With US Now a 'Pseudo-Democracy,' Sanders Says Democrats Have to Answer One Key Question

"I think that the Democratic Party has to make a fundamental decision," says the independent Senator from Vermont, "and I'm not sure that they will make the right decision."


Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) speaks during a rally on March 21, 2025 at Civic Center Park in Denver, Colorado. Sanders And Ocasio-Cortez are holding a series of rallies they are calling the "Fight Oligarchy" tour and will include stops in Tucson and Tempe, Arizona.
(Photo by Chet Strange/Getty Images)

Jon Queally
Apr 06, 2025
COMMON DREAMS

"I think when we talk about America is a democracy, I think we should rephrase it, call it a 'pseudo-democracy.'"

That's what Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said Sunday morning in response to questions from CBS News about the state of the nation, with President Donald Trump gutting the federal government from head to toe, challenging constitutional norms, allowing his cabinet of billionaires to run key agencies they philosophically want to destroy, and empowering Elon Musk—the world's richest person—to run roughshod over public education, undermine healthcare programs like Medicare and Medicaid, and attack Social Security.

Taking a weekend away from his ongoing "Fight Oligarchy" tour, which has drawn record crowds in both right-leaning and left-leaning regions of the country over recent weeks, Sanders said the problem is deeply entrenched now in the nation's political system—and both major parties have a lot to answer for.

"One of the other concerns when I talk about oligarchy," Sanders explained to journalist Robert Acosta, "it's not just massive income and wealth inequality. It's not just the power of the billionaire class. These guys, led by Musk—and as a result of this disastrous Citizens UnitedSupreme Court decision—have now allowed billionaires essentially to own our political process. So, I think when we talk about America is a democracy, I think we should rephrase it, call it a 'pseudo-democracy.' And it's not just Musk and the Republicans; it's billionaires in the Democratic Party as well."

Sanders said that while he's been out on the road in various places, what he perceives—from Americans of all stripes—is a shared sense of dread and frustration.

"I think I'm seeing fear, and I'm seeing anger," he said. "Sixty percent of our people are living paycheck-to-paycheck. Media doesn't talk about it. We don't talk about it enough here in Congress."

In a speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate on Friday night, just before the Republican-controlled chamber was able to pass a sweeping spending resolution that will lay waste to vital programs like Medicaid and food assistance to needy families so that billionaires and the ultra-rich can enjoy even more tax giveaways, Sanders said, "What we have is a budget proposal in front of us that makes bad situations much worse and does virtually nothing to protect the needs of working families."



What the GOP spending plan does do, he added, "is reward wealthy campaign contributors by providing over $1 trillion in tax breaks for the top one percent."

"I wish my Republican friends the best of luck when they go home—if they dare to hold town hall meetings—and explain to their constituents why they think, at a time of massive income and wealth inequality, it's a great idea to give tax breaks to billionaires and cut Medicaid, education, and other programs that working class families desperately need."

On Saturday, millions of people took to the street in coordinated protests against the Trump administration's attack on government, the economy, and democracy itself.

Voiced at many of the rallies was also a frustration with the failure of the Democrats to stand up to Trump and offer an alternative vision for what the nation can be. In his CBS News interview, Sanders said the key question Democrats need to be asking is the one too many people in Washington, D.C. tend to avoid.

"Why are [the Democrats] held in so low esteem?" That's the question that needs asking, he said.

"Why has the working class in this country largely turned away from them? And what do you have to do to recapture that working class? Do you think working people are voting for Trump because he wants to give massive tax breaks to billionaires and cut Social Security and Medicare? I don't think so. It's because people say, 'I am hurting. Democratic Party has talked a good game for years. They haven't done anything.' So, I think that the Democratic Party has to make a fundamental decision, and I'm not sure that they will make the right decision, which side are they on? [Will] they continue to hustle large campaign contributions from very, very wealthy people, or do they stand with the working class?"

The next leg of Sanders' "Fight Oligarchy' tour will kick off next Saturday, with stops in California, Utah, and Idaho over four days.

"The American people, whether they are Democrats, Republicans or Independents, do not want billionaires to control our government or buy our elections," said Sanders. "That is why I will be visiting Republican-held districts all over the Western United States. When we are organized and fight back, we can defeat oligarchy."

How the anti-Trump backlash is growing

Robert Reich

April 04, 2025

ALTERNET

In many ways this was another horrific week. Like a terrible hurricane, the Trump dictatorship is sweeping more people into its maw while further destroying our public institutions and wrecking what’s left of our civil norms.

Yet this week also featured 11 reasons for modest optimism:

1. Wisconsin Supreme Court vote

Despite Elon Musk’s hysterical warnings, cheesehead preening, and more than $20 million spent by the Republican in the race for the Wisconsin Supreme Court — much of it by Musk — it didn’t matter: Liberal judge Susan Crawford won by a remarkable 10 points, securing the court’s liberal majority. A state that narrowly backed Trump in 2024 swung sharply away. Every county in Wisconsin shifted to the left in this race compared to the 2024 presidential race.

Not only did Judge Crawford pile up huge margins in Milwaukee and Madison, but she kept those of her opponent, Brad Schimel, down in Milwaukee’s predominantly white, middle- and upper-middle-class suburbs, where the abortion issue doubtless moved some Republican women to cross over and vote for her.

Wisconsin voters recoiled at the odor of Musk. At one point, Crawford referred to Schimel as “Elon Schimel.” That said it all.

Elon is proving to be a huge political liability. Trump says Musk is leaving the regime in a few weeks but I have my doubts.

2. Other races

In other down-ballot races, Democrats saw success on Tuesday.

Democrats won the other statewide races in Wisconsin. For state superintendent of public instruction, incumbent Jill Underly, who was backed by unions and Democrats, defended her seat comfortably against a GOP-backed challenger who supported school vouchers. Wisconsin Democrats also dislodged an incumbent county executive in light-red Winnebago County, and Illinois Dems flipped the mayoralty in the city of Aurora.

In Florida, Republicans defended two congressional seats — but by much tighter margins than in November. Democrats in both districts campaigned against the DOGE cuts to Social Security/Medicaid/VA. These two districts were so red that the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee did not even consider investing campaign funds.

If you apply the shifts in Florida across the House battlefield in 2026, Democrats would be on track to flip over 40 seats and easily retake the majority.

In another major upset, voters in Aurora, Illinois, ousted their Trump-aligned mayor, Richard Irvin, and elected city councillor and community labor activist John Laesch as their next mayor.

What should really concern Republicans is that this growing rejection of Trump took hold even before he lowered the boom on the economy with his inflation-blowing tariffs. “[I] think that these elections are going to be proxies, or almost like weather devices for figuring out what kind of storm we’re going to be up against next year,” Republican Senator Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) warned fellow Republicans.

3. Nationwide, an ever-stronger rejection of Trump

What happened in Wisconsin and Florida reflects something that’s happening nationwide. Trump is doing far more to mobilize his opponents than to rally his supporters. Here are this week’s poll numbers (again, all polls conducted before Trump’s wildly irresponsible tariffs).

Reuters/Ipsos done between 3/30 and 4/1: Trump has 43% approval, 53% disapproval — the lowest approval since his return to office

YouGov/Economist poll done between 3/30 and 4/1: Trump has 46% approval, 49% disapproval — lower approval than Biden’s at this point in his term

Marquette Law poll done between 3/17 and 3/27: Trump has 46% approval, 54% disapproval

Morning Consult poll done between 3/28 and 3/30: Trump has 47% approval, 50% disapproval

4. Town halls are terrible for Republicans

Indiana Republican Representative Victoria Spartz was booed and scolded by constituents at two town halls this week, over Signalgate, deportations, and DOGE cuts.

Colorado Republican Representative Lauren Boebert held a telephone town hall this week but still faced tough questions about Musk/DOGE, Medicaid, and SNAP cuts.


Meanwhile, Democrats continue to hold town halls in GOP districts where Republican incumbents are unwilling to hold them. Republican Representative John James wouldn’t meet with voters in his district, so Democratic Senator Chris Murphy and Representative Maxwell Frost went to James’s Michigan district last Saturday to hold a town hall meeting with James’s constituents instead.

5. Democrats are fired up (finally)

No wonder Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-New York) have become heroes far beyond the party’s progressive wing and have drawn such enormous crowds for their anti-Trump, anti-oligarchy rallies. The next stop on their tour against oligarchy will be Los Angeles on April 12.

Tomorrow’s nationwide April 5 “Hands Off” day of action also promises to be a big one.

The conventional wisdom had been that Trump’s opponents are less mobilized than we were at a comparable point in his first term back in 2017. In fact, the opposite is true. A study released last month by the Crowd Counting Consortium found “more than twice as many street protests than took place during the same period eight years ago.” The researchers concluded “that resistance against Trump’s agenda in America is not only alive and well. It is savvy, diversifying and probably just getting started.”

Democratic Senator Cory Booker spoke against Trump on the Senate floor for 25 hours and five minutes this week without sitting or exiting the Senate chambers to eat or use a bathroom, thereby breaking by nearly an hour the previous record set 68 years ago. He streamed the speech live on TikTok, where it garnered more than 400 million “likes.” The truly remarkable aspect of his speech was that it was a speech — not a venom-filled rant, but a substantive and thoughtful address to the nation.

Kudos to Senator Booker for reminding us of the importance of speaking out for what we believe and demonstrating America at its best. Meanwhile, Trump and his regime are demonstrating America at its worst: cruel, inhumane, and greedy.

6. Tesla continues to plummet

Meanwhile, Elon is the worst sales rep Tesla and its shareholders could ever imagine. We learned this week that Tesla’s global sales in the first quarter fell 13 percent from a year earlier, largely due to a worldwide consumer backlash against the role that Musk is playing in the Trump administration. After Musk endorsed far-right parties, Tesla sales plunged in Germany by 41.5 percent compared to last year; they were down in France by 41 percent; and down in the UK 0.6 percent

Oh, and Democratic lawmakers in New York state introduced a bill on Wednesday aimed at Musk and the so-called Buffalo Billion project, in which the state spent $959 million to build and equip a plant that Musk’s company leases for $1 a year to operate a solar panel and auto component factory. The bill would determine whether Tesla was meeting job creation targets, making promised investments, paying enough rent, and honoring job training commitments. If not in compliance, the state could claw back state benefits from Tesla, impose penalties, and terminate contracts.

7. Paul Weiss and Skadden are paying a price for selling out to Trump

The disgraced elite law firms Paul Weiss and Skadden Arps — both of which capitulated to Trump to avoid executive orders that could have crippled their businesses — are already paying a price. The firms’ associates are saying both privately and openly that their leaders betrayed their firms’ principles with deals that undermine a commitment to provide free legal work to public interest groups and causes at odds with the White House. A few have quit their jobs. Many aspiring young lawyers are boycotting the two firms. Good!

8. Trump’s tariffs cause utter chaos

I’m including Trump’s bonkers tariffs as a reason for modest optimism even though many in the United States and around the world will be terribly harmed by them, but the tariffs will smooth the way for Trump to be booted out of office — in 2028 or sooner.

Those tariffs are likely to be the worst economic policy since the Smoot-Hawley Tariff of 1930, which worsened the Great Depression. They will cost the typical American family at least $4,000 this year, fuel inflation, and very possibly wreck the economy.

Stock and bond markets have plunged in reaction. The Wall Street Journal estimates that $2.7 trillion of the value of American corporations has already disappeared as a result of the tariffs. Many big corporations are planning layoffs.

Other nations will surely raise their tariffs on American exports or even block certain American services in retaliation.

9. Trump has lost his Senate majority (at least on tariffs against Canada, which may be a harbinger of more Senate votes against him)

The Senate voted 51-48 Wednesday to undo President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canada — delivering its first major rebuke to Trump since his return to the White House.

Four Republicans — Senators Mitch McConnell (Kentucky), Susan Collins (Maine), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), and Rand Paul (Kentucky) — defied Trump and Senate Majority Leader John Thune by voting with Democrats to invalidate a national emergency that Trump declared in February, allowing him to impose a 25 percent tariff on Canadian goods. “Unlike Mexico and China, Canada is not complicit in this crisis,” Collins said.

The resolution’s supporters have described it as a way to send a message to Trump about the broad discontent with his tariff strategy, even if the measure has no chance of becoming law. (Trump has vowed to veto the bill, even if it makes it through the Republican-controlled House.)

In addition, Iowa Republican Senator Chuck Grassleyintroduced legislation (with Democratic Senator Maria Cantwell) to claw back Congress’s tariff power. The bill would force levies to be approved by Congress and allow them to end the tariffs.

10. Trump’s abductions

My tenth reason for modest optimism is also a tragedy in the making, but it’s stirring up so much public antipathy toward Trump and his incompetent cronies that I’m listing it.

Earlier this week, Trump officials admitted they had made an “administrative error” in abducting a Maryland man whose wife and child are both American citizens and sending him to a notorious Salvadoran prison — despite a court order that he could remain in the United States because he might face torture in El Salvador. The prison where he is now being held, known as CECOT, has long had a reputation for its brutal conditions.

To make matters worse, the Trump regime says it has “no power” to get him out of that El Salvador prison.

This is horrific but it’s also a cause for modest optimism because Americans are beginning to see Trump’s tyranny for what it is. Forcible abductions off the streets and from their homes of people n the United States whom the Trump regime only accuses of being dangerous foreign nationals — without oversight by a neutral trial court — opens the way for the “disappearance” of anyone the regime dislikes. This is what dictators do. It is not something America does — at least not until Trump,

11. Trump’s attack on Social Security is beginning to harm beneficiaries

Let me end today’s list with another horror show that’s about to harm millions of Americans but will almost certainly hasten the end of Trump’s reign of terror (if not also the end of the Republican Party).

Social Security is now engulfed in the worst crisis of its history. That’s not because it’s running out of money or because of fraud or high administrative costs. This crisis is entirely the doing of Donald Trump and Elon Musk.

More than 12 percent of the Social Security Administration’s staff have been pushed out, and Trump has announced plans to fire nearly half of the total Social Security workforce.

The result so far: Social Security field offices are being shut down. Hold times for customer service phone calls are over 2 to 3 hours. The Social Security website crashed four times in 10 days.

I once served as a trustee of the Social Security trust fund. I know how critical this program is to the 73 million Americans who rely on it. They will not abide this raid on a program to which they’ve contributed throughout their working lives.

***

By listing these reasons for modest optimism this week, I don’t mean to imply we are in good shape. To the contrary, the scourge of Trump is worsening.

My purpose in bringing you this list is so you know that despite Trump’s tyranny, the resistance to him is wide and deep — and it continues to build. That’s partly your doing, for which I send you my heartfelt thanks.

Robert Reich is a professor of public policy at Berkeley and former secretary of labor. His writings can be found at https://robertreich.substack.com/."

Millions March Against Trump-Musk in Nationwide 'Hands Off' Protests

"They're dismantling our country. They're looting our government. And they think we'll just watch."


Demonstrators gather on Boston Common, cheering and chanting slogans, during the nationwide "Hands Off!" protest against US President Donald Trump and his advisor, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, in Boston, Massachusetts on April 5, 2025.
(Photo by Joseph Prezioso / AFP via Getty Images)

Common Dreams Staff
Apr 05, 2025

In communities across the United States and also overseas, coordinated "Hands Off" protests are taking place far and wide Saturday in the largest public rebuke yet to President Donald Trump and top henchman Elon Musk's assault on the workings of the federal government and their program of economic sabotage that is sacrificing the needs of working families to authoritarianism and the greed of right-wing oligarchs.

Indivisible, one of the key organizing groups behind the day's protests, said millions participated in more than 1,300 individual rallies as they demanded "an end to Trump's authoritarian power grab" and condemning all those aiding and abetting it.

"We expected hundreds of thousands. But at virtually every single event, the crowds eclipsed our estimates," the group said in a statement Saturday evening.

"Hands off our healthcare, hands off our civil rights, hands off our schools, our freedoms, and our democracy."

"This is the largest day of protest since Trump retook office," the group added. "And in many small towns and cities, activists are reporting the biggest protests their communities have ever seen as everyday people send a clear, unmistakable message to Trump and Musk: Hands off our healthcare, hands off our civil rights, hands off our schools, our freedoms, and our democracy."

According to the organizers' call to action:
They're dismantling our country. They’re looting our government. And they think we'll just watch.

On Saturday, April 5th, we rise up with one demand: Hands Off!

This is a nationwide mobilization to stop the most brazen power grab in modern history. Trump, Musk, and their billionaire cronies are orchestrating an all-out assault on our government, our economy, and our basic rights—enabled by Congress every step of the way. They want to strip America for parts—shuttering Social Security offices, firing essential workers, eliminating consumer protections, and gutting Medicaid—all to bankroll their billionaire tax scam.

They're handing over our tax dollars, our public services, and our democracy to the ultra-rich. If we don't fight now, there won’t be anything left to save.

The more than 1,300 "Hands Off!" demonstrations—organized by a large coalition of unions, progressive advocacy groups, and pro-democracy watchdogs—first kicked off Saturday in Europe, followed by East Coast communities in the U.S., and continued throughout the day at various times, depending on location. See here for a list of scheduled "Hands Off" events.

"The United States has a president, not a king," said the progressive advocacy group People's Action, one of the group's involved in the actions, in an email to supporters Saturday morning just as protest events kicked off in hundreds of cities and communities. "Donald Trump has, by every measure, been working to make himself a king. He has become unanswerable to the courts, Congress, and the American people."

In its Saturday evening statement, Indivisible said the actions far exceeded their expectations and should be seen as a turning point in the battle to stop Trump and his minions:
The Trump administration has spent its first 75 days in office trying to overwhelm us, to make us feel powerless, so that we will fall in line, accept the ransacking of our government, the raiding of our social safety net, and the dismantling of our democracy.

And too often, the response from our leaders and those in positions to resist has been abject cowardice. Compliance. Obeying in advance.

But not today. Today we've demonstrated a different path forward. We've modeled the courage and action that we want to see from our leaders, and showed all those who've been standing on the sidelines who share our values that they are not alone.

Citing the Republican president's thirst for "power and greed," People's Action earlier explained why organized pressure must be built and sustained against the administration, especially at the conclusion of a week in which the global economy was spun into disarray by Trump's tariff announcement, his attack on the rule of law continued, and the twice-elected president admitted he was "not joking" about the possibility of seeking a third term, which is barred by the constitution.

"He is destroying the economy with tariffs in order to pay for the tax cuts he wants to push through to enrich himself and his billionaire buddies," warned People's Action. "He has ordered the government to round up innocent people off of the streets and put them in detention centers without due process because they dared to speak out using their First Amendment rights. And he is not close to being done—by his own admission, he is planning to run for a third term, which the Constitution does not allow."

The protest organizers warn that what Trump and Musk are up to "is not just corruption" and "not just mismanagement," but something far more sinister.

"This is a hostile takeover," they said, but vowed to fight back. "This is the moment where we say NO. No more looting, no more stealing, no more billionaires raiding our government while working people struggle to survive."


Live stream of Hands Off rally in Washington, D.C.:




Below are photo or video dispatches from demonstrations around the world on Saturday.

United Kingdom

France

Germany

Belgium:

Massachusetts:

Maine:

Washington, D.C.:

New York:

Minnesota:

Michigan:

Ohio:

Colorado:

Pennsylvania:

North Carolina:

In Pictures: Anti-Trump 'Hands Off' Demonstrations Nationwide


"Thank you to the hundreds of thousands of Americans across the country who are standing up and speaking out for our voting rights, fundamental freedoms, and essential services like Social Security and Medicare."


Jon Queally
Apr 05, 2025
COMMON DREAMS


In communities large and small across the United States on Saturday, hundreds of thousands of people collectively took to the streets to make their opposition to President Donald Trump heard.

The people who took part in the organized protests ranged from very young children to the elderly and their message was scrawled on signs of all sizes and colors—many of them angry, some of them funny, but all in line with the "Hands Off" message that brought them

together.

"Thank you to the hundreds of thousands of Americans across the country who are standing up and speaking out for our voting rights, fundamental freedoms, and essential services like Social Security and Medicare," said the group Stand Up America as word of the turnout poured in from across the country.

A relatively small, but representative sample of photographs from various demonstrations that took place follows.

In Pictures: Anti-Trump 'Hands Off' Demonstrations Nationwide | Common Dreams

Demonstrators gather on Boston Common, cheering and chanting slogans, during the nationwide "Hands Off!" protest against US President Donald Trump and his advisor, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, in Boston, Massachusetts on April 5, 2025. (Photo by Joseph Prezioso / AFP)

'Neuter your DOGE': Dem leader shares his 'top 5 signs' from weekend anti-Trump protests

David McAfee
April 5, 2025 

RAW STORY

Protesters opposing possible Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids in public schools demonstrate on the steps of the State Department of Education during their monthly board meeting in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S. January 28, 2025. REUTERS/Nick Oxford


Protesters hit the streets on Saturday to protest actions by Donald Trump and Elon Musk, and one senior Democratic leader got in on some of the fun.

Rep. Jamie Raskin, who was chosen by the Democratic Caucus to be the Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability in the 118th Congress, weighed in on some of the protest signs he saw from the "Hands Off" protests that erupted on Saturday in response to actions by Trump and Musk.

Taking to X, Musk's own platform, Raskin said, "Top 5 signs I saw today."

Here is the congressman's list:

1. “Elon Musk is the only undocumented immigrant taking your job”

2. “Neuter your Doge”

3. “Donald Trump, Russian-Owned since 1987”

4. “The Emperor has no clothes and it ain’t pretty”


5. “Buy America: Putin did”

Another popular sign says, "Wisconsin hates Elon so much it could be one of his kids."

ANTI-DEI IS DISCRIMINATION

‘Everyday discrimination’ linked to increased anxiety and depression across all groups of Americans

Photo by Jessica Felicio on Unsplash
woman standing under tree
The ConversationMarch 30, 2025


People who most frequently encounter everyday discrimination – those subtle snubs and slights of everyday life – MICROAGGRESSION are more likely to suffer from anxiety and depression.

What’s more, that finding remains true no matter the person’s race, gender, age, education, income, weight, language, immigration status or where they live.

These are the key takeaways from our recent study, published in JAMA Network Open.

Everyday discrimination refers to the routine ways people are treated unfairly because of characteristics such as skin color, perceived background or general appearance.

Generally, it means disrespectful treatment: waiting longer than others for help at a store, having your ideas dismissed without consideration at work, or hearing rude comments about your identity.

Although marginalized groups endure everyday discrimination most often, our study indicates that this is a widespread issue affecting people of all races and backgrounds.
Everyday discrimination can affect both physical and mental health

.FG Trade Latin/E+ via Getty Images

I’m a professor who specializes in community health. My team and I analyzed data from the 2023 National Health Interview Survey, which included a weighted sample of nearly 30,000 U.S. adults, adjusted to accurately reflect more than 258 million people – approximately 75% of the country.

Along with reporting frequency of everyday discrimination, participants completed clinical screenings for depression and anxiety.

The results were striking: Nearly 56% of participants experienced at least occasional everyday discrimination, with 3.6% having “high levels,” meaning they faced discrimination most frequently – at least monthly and often weekly.

High levels were most prevalent among Black adults, at 8.6%. Multiracial respondents were next with 6.4%. Hispanics and white participants were at about 3%, Asians just over 2%.

Women and immigrants, people with disabilities and those who are overweight, obese or struggling with food insecurity also reported higher levels.

When compared with those reporting no discrimination, participants with high levels had five times the odds of screening positive for either depression or anxiety, and nearly nine times the odds of screening positive for both.

As discrimination increased, the increase in screening positive for depression, anxiety or both varied by race, with a more noticeable rise among groups that are often overlooked in these discussions – white, Asian and multiracial adults.

This doesn’t mean discrimination is less harmful for Black, Hispanic/Latino or other racial and ethnic groups. One possible reason for our study’s findings may be that groups that have long endured structural discrimination may have developed more ways over time to cope with it.

Why it matters

At some point, all of us experience unfair treatment due to our personal traits. But this type of discrimination isn’t just unpleasant. Our study shows it has real consequences for health.

Along with depression and anxiety, discrimination creates chronic stress, leading to increased risk for hypertension, heart disease, impaired brain functioning, accelerated aging and premature death.

For some, everyday discrimination may emerge at different times in life. This can happen to people as they get older or when they become ill.

But for others, it is a constant. This includes people living in marginalized communities, people of color, those socioeconomically disadvantaged or with disabilities, or those who identify as LGBTQ+.Ageism is one of many forms of everyday discrimination.

What other research is being done

Multiracial people are uniquely challenged because they navigate multiple racial identities. This often leads to feelings of isolation, which increases mental health risks.

White adults, though less frequently exposed to racial discrimination, still face mistreatment, particularly if they have lower incomes, limited education or working-class backgrounds. In recent years, white people have perceived rising levels of discrimination against their own group.

People of Asian descent are vulnerable to societal pressures and harmful stereotypes, which spiked during the COVID-19 pandemic.

When factors are combined – for example, adding financial insecurity or immigration status to racism – compounded health challenges arise.
What’s next

Understanding how discrimination affects health for all can lead to policies and programs targeting root causes of mental health disparities and the rising rates of depression and anxiety.

Discrimination isn’t just a Black versus white issue. It’s a public health crisis affecting all Americans. Acknowledging its harmful health effects is a first step.

The Research Brief is a short take on interesting academic work.

Monica Wang, Associate Professor of Public Health, Boston University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.