Crawling out From Under a Rock
With the Tories in shambles in the run-up to next month’s EU elections, racists and misogynists are coming out of the woodwork of British politics.
19667 Articles by: Karl Leffme
Karl Leffme is a socialist in New York CIty.
The Innovation Cult
“Innovation” is one of capitalism’s most popular buzzwords. Its function is to sustain the myth that business genius creates society’s wealth.
Liberals and the Attack on Ilhan Omar
The Democrats’ treatment of Ilhan Omar isn’t just shameful. It feeds into the rhetoric of the global far right.
Don’t Blame the Babies
“Don’t start a family — it’s bad for the planet.” The latest bad take on climate change forgets one little thing: whether or not you have a kid, the fossil fuel industry will still be there.
The Consequences of Mr Macri
Mauricio Macri came into office promising to stem corruption and bring down inflation. But his austerity policies have left Argentina’s economy in shambles.
Theresa, EU’ve Done It Again
With Brexit bogged down and the Tories in meltdown, Labour looks set to tip the European Parliament elections to the center-left for the first time in a generation. Another own goal for Theresa May.
US Workers Are Paying High Taxes. But Without Any of the Benefits.
The United States is commonly thought of as a low-tax country. But workers effectively pay some of the highest taxes in the developed world — without getting a decent welfare state in return.
Beyond the Rank-and-File Strategy
The rank-and-file strategy isn’t enough. We should examine the broad range of working-class organizing strategies and experiences that are today’s socialists’ collective heritage.
Marx and the Prophet
On why the rise of fundamentalism in Muslim-majority countries owes much to the failings of the secular left.
The Diffidence of a Liberal
The arc of Paul Krugman’s thinking shows the paradox of liberal reformism constrained by a conservative understanding of the possible.
Democratize the Fed
Yes, it was absurd for Trump to suggest nominating Herman Cain to the Federal Reserve. But the Fed is already political — our goal should be to make it democratic.
The Highlander Idea
For decades, the Highlander School has nurtured some of the most important radical movements by pushing a simple idea: ordinary people can act as agents of change. It’s an idea that’s threatening to the Right — and it should be.
Freedom Gained and Lost
In 1861, coastal South Carolina witnessed an experiment in what Southern slave emancipation could have looked like: communities of freedmen owning their land and passing it on to their heirs. Those island communities have survived to this day — but real estate development is now threatening to destroy them.
Democrats’ New Child Tax Credit Plan Would Screw Over Poor Kids
Democrats could propose a simple, social-democratic plan to help families with children. Instead they’ve unveiled a complicated, means-tested scheme that would shortchange poor kids.
The Fall of Sudan’s “Morsisi”
The Sudanese people just toppled their longtime autocratic leader, Omar al-Bashir. It’s a confirmation that the revolutionary ferment of the Arab Spring didn’t die out in 2011.
The Next Woodward and Bernstein Could Go to Jail
With the Julian Assange indictment, the Trump administration is launching its boldest attack on press freedom yet. And the #Resistance is cheering it on.
It’s Bibi’s Country
Benjamin Netanyahu’s apparent victory shows that the Israeli electorate is more right-wing than ever — and that the occupation will only end if the US finally stops funding it.
The Definition of Insanity
Eight years ago, liberals cheered as the Obama administration deposed an autocrat in Libya. The result was mayhem and chaos — and now they want to do the same in Venezuela.
No, Sinn Féin Won’t Be Voting in Parliament
It’s the British media’s favorite fantasy: Sinn Féin breaking with a century of practice and riding to rescue a dramatically close vote in the House of Commons. It’s also an insult to Irish voters.
Assassinating Podemos
Data theft, spying, fabricated documents. The Spanish state is trying to derail Podemos and its challenge to elites.