The Anatomy of MSNBC
More than any other media outlet, MSNBC embodies the politics and sensibility of Trump-era liberalism. But the network that many call the “liberal Fox News” wasn’t always liberal.
492 Article(s) by: Luke Savage
Luke Savage is the author of The Dead Center: Reflections on Liberalism and Democracy After the End of History and a writer on Substack.
Getting to Know the Conservative Enemy
The history of American conservatism is the journey of a dissident political tendency from the margins to the mainstream. That’s why socialists should study it closely.
Bernie Has Thrown Down the Gauntlet to the Billionaires
Bernie Sanders says billionaires shouldn’t exist — and his unprecedented plan for a wealth tax on the superrich will go a long way toward making that happen.
The Kids Still Love Bernie
Despite the hostility of the pundits, Bernie Sanders still has the most donors, the biggest reach, and the most young people supporting him.
“Polarization” Is a Fact — Get Used to It
Pete Buttigieg is just the latest Democrat to denounce “polarization.” But American society is already divided — and anyone claiming we don’t need to pick a side is already siding with the status quo.
The Red-Tory Philosopher of Canadian Nationalism
George Grant’s eclectic thought made him an unlikely figure in Canadian intellectual life: a Tory philosopher who exerted a profound influence on the 1960s socialist left.
Why the Right Hates Voting Rights
Conservatives in the United States know they can’t win on a level playing field — so they've started rigging the electoral rules in their favor, democracy be damned.
Bernie Sanders Has a Plan — But He’s Also Building a Movement
Bernie Sanders probably does have a plan for that. But he also has something more important: a willingness to name the enemy and mobilize a mass movement to get those plans through.
America Needs a Nonvoter Revolution
Tens of millions of Americans don't vote because they are underrepresented by US political institutions. To get those voters to the polls, we need a politics that puts the needs of the many before the wealth and power of the few.
It’s 2016 All Over Again
Joe Biden is pitching himself as an electable moderate who can beat Donald Trump. We’ve seen this movie before — and we know exactly how it ends.
When Bernie Sanders Did the Joe Rogan Show
Bernie Sanders’s viral appearance on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast — terra incognita for liberal politicians — showcased his unique ability to communicate left-wing values across the ideological divide.
Bernie Against the Beltway
The mainstream media likes to cast Bernie Sanders as a fringe candidate. Yet the data on individual donors don’t lie: across the country, he generates more enthusiasm than any other candidate — at least, outside the Beltway.
Joe Biden Was a Trainwreck in Last Night’s Debate
Last night's Democratic debate was disastrous for Joe Biden. The problem is, the rivals who criticized his long record of right-wing policies have supported plenty of reactionary policies of their own.
The Middle Ground Did Not Fare Well in the Democratic Debate
Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren didn't just dominate last night’s Democratic debate in Detroit. They also revealed that the party's self-proclaimed moderates are incredibly weak.
Kamala Harris Is Triangulating on Medicare for All
Kamala Harris’s new health care policy is a classic exercise in political triangulation, an attempt to appease health-insurance lobbyists while preserving her progressive bona fides by claiming “Medicare for All” as a slogan. Don't fall for it.
There’s a Reason You’ve Never Heard of John Delaney
John Delaney’s campaign for president has lasted two years, cost millions of dollars, and yielded poll numbers as close to zero as you can get. That’s the good news.
The Democratic Party Is a Contradiction
The Democratic Party isn’t a coalition — it’s a contradiction. And thanks to the conflict between Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and her fellow progressive House members and Nancy Pelosi, that contradiction, between a restive base demanding radical change and a hidebound leadership bent on moderation, is now visible for all to see.
The Billionaires Are Against Bernie — and the Rest of Us
Bernie Sanders just released a list of all the billionaires and plutocrats who can’t hide their hatred for him. The “anti-endorsements” underscore his campaign’s core message: it’s the oligarchs versus the rest of us.
Americans Actually Do Want Medicare for All
The media and the private insurance lobbyists are doing everything they can to twist the truth about public opinion on a public health system. Don't listen: when it's described accurately to them, a majority of Americans want Medicare for All.
We Don’t Need Pete Buttigieg’s National Service Program
Pete Buttigieg thinks national service will solve America’s inequality and division. But what we actually need to build solidarity and improve lives are broad social guarantees to decent jobs, health care, and education.