The Left Needs Its “Schools of Enlightenment and Revolution”
Throughout the entire history of left-wing and working-class organizing in the United States, the participation in and building of institutions of political education has been key.
21053 Article(s) by: Alex Press
The Case for Social Drinking
Americans are trading bar culture for wellness apps and mocktails. But despite alcohol’s many shortcomings, our national sobering up is not a simple cause for celebration. We’re also losing social spaces and traditions in an increasingly alienated society.
Trump’s Purges May Mean Less Oversight for Musk’s Businesses
Donald Trump has fired more than a dozen inspectors general, officials who provide independent oversight of federal agencies. At least five of them worked at agencies with previous or ongoing investigations of Elon Musk’s business practices.
The Five Star Movement Turns to the Left, Belatedly
Italy’s Five Star Movement was long a classic “populist” movement, rejecting ideological labels. Its recent decision to join the left-wing group in the EU parliament is the latest step in a turn toward a more distinctly pro-labor, pacifist stance.
Developers Lobby to Keep Building, Water Shortages Be Damned
Amid dangerous droughts, Arizona officials have attempted to address groundwater shortages by limiting development in the Phoenix metro area. Real estate interests have launched a dark money legal campaign to overturn the precedent-setting regulations.
Chemical Companies Want Trump’s EPA to Keep Their Secrets
Every year, dozens of accidents occur at high-risk chemical facilities. The chemical industry is pushing Donald Trump’s EPA to delete a public database that at least lets residents know whether a potential disaster could take place in their backyard.
Finally, a Trump Opposition?
Up against a far worse assault on government and the basic components of democracy than in 2017, an opposition force to Donald Trump and Elon Musk may be cohering.
Center Left Props Up Emmanuel Macron’s Austerity Coalition
France’s Parti Socialiste abstained in a confidence vote this week, allowing Emmanuel Macron’s allies to push through an austerity budget. Even as the president’s popularity flounders, the establishment center left chose to prop up his rule.
Dollar Devaluation Would Be Good. But It Won’t Happen.
Donald Trump has at times pitched himself as a supporter of a weaker dollar. But he is too wedded to economic interests like Wall Street and tech that benefit from a system of dollar dominance that does little good for the average American.
Cracking the Right’s Playbook
A new book explores how the radical right has reshaped political conflict, challenging the Left’s anemic response. The book’s provocations urge the Left to reconsider its strategic approach in the face of an increasingly successful global movement.
Population Decline Will Transform Our Social World
Population growth has been slowing and even reversing in many countries, a trend with far-reaching social implications that looks certain to continue.
Puerto Rico’s Radical History Is Being Rediscovered
Jorell Meléndez-Badillo worked with trap superstar Bad Bunny on his new album to inform fans about Puerto Rico’s history of popular struggle. His work as a historian is part of an important political moment that Puerto Ricans are now going through.
Big Companies Are Already Asking Trump for Favors
Amazon helped fund Donald Trump’s inauguration. The retail giant and the insurer UnitedHealth waited less than a day to start begging the new administration to shut down their shareholders’ calls for transparency.
How Emmanuel Macron Fell in Love With Africa’s Last Colony
Morocco is increasingly a focus of European alliance-building and investment, including in illegally occupied Western Sahara. French president Emmanuel Macron is leading moves to normalize the colony, despite rulings by the EU’s own courts.
Health Insurers’ “$0 Copay” Drug Assistance Scam
Drugmakers offer “copay assistance programs” to help people afford expensive medicines. But health insurers are milking these programs for billions of dollars in extra profits while denying patients the benefits they were designed to provide.
Russian Political Prisoner Boris Kagarlitsky on Trump’s Uncertainty
From a Russian prison, Boris Kagarlitsky writes about the uncharted waters of a second Donald Trump presidency.
Breaking the Economics Discipline’s Austerity Consensus
Economics departments across the United States slavishly adhere to the mainstream consensus on austerity and the free market. The Center for Heterodox Economics thinks there’s a better way.
Global South States Resist Israeli Impunity Over War Crimes
During its genocidal campaign in Gaza, Israel has repeatedly flouted the rulings of international courts. While Western states indulge Israeli impunity, a coalition of states backed by left-wing parties is spearheading action to hold Israel to account.
The Democrats Also Want to Deport You
On immigration policy, Donald Trump isn’t as radically different from Barack Obama and Joe Biden as his inflammatory rhetoric suggests. Each has built upon his predecessor’s efforts to make border militarization and mass deportations the norm.
A Housing Crisis for Spain’s Center-Left Government
In Spain, rents have risen 74% over the last decade, with even steeper rises in the main cities. The Socialist-led government’s Housing Act has failed to rein in speculation, leaving many working-class Spaniards struggling to pay the bills.