The Cosmic Irony of Bernie Sanders’s Rise
What makes Bernie Sanders so threatening to the Democratic establishment is that he stands for what millions of Democrats thought their party stood for all along.
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Jeff Weaver: Democrats Can’t Keep Clinging to the Center
Democrats focused more on courting GOP voters than younger voters in the last election, former Bernie Sanders senior staffer Jeff Weaver argues. The strategy was a disaster, damaging downballot Democrats across the country — and it could backfire even more when Trump is gone.
Last Week’s Elections Were Not a Repudiation of the Left
After nearly a year of barely doing anything the Left has actually demanded, Joe Biden and his centrist allies don’t get to blame leftists for the electoral disaster the centrists’ own inaction brought.
No, We Don’t Need These Forever Wars
China doesn’t have an empire. The United States doesn’t need to saber-rattle. And we really don’t need to fight these forever wars.
Joe Biden’s Neera Tanden Pick Is Even Worse Than You Thought
Joe Biden’s likely nominee to head the powerful Office of Management and Budget, Neera Tanden, called for cuts to Social Security, saying, “we need to put both entitlements on the table as well as taxes.”
Manufacturing Consensus
We sat down with Noam Chomsky to talk about the march to the war in Iraq and its awful consequences.
The Era of Neoliberal Svengalis Like Larry Summers Might Be Coming to an End
From GameStop to COVID-19 relief, the past year has given us an abundance of reasons to ignore the advice of neoliberal economists like Larry Summers. There are tentative signs that the Biden administration might do just that.
Which Kamala Harris Are We Getting?
Kamala Harris appears likely to be the Democratic presidential nominee. A look back at her political career reveals a politician who matched every progressive achievement with a conservative one.
The Problem With “Anti-Corruption”
Nobody likes corruption. But the modern politics of “anti-corruption” is built on both domestic and international double standards. Corruption is not some alien virus that enters and disrupts a system, it is a symptom of all that is wrong with the world that liberals are vainly striving to restore.
Donald Trump Was Always a Plutocratic Fraud
Donald Trump won the presidency claiming he was a radical opponent of the political establishment. That was always a lie — and his four years in the White House revealed he was just another reactionary, capitalist billionaire.
The PRO Act Could Transform the Labor Landscape
Joe Biden promised to be the most pro-union president in modern history. He has a chance to prove it by passing the PRO Act, a sweeping labor law reform bill.
Democratic Leaders Don’t Fear Their Own Base. They Should.
Democrats have reneged on their longtime promise to codify Roe v. Wade every time they’ve held power. Party leaders will not fulfill that promise until and unless they fear their own voters.
Joe Biden Is Yet Again Trying to Woo the GOP. He Should Give It Up.
According to recent reporting, Joe Biden wants to strike a deal with Republicans on a new round of COVID-19 relief, rather than ramming through a package without their support. After everything that has happened in recent weeks and years with the GOP, how is Biden still naive enough to think he can strike a deal with them?
Trump Is Siccing Shady Private Debt Collectors on Immigrants
The Trump administration has hired a team of private debt collectors — known for widespread abuses when previously hired to collect federal student debt — to hound immigrants slapped with new multimillion-dollar civil penalties for not leaving the US.
On Immigration, Biden’s First 100 Days and Trump’s Last 100 Days Are Hard to Tell Apart
On immigration, the Biden administration — far from offering an alternative to Trumpist policies that so many commentators characterized as fascistic — has largely followed in Trump's footsteps. But Biden has encountered only a tiny fraction of the criticism Trump attracted for pursuing many of the same anti-immigrant policies.
Trump Is a Threat to Democracy. But That Doesn’t Mean He’s Winning.
The violent attempt to stop the certification of the electoral vote shouldn’t be ignored. But fascism isn’t on the brink in America. Pretending we’re on the precipice of losing our democracy plays into the hands of those who want to give new, repressive powers to the security state.
Biden Aides’ Corporate Ties Should Surprise No One
Newly released documents show Joe Biden's White House staffers recently working as consultants for Lyft, billionaire foundations, and an Israeli facial recognition firm. It's another reminder of the revolving door between big business and the state.
“Encircling” China Is a Very Bad Idea
The defense bill that Joe Biden recently signed lays the groundwork for a new cold war with China. That’s great for defense contractors — and terrible for world peace.
Trump’s Impunity Reflects the Impunity of the Entire Class of American Elites
The lawless behavior of Donald Trump and Georgia’s GOP senators recently captured on tape is, like so much about Trump, appalling. But it reflects an American political culture in which the powerful are never held accountable for any kind of wrongdoing, no matter how blatant or evil.
Unfortunately, Gavin Newsom Is the Future of the Democrats
Gavin Newsom came into office with “Big Hairy Audacious Goals” like universal health care — and proceeded to fulfill as few of them as he could. It’s no wonder he came dangerously close to facilitating a GOP power grab in a deep blue state.