Confirm a Single Trump Judge

2 weeks ago | otherwords.org | Peter Certo

We are at a perilous time, when our most basic freedoms are at risk. It is vital that we not hand President Trump even more power to wreck our democracy than he already has. Among other things, that means not confirming anyone he nominates to be a federal judge. In early May, Trump announced the first group of judicial nominations of his second term. One is for the Sixth Circuit, which covers Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and Tennessee. The other four are for district courts in Missouri.
The Country Trump Seems Dead Set on Imitating

2 weeks ago | otherwords.org | Peter Certo

Since the start of his second presidential term, Donald Trump seems to be inspired by the country of my birth: the United Arab Emirates. On his first day in office, Trump announced his goal to end the United States’ practice of birthright citizenship. Soon after, his administration began criminalizing immigrants’ right to free speech and deploying plainclothes officers to arrest them.
Six Ways Trump’s Budget Will Hurt Rural America

2 weeks ago | otherwords.org | Peter Certo

Right now, Congress is working on a giant, fast-track bill that would make historic cuts to basic needs programs to finance another round of tax breaks for the wealthy and big corporations. As the Communications and Policy Director for the Rural Democracy Initiative, I’ve been hearing from rural leaders across the country about the devastating impacts this bill would have. The good news is it’s not too late. But there’s little time to spare.
In OtherWords: May 14, 2025

3 weeks ago | otherwords.org | Peter Certo

Have you ever been stuck with a credit card bill for fraudulent charges? Or been hit with punitive overdraft fees even when you’re clearly low on funds? Have you been sick and lost a job opportunity or mortgage because of medical debt on your credit card? There’s actually a federal agency designed to help — or at least, there was. This week in OtherWords, Lauren Sanders writes about her battle with her bank over a bogus $1,000 charge, to no avail.