Category Archives: Working Class

Mamdani and the United Front We Need

What should we make of Mamdani’s stunning victory? Much of the commentary —regardless of vantage point— is grandiose, highly speculative, and without context. So let’s ground ourselves in the broader politics, available evidence, and, above all, history.  Then maybe we … Continue reading

Posted in Capitalism, Corporate Power, electoral strategy, History, Labor Movement, Movement Culture, organizing, Organizing Strategy, police state, Racism, Red Scare, revolutionary strategy, Strategy, unions, Working Class | 1 Comment

A Tale of Two Maydays

Mayday is a holiday dedicated to international working-class solidarity. Born in the United States on May 1, 1886, during a time of intense class conflict, Mayday became the recognized labor holiday worldwide. However, it has rarely been celebrated in the … Continue reading

Posted in American Culture, Capitalism, Corporate Power, Green Party, History, Labor Movement, organizing, Organizing Strategy, revolutionary strategy, Socialism, union organzing, unions, War, Working Class | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Tips for Organizing at the Big Rally

Here are some organizing rules of thumb. They may be useful in many circumstances, but in this article, I will focus on multi-issue or Democratic Party-led protests. The “Hands-Off” protest or the Sanders/AOC revival meetings are so useful to the … Continue reading

Posted in Movement Culture, organizing, Organizing Method, Organizing Strategy, revolutionary strategy, Working Class | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Are Democrats Weak or Strong?

Be alert to a very common, subtle, but ultimately deceptive narrative we have heard repeatedly since Trump’s election. This story claims that the Democrats are paralyzed, pathetic, weak, invisible, disappointing, and feckless. In short, we are supposed to believe that … Continue reading

Posted in electoral strategy, Green Party, Movement Culture, organizing, Organizing Strategy, Working Class | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

The Left Can Only Win if There Is A Left

Also, find this essay in CounterPunch. “The U.S. couldn’t choose the Left: There wasn’t one. When there is no more left, there is no limit on the Right. When there is no fight over programme the election becomes a casting … Continue reading

Posted in austerity, Capitalism, Corporate Power, electoral strategy, Empire, Green Party, History, Labor Movement, Movement Culture, organizing, Organizing Strategy, police state, revolutionary strategy, Socialism, Strategy, unions, War, Working Class | Tagged , | 2 Comments

What is 21st Century Fascism?

The Dictatorship of Big Money Twenty-first-century fascism is the dictatorship of big money. Finance, fossil fuels giants, other large corporations, and the military-industrial complex have effectively merged with the state, calling the shots in Washington. An immense surveillance and propaganda … Continue reading

Posted in austerity, Capitalism, Corporate Power, History, Organizing Strategy, police state, Racism, War, White Supremacy, Working Class | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Moral Crusade or Class Interest? Does the US Working Class Have a Material Interest in Ukraine?

Also in Counterpunch. Moral crusade or working-class interest? Which should guide our actions on Ukraine and the escalating conflict with China? How do we work through the dilemmas of peace activism given the contradictory mess that is the War in Ukraine? Start … Continue reading

Posted in American Culture, American Exceptionalism, austerity, Capitalism, Climate Change, Corporate Power, Empire, History, Labor Movement, Military, police state, War, War creates Climate Change, White Privilege, Working Class | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

I Ain’t Marching Anymore

This essay also appears in CounterPunch. Chris Lombardi’s book,  I Ain’t Marching Anymore: Dissenters, Deserters, and Objectors to America’s Wars, couldn’t be more on time. As the US ramps up its proxy war in Ukraine and paves the way for even wider … Continue reading

Posted in American Culture, American Exceptionalism, Climate Change, Corporate Power, History, Military, Movement Culture, Organizing Strategy, revolutionary strategy, unions, War, War creates Climate Change, Working Class | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Basic Training For Organizers

As a labor organizer, I had thousands of conversations with the “unorganized.” But, much of my work was “organizing the organizer” — preparing members and activists to talk to their co-workers. I use the method in the video as a … Continue reading

Posted in Labor Movement, organizing, Organizing Method, Organizing Strategy, union organzing, unions, Working Class | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Stand With The Peace Movement

These are challenging times for the US peace movement. We are struggling to find our bearings. The people of the US have been subject to a level of propaganda and censorship unprecedented in recent history. How can we respond? There are … Continue reading

Posted in American Culture, American Exceptionalism, Capitalism, Climate Change, Corporate Power, Empire, Green Party, History, Labor Movement, Military, Movement Culture, organizing, Organizing Strategy, police state, Red Scare, Strategy, unions, War, War creates Climate Change, Working Class | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments