John McCain and the Question of “Honor”
John McCain doesn’t deserve our praise. But his sense of “honor” resonated with many, even those who abhorred his politics. We can’t ignore it.
21038 Article(s) by: Benjamin Case
Benjamin Case is a researcher, educator, and organizer living in Pittsburgh.
Austerity By Paperwork
Complicated eligibility requirements are meant to undermine social programs. Arkansas just proved how well they work with its new Medicaid rules.
Learning from the New Communist Movement
Socialists today don’t have to reinvent the wheel — we can learn from the successes and failures of past American radicals, including the New Communist Movement.
The Hospital That Held a City Hostage
The infuriating saga of UPMC, Pittsburgh’s abusive, profit-hungry hospital giant, is a cautionary tale. The lesson? Private economic power must be subjected to democratic control.
Why the Media Is Pro-Israel
An accurate telling of the Israel-Palestine conflict would tell of Israel violently colonizing Palestine with US support. Instead, media outlets present fables in which both sides are equally to blame.
Against Creativity
The push for “creativity” at work and in society is about serving capital’s needs.
“They Have Been Clinging on by Brute Force”
Bangladeshi authorities have jailed the internationally renowned photographer Shahidul Alam — the latest move by the nation’s elites to repress those who speak up for social justice and democratic rights.
Living and Struggling In Moscow
Set in contemporary Russia, Keith Gessen’s new novel captures the cost of modern life.
Ending Civil Forfeiture In Philadelphia
Larry Krasner is Philadelphia’s radical district attorney. His latest reforms stop short of ending civil forfeiture, but they could open the door for more transformative possibilities.
The Banality of Brett Kavanaugh
The guys like Brett Kavanaugh who run the show have no special qualities or insights that should oblige us to put up with their bullshit. They would hate for us to realize that.
Friends In High Places
When the state offers unions a seat at the table, it can make their members politically passive. Is the trade-off worth it?
Divide and Conquer
The primary election in New York provided socialists with some hints about how they might split the Democratic Party’s working-class base from its elite leadership.
A Future in Common
Jean-Luc Mélenchon told Monday night’s Jacobin rally that the threat to the planet demands new forms of popular mobilization.
Brett Kavanaugh Hates Women
It’s not just the sexual assault allegations. Brett Kavanaugh’s contempt for women is a defining characteristic of his ideology — and the political movement that groomed him.
Brazil’s Next President
Jacobin’s Bhaskar Sunkara talks to Fernando Haddad, the Lula-backed, Workers Party candidate for president about the Brazilian elite’s contempt for democracy and whether his party can return to power.
The Legacy of a Torturer
Former Chicago police officer Jon Burge tortured black men and got away with it for almost two decades. But his atrocities also spurred a movement — one that scored a major victory against the racist criminal justice system.
Ignoring Afrin
Turkey’s assault on Afrin crushed a beacon of democracy in Syria. But even when Western media did mention what was happening, it presented the victims as “terrorists.”
The Lessons of Ocean Hill-Brownsville
The 1968 Ocean Hill-Brownsville teachers strikes pitted teachers and parents against each other. But they didn’t have to. Teachers and parents today can avoid those past mistakes and create coalitions against racism and austerity.
Independent of What?
Chicago mayoral candidate Toni Preckwinkle has long been known as an “independent.” But that independence is more of a mindset than a substantive political ideology.
“Cynthia Moved the Debate”
Cynthia Nixon did not defeat Andrew Cuomo. But her policy director argues in an interview that her campaign opened up new spaces for progressives and the Left in New York politics.