We Have No Choice But to Be Radical
The United States is facing an unprecedented economic, political, and social breakdown. With the Right discredited and the Democrats out of ideas, now is the time for socialists to think big.
92 Articles by: Doug Henwood
Doug Henwood edits Left Business Observer and is the host of Behind the News. His latest book is My Turn.
Unemployment Benefits Have Saved the US From Economic Calamity. They Expire at the End of the Month.
The only thing keeping workers in the United States from absolute destitution has been unemployment insurance and other social welfare benefits. If Congress doesn’t extend unemployment benefits at the end of the month, the economy will hurl off a cliff — and millions will be immiserated.
“When You Arrest as Many People as We Do, You Cannot Protect Against Infectious Spread”
A new study finds that American jails — not just prisons — are a major hot spot for spreading coronavirus. The solution is simple: stop arresting so many people.
This Downturn Could Be Worse Than the Early 1930s
We could experience in months what took three or four years to unfold after the 1929 stock market crash. Things are going to be very bad unless we see some serious structural reforms.
Now Is the Time to Fundamentally Transform America
Our economy is crashing hard and fast. But with a bold set of policies, like nationalizing the banks to fund a Green New Deal, we can save millions of workers from untold suffering — and transform the country in the process.
The Robots Are Not Coming for All of Our Jobs
There’s lots of breathless talk these days about robots replacing all of our jobs. But if you look at the data, there’s little indication that’s actually going to happen.
What’s the Point of Impeachment?
Getting rid of Trump would be great, but Congress isn’t going to do it — we actually have to vote him out. And impeachment, a therapeutic ritual for MSNBC hosts and an act of score-settling by the national security state, isn’t helping.
Paul Volcker Was a Hero of the Ruling Class
Paul Volcker, who died yesterday, won’t be mourned by this publication. As Federal Reserve chair under Reagan and Carter, he destroyed millions of working-class jobs and pushed a radical neoliberal program.
Twenty Years After We Shut Down the WTO, the Left Is Finally Resurgent
On November 30, 1999, activists shut down the World Trade Organization meetings in Seattle. The protests were a thrilling moment during bleak times for the socialist left. Now, years of resistance are finally paying off.
Wall Street Doesn’t Believe Elizabeth Warren Is Serious About Medicare for All
Is Elizabeth Warren’s Medicare-for-All phase-in plan a shrewd, realistic tactical move to win a public health system — or a bait and switch to play to M4A’s popularity without actually fighting for it? Wall Street thinks it’s the latter.
Soaking the Rich Is a Great Start — But It’s Not Enough
We should be clear about what it will take to fund a decent welfare state: not just soaking the rich, but raising taxes across the board — so everyone can have the basics for the good life.
Uber Is a Scam
A glance at the company’s recently released prospectus reveals the truth about Uber: it’s a scam.
“Social Democracy at Home Requires Anti-Imperialism Abroad”
An internationalist, anti-imperialist vision has been all but abandoned by the Left. We need to rebuild that vision.
I Can’t Believe Elizabeth Warren Is Losing to These Guys
Elizabeth Warren is no socialist — but unlike most of the candidates beating her in the polls, she’s a tough-minded liberal who makes the right kind of enemies.
What the New Deal Can Teach Us About a Green New Deal
The original New Deal was a bold, visionary effort that transformed the economic and political life of the country. The Green New Deal could do even more.
Modern Monetary Theory Isn’t Helping
MMT is billed by its advocates as a radical new way to understand money and debt. But it’ll take more than a few keystrokes to change the economy.
“There Are So Many Things That We Can Learn From This Strike”
The Los Angeles teachers strike showed that bottom-up organizing can overcome extraordinary odds. We can do the same throughout the health and education sectors — and at Amazon.
Unions Still Haven’t Rebounded
Despite a string of encouraging strikes and labor victories, the latest numbers show that union density fell to a new low last year.
Laboring Under an Illusion
“Post-work” Marxism aims to liberate us from the coercion of wage labor. But without a program for reorganizing production, it can only return us to the tyranny of the market.
Medicare Will Be Good for Everyone — Except CEOs
The only people who won’t benefit from Medicare for All are the insurance industry CEOs profiting off people’s pain.