Unions Must Fight for a Universal Welfare State
The United States is notorious for having the weakest welfare state of any advanced economy. The labor movement needs to fight for social provisions for all workers, not just some.
19086 Articles by: Alex Press
New York Mayor Eric Adams Is a Do-Nothing Mayor
New York mayor Eric Adams, whose first one hundred days in office just came to a close, has had few accomplishments to brag about. But his hidden source of political strength lies precisely in the fact that he never promised he’d do much in the first place.
A. J. Muste Was a Prophet of the 20th-Century US Left
This Easter, we should remember the rich tradition of Christian socialism in the US. And one of that tradition’s most important figures is the radical leader A. J. Muste, whose religious faith animated his commitment to socialism and nonviolence.
G. A. Cohen Showed Why We Should All Be Socialists
Right before he died, Marxist philosopher G. A. Cohen wrote a short book called Why Not Socialism? It’s a perfect introduction to the case for moving beyond a capitalist economy.
Undergraduate Worker Unions Are Taking Off
At colleges around the US, undergraduate workers are unionizing. The growing movement not only builds worker power on campuses but can help make university students into lifelong trade unionists.
We Don’t Need Billionaires Like Elon Musk
Elon Musk’s bid to buy Twitter in the name of free speech is the latest example of his hubris. It’s not just that Elon Musk shouldn’t own Twitter — billionaires shouldn’t even exist.
Britain Is Planning to Outsource Its Refugees to Rwanda
This week, Britain announced an inhumane and unworkable plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda — permanently. It’s a cruel effort to outsource border control at the expense of refugees’ well-being.
Ketanji Brown Jackson Is Neither Our Champion Nor Our Enemy
The Right says Ketanji Brown Jackson is a radical Trojan horse. Liberals say she’s a progressive champion. The truth is that her record contains plenty to cheer, but also plenty to be worried about.
Australia Helped Indonesia Cover Up Atrocities in East Timor
After East Timor declared independence from Portugal in 1975, Indonesian dictator Suharto ordered an invasion and tried to crush the national liberation movement. Australia knew Indonesian forces were carrying out massacres — and helped hide it from the world.
Starbucks’ Board Chair Is Making Millions Off Union Pension Funds
Starbucks chairwoman Mellody Hobson runs an investment firm that’s raking in millions in fees from unionized workers’ pension funds — all while Starbucks wages an aggressive anti-union campaign against its workers.
The Amazon Union Success Shows Why the Left Needs to Focus on Labor
The establishment of the first Amazon union in the US is a historic breakthrough for organized labor. The successful union drive shows how the Left can best build real grassroots power: by organizing in the workplace.
Pentecostalism Is Becoming the New Religion of the Global Poor
People around the world are flocking to the Pentecostal church, which offers not just spiritual guidance but material support. That’s bad news, as the rise of Pentecostalism is tied to the global surge of right-wing populism.
Coachella Is a Carnival for Capital
Coachella is less a music festival than a showcase for brands. You could even say that Coachella is at the bleeding edge of capitalist bullshit.
Dear Gen Z: Now Is the Time to Join the Labor Movement and Change the World
Gen Z: Young people like you are winning unions at Starbucks and Amazon. The time to join the labor movement and transform the world is now.
To End the Insulin Crisis, We Need to Divest From Diabetes Nonprofits
One in two people worldwide who need insulin can’t properly access it. But the two biggest American diabetes nonprofits take millions annually from insulin manufacturers — a conflict of interest that is hurting people with diabetes.
No, Imran Khan Isn’t an Anti-Imperialist Hero
After being defeated in a no-confidence vote, Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan is now claiming he has been replaced by an “imported government.” But for all the bombastic nationalism, Khan’s rule was marked by deference to the IMF and handouts to the rich.
Cold War Liberalism Is Back
The Russian aggression in Ukraine has triggered a revival of Cold War liberalism. After decades of self-doubt and introspection, old ideas about “the free world” and the “empire of evil” have been resurrected. But to revive the Cold War would be a serious error.
Psychoanalysis Should Be Available to Everyone
Often associated with the middle class, psychoanalysis is a means of reflecting on human suffering that should be accessible to all.
Apollo 10 ½ Reeks of Nostalgia for an Overly Familiar Time
Richard Linklater’s latest autobiographical film, Apollo 10 ½: A Space Age Childhood, is a doting tribute to middle-class family life in the suburbs of Houston. Good luck making it through the whole unbearably sentimental movie in one sitting.
Free Brittney Griner Now!
Phoenix Mercury center and WNBA legend Brittney Griner has been held in a Russian prison for nearly two months. Why did the league take so long to speak out publicly in her support?