The Guardian’s Populism Panic
Britain’s leading liberal newspaper has set out on a mission to define and defeat “populism.” It has not gone well.
19196 Articles by: Opal Lee
Opal Lee is a writer.
A Thousand Points of Shite
How George H. W. Bush paved the way for Trumpism.
The Death of a Class
Italy’s illustrious Marxist filmmaker Bernardo Bertolucci died last week. His films explored the death of the bourgeoisie; his legacy points us to the death of the chauvinist male auteur.
An Immigration Bill That Puts Immigrant Workers Last
Shinzō Abe is pushing to open up Japan’s restrictive immigration system. But his reforms would serve the interests of business, not immigrant workers.
First as Farce, Then as Tragedy
Donald Trump wants to destroy the 14th Amendment’s guarantee of birthright citizenship. But before he sought to eliminate it outright, his elite predecessors mangled, misread, and misused the amendment in the service of capital.
The Brexit Debacle
You can’t understand the chaos of Brexit without understanding the fundamentals of the European Union.
Medicare for All Is Even Better Than You Thought
Previous estimates suggested that Medicare for All would save $2 trillion. But it’s even better: a new study finds that Bernie Sanders’s bill would save $5.1 trillion — while providing universal, comprehensive coverage.
Transit Workers Against Amazon?
New York’s transit workers have enormous leverage over Amazon. But to use it, they will have to break with Andrew Cuomo.
Beto O’Rourke Should Not Run for President
We don’t need another photogenic media star with run-of-the-mill liberal politics running for president. Beto O’Rourke should stay in Texas.
California’s Political Revolution
Richmond, California has become a bastion of independent working-class politics. And its organizers want even more.
Letting Malibu Burn
The disastrous fires in California expose the absurdity of a system that ignores nature, flouts climate change, and builds entire towns that will inevitably burn.
The Mexican Presidential Inauguration
AMLO takes the reins of a traumatized Mexico. He’ll be fighting for vital reforms, but much more is needed.
Privatization Is Theft
Leftist president-elect Andrés Manuel López Obrador takes office today in Mexico. Here, he explains how privatization has pillaged the public — and calls for a break with the neoliberal order.
The Deadly Genealogy of Bolsonaro’s Favorite Slogan
Brazil’s fascist president loves to say that “a good thug is a dead thug.” But the saying didn’t start with him — it has deep roots in Brazil’s violent, racist political economy.
Bad Romance
Capitalism is bad at sex because it’s bad at relationships. Socialism can do better.
Marc Lamont Hill Was Right
CNN fired Marc Lamont Hill for daring to tell the truth: the Israeli occupation is a brutal, indefensible attack on Palestinians’ basic human rights.
We’re With the Rebels
France’s “yellow vest” protests against fuel prices weren’t organized by the Left. But the fight to widen their demands is key to blocking the growth of Marine Le Pen’s far right.
No Scrubs
State socialism was proof: when women have economic independence from men, they don’t stick around in bad relationships.
Harry Leslie Smith (1923–2018)
The life of Harry Leslie Smith, a working-class rebel to the end, was a towering monument to socialist compassion, internationalism, and peace.
Log Off
Social media will always be destructive for the Left. We should log the fuck off.