4 reasons Martin Luther King, Jr. fought for universal basic income

In his final years, Martin Luther King, Jr. become increasingly focused on the problem of poverty in America.

(Photo by J. Wilds/Keystone/Getty Images)
  • Despite being widely known for his leadership role in the American civil rights movement, Martin Luther King, Jr. also played a central role in organizing the Poor People's Campaign of 1968.
  • The campaign was one of the first to demand a guaranteed income for all poor families in America.
  • Today, the idea of a universal basic income is increasingly popular, and King's arguments in support of the policy still make a good case some 50 years later.
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What is the Green New Deal?

The Green New Deal is an ambitious attempt to fight climate change, but is it destined to hit the political skids?

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez stops by the Sunrise Movement's sit-in protest at Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi's office. Credit: Sunrise Movement / Twitter
  • Recent protests by the Sunrise Movement have taken the Green New Deal from forgotten policy to trending hashtag.
  • The Green New Deal aims to move the U.S. to 100% renewable energy within a decade.
  • Proponents also hope to catalyze a top-down restructuring of the U.S. economy and advance social justice issues.
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Child abuse cases quadruple when report cards are sent home on Fridays

Florida researchers offer schools a simple message: Send home report cards earlier in the week.

Photo by NeONBRAND on Unsplash
  • Researchers discovered a four-fold increase in verified cases of child abuse when report cards were sent home on Friday as compared to other days.
  • Corporal punishment is legal throughout America, including in many public and most private schools.
  • A child is hit, on average, every 30 seconds in American public schools.
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The U.S. states hit hardest by the federal government shutdown

Not all states are feeling the effects equally.

  • A new map from WalletHub, generated by comparing various federal data, shows the states most affected by the government shutdown.
  • About 800,000 federal employees are furloughed or are working without pay.
  • Government shutdowns have become an increasingly common political tool, but it wasn't until the early 1980s that they started resulting in the closing of federal agencies.
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A world map of Virgin Mary apparitions

She met mere mortals with and without the Vatican's approval.

National Geographic / Michael O'Neill (Miraclehunter.com)
  • For centuries, the Virgin Mary has appeared to the faithful, requesting devotion and promising comfort.
  • These maps show the geography of Marian apparitions – the handful approved by the Vatican, and many others.
  • Historically, Europe is where most apparitions have been reported, but the U.S. is pretty fertile ground too.
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