We are in an amazing and dangerous time, where the chronic social problems which have caused so much trauma over so many years are coming to be seen as urgent and in need of attention by a rapidly increasing number of people. As so many people become “woke” to these problems, it is important that … Continue reading Belonging and Social Change: A Critique of the Politics of Wokeness
Building Democracy to Fight the Nativist Attack: A Review of ‘The People vs. Democracy’
As someone who came to politics opposing US government policies, I’ve been surprising myself lately by how much I end up talking about the importance of “rule of law." I'm used to being the one to criticize how bad our laws are, how unfairly they are enforced, and how oppressive government actions are. But there … Continue reading Building Democracy to Fight the Nativist Attack: A Review of ‘The People vs. Democracy’
Owning Our Shit: The US Role in Global Migration
Trump's comments about shithole countries are no surprise and it reflects the racist worldview we know he holds. While much of the discussion around the statement has focused on how racist it was, less commented on has been how profoundly it misunderstands the nature of immigration. The US is a nation of immigrants, the descendants … Continue reading Owning Our Shit: The US Role in Global Migration
It May Actually Be Worse Than You Think: Assessing the Integrated and Funded Machine We Are Up Against
When Trump first came to power, like most progressive, leftist, and liberal people I know, I was terrified. It seemed possible that we were on the verge of fascism. Could Trump unleash thugs onto the street to act with impunity against people from vulnerable groups, as Hitler’s Brown shirts did? Could the constitution … Continue reading It May Actually Be Worse Than You Think: Assessing the Integrated and Funded Machine We Are Up Against
Counterhegemony
Getting out of this Mess by Building support for Economic and Social Justice The election was terrible and means huge setback in the things we who support social and economic justice care about. For the climate it may mean the difference between the possibility of building a sustainable future and getting to the changes too late … Continue reading Counterhegemony
The Fortress World of Capitalism vs. the Beautiful Possibilities of Cooperation
Our beloved world is entering an increasingly unstable period, full of dangers and also full of possibilities. In many countries, old political parties are crumbling faster and anyone thought imaginable. Old geopolitical alliances have come unglued as the US comes to exercise its role as world hegemon in new and unpredictable ways. The development of … Continue reading The Fortress World of Capitalism vs. the Beautiful Possibilities of Cooperation
Unicorns, Gnomes, and Plea to the Press on Covering Trump
On January 11 finally Trump held his much awaited press conference. And it was a terrifying success. The press faithfully covered a wild and strange show. But we don't need to be told about the show that was performed. What we needed was a consistent grounding in reality. It was as if, covering the moment … Continue reading Unicorns, Gnomes, and Plea to the Press on Covering Trump
Thinking about Fascism
The 2016 presidential election made me think about 1933 and Hitler's rise to power. I've known that he came to power through constitutional means and then used that power from the inside to destroy a constitutional system of government. This seemed like a good time to better understand the way that someone who was a … Continue reading Thinking about Fascism
Ten Ways to Challenge Capitalism’s Death Grip on Daily Life
In order to deal with the climate crisis and have more satisfying lives, we need to build economies that consume fewer natural resources. In other words, we need to build a "solidarity economy" based on worker-owned cooperatives, self-provisioning and barter systems, and gift-based exchanges. (1) To build popular support for a transition to solidarity economics, … Continue reading Ten Ways to Challenge Capitalism’s Death Grip on Daily Life
An End of Power?
We are entering a period where the social structures and mechanisms that have channeled and controlled power for the past few hundred years are shifting radically. In The End of Power, Venezuelan politician and former director of the World Bank, Moisés Naím, describes some serious ways in which the systems we have lived under for … Continue reading An End of Power?
Cynthia Kaufman 