The Tax Prep Industry Doesn’t Want You to File Your Taxes for Free
The IRS is trying to pilot a program that would allow taxpayers to file their taxes for free. Big tax preparation companies like Intuit are pushing back hard.
19582 Articles by: Opal Lee
Opal Lee is a writer.
In the West Bank, Israeli Settlers Are Burning Palestinians’ Olive Trees
In the West Bank, the Israeli army has banned Palestinian farmers from reaching their land and groups of settlers are burning farmers’ crops. Jacobin spoke to olive growers about Israel’s draconian moves to destroy their livelihoods.
If Joe Biden Thinks His Support for Israel’s War Won’t Imperil His Reelection, He’s Wrong
As he backs Israel to the hilt, Joe Biden should remember the Lyndon B. Johnson precedent: foreign policy catastrophes can easily undermine a president’s domestic agenda and endanger their reelection prospects.
Andrew Cuomo’s Allies Are Trying to Rewrite the History of His Administration’s Misconduct
A new book by Andrew Cuomo’s top aide, Melissa DeRosa, tries to paint the downfall of the New York governor as the product of conspiracy — sweeping aside the administration’s scandalous handling of senior care during COVID.
Hayim Katsman, an Israeli Murdered by Hamas, Envisioned a Democratic Israel/Palestine
Hayim Katsman was killed in Hamas’s October 7 attack. Jacobin has received permission from his family to publish a paper he wrote opposing Israel’s ethnonationalist order and advocating equality for all.
Last Night’s GOP Debate Showed the Republican Party’s Lunacy Even Without Donald Trump
The Republican presidential debate last night was an unhinged parade of War on Terror–style militarism and paranoid saber-rattling. With or without Donald Trump, the GOP has absolutely lost it.
Why the Fall of the Berlin Wall Didn’t Unite Germans
Historian Katya Hoyer has caused a sensation with her new history of everyday life in East Germany. On the anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, she spoke to Jacobin about why that state failed — and why reunification didn’t live up to expectations.
NYC Socialist City Councillors Were Targeted for Their Israel Stance. They Still Won Big.
In Tuesday’s election, socialist city councillors in New York City easily fended off right-wing and centrist attempts to use their pro-Palestine stance against them. They won each of their races handily.
“From the River to the Sea” Is a Call for Democracy and Equality
“From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” is not a hateful slogan or a call for violence — it’s a call for democracy and equal rights for all.
Israel Is Cracking Down on Internal Dissent
As its indiscriminate assault on Gaza continues, Israel is ramping up repression of its own citizens for speaking out against the brutal war. The clampdown demonstrates the fragility of a “democracy” premised on occupation and apartheid.
After Weeks of Israeli War Crimes, Rashida Tlaib Is the One Getting Censured
In an outrageous act, the US House has censured Rashida Tlaib for her criticism of Israel’s war on Gaza. All she’s done is call for peace for everyone in historic Palestine — at the same time Israel bombs hospitals and US politicians dehumanize Palestinians.
NYC Cab Drivers Just Sued Uber and Lyft for Hundreds of Millions in Unpaid Wages
Uber and Lyft have made profits by exploiting their ambiguous legal status to avoid paying workers billions in wages, but taxi unions recently sued the corporations for millions. Their victory is part of a broader wave of worker attacks on the gig economy.
Joe Biden Could Stop Israel’s War on the People of Gaza If He Really Wanted To
As Israel’s war on Gaza’s civilian population becomes ever more brazen, the Biden administration has been trying to wash its hands of responsibility. In reality, Joe Biden simply doesn’t want to use his leverage over Benjamin Netanyahu to impose a cease-fire.
Priscilla Is Yet Another Sad Princess Tale From Sofia Coppola
Sofia Coppola’s new film, Priscilla, finds Elvis’s young bride bored and lonely in her life of luxury. But like Coppola’s other films in this subgenre, it’s all about the costumes and accoutrements.
Germany Is Weaponizing Its Historical Guilt to Demonize Israel’s Critics
Germany’s leaders have given unconditional support for Israel’s war in Gaza — but also demanded that immigrants do the same. The rhetoric of German atonement for the past is being used to silence left-wing Jews and blame antisemitism on immigrants.
Real Freedom in America Can Only Be Won Through Class Struggle
A long tradition in US thought has emphasized the importance of economic security for ensuring individual liberty. But to truly realize equal freedom for all, we need a socialist politics fighting for democratic control over the economy.
The UAW Has Modeled Rank-and-File Democracy. The Canadian Auto Union Should Match It.
In recent autoworker bargaining, the UAW and the Canadian union, Unifor, won groundbreaking deals. But Unifor should seek to match the UAW’s level of rank-and-file engagement going forward.
Colombia’s Sinú River Tells the Story of Profit-Driven Violence and Environmental Destruction
The Sinú River in Colombia has provided food, water, and transportation to local people for thousands of years. In recent decades, wealthy landowners used violent force to push through construction of a dam that has caused disastrous flooding in the region.
Alexander Bogdanov Was One of Russia’s Great Revolutionary Thinkers and a Sci-Fi Pioneer
Alexander Bogdanov played a key role in Russia’s socialist movement in the years leading up to the 1917 revolution. He was also a remarkably creative thinker who wrote a sci-fi novel about a socialist civilization on Mars.
Private Banks Are Trapping Their Customers, and They Want to Keep It That Way
A new federal rule would make it easier for consumers to shop around at different banks to look for better interest rates. Financial institutions are fighting the agency behind it tooth and nail.