Tuesday Afternoon Links

This and that for your Tuesday reading.

- Daniel Markovits argues for a wealth tax to fund the relief and rebuilding effort needed in response to COVID-19, while Paul Mason points out the need to not only tax existing wealth but build new economic structures which deter extreme wealth accumulation. Bill Bostock reports on the rightful refusal of Denmark and Poland (so far) to direct public support toward companies which have refused to keep up their end of any social contract. Amir Barnes writes that we shouldn't allow public bailout money to be diverted toward enriching executives or buying back shares. And Robert Reich notes that the real moral hazard in the U.S. involves the exploitation of both booms and busts by the rich.

- David McDonald discusses the need for stronger public institutions to meet the basic needs which have been highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic. And Marc Andreessen makes the case to start working on building the society we want, rather than accepting cuts and tinkering as the limit of our ability to alter the status quo.

- Sara Mojtehedzadeh reports on the continued use of temp agencies to avoid ensuring either secure employment or safe long-term care facilities. David Climenhaga points out how the UCP's willingness to run interference for dangerous workplaces - including both tar sands operations and slaughterhouses - has exacerbated the spread of COVID-19 in Alberta. And PressProgress questions why the Trudeau Libs have put a corporate monolith with a cavalier attitude toward the safety of its own employees in charge of storing and distributing needed supplies. 

- Catherine Kim writes about the U.S. cities which are only dealing with homelessness in the face of the coronavirus, while Emily Pasiuk reports that Saskatchewan has thus far fallen short of even that basic response.

- Finally, Lana Payne offers her suggestions to make Employment Insurance into a far stronger and more accessible income support.