Blackening Our Sky
Air pollution in cities like Sofia leads to thousands of deaths every year. While media blame the crisis on consumer habits, the real problem is decades of real estate speculation and unplanned capitalist development.
20378 Article(s) by: Jonathan Sas
Jonathan Sas has worked in senior policy and political roles in government, think tanks, and the labor movement. He is an honorary witness to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. His writing has appeared in the Toronto Star, National Post, the Tyee, and Maisonneuve.
Algeria After Bouteflika
Million-strong protests in Algeria have forced President Bouteflika to call off plans to stand for a fifth term. Yet powerful elites are working to maintain their grip on the transition.
Lenín Moreno’s Betrayal
Ecuador’s Lenín Moreno has allied with former political opponents to implement a conservative economic agenda, threatening to undo the country’s strides in tackling poverty and inequality under Rafael Correa.
The German Revolution’s Bloody End
The decisive battles of the German Revolution ended in March 1919 with the bloody crushing of the workers’ uprising. Why did it meet such a fate?
The Paranoid, Reactionary Dreams of Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan’s hyper-nationalist worldview grew out of the paranoid jingoism of postwar America. It led him to support fascists in Central America and see moderate liberals like JFK as dangerous radicals.
The Lives the Free Market Took
The people who died in last Sunday’s plane crash were not just killed by Boeing. Their deaths stemmed from an ideology that puts business interests above human life.
A Regime Divided
Hundreds of thousands have taken to the streets of Algeria to protest authoritarian president Abdelaziz Bouteflika. Yet the demand for change also reflects cracks within the ruling regime.
Jeremy Corbyn’s Secret “Stop Brexit” Button
Theresa May’s government may be descending into chaos over Brexit, but at least Britain’s media knows who to blame: Jeremy Corbyn.
The Hidden Billionaires
Media-friendly, politically moderate billionaires like Bill Gates get a lot of airtime. But the vast majority are nothing like him. Most are highly secretive — and extremely right-wing.
Rich Kids Aren’t Any Smarter Than the Rest of Us
American inequality thrives on the myth that the rich deserve their millions because they’re better, smarter, and more hardworking. The college admissions scandal shows that’s a lie.
The Neoliberal Road to Serfdom
The oldest refrain of the Right is that socialism leads to tyranny. Yet for the last four decades, it’s neoliberalism that’s been inching us closer to a police state.
Take on the Fossil Fuel Bosses
The way to think about climate change isn’t labor versus environmentalists. It’s labor versus the fossil fuel companies who are destroying both worker protections and the planet.
The Public Does Not Hate Labor
More and more states are enacting anti-labor policies. But it’s not because the public dislikes labor — it’s because conservative donors and rich people do.
Make Corporations Pay for the Green New Deal
A Green New Deal will require trillions of dollars of investment. But the government doesn’t actually need to put up all the cash — we can make corporations pay.
The Cunning of Unreason
Critics of populism lament the rise of “emotion-driven” politics. But instead of asking why politics has become so “irrational,” we should ask why people are so angry in the first place.
Boycotting Mexico Won’t Help Canadian Autoworkers
Canada’s autoworkers union recently announced a boycott of Mexican-made GM cars. It’s a dead-end strategy that plays into the hand of the racism and xenophobia of the Right.
Capitalist Freedom Is a Farce
Milton Friedman was wrong. Capitalism doesn’t foster freedom — it produces autocratic workplaces and tyrannical billionaires.
The Real Threat to Press Freedom
Mainstream commentators have been fretting over Donald Trump’s hostile rhetoric towards the media. But Chelsea Manning’s recent jailing shows that there are much graver threats to press freedom happening right under their noses.
Gentrification Is a Feature, Not a Bug, of Capitalist Urban Planning
Capitalists are already using the state to reshape our cities — we need to wield it in a radically different way to serve the interests of working people.
Bernie Sanders Wants You to Fight
When Bernie Sanders says “It’s not about me, it’s about us,” he’s not just pandering. He’s trying to create a mass movement — because he knows that without one, his agenda doesn’t stand a chance.