Nora Ephron Wrote Through It
I love Nora Ephron. The world needs more Nora Ephrons. There are potential Noras all around us — they, and we, deserve a society that supports and nourishes and encourages them.
20378 Article(s) by: Opal Lee
Opal Lee is a writer.
How Britain’s Red Wedge Tried to Bring Pop Into Politics and Politics Into Pop
In the 1980s, British musicians like Billy Bragg and Paul Weller tried to mobilize Labour support through the group Red Wedge. The rise and fall of Red Wedge tells us a lot about how culture might be used to advance socialist politics.
The Shackles of Debt in the Global South Weigh Down Workers Everywhere
In the pandemic’s first year, poor countries’ debt rose to astonishing heights, plunging such countries into even worse austerity than before. These attacks are directed at workers in the Global South, but the fallout isn’t contained within national borders — the struggle against debt servitude belongs to workers everywhere.
The Bezos Theory of Value Is Deeply Disturbing
In his final letter to shareholders as Amazon CEO, Jeff Bezos offers a novel — and profoundly disturbing — conception of value creation: a handful of visionaries are the sole source of all “real value.” This aristocracy mercifully blesses customers, clients, and even Amazon workers with social goods.
China’s Downwardly Mobile Millennials Are Throwing in the Towel
Exhausted and alienated Chinese students and white-collar workers are “lying flat” to register discontent with the status quo. For their protest to produce change, they’ll need to transform individual passivity into collective activity.
On the Pro-Democracy Bill HR 1, We Can’t Accept Any Compromises
Passing HR 1, the For the People Act, is a key step toward building a multiracial democracy where the working-class majority actually sees its priorities reflected in government policy. We can’t accept the kind of compromises centrists like Joe Manchin are pushing.
Health Insurers Shouldn’t Be Incentivized to Deny Patients’ Emergency Room Visits
The health insurer UnitedHealthcare recently sparked outrage by saying it may retroactively deny patients’ emergency room claims. But documents suggest the company has been denying such claims for years.
By Bringing Down Sweden’s Government, the Left Party Saved Rent Controls
On Monday, Sweden’s Social Democratic government lost a vote of no confidence after it tried to abandon the country’s system of collective bargaining on rents. The Left Party was decisive to the defeat — and now, the proposal to introduce market rents has been dropped.
A Newly Rediscovered Article by Antonio Gramsci on the Fascists’ March on Rome
When Benito Mussolini’s Italian Fascists pulled off their coup d’état in October 1922, Antonio Gramsci was in Moscow — and his first article responding to the events appeared in Russian. It was virtually lost for a century. We publish it in English for the first time.
Critical Race Theory Is the Right’s Latest Obsession. They’ll Have a New One Soon.
Saul Alinsky, the Frankfurt School, “cultural Marxism” — the Right regularly cycles through shadowy texts and philosophies that explain all the Left’s evil deeds. Critical race theory is the explanation du jour; soon enough, something else shiny will catch their eye.
At a Time of Emergency, ACT UP Refused to Be Bystanders
Sarah Schulman’s Let the Record Show tells the story of one of the most compelling and successful social movements of the past century, ACT UP. We talked to Schulman about the “New York Crimes,” the messy joy of political commitment, and how ACT UP changed history.
To Pass the PRO Act, We Need to Examine Past Labor Law Reform Failures
The battle for labor law reform has historically been one of the most difficult in US politics. Passing the PRO Act is crucial — but workers may not be able to win it without flexing their strike muscles.
A Guaranteed Income Can Increase Workers’ Bargaining Power
Basic income schemes are no silver bullet to make up for the loss of well-paid union jobs. But they can allow workers say no to the most thankless, low-wage work — and provide a platform from which to rebuild our bargaining power.
Today’s Supreme Court Isn’t Moderate. It’s Pro-Corporate and Anti-Worker.
Supreme Court justices are being portrayed by mainstream media like the New York Times as moderate — at the exact same time the court is repeatedly voting to rig America’s laws against workers.
Peru’s Socialist President-Elect, Pedro Castillo, in His Own Words
Pedro Castillo, the rightful president-elect of Peru, describes his journey from elementary school teacher to trade union militant to the cusp of state power.
How Real Madrid’s Florentino Pérez Built His Evil Empire
Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez wasn’t just a key player in the botched European Super League attempt — he’s also vicious capitalist who has profited from outsourcing and privatization at the expense of the Spanish public.
General Mills Workers Speak Out: “Be Strong, Fight for Your Rights, and Fight for a Decent Pay Raise”
Despite making record profits in 2020, multinational food manufacturer General Mills claims it can’t afford a modest pay raise for workers at its New South Wales plant. Sick of being disrespected, the workers have gone on strike.
In the Era of Decolonization, West Indies Cricketers Refused to “Grovel”
The 1970s in the Caribbean were marked by major political and social upheaval. Cricket became a primary vehicle for asserting West Indian independence — and defeating England was paramount.
Americans Are at Least $27.6 Billion in Debt to Courts
States and municipalities are increasingly relying on court fees as revenue streams, creating at least $27.6 billion in debt for Americans. To handle that debt’s collection, those states and municipalities, and even the IRS, are increasingly turning to private firms, which can add up to 40 percent surcharges onto the fees.
Sweden’s Social Democrats Got No-Confidenced Because They Tried to Remove Rent Controls
Sweden’s Social Democrat-led government is in crisis after its defeat in Monday’s no-confidence vote. It lost its left-wing support after it moved to abandon rent controls — showing how the neoliberalized wing of social democracy is undermining its own past achievements.