Category: Uncategorized
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Book Review: Grand Hotel Abyss
One current of 20th century Marxism that remains highly relevant today is the Frankfurt School. Theodor Adorno, Walter Benjamin, Erich Fromm, Jurgen Habermas, Max Horkheimer, and Herbert Marcuse all made profound contributions to a critical theory which provides us with insights into monopoly capitalism and its cultural effects. Many of the issues that they explored…
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Addressing Seriously the Environmental Crisis: A Bold, “Outside the Box” Suggestion for Addressing Climate Change and Other Forms of Environmental Destruction
Are you confused about climate change/global warming: is it real or is it fake news? And if it is real, what can be done about it? I gave a talk on March 18, 2017 at the free speech forum in Chicago called The Open University of the Left, where I discussed this and what we…
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St. Louis Mayor’s Race Underscores Pitfalls of Plurality Elections
On March 7, 2017 Lyda Krewson won the Democratic Party nomination for mayor of St. Louis City with only 32.0% of the vote. Ms. Krewson is white. Six black candidates split over two-thirds of the votes. The problem goes beyond color. One of the hot-button issues has been the New Life homeless shelter, called a…
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As the Climate Melts, Democracy Must Be Rescued and Transformed; Capitalism Can’t Be
Both capitalism and electoral democracy impede effective climate action. But while we have to defend and transform democracy, there is no possibility that capitalism can be made compatible with either global climate mitigation or social and economic justice. Donald Trump plans to dismantle America’s already weak climate policy, potentially dooming not only this country…
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Strategic Thinking and Organizing Resistance
Strategic Thinking and Organizing Resistance By Kim Scipes The first few weeks of Donald Trump’s presidency has seen an amazing explosion of mobilizing to oppose him and his administration on oh-so-many levels. And that has been heartening. But it is not enough. The fact is, as things now stand, Trump and his minions can…
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Newest Football Team: Trump University Traitors
Lying in bed Superbowl Sunday night, I saw the news of the spectacular win by the Patriots. Dozing off, I mused: Wouldn't it be a SuperDuperBowl if the “Patriots” played a team called the “Traitors?” But who would dub themselves “Traitors?” I drifted into the strangest dream. Donald Trump was surrounded his…
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Facebook Server Farm Powered by “Clean Energy” Will Increase Denmark’s Greenhouse Footprint
Last month, the social-media giant Facebook announced plans to build a new data center near Odense, Denmark. The expansion of server capacity was needed, the company said, to support "richer content" such as live-streaming and virtual reality. The Facebook executive who made a public announcement of the decision (live-streamed, of course), noted that the…
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Black Snakes on the Move: Pipeline Expansion Out of Control
A Lakota prophecy tells of a mythic Black Snake that will move underground and bring destruction to the Earth. The “seventh sign” in Hopi prophecy involves the ocean turning black and bringing death to many sea-dwelling creatures. It doesn’t take an over-active imagination to make a connection between these images and oil pipelines and spills.…
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Book Review: The Long Transition
Since the collapse of the Soviet Union it has been fashionable to proclaim that the struggle between capitalism and socialism is over, and that capitalism has won. What if this is not the case? Could it be instead that we are in the midst of a long-term transition from capitalism to socialism that extends over…
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Attack on St. Louis Homeless Foreshadows Things to Come
Attack on St. Louis Homeless Foreshadows Things to Come by Don Fitz The sub-freezing temperature was dropping. As the snow began to fall, many felt their hands were too cold to hold signs during the December 17 action. Two dozen had answered the Green Party call to picket the mayor of St. Louis for his…