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Reposted by Matt McConnell

Rebecca Riddell @rebeccariddell.bsky.social · 29d

New poverty data just out affirms a shameful fact:

The US is one of the most unequal rich countries in the world.

Home to more billionaires than any other country, and 43.7 million ppl in poverty. Trump's agenda is set to make things worse.

Our take👇 www.oxfamamerica.org/press/new-us...

New US data shows 43.7 million people in poverty, with "President Trump's agenda set to further impoverish families and inflame inequality" — Oxfam

In response to the U.S. Census Bureau’s release of new data on poverty and incomes in 2024, Rebecca Riddell, Oxfam America’s E

www.oxfamamerica.org

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Matt McConnell @mattcconnell.bsky.social · Aug 5

Had a great chat with @rosiebultman.bsky.social of KCSB and my @hrw.org colleague @sarahsaadoun.bsky.social about the Trump admin's terrible budget bill and how it will make ordinary people pay for tax cuts for the rich with their health

Take a listen 👇

podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...

The Global Impact of Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill

Podcast Episode · The People’s Program · 07/24/2025 · 24m

podcasts.apple.com

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Reposted by Matt McConnell

Sarah Saadoun @sarahsaadoun.bsky.social · Aug 5

Pleasure to join @rosiebultman.bsky.social on The People’s Program with my @hrw.org colleague @mattcconnell.bsky.social to talk about how Trump used the budget bill to kill a global rule meant to finally make companies pay a minimum tax rate on their profits. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...

The Global Impact of Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill

Podcast Episode · The People’s Program · 07/24/2025 · 24m

podcasts.apple.com

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Reposted by Matt McConnell

Belkis Wille @belkiswille.bsky.social · Jul 21

Maksym Chernyak came to the US from Ukraine seeking safety. He died in ICE custody. This is his story. www.hrw.org/report/2025/... 🧵

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Reposted by Matt McConnell

Kartik Raj @kartikraj.bsky.social · Jul 9

As the #UCBill (without PIP) returns to UK Parliament for its third (and final?) reading, my post for @hrw.org

www.hrw.org/news/2025/07...

The watered-down version of the Bill will still negatively affect many with disabilities and long term health conditions. The government should scrap it.

Revised UK Social Security Bill Still Harms Rights

The UK government’s draft law to cut spending on disability-related social security triggered major opposition from within the ruling party, forcing the government to roll back some of the legislation...

www.hrw.org

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Reposted by Matt McConnell

Human Rights Watch en français @hrw-fr.hrw.org · Jul 4

L'avenir de la finance est en train de se décider et cet avenir doit donner la priorité aux droits humains.

Human Rights Watch participe à la Conférence internationale sur le financement du développement à Séville, en Espagne.

@mattcconnell.bsky.social‬ nous explique les enjeux ⤵

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Matt McConnell @mattcconnell.bsky.social · Jul 4

If you're not at the table, you're on the menu

This week, @hrw.org joined partners from around the world at #FfD4 in Sevilla, Spain to pressure governments, banks, and agencies to put human rights first

Watch a quick summary 👇

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Reposted by Matt McConnell

Human Rights Watch @hrw.org · Jul 3

The future of money is being decided — and that future should put human rights first.

Human Rights Watch is at the International Financing for Development Conference in Seville, Spain.

Listen to @mattcconnell.bsky.social's dispatch:

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Reposted by Matt McConnell

Human Rights Watch @hrw.org · Jul 1

Read more from HRW:

US: Budget Would Benefit Wealthiest at Expense of Rights

The budget reconciliation bill passed by the United States Senate today would extend tax cuts that disproportionately benefit the country’s wealthiest families while reducing spending on health and ot...

www.hrw.org

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Reposted by Matt McConnell

Human Rights Watch @hrw.org · Jul 1

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act isn't a solution to economic inequality or for managing immigration and asylum procedures — it's a blueprint for cruelty.

The US deserves a health care system that fulfills everyone’s human right to health, and a budget that makes this possible.

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Reposted by Matt McConnell

Lou Charbonneau @loucharb.bsky.social · Jul 2

@hrw.org: Proposed #Trump administration "big beautiful bill" would benefit the wealthiest at the expense of human rights.

If signed into law, it would strip millions of people of health insurance coverage and harm rights in numerous other ways. - @mattcconnell.bsky.social

US: Budget Would Benefit Wealthiest at Expense of Rights

The budget reconciliation bill passed by the United States Senate today would extend tax cuts that disproportionately benefit the country’s wealthiest families while reducing spending on health and ot...

hrw.org

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Matt McConnell @mattcconnell.bsky.social · Jul 1

“It’s appalling that President Trump ran on a campaign to fix the economy but is delivering a budget that makes ordinary people pay with their health for tax breaks for millionaires."

More from @hrw.org 👇

hrw.org/news/2025/07...

Tell the House: #NotOnOurWatch

US: Budget Would Benefit Wealthiest at Expense of Rights

The budget reconciliation bill passed by the United States Senate today would extend tax cuts that disproportionately benefit the country’s wealthiest families while reducing spending on health and ot...

hrw.org

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Matt McConnell @mattcconnell.bsky.social · Jul 1

7/ Gov. budgets should respect, protect, and fulfill all human rights — not reward billionaires

But the fight is not over.

📞 Call your House reps
📝And use the form below to tell them
📢 #NotOnOurWatch

www.hrw.org/NotOnOurWatch

Not On Our Watch

www.hrw.org

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Matt McConnell @mattcconnell.bsky.social · Jul 1

6/ Researchers 👇 estimated that this bill could cause 51,000+ excess deaths per year due to loss of care and services!

This isn’t “balancing the budget” — it’s weaponizing it

ysph.yale.edu/news-article...

Proposed changes to Medicaid, other health programs could lead to over 51,000 preventable deaths, researchers warn

Public health and policy researchers at Yale University and the University of Pennsylvania say that proposed changes to Medicaid and other U.S. health programs

ysph.yale.edu

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Matt McConnell @mattcconnell.bsky.social · Jul 1

5/ But it doesn't stop there. 3+ million are set to lose food assistance through SNAP, while 10s of billions of $$ in public money goes to expanding abusive immigration detention, including for families

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Matt McConnell @mattcconnell.bsky.social · Jul 1

4/ 🏥 On health, cuts to Medicaid, CHIP and the ACA = 11.8 million people losing health insurance coverage!

Women, LGBTQ folks, rural and low-income people, and Black, Hispanic, and immigrant communities will be hit hard

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Matt McConnell @mattcconnell.bsky.social · Jul 1

3/ The most recent estimates from the @USCBO
found that the bill would cause:

– The Bottom 10% to lose ~$1,600/year
– The Top 10% to gain ~$12,000/year

That’s a – 4% hit for the poor, +2.3% gain for the rich!

It's inequality, turbocharged

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Matt McConnell @mattcconnell.bsky.social · Jul 1

2/ 💰 Massive tax cuts for the richest Americans and deep cuts to health care, food aid, and funding for programs necessary to protect the environment and our planet

It’s a massive transfer of wealth from public goods to private pockets

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Matt McConnell @mattcconnell.bsky.social · Jul 1

1/ 🧵 The US Senate just passed a budget that rewards the wealthy while slashing programs essential for human rights

They call it the “One Big Beautiful Bill”
Here’s what they think is “beautiful” 👇

www.hrw.org/news/2025/07...
@hrw.org

US: Budget Would Benefit Wealthiest at Expense of Rights

The budget reconciliation bill passed by the United States Senate today would extend tax cuts that disproportionately benefit the country’s wealthiest families while reducing spending on health and ot...

www.hrw.org

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Reposted by Matt McConnell

Sarah Saadoun @sarahsaadoun.bsky.social · Jul 1

“It’s appalling that President Trump ran on a campaign to fix the economy but is delivering a budget that makes ordinary people pay with their health for tax breaks for millionaires” @mattcconnell.bsky.social @hrw.org on the catastrophe of a budget the senate just passed www.hrw.org/news/2025/07...

US: Budget Would Benefit Wealthiest at Expense of Rights

The budget reconciliation bill passed by the United States Senate today would extend tax cuts that disproportionately benefit the country’s wealthiest families while reducing spending on health and ot...

www.hrw.org

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Reposted by Matt McConnell

Lena Simet @lenasimet.bsky.social · Jun 27

How can we finance universal #SocialProtection in a world shaped by inequality & debt crises?

I joined @socialprotection.org , @afdbgroup.bsky.social, @unicef.org for a timely conversation about the need for political will ahead of #FfD4. socialprotection.org/learn/podcas...

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Reposted by Matt McConnell

Lena Simet @lenasimet.bsky.social · Jun 13

🚨 Big news from Geneva: the @ilo.org has agreed to develop binding global standards on decent work in the platform economy. This is a major breakthrough—but the real fight is just beginning.🧵

#ILC2025 #GigWorkersRights www.hrw.org/news/2025/06...

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Reposted by Matt McConnell

Peter Maybarduk @maybarduk.bsky.social · Jun 4

This is a low point.

Trump, having unconstitutionally obliterated foreign aid, asks members of Congress to bless the power he illegally took from them.

Trump’s cuts will save a rounding error, but cost America its credibility and hundreds of thousands of people their lives.

Bobby Kogan @bbkogan.bsky.social · Jun 3

The rescissions request is out. This is very real. As with reconciliation, this is filibuster-proof, meaning that there is no Senate cloture vote, and Republicans can pass it even with all Dems opposed.

The White House is calling to cut global health programs, condemning people to die.

PROPOSED RESCISSION OF BUDGET AUTHORITY
Report Pursuant to Section 1012 of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control
Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 683)
Agency: DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Bureau: Other
Account: Global Health Programs (019-1031 2025/2026)
Amount proposed for rescission: $500,000,000
Justification:
This proposal would rescind $500 million of the $4 billion appropriated in FY 2025 for Global
Health Programs for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), which funds
activities related to child and maternal health, HIV/AIDS, and infectious diseases. This proposal
would not reduce treatment but would eliminate programs that are antithetical to American
interests and worsen the lives of women and children, like "family planning" and "reproductive
health," LGBTQI+ activities, and "equity" programs. This rescission proposal aligns with the
Administration's efforts to eliminate wasteful USAID foreign assistance programs. Enacting
the rescission would reinstate focus, on appropriate health and life spending. This best serves the
American taxpayer.

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Reposted by Matt McConnell

Lena Simet @lenasimet.bsky.social · May 28

My latest piece for @inequality.org on how the platform economy runs on #inequality while sidestepping labor rights.

This isn’t about rejecting technology. It’s about making sure companies don’t hide exploitation behind an app. #ILC2025

inequality.org/article/the-...

The Platform Economy Runs on Inequality – and Sidesteps Labor Rights

Promises of flexibility obscure an exploitative labor system — but workers are fighting back.

inequality.org

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Matt McConnell @mattcconnell.bsky.social · May 23

"Whether [it] can live up to its promise will depend on whether governments live up to theirs.... far stronger commitments are needed, especially from Global North countries, to avoid repeating our mistakes"

More👇 from @hrw.org on the new @who.int pandemic agreement

www.hrw.org/news/2025/05...

WHO: New Pandemic Treaty a Landmark, but Flawed

World Health Organization (WHO) member countries adopted a new treaty on May 20, 2025, to improve international coordination and cooperation on the prevention of, preparation for, and response to futu...

www.hrw.org