Daily Reads: As Harvey’s Death Toll Rises, Trump Touts Plan to Slash His Own Taxes

A “mortal blow” against workers –> Ed Pilkington reports for The Guardian that “a network of conservative think tanks with outposts in all 50 states has embarked on a ‘breakthrough’ campaign designed to strike a ‘mortal blow’ against” public sector unions, as a “first step toward ensuring the permanent collapse of progressive politics.” (In 2013, BillMoyers.com interviewed Lisa Graves, director of the Center for Media and Democracy, about this shadowy network.)