We republish below the transcript of a speech delivered by WIL member Martin Michaels on November 1 in Minneapolis, MN, at the March Against Corruption.
US News
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Wendy Davis and the Race for Texas Governor
On November 4, Texans will go to the polls as part of the nationwide midterm elections. The headline race is for governor, chiefly between Republican Attorney General Greg Abbott and Democrat Wendy Davis. Davis has risen to national prominence in recent months and is seen by many as a “progressive” politician to be supported and emulated. In reality, however, she is another classic example of a “lesser evil” Democrat, the “left boot” of the capitalists’ political set up. In her own words, she “proudly worked across the aisle” with her Republican “foes.”
The Disgrace of Donald Sterling
Donald Sterling, owner of the Los Angeles Clippers, brought upon himself a frenzy of news coverage and celebrity condemnations for his racist remarks.
Perspectives for the US Revolution (2014)
This document was originally drafted in early 2014 and was approved by the delegates to the 2014 WIL National Congress held May 24 and 25 in Pittsburgh, PA. It should be read in conjunction with the 2014 IMT World Perspectives and the 2012 WIL US Perspectives documents.
The Drought In California and the Need For Socialism
While harsh cold and extreme weather conditions hit the rest of the country, California is heating up and has just recorded its driest year on record. Early in February, Governor Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency and called on Californians to reduce water usage by 20%. But the solution must go beyond individual conservation efforts, and strike at the heart of the issue.
Education in Crisis in California
The state of education in California has been in constant decline. In the past few years, the Democrats have been scrambling for some kind of solution, but they have nothing to offer students and working people. Ultimately, there can be no real solution to the problems of education within the narrow confines of the capitalist system.
Obamacare: Fact and Fiction
The Affordable Care Act (ACA), colloquially known as “Obamacare,” is now rolling out across the country. The embarrassing technical difficulties faced by the program’s website dominated headlines for weeks—serving to obscure the real facts about the program. Many Americans had high hopes for Obama’s signature program, in particular young workers without any medical coverage. Surely, they thought, any change must be better than the status quo. But what is the reality?
Why ALEC is An Outrage
In August 2013, the city of Chicago was filled with workers and students protesting the 40th anniversary celebration of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). Despite the mass outrage and anger that ALEC has created among many layers, there are still many people who have either never heard of ALEC, or do not know what the organization is.
The 1% and the Simmering Discontent
For the first time in history, a majority of members of Congress are bona fide millionaires. If anyone still has any illusions that the Democrats are somehow a party that fights in the interests of the workers, think again.
Election 2013 and the Changing Mood in America
Editorial for Socialist Appeal 78: Given the lack of opportunities for political expression in the US, even off-year elections provide important insights into where things stand politically and in which direction they are moving.
The NYC Mayoral Election and the Working Class
2013 is an off year for elections, involving races for cities, towns, and a few state governments. Among the more prominent elections is the one for mayor of New York City, which the ruling class says is “the second toughest job” in the country, the first being president. From their perspective, it is a tough job to rule and exploit the masses.
The Lessons of Washington's Near-Meltdown
For 16 days, the world waited with bated breath as the US government was shut down and teetered on the brink of default. At the eleventh hour, a deal was rammed through both the Senate and the House and signed by Obama, thus averting the immediate crisis. What is the meaning of all this? What are the ramifications for American politics and the capitalist system itself?
The Communist: The Voice of America’s Communist Generation
The Communist is the official newspaper of the party of the Revolutionary Communists of America. It is different from any other publication you’ll find in the US today. Behind this newspaper, there’s a vast network of communist activity from coast to coast. It is a tool for organizing in the streets, at protests and strikes, for building communist cells in our neighborhoods, workplaces, and campuses.
The RCA is on a mission to carry Bolshevism into the political arena of a country that’s ripe for it. Yes, we’re Bolsheviks living in the digital age, and we also use social media and our podcast to spread the communist program. But we’re not the kind of internet leftists who stay inside and “do politics” online. That’s why we need something we can carry with us into the streets and put into people’s hands. The physical paper is an instrument for building a real-life organization—a genuine Communist Party of fighters.