In June 2023 Amanda Jones, an African American who had recently given birth to her second daughter Miranda, died from pregnancy-related causes. Her state, Georgia, ranks among the least safe states in the country for women to give birth; and the vast majority of women who die during and after pregnancy are poor and disproportionately African American.

Though Amanda and her partner worked, they did not have health insurance and she was only eligible for Medicaid coverage for up to 12 months after the birth of her child, none for prenatal care, and none after 12 months. The majority of the nearly 26 million uninsured people are low-income families with at least one worker, with no healthcare coverage through their job, and who cannot afford the high cost of private insurance. Further, millions of Americans are losing Medicaid coverage as some states restrict eligibility that was expanded during the Covid-19 pandemic. All the while, corporate healthcare capitalists are raking in record profits—the largest gaining $41 billion in profits in 2022.

I want my taxes to help fund universal healthcare for everyone in our country. All but 43 countries offer free healthcare or access to healthcare for at least 90% of their citizens. Why cannot we, the world’s wealthiest nation for over 60 years, divorce ourselves from corporate capitalist healthcare?

Our arduous path back from flawed to healthy democracy will only be through engaged citizens, activist organizations, and unions in cities and some states not shackled in the stranglehold of anti-abortion, anti-immigrant, Trumpian, and extreme religious right politics, nor held hostage by their weapons manufacturers.

What of other social and economic issues to consider this Tax Day? Take poverty: 140 million people— 40% of U.S. people—are poor or near poor, defined as one emergency away from economic ruin, according to the Poor People’s Campaign. The “140 million” are people of every race, ethnicity, age, faith, sex, and sexual orientation, while poverty is highest among Black, Latino, and Indigenous peoples due to systemic racism. More women than men are poor due to systemic sexism. The pay gap between women and men—21.8% on average—has persisted for 30 years, an injustice that deteriorates our democracy.

I want my federal and state taxes to lift people out of poverty and end inequality in income. It can be done. Cities are leading the way in raising........

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