Healthy Profits or Healthy Lives
Companies everywhere have started a new strategy to go after workers and make more money – Wellness Programs. Under these programs, companies punish workers if we don’t meet certain health requirements that the companies choose. Companies are setting limits on body weight, blood pressure, cholesterol levels, cigarette smoking, minimum exercise requirements and more. And if […]
Super Bowl Sunday: Who’s Playing Who?
Super Bowl Sunday is a time we get to spend with family and friends whether we like football or not. For some, the Super Bowl is the only football game they’ll watch all year. At work the game is even more exciting when we place bets with our coworkers. And nothing’s better than when we […]
The Fightback Section
Athens, Greece – January 25 Starting January 16th, Greek metro workers went on strike against major cuts to their wages and benefits. The Greek government ordered an end to the strike, using police to break up pickets and demonstrations, and forcing workers back to work. But afterwards, other transportation workers including train drivers, bus drivers, […]
The Negro Leagues: The Untold Story of Baseball
Everyone has heard of Jackie Robinson, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron and Roy Campanella. But how many people have heard of Josh Gibson, Satchel Paige, Cool Papa Bell or Mule Suttles? For half of baseball’s history in the U.S., black people were excluded from the major leagues. The Negro Leagues were formed with teams of skilled […]
The Civil Rights Movement: a Legacy of Struggle and Courage
One of the most profound struggles in the history of the U.S. was the struggle of the black population during the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 60s. This explosive revolt totally shook every corner of American society. It had an enormous international impact, inspiring struggles across the globe. But most of all, the […]
Egypt: The Muslim Brotherhood Against the Revolution
Egyptians are out in the streets! The regime of President Mohammad Morsi, of the Muslim Brotherhood has ordered a curfew in three major Egyptian cities, but thousands of Egyptians are defying the government orders. Once again Egypt is in the midst of a social upheaval and ordinary people are making their power felt, this time […]
Black History Month: The Struggle Hasn’t Ended
February is Black History Month. This month will be celebrated with the media and politicians selecting famous names to highlight the contributions of black people in history. Usually they choose those who made it into the ranks of the wealthy. But they also pay lip service to some black leaders who spent their lives organizing […]
Empty Promises Won’t End the Violence
Last week President Obama made a speech promising empty solutions to all the mass shootings. Just like after every other mass shooting, we are fed the same debates about gun access and video games that never go anywhere or change anything. The politicians and the media always talk about these killings like they are isolated […]
Working More for Less Than Ever Before
In the last week, the government has released reports which show the rate of workers’ wages and the productivity of workers. The numbers could not possibly be more striking. In the last decades not only have workers’ wages stayed flat or started to fall, but employers are getting more and more out of the work […]
Throwing Workers Off The Fiscal Cliff
For weeks now the politicians and major news companies have been going on and on about this stupid term they made up called the “fiscal cliff.” This is where the politicians threaten ordinary people with another massive economic disaster if Congress doesn’t pass a new federal budget that reduces the deficit. And so far this […]
No Place is Safe From This Violent Society
Only a few months ago, a 24-year old male shot up a crowded movie theater in Aurora, Colorado, killing twelve people and wounding 59. It was hard not be chilled by the thought of how even an innocent trip to the movie theater isn’t safe from the violence of this society. And now, this past […]
Searching for Our Future
Every year Merriam-Webster, the company which produces Webster’s dictionary, chooses a word of the year. The word is chosen by how many people look it up in Merriam-Webster’s dictionary website. This year Merriam-Webster had to bend the rules a bit because there were two words that people were looking up the most – Capitalism and […]
We Want Bread, and Roses Too The 1912 Lawrence Textile Strike
Right now working people are under attack. We are having our wages and benefits cut, and our work conditions are getting worse and worse. And in the face of these attacks workers are divided. We all work separate jobs, and on the job we are divided from our coworkers. But these sorts of divisions can […]
Whose Holidays – Ours or The Corporations’?
In case you haven’t noticed, the holiday season has already arrived. Everywhere we go we’re now bombarded by sights and sounds that try to convince us to stay in a festive mood and buy our loved ones all the things that will make this the holiday season to remember. Commercial after commercial, on the TV, […]
Israel’s Murderous Attack On The People Of Gaza
On November 14, Israel launched a violent military attack against the Palestinian people in Gaza. Supposedly this attack was in response to the launching of rockets towards Israel by Palestinian military groups. Israel’s brutal attack was presented to the world by the media and politicians as a necessary retaliation. President Obama was quick to say […]
Obama’s Re-Election – Four More Years of the Same
In 2008, when President Obama was elected for the first time, millions of people were excited. Obama represented himself as a hope for something different and people wanted to believe in him. His election was seen as a symbol of the victory of African Americans’ struggles against racism. On election night in 2008, in cities […]
Four More Years – It’s Time to Fight For Ourselves
The votes are coming in and every indication points towards another presidency for Barack Obama and the Democrats. Without any last minute surprises that might put the Democrats’ victory in question, by now the Democrats should be preparing for another four years in power. Many people will be relieved. The Republican Party campaign of Mitt […]
Women – Overworked, Underpaid, Stressed Out
Many politicians have been making headlines for their ridiculous ideas about women’s bodies. In Missouri, Senator Akin claimed that women’s bodies could block pregnancy when they are what he called “legitimately raped.” For this idiot not only are some rapes more legitimate than others but women have magical powers to turn on and off pregnancy. […]
The Obama Presidency: False Hopes and Little Change
download a .pdf of this The Election of Barack Obama 2008 Barack Obama, more than any presidential candidate in decades, represented himself as a hope for something different. Obama made his slogans “Hope” and “Change”. These vague slogans were designed so that people could see what they wanted in his candidacy. In contrast to the […]
Whoever Wins in November – We Still Lose
The elections are now just two weeks away. The candidates are making their final arguments, and soon we will be asked to choose – Obama and Biden or Romney and Ryan. The Republican campaign has been clear – they aim to attack workers, immigrants, women, gay people, the environment, and to maintain the U.S. wars […]
The November Elections and the Choices We Face
The November 6th election ballot is filled with propositions that can have a direct effect on our lives. They impact public education, the food we eat, and other questions we face in these difficult times. The economic crisis has meant continued attacks on the quality of our lives. The politicians have cut social services and […]
Food is for Profit – Not for Eating
We’re told over and over that the economy is recovering but at the same time wages are being cut, unemployment is remaining high, and prices for everything from rent, gas and bills keep going up. And as a result, more and more workers in the US are struggling just to eat. Record numbers of us […]
If Politicians Told the Truth, They’d Have Nothing to Say!
It’s election time and the presidential candidates are facing off in a series of debates which are supposed to inform us voters what they stand for. But listen close and you’ll hear what the candidates are saying – absolutely nothing! Democratic Party candidate Barack Obama and Republican candidate Mitt Romney go back and forth about […]
Eleven Years of Death and Destruction
The war in Afghanistan has gone on for eleven years. Tens of thousands of Afghans have died and thousands of U.S. soldiers have either been killed or maimed. In Barack Obama’s last speech on the war he announced a plan that would lead to “a future in which the war ends”. The stated plan is […]
Spain, Portugal, Greece – Workers Fight Back
Last week and over the weekend, hundreds of thousands of workers, students, and the poor took to the streets in Spain, Portugal and Greece to show their opposition to a range of deep cuts against the population. Similar to the U.S., and many countries around the world, the response to the economic crisis in Europe […]
Anger in the Middle East – More than Just a Video
Starting on September 11th this year, protests erupted in front of U.S. embassies all over the Middle East, spreading to North Africa, and as far away as Pakistan, Indonesia, and the immigrant communities in Europe. These protesters around the world have gathered to express their anger at the target which makes the most sense to […]
Fracking: Poisoning our Water for Profit
Corporations are increasingly destroying the earth in order make their profits. The latest technique is something called fracking. It’s a destructive way of drilling for natural gas, where highly pressurized liquid chemicals are forced into rocks underground, causing the rock to shatter, releasing the natural gas inside. In the process, it poisons the groundwater with […]
Chicago Teachers Vote to Continue Their Strike
After one week of being on strike, facing ridicule and attack from politicians and most major news organizations, Chicago teachers voted down the latest contract proposal, and voted to continue their strike. Despite the insults coming from the media, Chicago teachers have seen a lot of support coming from most students and their parents, from […]
Chicago – Teachers Draw the Line Against Attacks
On Monday morning, 26,000 teachers and school staff in Chicago walked out of school to man the picket lines. For the first time in 25 years, Chicago’s teachers have all gone on strike. The Chicago teachers are challenging the concessions which have been forced on them in the last decade, and they are challenging the […]
September 11th…Eleven Years of Losing Our Rights
It has been eleven years since September 11, 2001. After September 11th, the U.S. government launched two wars, which have taken the lives of millions of Iraqi and Afghan civilians and created millions of refugees. The fear that was used by the government to justify the wars was also used to attack Americans’ civil liberties. […]
Where Did The Summer Go?
For those workers who were lucky enough to get the day off, Labor Day was a day to relax, spend with families and friends, maybe even get some errands done and go to a barbeque. But instead of just being a day off to relax, Labor Day has become a day that leaves us wondering […]
Whose Society is This Anyway?
Every day we hear the same story from the politicians and the news media. The economy is in crisis and we are all suffering. With the election coming, it’s the same story from both the Republican Party and the Democrats – we need to fix the economy, and we need to make the necessary sacrifices […]
Living to Work, Not Working to Live
Working class Americans are overworked. Each year working people are forced to work more in worsening conditions for a paycheck that has a diminishing value. How many of us work more than 40 hours a week, work on the weekend, or have more than one job, just to make ends meet? Between all the time […]
The Best of Times and the Worst of Times
Whether we’re in the public sector or private sector, no matter who we work for, all workers are pitted against each other. Those who don’t have jobs versus those who do, part-time or temp workers versus full-time workers, those with low pay versus those with even less. Any opportunity to further divide workers, to keep […]
Chevron: Robbing and Poisoning For Profit!
Last week, a major fire and explosion at the Chevron oil refinery in Richmond, CA sent toxic, black fumes all over the city. Richmond residents were ordered to stay indoors with the windows and doors shut and avoid breathing any outside toxic air. But only some residents were able to receive the messages because the […]
Just How Rich Are The Rich?
While most of us struggle to work, pay for housing, health care and take care of our families, it’s easy to forget how much wealth there is in the world. And that’s just how the rich would prefer it. Because in fact the money that the wealthy elite make off the work done by all […]
The Olympics – Saluting Flags and Raking in Gold
The Olympics should be a celebration of human potential. Seeing some of the best athletes from all over the world come together as equals to compete in nearly every sport should be something to celebrate and enjoy. But the reality of the Olympics is very far from what it should be. Athletes from various countries […]
Anaheim, CA – The Anger that the Government Fears Most
On July 20th, in Anaheim, California, near Los Angeles, the police shot and killed a 25-year old man, Manuel Angel Diaz. The killing might have gone unnoticed in the national media. Diaz might have been just another dead youth. But after his death demonstrations of outrage took place which could not be ignored. The shooting […]
California Cities Going Bankrupt – Symptom of a Bankrupt System
The economic crisis that began in 2008 has so far driven three California cities into bankruptcy. And this is no natural disaster. Why are these cities going bankrupt? Because of an economic crisis engineered by the big banks and corporations. During the last decade many city governments invested public funds in the banks and financial […]
Aurora: Another Tragedy Of A Violent Society
Another terrible mass shooting has taken place in the US. This time, a 24-year-old man allegedly opened fire into a crowded movie theater showing The Dark Knight Rises in Aurora, Colorado, killing at least 12 people and wounding 59. This is a horrific tragedy for the families and friends of all the victims, and the […]
Seven Dead in Seven Days – Casualties of a Hopeless Society
In Oakland during the last few weeks there have been a string of violent incidents. Seven people were killed within seven days’ time. This is the worst string of violent incidents in five years. With a body count like that, it makes you wonder which is safer – the streets of Oakland or the streets […]
Super-Fires and Mega-Storms….Climate Change Threatens Our Planet
If you flipped on the TV in the last month, you couldn’t have missed the record-breaking heat, water rationing, or 150-foot tall walls of flame. Wildfires and heat waves have ripped through the country. The hottest recorded temperatures have hit the East coast and Midwest, killing dozens. Super-fires are raging through Western states burning over […]
California’s Budget – More Attacks on Workers and the Poor
The latest budget signed by Governor Brown is an outrage. The nearly $16 billion budget deficit has once again been paid for by huge cuts to workers and the poor. For years, the state government, whether Democrats or Republicans, have been cutting taxes to corporations and the super rich while millions of workers have lost […]
In This System We Have Democracy, Except When it Really Matters
Everywhere you look today, from the national level down to our cities and our workplaces, all of the decisions that impact our lives are being made behind our backs, over our heads, and without our agreement. From the decisions made by the Supreme Court about health care, to the massive attack on pensions and benefits […]
The 4th of July – The Real Story of Independence Day
We are taught that the Fourth of July is Independence Day – the day in 1776 that Americans declared their independence from Great Britain. But, there’s more to the story. Just like the U.S. today, colonial America was divided between rich and poor. In the 1700’s the rich slave owners, and business elite in North […]
Working Families Are Getting Poorer
It is no surprise for workers to find out that our wallets have been getting lighter and lighter over the past few years. With the rising cost of goods, the mounting debt, and wages that won’t go up, we know that we’re working more for less. But it is still shocking to see how much […]
Obama’s Executive Order – Playing Political Games With Young Immigrants’ Lives
On Friday last week, President Obama made an announcement that his administration would put an end to the deportation of young immigrants who were brought to this country as children. On the surface this seems like a move to correct a serious wrong that is being done to these young people. But in fact it […]
Privatizing Education—Profiting Off Our Children’s Future
Privatizing Education—Profiting Off Our Children’s Future Since 2008, K-12 education has been cut over $18 Billion in California alone. These cuts are depriving students of any sort of decent education, while making conditions harder for teachers. Meanwhile, parents, teachers, their unions, and the schools themselves are being blamed as failures. But alongside the attacks on […]
Elections in the U.S. – No Choice for the Working Class
In the U.S., the contest for President has begun again, once again coming down to a choice between two candidates who both represent the interests of the bourgeoisie – Barack Obama, from the Democratic party, and Mitt Romney, from the Republican party. So far, this election is playing out like most other elections. Both candidates […]
Obamacare on Trial – A Piece of Political Theater
In March, the Supreme Court of the United States began holding hearings on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, otherwise known as “Obamacare”, one of the key pieces of legislation under the Obama administration. The Supreme Court has convened to decide if the act, which requires individuals to purchase health care, violates the U.S. […]