Democrats Doing Big Pharma’s Bidding Are Being Rewarded
House Democrats say they aren’t sabotaging their party’s drug pricing plan. But their recent donation hauls from Big Pharma suggest otherwise.
19108 Articles by: Karl Leffme
Karl Leffme is a socialist in New York CIty.
Haitian Sugarcane Cutters Work as Indentured Servants in the Dominican Republic
Haitian workers, fleeing destitution, harvest 6,000 pounds of sugarcane a day for poverty wages in the Dominican Republic. Jacobin talked to some of them.
How Liberalism Justifies the Forever Wars
For over half a century, liberal organizations, governments, and lawyers have promoted the idea that wars can be made “humane.” The concept’s triumph in the twenty-first century has only served to justify US belligerence and endless drone warfare abroad.
The Left Is Still Favored to Win Chile’s Presidency — But the Far Right Is Gaining Steam
With less than a month until Chile’s presidential election, hopes are high that leftist Gabriel Boric will win. But the collapse of the center right has unexpectedly allowed far-right nominee José Antonio Kast to surge.
In Russia, Communists Are Standing Up Against Putin’s Fraud
In Russia’s general election, the Communist Party surged to a strong second place. But the party’s rise has also made it a target for Vladimir Putin’s government — including through Putin’s massive interference in the electoral process.
Democrats’ Paid Leave Proposal Isn’t Actually Universal. It Can and Should Be.
There’s no reason why the Dems’ paid parental leave program can’t cover everyone.
There’s No Reason for Progressives to Vote for the Watered-Down Infrastructure Bill
The reconciliation bill has been so watered down, progressives should no longer feel pressure — moral or political — to support it.
Noam Chomsky: “It Doesn’t Have to Be This Way”
In a new interview, Noam Chomsky argues that a livable future free of catastrophic climate change is possible — we just have to take on the billionaires standing in the way.
Canadaland: The Podcast Holding Power to Account
Jesse Brown’s Canadaland has stepped into the breach left by Canada’s ailing legacy media. The podcast has been a strong shot in the arm for the country’s investigative journalism.
Rep. Mickey Leland Was the Embodiment of Black Internationalism
In the 1970s and ’80s, internationalism was central to black politics. And few better personified that commitment than Texas congressman Mickey Leland, who fought tooth and nail to end US support for South African apartheid.
In India, Communists Are Leading the Fight Against COVID-19
India’s right-wing government has been criminally negligent in its management of the pandemic, with deadly results. But communists and their allies have stepped in to provide relief to tens of thousands of suffering people.
Private Equity Firms Want to Gobble Up California’s Pensions
Wall Street private equity firms are gaining control of retirement systems like California’s public pensions and fast-tracking the corporatization of the public sector.
The Economy Is Suffering From Too Little Government Intervention, Not Too Much
From Tucker Carlson to Larry Summers, free market devotees are blaming inflation on Joe Biden’s “big government” economic policies. In reality, the administration has done far too little to insulate Americans from the economic effects of the pandemic.
Harvard Student Workers Are Prepared to Strike
Harvard is the world’s richest university — and Harvard’s student workers say they are being paid sub-living wages. A Harvard Graduate Student Union leader tells Jacobin about the union’s struggle with the university and why they’re prepared to strike.
The Velvet Underground Brings Back the Thrills of the 1960s Avant-Garde
Todd Haynes’s excellent new documentary on legendary rock band the Velvet Underground reminds us of just how daring both music and film once was not that long ago.
Halyna Hutchins’s Death on the Set of Rust Was “Not a Freak Accident”
Halyna Hutchins’s death during the filming of Rust is a tragic consequence of studios prioritizing profit and speed over crew members’ lives. Alec Baldwin’s culpability isn’t about him pulling the trigger on a prop gun — it’s about his and his fellow producers’ cost-cutting decisions.
Class Politics in America Is Far From Dead
A venerable theory about people’s political values is making a comeback: the theory of “postmaterialism.” But despite what you may have heard, the theory doesn’t say class politics is doomed in rich countries — and neither did the scholar who created it.
Billionaires Are Partying in Space While Planet Earth Burns
At a time when people around the world are suffering from shortages due to supply chain bottlenecks, megalomanic capitalists are organizing space flights with B-list celebrities — further proof of the urgency of separating the billionaires from their billions.
Netflix’s Maid Offers a Rare Portrayal of Low-Wage Domestic Work
Adeptly exploring the compound effects of low-wage work, unsupported parenthood, and our broken social support system, Maid rings true for millions of working-class women.
The Progressive Pieces of the Budget Reconciliation Bill Are Quickly Disappearing
Democratic leaders are moving to gut the parts of the budget reconciliation bill that would aid workers and fight climate change. House progressives like Pramila Jayapal shouldn’t vote for an empty husk of a bill.