Moira Birss
@moira.bsky.social
14K followers 1.7K following 980 posts
Climate, economic justice & human rights research, advocacy & policy visioning. Senior Fellow w/ @cplusc.bsky.social studying US disaster insurance & global policy. Board co-Chair of @lawgaction.bsky.social. Amo a 🇨🇴. Living on Ohlone land. she/ella/ela.
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moira.bsky.social
The idea that insurance premiums are a good way to mitigate climate risk to housing is a common misconception that, unfortunately, can obscure real solutions to the risks of climate change and perpetuate existing inequities.

Why is that? Well...
1/8
chrislhayes.bsky.social
There is a VERY strong reason to think that moving from private to public insurance will lead to political pressure that keeps premiums artificially low and incentivizes building in the riskiest areas. (See federal flood insurance)
Reposted by Moira Birss
mguariglia.bsky.social
Whether you're a casual news reader or a breaking news reporter at the NYTimes, I implore you--please, please, please--do not believe or report DHS/ICE/CBP's side of events uncritically. End the state's monopoly on legitimate storytelling. They are not the objective arbiter of what really happened.
Reposted by Moira Birss
prisonculture.bsky.social
Wishing everyone a good week ahead. Take care of yourselves and don't give in to the fascists.
Reposted by Moira Birss
blackjew.bsky.social
You know I want more said about the Argentina bailout. I know our media is a farce of vapid drama seeking nonsense. Argentina's bailout is exp: 194342 billion that rightwing economics are stupid. Argentina's super rightwing leader needs a socialized bailout because rightwing economics are nonsense
Under siege: Argentina’s president drops his chainsaw
The self-proclaimed ‘first anarcho-capitalist president in world history’ faces mounting troubles
theweek.com
Reposted by Moira Birss
jeremiahhayden.bsky.social
A hundred plus people, and growing, are gathered at Portland City Hall for the “Duty to Disobey” demonstration. The call is for US military veterans to honor their oath and stand against Trump’s deployment of the military on U.S. soil (and against foreign wars).
Veterans gather outside Portland city hall Veterans gather outside Portland city hall
Reposted by Moira Birss
strandjunker.com
“Terrible things are happening outside. Poor helpless people are being dragged out of their homes. Families are torn apart. Men, women, and children are separated. Children come home from school to find that their parents have disappeared.”

Diary of Anne Frank
January 13, 1943
moira.bsky.social
Dahlia timeline cleanse!
Close up on a dahlia with maroon petals on the outside and white petals closer in, surrounding the yellow center A cluster of dahlias of a pink/orangish color Closeup on a maroon dahlia speckled with rain droplets Closeup on a white dahlia with variegated purple colors.
Reposted by Moira Birss
motherjones.com
In one of her final interviews before she died, Jane Goodall emphasized that we know what’s killing the planet: industrial agriculture, including livestock, and burning fossil fuels.

She also reminded us that we don't have much time to save our planet.
Jane Goodall’s final, urgent, message
"Intelligent creatures don’t destroy their only home.”
www.motherjones.com
Reposted by Moira Birss
mskellymhayes.bsky.social
We need a bigger national spotlight on this building raid, fam. Agents dropped from helicopters onto the roof. Citizens and non-citizens alike were dragged from their homes in the night. People who weren't kidnapped during the raid had their belongings seized after the fact. This is madness.
mskellymhayes.bsky.social
"Jones, 27, is among the residents left at 7500 S. South Shore Drive who are trying to piece together what remains after an early morning, high-powered federal immigration raid led to the arrests of dozens of their neighbors at their South Shore apartment building."
Massive immigration raid on Chicago apartment building leaves residents reeling: 'I feel defeated'
The Department of Homeland Security said federal agents with Border Patrol, the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives arrested 37 people in the raid.
chicago.suntimes.com
Reposted by Moira Birss
ipenaranda.bsky.social
Insurers of last resort are state-enabled programs meant to provide insurance to properties that insurers refuse to cover. And yet in our @cplusc.bsky.social report, we find these plans are ill designed to meet their policy objectives, and are instead run by and for the private insurance sector 🧵
cplusc.bsky.social
As insurance prices balloon & companies refuse renewals, state “insurers of last resort” (FAIR plans) are often the only coverage option left for many homeowners. Our new report explains how they often prioritize cost savings for companies, not affordability for families.
Reposted by Moira Birss
cplusc.bsky.social
We analyze all state plans, with specific case studies in FL, CA, and NM to show that despite their public purpose, FAIR Plans are largely governed by insurers themselves. In at least 86% of states, industry reps hold majority board seats. climateandcommunity.org/research/ins...
Reposted by Moira Birss
cplusc.bsky.social
As insurance prices balloon & companies refuse renewals, state “insurers of last resort” (FAIR plans) are often the only coverage option left for many homeowners. Our new report explains how they often prioritize cost savings for companies, not affordability for families.
Reposted by Moira Birss
greene.haus
“sign of America’s Latin Americanization,” hm? Seems like the clearest sign of that is being governed by a caudillo whose supporters joke about dropping his political opponents from helicopters. That feels more pertinent.
dieworkwear.bsky.social
am i the only person who cares about housing prices? is this like a niche political interest or something?
Scott Greer tweets: "Some may say it's frivolous to care about Bad Bunny as the Super Bowl halftime entertainment, but it matters for three reasons.

1) The Super Bowl is America's premier culture event. It reflects where mainstream culture is.

2) It shows the NFL willing to broadcast a middle finger to Red America in the form of an anti-Trump, anti-ICE, Spanish-only singer

3) An entire halftime show in Spanish is the clearest sign of America's Latin Americanization and an affront to our traditional culture."
Reposted by Moira Birss
karl-jacoby.bsky.social
Only an administration intent on committing war crimes in the present and future would stoop to calling Wounded Knee a "battle" rather than what it truly was: a massacre of over 250 Lakotas, mainly women, children, and the elderly. 1/
Reposted by Moira Birss
kostyack.bsky.social
The utility industry's business model is one of the key drivers of the electricity affordability crisis underway. A key part of the story flagged here: low-income ratepayers being forced to transfer wealth to high-income utility investors.
kevinjkircher.com
Why are electric bills so high? If your monopoly utility spends $10 million on wires and transformers, your state will let them increase prices to recover the $10M plus ~$1M per year, every year for the foreseeable future. You and your neighbors will pay ~$35M for ~$10M of infrastructure.
moira.bsky.social
Afro-descendant communities in Latin America have long maintained “edible landscapes” that sustain biodiversity… yet only a fraction of their 200m hectares are legally recognized as collective territories with legal protections. www.theguardian.com/environment/...
‘Food forests are everything’: creating edible landscapes helps nature thrive in Afro-descendant lands
Agroforestry systems in Latin America practised by local communities are a boon to biodiversity, according to research
www.theguardian.com
Reposted by Moira Birss
kyledcheney.bsky.social
JUST IN: The Trump administration's bid to coerce states to comply with immigration enforcement in order to receive disaster aid is illegal and unconstitutional, a federal judge ruled today. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
moira.bsky.social
Not just car insurance! All kinds of insurance companies (eg property insurance for homes) make profits mainly by investing premium income in stocks and bonds.
moira.bsky.social
Not just car insurance, also property insurance! In fact the main way insurers of all kinds make profit is by investing premium income in stocks and bonds.
Reposted by Moira Birss
industrialpolicy.bsky.social
Really interesting report on finance for green industrial policy in the Global South by @moira.bsky.social and @laramerling.bsky.social in @cplusc.bsky.social 🙌. Worth a read!
moira.bsky.social
Transformative visions for green industrial policy in the Global South are, unfortunately, impossible without a redesign of today's international financial architecture (IFA). In a new @cplusc.bsky.social report with @laramerling.bsky.social, we explain... 1/4
climateandcommunity.org/research/gre...
Green Industrial Policy Needs a New Financial Architecture (screenshot from title page of report. White letters over purple fading into blue background.)
Reposted by Moira Birss
moira.bsky.social
That UN speech demonstrates all the more clearly we urgently need to move away from the US-dominated international financial architecture!!
moira.bsky.social
Transformative visions for green industrial policy in the Global South are, unfortunately, impossible without a redesign of today's international financial architecture (IFA). In a new @cplusc.bsky.social report with @laramerling.bsky.social, we explain... 1/4
climateandcommunity.org/research/gre...
Green Industrial Policy Needs a New Financial Architecture (screenshot from title page of report. White letters over purple fading into blue background.)
moira.bsky.social
That UN speech demonstrates all the more clearly we urgently need to move away from the US-dominated international financial architecture!!
moira.bsky.social
Transformative visions for green industrial policy in the Global South are, unfortunately, impossible without a redesign of today's international financial architecture (IFA). In a new @cplusc.bsky.social report with @laramerling.bsky.social, we explain... 1/4
climateandcommunity.org/research/gre...
Green Industrial Policy Needs a New Financial Architecture (screenshot from title page of report. White letters over purple fading into blue background.)
moira.bsky.social
It’s so frustrating, right? These binds that people face are why at @cplusc.bsky.social we proposed a totally different approach to disaster insurance. Getting there will require state lawmakers to step up and be bold - but this is a time for boldness, isn’t it??