Getting Beyond the Politics of Powerlessness
Too many of us in left politics today have a deep-seated resistance to seeking, taking, and wielding power. We have to overcome that resistance.
Blog
Judge Platner’s Character by How He Fights the Oligarchs
The fact that Graham Platner still holds a general election lead amid scandalous personal revelations should give us hope. Voters may be shifting to judge politicians more on their willingness to take on economic inequality and war than their private lives.
Gaza Was the Last Nail in the Coffin of Liberal Atlanticism
Since the end of the Cold War, European and US liberals have claimed to defend a “rules-based international order.” Often a fiction, even the pretense has now vanished under the rubble of Gaza.
In Colombia, the Fight Is Still On
Far-right Abelardo de la Espriella topped the first round of Colombia’s presidential election. Left-wing senator Iván Cepeda is still in the race but now has to find support outside the ruling party’s core vote.
In San Francisco, a Divided Left Eyes Nancy Pelosi’s Seat
Two progressives — Justice Democrats cofounder Saikat Chakrabarti and union-backed city hall veteran Connie Chan — are fighting to advance past the primary for Nancy Pelosi’s congressional seat. Their race has become a referendum on the SF left’s future.
NYC Socialists Are Trying to Expand Their Electoral Wins
Months after electing Zohran Mamdani as mayor, New York democratic socialists have an ambitious slate of candidates for this month’s Democratic primaries: one for the state legislature in Buffalo, seven in the city, and two for Congress.
In Turkey, Criticizing a Corporation Can Land You in Jail
Turkish labor leader Mehmet Türkmen was jailed for spreading “disinformation” after he criticized a business where a worker lost both arms in an accident. It’s part of a wider crackdown designed to suppress trade unions that speak up for workers.
American Communists Did a Lot Right and a Lot Wrong
Members of the Communist Party USA in its heyday were much more complicated than the stereotypes of them, shaped so strongly by rabid anti-communism, in our country’s imagination. Today’s socialists should closely examine their track record.
The USA Is Living Under Political Capitalism
The form of capitalism we currently live under is one in which wealth extraction depends increasingly less on market power and more on political maneuvering.
Emmanuel Macron Has Boosted France’s Corporate Welfare State
French capitalism has been underperforming for decades, but its companies still expect to receive generous state support without giving much in return. Emmanuel Macron has carried this policy of corporate welfare to new heights.
The Trumpian “War on Fraud” Is a Trojan Horse for Austerity
The State Financial Officers Foundation claims to be a nonpartisan, neutral body representing the guardians of state finances. In truth, the corporate donor–dependent nonprofit pushes a right-wing austerity agenda under the guise of fighting fraud.
A New Single-Payer Effort Is Underway in Georgia
With Bernie Sanders no longer leading the charge, Medicare for All has slipped from the spotlight. But a new state-level single-payer bill in Georgia — where Republicans refused to expand Medicaid and 1.2 million people are uninsured — shows signs of life.