The public option sounds like a step toward universal health care, but it’s really a delay tactic. The latest versions would force public plans to mimic private insurers, while the fight over the arcane details buys the industry another decade or two.
The Trump Era Is Bad. But Is It Evil?
Skepticism toward moral absolutes has made the modern mind leery of the very idea of evil. Philosopher Susan Neiman makes the case that explaining wrongdoing is not the same as reckoning with its moral significance.
In Turkey, When Does a Joke Become a Crime?
Comedian Deniz Göktaş spent 88 days in a high-security prison for insulting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. He turned his sentence into a punch line, but the chilling consequences of the case extend far beyond one comedian.
In Finland, the Left Can Lead on Fair AI Policy
Finnish authorities have instructed Google to stop work on two data centers after the firm flouted environmental rules. Ahead of the country’s election, the Left is calling for a wider plan to ensure AI doesn’t cause further devastation.
Working-Class Democratic Candidates Won Big in the Midterms
After this week’s elections, Democratic congresspeople from working-class backgrounds are set to grow their numbers by 75%. They have a chance to push the party’s agenda in a pro-worker direction. Organizing in a congressional caucus can help them do that.
Is Trump Crashing the Dollar Empire?
Economist Mona Ali on how the United States wields the world’s most powerful currency to shore up empire and its own ruling class — and how Trump’s careless moves might blow it all up.
The real choice is not between globalization and deglobalization, free trade and tariff walls, but between empowering capital and empowering workers.
Equality Is About Who Rules
What do we actually mean by “equality”? Few thinkers have answered that question better than Elizabeth Anderson: not identical outcomes but a society where no one gets to dominate anyone else, including at work.
Austerity Is Now the Central Conflict in Brazilian Politics
Lula da Silva beat Flávio Bolsonaro to win a fourth term as Brazil’s president. Political scientist André Singer says the hardest fight is still ahead: Brazil’s bourgeoisie wants harsh austerity, and Lula’s coalition is split over it.
Trump Hurt Average Americans, So They Voted Against the GOP
Populism isn’t just a switch the GOP could have chosen to flip on in this election but didn’t. Its governing record under Donald Trump has been one of harm and contempt for working people. Voters knew that and punished Republicans for it.
Israel’s Shaky Democracy Continues to Crumble
From military rule over Palestinians to apartheid in the occupied territories, Israel has never been a democracy for Palestinians. Efforts to restrict expat voting ahead of the elections showed how barriers to democracy can reach Jewish citizens, too.
Michael Hardt and Antonio Negri’s Empire became a campus sensation because it offered a master theory for globalization at a moment when old Marxist categories seemed exhausted. But the capitalist internationalism they saw as permanent has now crashed and burned.
The Steel Disaster in Taranto, Italy, Is a Warning to Europe
Italy’s top court has shut down the ILVA steel mill in Taranto, recognizing that it has become a disastrous health hazard. While European authorities boast about green investment plans, the site’s demise reflects the failure of their industrial policy.
The Democratic Coalition Still Has a Class Problem
The blue wave was undeniable. But early survey data suggest the party rode on a backlash against Donald Trump and a midterm electorate tilted toward college graduates, not a return of the working-class voters the party will need in 2028.
The UAW Bet on Abdul El-Sayed and Won
The United Auto Workers backed Abdul El-Sayed in a close Senate primary, then mobilized members across Michigan. Its sights are set on the next fight with the Big Three.
After the Midterms, the Left Has a Huge Opportunity to Seize
In 2008, Barack Obama won a landslide victory and enormous mandate, only to quickly squander it. Today the Democratic establishment is far more delegitimized, and the Left is far stronger. History doesn’t have to repeat itself.