Palestine Protests Aren’t Going Away
Democratic leaders can’t wish away protests against Israel’s assault on Gaza.
19121 Articles by: Opal Lee
Opal Lee is a writer.
Emmanuel Macron Is Refusing to Allow the Left to Govern
Emmanuel Macron has ruled out appointing a government led by the biggest force in parliament, the left-wing New Popular Front. His refusal confirms a case long made by the Left: it’s time to get rid of the French president’s monarchical powers.
Why the Uncommitted Movement Was a Success at the DNC
Political strategist Waleed Shahid explains why the Uncommitted movement’s organizing at the Democratic National Convention should be seen as successfully moving the needle within the Democratic Party toward justice for Palestine.
These Grocery-Store Chains Want to Cripple the FTC
The Federal Trade Commission is trying to stop the merger of two of the US’s largest grocery-store chains, Kroger and Albertsons. In response, the companies are suing to undermine the FTC and dismantle the country’s antitrust machinery.
Neville Alexander Was a Major Thinker of Socialism in Africa
Neville Alexander was a brave fighter against South African apartheid who was jailed on Robben Island alongside Nelson Mandela. Alexander exposed the links between racism and capitalism and opposed the ANC’s neoliberal turn after the fall of apartheid.
The Heroic Origins of Japanese Socialism
Japan’s socialist movement took shape in the face of brutal repression as the country embarked on a path toward imperialist expansion. Against the odds, Japanese socialists built a political force that could challenge the new capitalist order.
The Crow Is a Predictable Dud
From the depths of August’s cinematic dumping ground comes The Crow, a dreary reboot of the classic 1994 Brandon Lee film, reviled by critics and loaded with lurid CGI and occult hooey. Save yourself the ticket price — better films are on their way.
Boeing Workers Are on the Verge of Striking
The Boeing contract for over 32,000 workers in Washington and Oregon expires next month, and workers have voted to sanction a strike. Their complaints include low pay, frozen pensions, and mismanagement that has resulted in deadly disasters for the company.
France’s Left Still Needs to Broaden Its Base
France’s elections in July handed a surprise first place to the New Popular Front, which is now demanding the right to govern. To really change the country, it needs to broaden its base of support among nonvoters and the working class.
The Fed’s Postponed Pivot Comes at a Price
Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell has finally signaled the beginning of the end of high interest rates. But keeping rates higher for longer might have done unnecessary damage domestically and abroad, including to the all-important energy transition.
Academic Climate Science Funding Has a Big Problem
To figure out how best to address climate change, federal climate funding is crucial. But government granting agencies are increasingly at the mercy of climate deniers.
Will the Labor Upsurge Find Its Political Voice?
In the United States and Canada, we’ve seen an increase in labor militancy. This upsurge is a chance to inject working-class politics into the political arena, which has so far been mostly unresponsive to workers’ demands.
In Defense of the Planned City
In 1960s New York, a new urbanist philosophy emerged that argued cities were best developed organically, without municipal planning. But cities like NYC today need a good dose of planned, large-scale public housing to address their housing crises.
Obsessing Over Climate Disinformation Is a Wrong Turn
Much of the climate movement is now pouring its energies into combating disinformation. But this focus fails to address real concerns about a green transition and obscures what is needed to win the public over to effective climate action.
In Russia, They Don’t Read Lenin Anymore
Soviet symbols are widespread in today’s Russia, including in propaganda for the war in Ukraine. But in the classroom, the Soviet legacy is reduced to a nationalist cult of World War II, while burying even the notional idea of a more equal society.
Why Do So Many Workers Love Trump?
Racism and xenophobia are a part of why so many ordinary workers were won over to Donald Trump, but that’s far from the whole story. A careful study breaks down how Trump spoke to economic grievances and personal experiences.
Burning Man’s Gentrification Was Inevitable
Burning Man wanted to escape capitalism’s ills. It ended up recreating them.
The 2024 Democratic Convention: More 1964 Than 1968
The media was obsessed with comparing this year’s DNC to Chicago 1968. But given the party’s rejection of the Uncommitted movement, Atlantic City 1964, when Democrats refused to seat Fannie Lou Hamer and the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party, is more apt.
The Democratic Convention Failed the Palestine Movement
The Uncommitted movement made modest demands on the Democratic Party toward ending the agony in Gaza, and the party rejected them. But their demands cannot be ignored by Democratic power brokers forever.
Shawn Fain Has Been a Light in the Darkness
UAW president Shawn Fain’s speech was the best part of the DNC. It featured a direct focus on workers otherwise absent from party rhetoric, and sidestepped the culture wars to identify the “one true enemy” of corporate power.