There’s No Hope for a Party That Hates Its Own Base
Democratic Party leaders want the benefits of an engaged activist base like the one currently challenging Donald Trump without actually having to listen to or engage with it.
522 Articles by: Branko Marcetic
Branko Marcetic is a Jacobin staff writer and the author of Yesterday’s Man: The Case Against Joe Biden.
Meet Trump’s Favorite “Woke” Payday Lender
The Trump administration wages a ruthless war on “wokeness” when it means gutting social programs. But when it means suing a predatory firm that acts woke while ripping working-class Americans off, Trump suddenly loses interest.
This Fired Federal Worker Wants His Colleagues to Fight DOGE
Before DOGE came along, Jonathan Kamens worked on cybersecurity for the VA. Now, he says in an interview with Jacobin, he dreads an avalanche of scams against veterans — and hopes his former coworkers will push back.
Democrats Appear Paralyzed. Bernie Sanders Is Not.
Since Donald Trump’s election, his opposition party hasn’t acted much like one. The same cannot be said of Bernie Sanders, who hit the road this weekend in red states in an effort to stoke pushback to Trump’s slash-and-burn plutocratic governance.
Trump Is Ripping Off America and Calling It “Anti-Woke”
The Trump team has hit on what it thinks is a winning formula: every time it wants to rip Americans’ health care away or let a predatory corporation off the hook, it just says it’s fighting “wokeness” or “DEI.” It’s lazy, cynical stuff.
Russell Vought Wants to Burn the Government Down
Office of Management and Budget director Russell Vought has spent his life trying to cripple the ability of the state to benefit anyone but the rich, to the point that it can’t be put back together. With Donald Trump in office, he can finally do it.
If This Isn’t Corruption, Nothing Is
Donald Trump once told voters he was fighting a corrupt political system. With Elon Musk operating with impunity throughout the federal government, Trump has taken political corruption to new and unprecedented lengths.
Donald Trump’s Deportations Threaten US Citizens’ Rights
The mass deportation dragnet ordered by Donald Trump isn’t just terrorizing undocumented immigrants and their communities — it’s also imprisoning and even deporting American citizens.
Russell Vought, the Man Behind Trump’s Budget Freeze
Russell Vought, Trump’s nominee for budget chief, has a plan: cut taxes for the wealthy, eliminate regulations on corporate power, and slash spending on government programs the rest of the country depends on.
Donald Trump Is Weaker Than He Looks
Donald Trump’s administration is doing everything it can to project power and a sense of unstoppability in his first days as president. But the cracks are already starting to show.
On Foreign Policy, Biden Leaves a Global Trail of Destruction
There is no ambiguity about President Joe Biden’s foreign policy record: it was bloody, and it was disastrous.
At Home, Joe Biden Squandered Countless Opportunities
After nearly half a century as a key figurehead in the Democratic Party’s rightward turn on domestic politics, Joe Biden had a chance to undo some of that damage as president. Time after time, he blew it.
UnitedHealthcare’s Decades-Long Fight to Block Reform
UnitedHealthcare, the health insurer whose CEO was murdered earlier this month, has spent decades fighting and winning political battles to maintain the for-profit health system status quo and kill any attempts to reform it.
Keeping Sanctions on Syria Makes No Sense
US and European governments are refusing to lift sanctions on Syria, punishing its people for a situation that is out of their control even though the intended target of the sanctions, Bashar al-Assad, is out of the picture.
So Much for Pro-Worker Conservatism
Trump is planning a presidency of, by, and for the rich.
Luigi Mangione’s Anger Wasn’t Neatly Ideological
Far from an ideologue, Luigi Mangione seems more akin to an average swing voter: holding a hodgepodge of political views yet resolutely enraged by the barbarities of a for-profit health care system.
Americans Hate Their Private Health Insurance
The response to UnitedHealthcare CEO’s murder surely disproves the claim that Americans love the private health insurance system. It’s a political force waiting to be harnessed — but few in DC seem interested.
Jamie Raskin’s Failure to Resist Trump
Rep. Jamie Raskin is set to be the top Democrat resisting Donald Trump and defending democracy on a key committee — less than a year after handing him expanded spying powers.
Liberal Pundits Were Dead Wrong on Americans’ Economic Pain
It turns out misinformation did help decide the election: the misinformation coming from liberal pundits. They told Democratic Party leaders that voters who were unhappy with the economy were simply wrong.
This Is a Bad Use of a Democratic Lame-Duck Period
As Donald Trump prepares to take power, Democrats are spending a disturbing amount of energy ramping up wars and trying to hand him the powers he needs to crush his political opponents.