A Clown With a Balancing Act
Elections to Ukraine’s parliament produced the first one-party majority since the end of the USSR. But as nationalist violence persists, comedian-president Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s base is anything but stable.
20412 Article(s) by: William G. Martin
William G. Martin teaches at SUNY-Binghamton and is co-author of After Prisons? Freedom, Decarceration, and Justice Disinvestment (2016) and a founding member of Justice and Unity for the Southern Tier; he covers local justice matters at www.justtalk.blog
History From Above in Africa
Africa’s massive new free trade deal promises to unify over a billion people and lift the continent out of poverty. But the case of Ethiopia shows that it will instead spark a continental race to the bottom and shut workers out from economic policy.
Labour is Changing the Way Politics Works
Political parties these days are rarely in touch with ordinary voters except at election time. With its new community organizing program, Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour Party is starting to change that.
The Rebellion in Hong Kong Is Intensifying
Massive demonstrations in Hong Kong have forced the government to shelve a bill that could muzzle dissident voices. But the protesters are still on the streets — and they’re demanding the resignation of Hong Kong’s chief executive.
Labour Can’t Let Tory Antics Distract It
Media pundits and Tory messaging wizards prefer to engage in endless chatter about meaningless Westminster ephemera. But Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour does best when it focuses on concrete policies that improve people’s lives.
Last Night’s Debate Was a Throwback to a Darker Time
Sometimes it’s hard to remember what Democratic Party politics was like before Bernie Sanders threw his hat into the ring four years ago. Last night was a grim reminder.
Ideologues Playing Battleship
The British Navy’s seizure of an Iranian oil tanker has sparked diplomatic crisis and a tit-for-tat action by Iran. Post-Brexit Britain wants to reassert itself as a global power — but it’s suffering from a serious case of imperial overreach.
The Five Star Movement Is Imploding
The Five Star Movement emerged promising to liberate Italians from a corrupt political establishment. But its hollow claim to stand outside the left-right divide has made it into a mere stooge for Matteo Salvini.
Joe Biden Was a Trainwreck in Last Night’s Debate
Last night’s Democratic debate was disastrous for Joe Biden. The problem is, the rivals who criticized his long record of right-wing policies have supported plenty of reactionary policies of their own.
The Medicare for All Moment Is Here, Brought to You by Bernie Sanders
Medicare for All had its big moment in last night’s debate, with several candidates clamoring to show their support. Yet just three years ago, the Beltway consensus was that it would “never, ever” happen. We have Bernie Sanders to thank for that.
Why Michael Harrington Matters
At a time when America and the world were moving rightward, Michael Harrington kept the socialist flame burning.
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.
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.