Новости за 24.12.2018

[Author’s note: This essay is based upon arguments made in Chapter 2 (“Some Theoretical Considerations”) of my book, Can the Working Class Change the World? Unless otherwise noted, the quotes are from this chapter and are either my words or those of someone I am quoting] There is much discussion on the left about the connections More

In what seems a replay of recent German and Italian elections, an openly authoritarian and racist party made major electoral gains in Spain’s most populous province, Andalusia, helping to dethrone the Socialist Party that had dominated the southern region for 36 years. Vox (Voice)—a party that stands for “Spain First,” restrictions on women’s rights, ending More

Dead. Most of us have negative associations with the word. After all how did Death Valley get its name? Not because it was a favorite vacation spot for prospectors. Is anyone interested in fishing the Dead Sea? And when we say someone looks like “death warmed over” it’s not usually taken as a compliment. So it’s not surprising that most of us tend to view dead things as undesirable, unless we are talking about mosquitoes and rattlesnakes. (Actually I appreciate both and don’t advocate early death... Читать дальше...

Give it to Chuck Mertz to once again be a step ahead. Just last week Mr. Mertz had on Aisling Mccrea of Current Affairs to talk about why self-care won’t save us. I was so impressed by Mccrea’s grasp of the current affairs, that it really made sense when millennial (socialist?!) darling Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said More

A Lack of Originality One thing that characterizes dogmatists is a lack of originality. You buy into the dogma and that’s it. Your worldview is complete—and so are your rationalizations, defensive pronouncements and complaints. I have been an opponent of the Zionist dogma for almost fifty years (wow!) because it (1) denies Palestinians their civil More

Should the United States build a permanent military base in Poland? Dangle a couple billion dollars in front of Donald Trump ― who seems to see himself as America’s premier arms merchant, when he’s not using the presidency to make money for himself and his family ― and you can see his eyes light up. More

Viktor Orbán of Hungary is not to be hectored to. Arching with fury at the EU’s September motion to sanction Hungary for bad behaviour under the Article 7 process, he was resolved to ratchet things up.  The motion,while getting 448 votes concerned about judicial independence, corruption, freedom of expression, academic freedom, the rights and migrants, amongst More

Trump’s sudden announcement to withdraw US troops from Syria is a good development that should be welcomed by everyone who proclaims to care about what the US does in their name around the world. American interference in that country starting in 2011 was never authorized by the UN according to international law and therefore has More

I want to start by thanking Luigi Chiaro and President Valenti of Progetto Formazione Continua for the opportunity  to be here this evening to speak and exchange ideas with you all and to thank the founder of the association who is here with us this evening for this great, really wonderful initiative. Speaking of Capitalism More

[I came across an old journal entry from late April 2008.  A true account.] I get out of work at 8pm in NYC midtown.  It is Saturday.  I don’t want to go straight home even though I am dog-tired and I have made no plans. It is a clammy, London-mist kind of night.  Walking to More

There are two things you never let your children see. One is sausage being made and the other is policy. The House & Senate War Powers Resolutions were complicated as hell so most journalists and politicians are not able to explain half of it. For the wonkiest of wonks here is some information about the More

As the countdown for the 2018 Christmas festivities begins, the tiny Palestinian village of Beit Lahem (Arabic for Bethlehem/House of Bread), is in its 51st year of a brutal occupation. Not unlike previous occupiers, the Israelis, employing the most sophisticated surveillance technology, are ruling Palestine with the harshest, most hateful, and most egregiously atrocious laws More

President Trump has “commander in chiefed” an end to the illegal US role in the war in Syria. And there are reports the Commander in Chief may order a draw down in Afghanistan, the war that keeps on giving! Knock me down with a feather! Turns out it ain’t that hard to end a war! More