Australia Has a Serious Landlord Problem
Landlords dominate Australia’s parliament and Reserve Bank. Their policies make the housing crisis worse.
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The “Moderate” Think Tank Pushing Dems to Loosen AI Rules
Ascendant DC think tank Searchlight Institute, pushing Democrats to the center, has ties to megadonor Simone Coxe, whose Nvidia-linked money could boost AI-backed efforts to defend data center build-outs and limit AI regulation.
The Fight Against Trumpism Can Reinvigorate Labor
The danger posed by Donald Trump’s authoritarianism means that unions can’t afford to remain in a defensive crouch. And history suggests that fighting to defend and revive democracy at moments of maximum peril can create a window of opportunity for labor.
Bernie and AOC Pump the Brakes on Artificial Intelligence
A bill from Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez proposes a moratorium on new AI data centers until oversight mechanisms and legal safeguards are in place. Only federal legislation stands a chance at leashing a monster of this size.
Medicare for All Is an Electoral Winner
Working-class voters already back Medicare for All. Framed like Social Security — as a benefit earned from work, not a handout — it can reach two-thirds support.
Phil Ochs Wrote the Soundtrack to the New Left
The 1960s saw a stampede of lefty folk musicians, but none as politically engaged as Phil Ochs. A true activist-musician who thought of himself as a “singing journalist,” Ochs was as comfortable playing at a demonstration as at a concert hall.
On Iran, Trump and the American Empire Blinked
Donald Trump has shown the world that even the vast power of the globe’s foremost imperial hegemon has limits. His initial genocidal bluster against Iran was downstream of this reality, as was his subsequent capitulation.
Alexander Kluge Fought and Won Against the Culture Industry
The death of the filmmaker and Marxist theorist Alexander Kluge marks the loss of a voice that insisted the horrors of the last century were not confined to the past. They live on in the continued existence of imperialist wars.
The Iran Ceasefire Is a Stunning Defeat for Militarism
The Iran war was such a fiasco that Donald Trump had no choice but to find a way out. Whether it sticks will partly depend on Democrats resisting the urge to irresponsibly goad him back into it.
Amazon Will Be This Century’s Biggest Labor Battle
With its vast logistics empire deploying robotics, surveillance, and AI to block worker power at every turn, Amazon now sits atop the throne of American capitalism. Organizing it will define the future of the labor movement.
The Iraq War Presaged Donald Trump’s War on Iran
A small group of hawks convinced George W. Bush to launch a war in the Middle East, despite his campaign-trail rhetoric and against the advice of top US military and intelligence officials. The parallels with Donald Trump’s war on Iran are striking.
Through Meta Glasses, Darkly
How do we solve a problem like the commodification of mass wearable surveillance? Social norms and market pressure are a start, but above all, we need a political response like regulation.