In The Atlantic, Ta-Nehisi Coates (TNC) uses the election of Donald Trump, “the first white president,” to offer a blockbuster portrayal of the politics of race and white supremacy in the U.S. As political analysis, it is disputable and fair … Continue reading
Category Archives: What’s Left
Admit it, whoever you are, you want to punch Nazis, and so do I. But emotional catharsis is not politics. Neither is retribution, no matter how well-justified. Of course, what we all want is to relegate fascism to the dustbin of history, … Continue reading
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Let’s take #BlackLivesMatter seriously. I see two different sides to the campaign, as it relates to the Left. One is rejection of the idea that universalist policies take pride of place over anti-racist ones. I couldn’t agree more. On an … Continue reading
My friend Matt Bruenig does consistently great stuff, but I have to object to his recent critique of the idea of a Job Guarantee (often called the government as an Employer of Last Resort, or ‘ELR’). I want to walk … Continue reading
I shouldn’t even be here. I discovered a couple of weeks ago I have a congenital heart condition which involved plaque building up in the aortic valve. A little piece breaks off and you’ve got yourself a stroke. Now that’s not … Continue reading
Now those responsible for the death of Freddie Gray have been charged, but all is still far from right with the world. The process could easily drag out for a good while and culminate unsatisfactorily. The local liberal-Democratic political establishment has … Continue reading
Risking the wrath of Steve Randy Waldman, I have a few thoughts. My own ancient left prejudices led me to see the property destruction as an unhelpful distraction from the good, constructive folk marching and demonstrating. But this separates things … Continue reading
My comrade the Sandwichman traces the sad devolution of thinking about public investment in the U.S. Check out the signatories to the letter at the top: Henry Wallace, Frances Perkins, Harry Hopkins, Harold Ickes, Wesley Mitchell. Giants! How did we get stuck … Continue reading
Jacobin magazine’s Seth Ackerman picks up his favorite chew toy, Matthew Yglesias of Vox, doing the economics of the minimum wage. To be clear at the outset, I think it’s perfectly fine for Yggy to take on diverse topics in … Continue reading
The torch has been passed from Zell Miller and Joe Lieberman. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is now officially the worst Democrat in the Universe. I had high hopes for his father, Mario. Pére Cuomo was poised to contest Bill Clinton … Continue reading