In this section you will find the latest news and
analysis relating to the political and social situation in the United States. See
also our sections on Economic News and Labor News for more.
- The Iraq Quagmire
Deepens
After Bush’s reelection, many around the world thought the end of the world had come.
According to them, the American “sheeple” had been duped once and for all, and
Bush would effortlessly ram through his ultra-reactionary policies at home and abroad.
However, Bush’s honeymoon period disappeared in a flash. Now, seemingly overnight,
the mood of the American people has finally turned against the war in Iraq. By John
Peterson (July 10, 2005)
- Editorial from Socialist
Appeal 19
The recent terrorist attacks in London only confirm the volatile position the world finds
itself in at the beginning of the 21st century. Bush and Blair’s war on terror and
the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan have done nothing but further destabilize the
situation. Here at home, the mood is finally turning against the war. The anti-war
movement has a fresh opportunity to rally millions around the demand for the immediate end
to the occupation.
- War, Occupation,
Torture, Apologies
U.S. Senator Dick Durbin's atypically frank condemnation of the treatment of U.S.
prisoners around the world cause a storm of criticism. The bulk of the critics purposely
skewed Durbin’s apt comparison, ignoring the widespread tactics used in the war on
terror which without question include torture. The ugly truth is that prisons in
Iraq are merely a reflection of the prison system here in the U.S. By Shane Jones.
- The Bush Tax
Cuts & Class Division in America
Titanic sums of money - the taxes paid in mostly by the working class - have been spent by
the Bush Administration primarily on two things - the continuing slaughter in Iraq and the
further enrichment of the top 10 percent of Americans. Millions of working people in the
United States continue to worry about whether or not they will have a job two months from
now or even next week. And how does the ‘compassionate conservative’ in the
White House soothe the nation’s anxiety? By handing out billions of dollars to the
modern-day robber barons of Capital. By David May.
- The Fight for a Living Wage:
For a Class-Independent Mass Party of Labor
Every victory by working people in the struggle to improve their lives is a step forward
that must be applauded. Working people have power when they organize. But it is not enough
to petition the bosses and their cronies in government to throw a few crumbs to those at
the bottom. Injustice, poverty, racism and unemployment cry out for change. Working people
alone can bring about this change by organizing their own political party. The time to do
so is now. By Chris Boutilier.
- Editorial for Socialist
Appeal issue 18: Introduction to U.S. Perspectives 2005
Bush has outlined an aggressive foreign and domestic agenda for his
second term. Internationally, he will continue to focus on the Middle East, but Latin
America will increasingly be targeted by his administration. His overall international
approach will remain aggressive and arrogant, but due to the quagmire in Iraq and the
growing global resistance to U.S. imperialism, he will be forced to seek broader
alliances. "Going it alone" has failed miserably, so Bush and co. will at the
very least pay lip service to "coalition building" - though they of course
reserve the "right" to pre-emptive attacks.
- From
Socialist Appeal issue 18: The International Situation
The world situation can only be characterized as highly volatile
and unstable. The profound economic, political, social, and military instability, outlined
in previous issues of Socialist Appeal, has intensified over the past year. Without
a doubt, we are in the most turbulent historical epoch since the end of World War II, if
not the most tumultuous in human history. It is only the beginning of a period of wars,
revolutions, and counter-revolutions - an era of world crisis and world revolution. Our
political perspectives and organizational tasks flow from this.
- TOPOFF3 - An Exercise in
Terrorizing Americans
While billions are being spent on the "war on terror", billions are being cut
from social services here at home. The so-called Homeland Security Department is now
spending millions in a third "mock terror" attack which veteran first-responders
from 9/11 consider a colossal waste of money. In reality, this is part of the effort
to keep the American people in a state of paranoia and fear of a shadowy enemy in order to
justify the spending priorities of the government. New London, Ct. will not do Homeland
Security’s PR! By Rachel Small.
- Bush Taking
Aim At Social Security
Not content to wait until his inauguration, President George W. Bush and his
administration have already launched an all-out offensive to “reform” the Social
Security system. Bush, the Republican Party and their Wall Street cronies are now
desperately trying to convince the American public that the nation’s old age and
disability pension system is in crisis and that privatization is necessary to save it.
Nothing could be further from the truth. The only crisis facing Social Security is a
ravenous reactionary government determined to rob millions of their right to retirement in
order to swell the coffers of the world’s largest financial banks. From issue 16 of Socialist Appeal. By David May.
- Nationalize the Airlines
Under Workers' Control
The smashing of the PATCO union in 1981 was the opening salvo in a decades-long assault by
the bosses against the airline unions and the labor movement in general. Now the bosses
and their government are trying to make an example of the flight attendants and
machinists. Socialist Appeal. By John Peterson.
- A
First Look at U.S. Election 2004: “Democracy” Rears Its Ugly Head
The U.S. Presidential Election of 2004 marks yet another turning point in the rapidly
changing consciousness of the American working class. The result, which should come as no
real surprise to readers of Marxist.com, dashed the hopes of millions who sincerely
thought they could get rid of Bush by voting for a “lesser evil”. The main
lesson to be drawn from the 2004 election is that working people cannot rely on the
representatives of another class to fight our battles for us. We can rely only on our
own forces and organizations, and must build a mass party of labor that can truly defend
our interests. By John Peterson.
- The
Growing Crisis of Confidence: A Sign of Things to Come in the U.S.
After decades of relative prosperity, peace and stability, the world of the American
worker has been turned upside down. The depth of the distrust felt by millions of
Americans was revealed in a Reuters/DecisionQuest poll according to which, fully
61 percent of Americans have lost faith in their leaders and institutions over the past
four years. At the top of the list contributing to this feeling was the war on Iraq,
followed by the 2000 presidential election fiasco, the numerous financial scandals, and
terrorism. John Peterson looks at the meaning of these findings. (October 1, 2004)
- Bush’s Overtime Law -
Defend the Right to an Eight Hour Day
Although Bush's new overtime law has been rejected by both houses of Congress, this
fundamental right is in grave danger. This and all other hard-fought gains of the labor
movement are under attack. Workers can rely only on their own forces to stop the onslaught
of the bosses. By David May.
- Hearts and Minds: Vietnam and
the War in Iraq
While there are many differences between the war in Iraq and the Vietnam War, there are
many parallels and lessons to be learned - above all that public opinion at home is more
decisive in the long run than the actual military successes or failures in the war zone.
By John Peterson.
- The Halliburton Scandal:
Business as Usual
David May looks at the latest in a long string of corporate scandals. The ties
between big business and the government are closer than ever - and this is not an
aberration of capitalism - but its heart and soul!
- Give Me Shelter!
The crisis in housing is a product of the capitalist system. Yosef Mikhah looks at
the effects it has on working people, and the need for a socialized plan of quality
housing for all.
- The Truth Behind
Immigration Reform
Bush's new plan for immigration "reform" will benefit only the ruling classes of
the US and Latin America, Mexico in particular. Working people will only see their
conditions of life further deteriorate while big business pockets big profits. By
Juan Esteban.
The Health
Care Epidemic
There are an astonishing 44 million Americans without healthcare. Those who do have healthcare have to pay
ridiculous amounts of money for it, and even then, they have to worry about co-payments,
deductibles, etc. Never mind SARS and influenza - the entire for-profit American health
care system is diseased. By John Peterson.
Poverty
and Unemployment in America
The crisis of unemployment and poverty in America continues to worsen. Despite a nominal
increase in jobs in recent weeks, what is not reported is what kind of jobs are being
created. Manufacturing jobs, the backbone of any economy, continued to be lost for the
37th month in a row in October. For the vast majority of Americans, the days of high
quality jobs with decent wages, security, and full health and retirement benefits are a
thing of the past. The effect this is having in terms of unemployment, homelessness, and
even hunger right here in the US is a devastating indictment of a system which places
profits before human need and suffering. By John Peterson.
9/11
and the Story That Stays Under-Reported
As we go to press, an investigation of worker’s compensation claims in New York has
charged that many firefighters did not receive protective gear during the first two weeks
of the clean-up, which involved prolonged exposure to asbestos and the handling of
thousands of body parts. 40 percent of the workers who cleaned up Ground Zero had no
health insurance, and 75 percent have reported ongoing respiratory difficulties. Where are
all the paens to our heroes now? By M.C. Perez.
Between
Iraq and a Hard Place
An Occupation Gone Awry, and a “Job-Loss” Recovery at Home. By John Peterson.
Nader, Camejo, and
the Greens
It's time for a reality check! Nader had his own workers fired for trying to start a
union, Camejo is a wealthy capitalist, and the Greens are leaning towards supporting the
"lesser evil" Democrats! What working people need is our own party, a mass party
of labor based on the trade unions, to fight for power on a socialist program. Also
available as a flyer.
Power to the
People!
The recent blackout on the East coast highlights the inability of the capitalist class to
provide even the most basic services in the heart of imperialism. By Kurt Penca.
Hands Off
Our Pensions!
In the aftermath of the Enron scandal, Bush Jr. stated that, "One of
the things we’re deeply concerned about is that there has been a wave of bankruptcies
that have caused many workers to lose their pensions, and that’s deeply troubling
me." Bush’s sorrow for the misfortune of workers hasn’t been enough of an
inspiration to keep him from proposing measures which would eliminate the liability of
employers in age-discrimination lawsuits brought on by the transition to
"cash-balance" pension plans, a process which will affect far more working
people than the collapse of Enron. By Kurt Penca.
2002
- A Year of Betrayal by the Democrats
As we celebrate the holiday season and say goodbye to the year 2002, it is
also a time when we look back on the preceding year and make our resolutions for the next.
2002 has been a tumultuous and crisis-ridden year, marked on the one hand by continuing
economic stagnation and on the other by the looming war with Iraq. It has also been a very
turbulent year politically. By David May.
Homeland
Security? What About Job Security?
As the Republicans celebrate their mid-term election victory, the drums of war are growing
ever louder, and the bourgeois economists insist that a sustained recovery is just around
the corner. We are told that the passing of the Homeland Security bill will mean greater
safety, stability, and that the "war on terror" is being successfully waged in
the interest of all Americans. However, the real situation is becoming more and more clear
to millions of working people. By John Peterson.
November 22, 2002.
No
light at the end of the oil pipe line
The rich get rich, and the poor get poorer. A war for oil is not the solution!
November 22, 2002.
Sweeney
Speaks Up About Elections
No matter how many promises the current labor leadership makes, they are not interested in
doing the only thing that can really improve the lives of working people - break with the
two parties of big business and mobilize on the streets! By Bob Mattingly.
November 9, 2002.
US Mid-Term Election
2002: The factors that led to the Republican victory
As the results of the mid-term elections come in - an apparent sweeping victory for
President Bush's Republican Party - many questions must be answered. How and why did this happen? What will it mean for working people and activists
on the left? Does this mean Americans actually like
George Bush and his policies? November 7, 2002.
- The Struggle on the Docks -
Will Bush Intervene?
As the conflict between the bosses (PMA) and the dockers (ILWU) continues, David May looks
at the real interests of the US ruling class, and the prospects for a broad revival of the
working class movement.
- The American Working
Class and "The War on Terror"
It has been almost a year since the open ended "War on Terror" was launched by
the American ruling class, and yet, just as we said then, it has solved none of the
problems of terrorism. Indeed, it isn’t designed to be a cure for terror, but a
shallow facade for the unrestrained and brutal tactics of U.S. Imperialism. Yet it is also
unlike any we have seen previously. It is a one-sided act of aggression by the American
imperialist war machine with no clear opponent or measure of victory. By John
Fisher.
- Gasoline Prices, Big Business, and
the Working Class
The recent rise in gasoline prices around the country is yet another
example of why democratic control over the commanding heights of the economy is the only
way forward for working people. This short
article will explain why. An increase in
gasoline prices affects all aspects of the economy - from transportation and shipping to
the final cost of goods which must be shipped.
But above all, it hits working people - especially the working poor
who already live from paycheck to paycheck. By John
Peterson.
- The Rising Dissent
The anti-war mobilizations in Washington DC, San Francisco, and elsewhere were the first
mass protests against government policy since September 11. Many groups were represented,
but all of them had one thing in common - opposition to the so-called War on Terrorism.
The anti-globalization, anti-war, and labor movements need to unite under a working-class
leadership to fight for a socialist solution to the problems facing working people in the
US and internationally. (April 25, 2002)
- Bush's Education Agenda
With support from the Democratic leadership, Congress passed the Bush education plan,
which will require public schools to administer basic skills tests in math and reading to
students in grades 3 to 8 by the 2005-2006 school year. The rhetoric used by George W.
"leave-no-child-behind" Bush suggests that he supports the goal of closing the
academic achievement gap between black and white students, and between poor and 'middle
class' white students. Is it possible to eliminate most of the academic achievement gap
without lowering the bar for high achievers? Is the Bush plan actually designed to close
the gap? By Doug Mann.
- Enron - Imperialism in
Action
The ignominious collapse of Houston, Texas-based Enron - at $62 billion the largest
bankruptcy is US history - is a powerful reminder of how "business as usual" is
conducted in the epoch of capitalist decay and imperialism. Formerly seventh on the
Fortune 500 list of large corporations, its stock fell from a high of $90.56 in August
2000, to $0.30 on January 16, 2002. This formidable downfall has had far-reaching effects,
and there are many lessons that the working class can learn from it. By John Peterson.
- Largest
Defense Contract in History will leave thousands Jobless.
On Friday, October 26, the Pentagon announced that it had awarded Lockheed-Martin Corp.
the $300 billion contract to build the Joint-Strike fighter, which will become the main
fighter jet of the US Air Force, Navy and Marines. It will also be immediately deployed by
the British armed forces. The $300 billion contract to build the 3,002 planes is the
largest single defense contract issued by any state in history, and is estimated to mature
into a $1 trillion a year business for the maker of the jet. It will also be one of the
biggest blows ever given to workers in the defense industry. (By David May)
- Patriotism,
Fear and Panic - What's Next?
The events of the morning of September 11th have shaken the entire world. One single
terrorist attack has not only shocked masses of people out of their daily lives, it has
crippled the world economy. Already, the Mayor of New York City, Rudolph Giuliani, has
stated that the dead will be counted in the thousands.(David May - September 13, 2001)
- Nationalize the Airlines!
One week after what is being called the "attack on America" the aftershocks
continue to be felt. The far-reaching effects of this recent terrorist attack are sending
shockwaves not only the through the American but also the world economy. In Monday's
trading stocks were down nearly across the board (with the exception of many armaments
companies!) with many investors wondering how the attack will affect the bottom line. But
no sector was as hard hit by the attack or on Wall Street as the airline industry.(By Sean
O'Quinn)
- What Sort of
Unity?
John Peterson, from Youth for International Socialism in the US explains the mood of the
American workers after the terrorist attacks, outlines the tasks of Marxists and argues
against the reactionary idea of "national unity". (September 16, 2001)
- What
About the Working Class?
John Fisher in New York takes a brief look at the toll the destruction of the WTC takes on
the Working Class (September 12, 2001)
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