Joe Biden Is Poised to Gut His Own Political Agenda — and the Democrats’ Electoral Prospects
Joe Biden’s whole agenda is being held for ransom by a handful of corrupt extortionists in the Senate — and Biden seems basically fine with it.
21022 Article(s) by: Opal Lee
Opal Lee is a writer.
Why You’re Watching Squid Game
The extraordinary success of Netflix’s Squid Game demonstrates how many people relate to a portrayal of capitalism’s miseries — and how few feel there is any way to escape.
Meet Joe Manchin’s Appalling Daughter
As if his own record weren’t bad enough, former coal baron and current West Virginia senator Joe Manchin’s daughter Heather Bresch — who doubles as a major donor to Joe — is a price-gouging drug profiteer who has played a central role in her father’s destructive political career.
San Antonio Symphony Musicians Are Striking to Keep the Band From Breaking Up
Musicians say that management’s austere proposal, gutting the full-time orchestra and slashing pay and benefits, will destroy the San Antonio Symphony. They’ve gone on strike because, as one musician said, “We will not be complicit in our own destruction.”
Kaiser Wants to Cut Health Care Workers’ Wages. It Might Provoke a Massive Strike.
In ongoing contract negotiations, health care giant Kaiser wants to impose a two-tier wage structure — meaning a giant pay cut for new hires. Union locals representing 35,000 Kaiser workers have voted to authorize a strike in response.
US Billionaires Got 70% More Wealth Under COVID. They Didn’t Deserve Any of It.
New data shows that Elon Musk’s fortune grew by 750% during the pandemic. It’s not because he worked 750% harder than the rest of us.
Insurance Companies Are Trying Desperately to Stop Medicare Expansion in the Budget Reconciliation
The health insurance industry is spending big to halt efforts to expand Medicare benefits — and running false ads claiming Kyrsten Sinema and Joe Manchin are protecting seniors rather than privatizing Medicare.
The Best Thing the US Can Do for Afghanistan Is Stay Out of It
Despite four decades of imperial interventions, the United States was defeated in Afghanistan. Tariq Ali explains the long history of meddling in Afghanistan — and why the US’s defeat will set back the broader project of American military supremacy.
The Pandemic Has Given Us the Opportunity to Transform Europe
In response to COVID-19, EU member states have agreed to policies that once seemed inconceivable. The EU recovery fund falls well short of what’s needed, but there’s now an opening for the European left to demand more radical forms of economic redistribution.
There’s Nothing Honorable or Decent About Colin Powell’s Long List of War Crimes
Excellence, devotion, loyalty — the list of noble attributes heaped upon Colin Powell after his death is long. But using such attributes to carry out an illegal war that slaughtered hundreds of thousands, as Powell did, is despicable, not noble.
Only Labor Can Force Canadian Pension Funds to Divest From Oil
One of Canada’s largest institutional investors, responsible for managing billions of dollars in workers’ pensions, has committed to fossil fuel divestment. It’s a good step — but without pressure from the labor movement, these promises will mean nothing.
Bernie Sanders Is Showing the Democrats How to Take on Joe Manchin
For months, Bernie Sanders has been making a case for the multitrillion-dollar reform bill he’s spearheaded in the Senate. Now, he’s taken that case to Joe Manchin’s home turf in West Virginia — and is facing backlash from the mainstream media for breaching the norms of Beltway etiquette.
AMLO Is Nationalizing Mexico’s Lithium Supply
In Mexico, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador is attempting to transform the country’s overpriced energy industry by nationalizing lithium — a move essential to kicking out private mining and developing a robust and affordable public energy sector.
Colin Powell’s Mindless Obedience to the US War Machine Led to Death and Destruction
Hailed by the media as a patriot who put country first, Colin Powell put unthinking obedience to superiors above moral integrity. The world has suffered for it.
Joe Manchin Isn’t Against Entitlements — as Long as They’re for Rich People Like Him
For the poor and working class, Joe Manchin demands work requirements for child tax credits. Yet for the rich, he’s happy to support — and personally benefit from — work-free income.
The Global Far Right Is Betting the House on Bolsonaro
Far-right organizations like Project Veritas in the US and the Vox party in Spain are increasingly looking to Latin America as the key to consolidating their international network. To prevent that from happening, Jair Bolsonaro must be stopped from winning — or stealing — Brazil’s 2022 election.
Colin Powell, Politely Anguished War Criminal, Dead at 84
Colin Powell, a principal architect of the US invasion of Iraq, a campaign of armed aggression that killed hundreds of thousands, was beloved by many for his thoughtful and deliberative vibe.
Gavin Newsom Likes Racial Justice — As Long as It Doesn’t Cost Anything
California governor Gavin Newsom ran for office promising to pursue racial justice. But his stance on two recent bills shows that his anti-racism is pure rhetorical posturing.
Film and TV Workers Have a Tentative Deal. Will IATSE’s Rank and File Accept It?
A 60,000-person strike that would have shut down the film and television industry nationwide was averted this weekend when IATSE reached a tentative agreement with the studios. But contract ratification by the union’s members is far from guaranteed.
Britain’s Imperial Heyday Is Nothing to Be Nostalgic For
The British Empire should be a fading memory. But modern-day conservatives have turned imperial nostalgia into a powerful weapon in the country’s culture wars, vilifying those who want a more honest reckoning with Britain’s historic crimes.