Why Nancy Pelosi Hates the Squad
The growing conflict between Nancy Pelosi and representatives like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez isn’t a clash of personalities — it’s a clash of worldviews.
19241 Articles by: Ryan Switzer
Ryan Switzer is a PhD candidate in sociology at Stockholm University. He researches right-wing politics in welfare states.
Michael Harrington, American Socialist
Democratic Socialists of America founder Michael Harrington, who died thirty years ago today, was a beacon of humanity, decency, and socialism throughout his lifetime.
The Democratic Debate Showed the Left Is Winning
Last night’s Democratic presidential debate exposed the deep ideological fissures within the party — and showed again that the energy is with Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, and the Left.
What Remains of Michael Harrington’s Legacy
Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) founder Michael Harrington died today in 1989. Here, former DSA national director Maxine Phillips reflects on the legacy of her friend and comrade.
The Middle Ground Did Not Fare Well in the Democratic Debate
Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren didn’t just dominate last night’s Democratic debate in Detroit. They also revealed that the party’s self-proclaimed moderates are incredibly weak.
Kamala Harris Is Triangulating on Medicare for All
Kamala Harris’s new health care policy is a classic exercise in political triangulation, an attempt to appease health-insurance lobbyists while preserving her progressive bona fides by claiming “Medicare for All” as a slogan. Don’t fall for it.
Medicare for All Would End the Nightmare of “Insurance Churn”
The claim that “if you like your insurance, you can keep it” is the biggest lie in US politics. Your boss has more of a say over your health insurance than you do, and most workers could lose their health plan at any minute. That’s why we need Medicare for All.
From Campus Organizing to Rebuilding the Left
Student organizing isn’t the most burning issue in American politics today. But socialists would be wrong to dismiss it. On-campus organizing can be the beginning of lives dedicated to renewing labor militancy and rebuilding the Left.
Remain’s Imperial Realism
Tory Brexiteers’ talk of a “global Britain” is a mere fantasy of returning to the glory days of empire. But even left-wing Remainers are pushing the case to maintain British military supremacy — and using it as a stick to beat Jeremy Corbyn.
Kamala Harris’s Phony Medicare for All Plan
Kamala Harris has long claimed to be a supporter of Medicare for All. But the rollout of her new health-care plan finally gives us clarity: she will fight on behalf of insurance companies, not against them.
Medicare Turns Fifty-Four Today. We Need to Defend and Expand It
Fifty-four years ago today, Medicare became the law of the land. The program has been massively successful despite continued efforts to destroy it. While defending Medicare, our next step is clear: Medicare for All.
Kamala Harris’s Student Loan Forgiveness Flop
Kamala Harris’s student debt forgiveness plan is a joke. But it won’t be the last time she puts out policy proposals that masquerade as social justice initiatives but accomplish little. It’s what Obama and many Democrats before him did — only now, millions of people aren’t buying it.
Stopping Climate Change Will Never Be “Good Business”
Climate activist and writer Bill McKibben’s new book is an excellent account of how urgent the climate crisis in front of us is. But it stumbles in trying to prescribe green capitalist solutions to a problem that requires systematic change.
No One Should Have to Rely on Good Samaritans
The internet loves heartwarming tales about Good Samaritans helping people in need. But they’re also horrifying warning signs of a society unwilling to provide social support for the vulnerable. Meeting people’s basic needs shouldn’t depend on individuals’ altruism.
Privately Owned Scooter Companies Don’t Have a Future
Whether you hate or love the scooters clogging the sidewalks of many cities in the United States and around the world, one thing is clear: the terms of their use need to be decided democratically, by the public.
Vetoing Podemos
Spanish MPs voted down Pedro Sánchez’s investiture last Thursday, as Podemos refused his threadbare coalition deal. Yet it’s the radical left party whose strategy now hangs in the balance — and it may be forced into a humiliating climbdown.
The Left Needs a Statewide Strategy
To win, fighting back on a citywide and national level isn’t enough. We need a strategy to build working-class power on a statewide level.
Being Anti-Boris Is Not Enough
Attacks on character and legal issues didn’t stop Berlusconi and Trump, and they won’t stop Boris Johnson. Sticking to Corbyn’s strong democratic socialist message is the way to beat him.
North Korea, Without the Hacks
Most US reporting on North Korea is inaccurate fluff produced by self-serving careerists. But a new book finally shows how to do it right.
The Gilets Noirs Are in the Building
Paris’s tourist economy relies on a hidden army of undocumented migrants. But these workers are no longer happy to remain in the shadows — and their protests for regular status are drawing inspiration from the gilets jaunes.