Author: Dan La Botz

Biden Moves Ahead as Republicans Line Up Behind Trump

President Joseph Biden, in office for less than a month, continued to move ahead with his plan to solve the American health and economic crises and to reassert U.S. global dominance. As he pushes ahead with his relief program, Republicans have lined up behind Trump.

A Novel Challenge to the 1% as Populism Comes to the Stock Market

America’s contemporary populist impulse that gave us both the Bernie Sanders progressive campaign and Donald Trump’s reactionary Make America Great Again, has now given us the small trader rebellion against the hedge funds.

Why Does Racism Survive?

Why does this anachronistic ideology survive, and even at times such as these, seemingly flourish? Obviously, the institutions of slavery no longer nourish racism. What then is its wavelike revival rooted in?

Biden Will have a Short Honeymoon

The current celebratory mood of the Democrats and the honeymoon with the president is not likely to last long, given both who Biden is and the health and economic challenges that he faces.

Towards a Year of Crisis and Uncertainty

Will the left be seen as jeopardizing the desire for a period of stability after the insurrection? Will Black Lives Mater demonstrations seem too extreme? Or might the depth of the crisis combined with pressure from the left push Biden to adopt more far-reaching progressive economic and social policies?

Desperado in the White House: Coup Fails, Trump Faces Impeachment

We have to call this a failed coup because the intent was to overturn the election of Joseph Biden by forcing vice-president Mike Pence and the Congress to declare Trump the president. It was an attempt to overthrow the incoming elected government by force.

Reginald Wilson: A Black American Socialist (1927-2020)

Reginald Wilson, the prominent African American psychologist and educator, civil rights activist and socialist, and a member of the New Politics board, died on December 13, 2020 at the age of 93.

In Appreciation of Leo Panitch

The sudden death our friend and comrade Leo Panitch has led to an extraordinary outpouring of sadness and appreciation across the world. Very few intellectuals on the left have had the intellectual impact on progressive thinkers and activists that Leo has had.

Workers Will Have to Fight to Make Gains Under Biden Presidency

Historically, workers made gains economically and politically during periods of labor upheaval. When workers used their power to strike, they were able to force employers and governments to make concessions.

Trump Leaves Biden Foreign Policy Problems; How Will the Left React?

Biden is committed to U.S. domination of world affairs and the wars necessary to ensure that. The left will have to rebuild an anti-war movement to resist Biden and to fight against U.S. imperialism, militarism and war when it erupts.

Biden Chooses His Cabinet; the Left Sees its New Adversary

Already it is clear that progressives have had little impact on Biden and the far left will have to organize to confront a government incapable of passing any major reforms.

Thanksgiving Approaches: Trump, the Virus, the Crisis

With the virus rampant, once again schools and businesses are closing, and more workers being laid off. We now have 20 million jobless, with ten million receiving federal unemployment benefits that will end with the New Year, as will protection for 30 million who face eviction. Not a happy Thanksgiving.

Counter-historical Revolutionary: Dan La Botz’s “Trotsky in Tijuana”

Trotsky in Tijuana recognizes the importance of Trotsky’s revolutionary vision and leadership in the years before he was exiled from Russia. And it shows that the force of his commitment to the transformative power of the working class continued into the 1930s.

The Peru Power Grab

In Peru, democracy has been usurped. A political bloc made up of the most conservative and grotesque elements of traditional politics has in a completely capricious manner carried out the impeachment of the person who was only a few days go president of the republic: Martín Vizcarra.

Trump Lost the Election, But What is the Future of Trump and Trumpism?

Having lost the election, what is Trump’s future? At the top of his agenda is arranging a pardon for himself, for crimes of which he has not been convicted. He might try to use the presidential pardon to pardon himself, which would almost surely end up in the Supreme Court.

The American People Turn Trump Out of Office

While the electorate was deeply divided and the vote close in several states, still the election represents a rejection of Trump and his policies, a demonstration of confidence in democracy, and a deep desire to overcome the country’s several crises.

American Election Amidst Turmoil and Travail

The contest between Republican President Donald Trump and Democratic Party challenger Joseph Biden has become a referendum on the coronavirus, now in the midst of the greatest upsurge so far.

Lesser-Evilism in the 2020 U.S. Elections

If there is one proposition that most anti-Stalinist socialists should agree on it is this: capitalism does not need democracy and democracy does not require capitalism. Only socialism does.

Socialism as Progressivism

Book Review: John B. Judis, The Socialist Awakening: What’s Different Now about the Left.
John Judis’ The Socialist Awakening is disappointing. He has rediscovered liberalism or progressivism, which were in some form always his politics.

Cuba’s New Economic Turn

A series of recent developments in Cuba have struck the already faltering economy of the island leading the government to adopt a series of economic policies that point towards a greater opening to capital while maintaining the political controls of the one-party state.

Trump Turns to Red-Baiting to Save his Stumbling Campaign

Voters have turned against Trump because of his mishandling of the coronavirus pandemic. So the president is now trying to change the debate to law and order and the dangers of socialism.

Top