Felon Disenfranchisement and the New Jim Crow
On Tuesday, Floridians voted to largely end felon disenfranchisement in the state. It was a huge win — and it showed the importance of multiracial, class-based coalitions.
19578 Articles by: Opal Lee
Opal Lee is a writer.
The Contradictions of the #Resistance
Jeff Sessions’ tenure as attorney general was vastly more detrimental to democracy and the rule of law than shuttering Mueller’s investigation could ever be. No one should be nostalgic for his tenure.
Working at Harley-Davidson
Harley-Davidson is one of most iconic “American” companies in America. What does work on its shop floor look like?
Red Flags Over Germany
One hundred years ago today, radical sailors, soldiers, and workers in Germany rose up to put an end to the carnage of World War I. And the revolutionary upheaval had only just begun.
A Podemos Budget?
Podemos’s backing for Spain’s Socialist cabinet risks making it a prop to the institutions it once rebelled against. Yet it has also imposed its own stamp on the government’s agenda.
Directing the Revolution
Political cinema can sometimes be too highbrow for a mass audience. But in the 1960s and early ’70s, French-Greek director Costa-Gavras showed that films with a revolutionary message can also be popular.
How Massachusetts Health Care Companies Defeated Question 1
The nurses union-backed Question 1 would have established safe nurse-to-patient staffing ratios in Massachusetts — which is exactly why a hospital lobby group spent more than $30 million against it.
A State of Division
Elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina once again handed control to rival nationalists. But low turnout and weak social movements also show how institutionalized sectarianism hollows out democracy.
Baby Steps Are Not Enough
Yesterday’s midterms were a rebuke to Trump. But America’s decades-long shift to the right won’t be undone with Democratic Party liberalism.
The Midterms’ Winners, Losers, and Double-Losers
By running to the right, Democrats insist on losing twice: at the polls and in constructing an inspiring agenda. Bold left-wing politics are our only hope for long-term, substantive victory.
Not a Bad Night
From left-wing ballot measures to socialists in the House, things are slowly — but surely — moving our way.
Trump Was Repudiated
Last night’s elections were an important repudiation of Trump — and another confirmation that voters will embrace left-wing policies over watered-down centrism.
With Brexit, It’s the Geography, Stupid
Pundits analyzing Britain’s Leave vote obsess over everything but what mattered: decades of economic decay in declining regions.
Republican Barbarity, Democratic Incompetence
If Democrats don’t perform well today, they’ll only have themselves to blame.
Promises and Programs
Electoral work is important. But the point isn’t just to win office — it’s to build movements and challenge capitalism.
Money Still Rules US Politics
Whether it’s Donald Trump, the Democratic Party, or today’s midterms, the best way to understand US politics is to follow the money.
Why Non-Citizens Should Be Allowed to Vote
Undocumented immigrants are part of the political community just like any other resident. They should have full voting rights.
We Need a Socialist Caucus in Congress
To make sure newly elected socialists don’t end up looking like corporate Democrats, we need a democratic socialist caucus in Congress.
Solving California’s Housing Crisis
More private development isn’t enough to solve California’s massive housing crisis — we have to break with the for-profit model and build affordable social housing for all.
The Third Way Isn’t Dead Yet
Die-hard opponents of Corbynism can look to the Australian Labor Party as a model of non-radical social democracy. That’s exactly why the party needs to change.