...Well over a year since Obama came to power, virtually nothing has been done for the labor movement. No Employee Free Choice Act, no universal health care, no universal living wage, no equal rights for immigrant workers, no repealing of anti-labor laws like Taft-Hartley. The mines are as unsafe as ever and workers continue to die for the profits of the shareholders...This all highlights yet again what Socialist Appeal has explained since our founding issue: we need a mass party of labor to fight for and represent the interests of working class majority of this country. As representatives of the bosses the Democrats simply cannot and will not do this.

Editorial for Socialist Appeal Issue 54

Only a year after the elation that followed his victory, the general consensus is that Barack Obama hasn’t actually done very much; other than continue his predecessor’s policies in one form or another. He has certainly not delivered on the “hope and change” he promised. For many, “hope and change” meant, quite simply, “jobs.” We have seen where things stand on that count...How much longer will workers and young people have to pay for the bosses’ crisis?

Editorial for SA53

After just one year of the Obama administration, the sincere hopes for real change that energized and inspired millions in the 2008 elections have been dashed. As we explained in the months leading up to the election, and on election night itself, this was inevitable. For all his charm, lofty words and apparent sincerity, Obama was elected to represent the interests of Big Business, and when push comes to shove, he will always come down on the side of the capitalists.

Editorial for Socialist Appeal Issue 52

Just one year ago, in the midst of the meltdown on Wall Street, millions of Americans, many of whom had never voted before, came out for Barack Obama, energized by his message of hope and change. His victory marked a turning point in U.S. politics, a clear rejection of Bush’s blatantly anti-worker and imperialist policies. The streets overflowed with joy and the promise of a new era. Around the world, cries of “yes we can!” could be heard as a collective sigh of relief swept the planet. The Bush years were over! Surely things would now get better! But what is the reality?

Editorial for Socialist Appeal Issue 51

A year after the collapse of Lehman Brothers set off a financial avalanche, the US economy remains in a mess. Official unemployment is steadily creeping  toward 10%...

Health care remains the number one issue facing working Americans, as the average premium for family health insurance offered through an employer surpassed the $13,000 mark this year, far outpacing increases in wages and inflation...

The National Academy of Science has developed a new formula to more accurately classify poverty, and found that 15.3% of all Americans live in poverty...

It is against this volatile background that Michael Moore premieres his latest film, Capitalism: A Love Story. The fact that a film with such broad distribution even openly calls out the system by name is a tremendous step forward, a reflection of how far Americans’ consciousness has come since the dark days of September 2001...

Editorial for Socialist Appeal Issue 50

During his election campaign, President Barack Obama promised to be all things to all people. After eight years of Bush and Cheney, Americans desperately wanted to believe that real change was coming...

So what promises has he kept? US troops remain in Iraq and even more are being sent to Afghanistan; the democratically-elected government of Honduras has been overthrown, more US troops are to be sent to Colombia, and the embargo on Cuba remains; the plight of immigrant workers is worse than ever and some 250 Mexicans have died crossing the border in just the first few months of this year...

Editorial for Socialist Appeal Issue 49

For decades, the mantra “Capitalism = good” and “Socialism = bad” was driven into our heads. But even the most sophisticated apparatus for influencing public opinion – the mainstream media – cannot mold opinion as powerfully as experience itself. From the dizzying heights of the boom to the economic implosion of the last 10 months, dramatic events are shaking up and transforming the way Americans look at the world around them.

Editorial for Socialist Appeal Issue 48

This is an extended version of the editorial for SA48.

Month after month, we report a seemingly endless stream of dismal economic figures. And month after month, things just keep getting worse for U.S. workers. What is most important to remember is that behind these numbers are millions of American working families who can hardly stay afloat, let alone get ahead. Behind these numbers are millions of Americans who are beginning to ask themselves a very important question: is the instability of capitalism really the only alternative?

Editorial for Socialist Appeal 47

The economic crisis has now dragged on for months and there is no end in sight for U.S. workers. Worst of all, we workers, our children and grand children, will have to pay all of this debt back – with interest – and will have received nothing of any real substance in return. Enough is enough! We say, make the rich pay for their crisis!

Editorial for Socialist Appeal Issue 46

The capitalist system may well be suffering the worst crisis in its history. According to George Soros, billionaire investor and frank analyst of the system he defends, the world financial system has in effect disintegrated and there is no possibility of a near-term resolution to the crisis. In 2007 there were a total of three bank failures. Last year there were 25. As of this writing, 13 have failed in the first few weeks of 2009.

Editorial for Socialist Appeal 45