Author's posts
Nov 24 2008
Obama’s jobs plan: A band-aid for an economic catastrophe
Original article, by Patrick Martin, via World Socialist Web Site:
The economic plan announced Saturday by President-Elect Barack Obama, with the goal of “saving or creating” 2.5 million jobs in 2009 and 2010, is a measure that has already been outstripped by events. The deepening crisis of American and world capitalism could destroy that many US jobs in the next six to nine months alone.
Nov 22 2008
The elections in Venezuela
Original article, by Alan Woods, via In Defence of Marxism:
On Sunday November 23, 2008 Venezuela faces one of the most decisive elections in its history. These elections will determine who controls the governors and the key municipal positions throughout the country. What happens on Sunday will have a profound impact on the future of the Bolivarian Revolution.
Nov 20 2008
A Guantánamo system after Guantánamo?
Original article, a comment subtitled Michael Ratner, president of the Center for Constitutional Rights, explains why a preventive detention law being floated by some Obama advisers would be disastrous, via socialistworker.org:
WHEN I awoke this morning, I saw the New York Times headline: “Post-Guantánamo: A New Detention Law?” I was afraid to read the article for I knew what was coming: some on the Obama team, supported by a few liberals, were considering a preventive detention law.
Nov 19 2008
Can socialist planning work?
Original article, subtitled With economic crisis sweeping the globe, many people are asking if there is a better way to organise society. Kate Connelly and Esme Choonara explain how a planned socialist economy might work, via Socialist Worker (UK):
Capitalism is chaotic and extremely destructive. War, hunger and unemployment are all permanent features of the system.
Nov 18 2008
Jeremy Dear speaks at LRC Conference
Original article, a speech by Jeremy Dear given at the Annual Conference of the Labour Representation Committee (the organising hub of the left wing within the Labour Party and among trade union activists), via Socialist Appeal (UK):
As an aside, you may be asking why we should be interested in what Jeremy Dear is giving a speech on? The answer, to me, is simple: Labour has been hijacked by the neoliberal militarists just the same as the Democrats have been. While the crisis in Britain may not be 100% the same as here in the US, it is part and parcel of the collapse of international capitalism. Our workers face the same problems as theirs. It is within this framework that I think Dear’s speech is worth a read:
Nov 16 2008
Greens Mobilize for Malik Rahim for Congress
Original article, via Ronald Hardy, via Green Party Watch:
Louisiana turned out one of the better showings for Cynthia McKinney on November 4, which may have been due to her embracing of the Reconstruction Platform and strong post-Katrina positions.
Nov 16 2008
Che Guevara Meets Trashman: The Genius of Spain Rodriguez
Original article by Ron Jacobs, via dissidentvoice.org:
Like many of my contemporaries, I grew up on comic books. From the mainstream graphic fiction starring Billy Batson and Archie to the alternative realities of the Zap Comix universe and the Freak Brothers, those stories with pictures entertained me and enhanced my world. Nowadays, comic-styled tales and interpretations of classic novels claim a popular space in libraries and bookstores across much of the world. Many of the graphic novels are geared towards a youthful audience and deal with teen angst, vampires and such. Others are designed to convince the reader of a certain point of view and are often published by an organization or group with a particular point of view. Then there are those that stand alone.
Nov 15 2008
Who made the New Deal?
Original article, subtitled Lance Selfa recounts the history of an era that is still remembered for the important changes that benefited the working majority, via SocialistWorker.org:
COMPARISONS BETWEEN Barack Obama’s assumption of power and Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s in 1933 have been many and varied.
Nov 14 2008
Obama transition points to more war and repression
Original article, by Bill Van Auken, via World Socialist Web Site:
President-elect Barack Obama owes his victory, both in the Democratic primaries and the general election, in large part to the overwhelming hostility of the American people to the years of military aggression, torture, extraordinary rendition, domestic spying and all of the other crimes that will constitute the indelible legacy of the Bush administration.
Nov 11 2008
Layoffs mount, economic crisis deepens in the US
Original article, by Tom Eley, via World Socialist Web Site:
Monday brought a number of fresh indications-including mass layoffs, bankruptcies and negative labor market data-that the US is entering a deep economic crisis.
Nov 11 2008