Not Taxing Tips Is a Bad Idea
Servers and other tipped workers desperately need better pay. Donald Trump’s blurted-out proposal not to tax tips, now copied by Kamala Harris, isn’t the way to achieve it.
19408 Articles by: Enver Motala
Enver Motala is an associate of the Centre for Education Rights and Transformation (CERT) at the University of Johannesburg and of the Centre for Integrated Post-School Education and Training at the Nelson Mandela University.
Israel Is Extending Its Genocidal War to Lebanon
With US arms continuing to flow to Israel as it slaughtered more than 500 people in Lebanon since yesterday, Benjamin Netanyahu seems to have few qualms about igniting a full-blown regional war — and US officials aren’t stopping him.
Sally Rooney’s Intermezzo Feels Very Familiar
Intermezzo, the latest novel by Sally Rooney, trots out some well-worn gender tropes from on and off the page.
A Towering Screenwriter Brought Low by McCarthyism
A new biography rescues Mary C. McCall Jr, the Screen Writers Guild’s first female president, from an unjust obscurity. McCall’s writing talents were immense. But in an era of witch hunts, her status as a labor leader made her a target.
The Left Should Take Alasdair MacIntyre Seriously
Alasdair MacIntyre’s original critique of liberal modernity has won followers on the Left and the Right. His account of how capitalism has undermined the conditions of human flourishing deserves the serious attention of socialists.
The Costs of Criminalizing the Homeless
In June, the US Supreme Court voted 6-3 to allow states to ban homeless people from sleeping outside. This decision has put thousands of unhoused families in danger, exacerbating a crisis for which both political parties are to blame.
The Insurance Apocalypse Is Upon Us
As climate change intensifies extreme weather and claims pile up, insurance companies are raising their rates and limiting their coverage. This leaves those who can least afford insurance unprotected as climate disasters grow more frequent and severe.
Demi Moore’s The Substance Is Bright Pop Body Horror
The Substance, starring Demi Moore, is a bright and showy body horror film about aging and the hypersexualization of the female body. But it doesn’t go much further than illustrating at great length that there are nasty cultural attitudes toward older women.
College Students: Don’t Work on Wall Street
America’s top colleges send a huge share of their graduates to work directly in finance. This pipeline between elite universities and Wall Street is the result of a deliberate campaign of influence, and it’s made the world significantly worse.
In Today’s Russia, Dissent Means Keeping Hope Alive
In Russia, signs of opposition to the war in Ukraine haven’t developed into a mass movement. State repression has closed off the avenues of mass politics, forcing dissidents into mainly symbolic protests.
Emmanuel Macron Takes a Stand: No Tax Increases for the Rich
New French prime minister Michel Barnier wants to cut the budget deficit, but the president and his allies are resisting all talk of tax increases. They’re dead set on spending cuts — and to pass them, they’ll likely need the far right’s support.
To Fight Climate Change, Fix Congress
Congress once passed major environmental regulation every single year, only to hardly pass any over the last 25. With the EPA recently hobbled by the Supreme Court, the only way to reverse climate change is to reverse the rot in Congress.
Trump Wants to Purge the Deep State So He Can Weaponize It
How bad could a second Donald Trump term get? That depends on how serious he is about replacing the career bureaucrats who staff the security state with MAGA loyalists ready to carry out his most demented policies.
Rail Giants Score Another Win Against Workers
After months of tense negotiations, Canadian rail companies enlisted the government to block a strike, shutting down railworkers’ fight for safer conditions and better hours. The federal intervention sets a troubling precedent for future union talks.
The Challenges of Translating Marx’s Capital
In producing the first translation of Karl Marx’s Capital in 50 years, Paul Reitter took inspiration from an unusual source: the Austrian satirist Karl Kraus, who believed that true translation is focused on the poetic rhythms of speech.
Yemen’s Houthis Have Now Held Power for a Decade
Ten years ago today, the Ansar Allah movement, known as the Houthis, took power in Yemen’s capital, Sana’a. The group’s response to the Israeli attack on Gaza over the last 12 months has brought it global attention while peace talks in Yemen stall.
Turkey Should Stop Blockading the Freedom Flotilla to Gaza
A Freedom Flotilla carrying 5,000 tons of aid for Gaza has been held up in a Turkish port for nearly six months. Turkey’s government claims to support the Palestinians — but it’s bowed to Western pressure rather than let vital help reach besieged Gazans.
Copyright Keepers Just Destroyed a Huge Digital Library
In a troubling blow to public access, a US appeals court sided with big publishers, erasing half a million books from the Internet Archive’s lending library. This case isn’t just about books; it’s also about who controls the digital commons.
No Party Is Standing Up for Immigrants Right Now
Republicans are doubling down on mendacious, racist insanity over Haitians in Springfield, Ohio. But the incident is also a window into how many top Democrats have all but abandoned immigrant rights.
Surely New York Politics Doesn’t Have to Be This Bad
Two things are happening in New York City at once: the Eric Adams administration is mired in police and corruption scandals, and New Yorkers are suffering greatly under austerity. It’s a perfect opportunity for a mayoral challenger from the Left.