The Coming Storm

** This article appeared in Counterpunch July 24, 2015 ** In this election season, confusion and subterfuge are the order of the day.   Candidates and parties vie for our attention, each claiming to be uniquely qualified to represent the interests of the majority.   We know they’re lying but, as when observing any skilled illusionist, it can be difficult to spot the sleight of hand. One trick they rely on is getting us to focus on individual personalities rather than the social forces they represent.   If a candidate is intelligent, articulate, personable and skilled at using populist rhetoric, we are meant to be dazzled and distracted.   We are taught to ignore the organization and class forces that stand behind a candidate.   Once you agree to view things in this way, it becomes impossible to keep your eye on the ball.   Once we accept that the individual is what counts most, our manipulation is a foregone conclusion. Many sense that our ele...

** This article appeared in TruthOut March 27, 2015 ** Why Nationalization of the Energy Industry is an Essential Demand for the Climate Change Movement All the forces in the world are not so powerful as an idea whose time has come. - Victor Hugo Ever since scientists discovered a runaway greenhouse effect on our nearest planetary neighbor, Venus, we’ve known that climate Armageddon is a possibility.   Even though Venus is closer to the Sun than the Earth, Venus’ thick cloud layer permits only 1/6 as much sunlight to reach the planet’s surface.   And while Mercury is nearly twice as close to the Sun as Venus, the surface on Venus is 10% hotter, measuring more than 864 degrees Fahrenheit.     Why is Venus so hot?   Its atmosphere is 97% carbon dioxide. We know that human activities are adversely affecting Earth’s climate.   Scientists began to draw our attention to the link between fossil fuels, greenhouse gases and climate in the 1980s...

** This article appeared in  TruthOut  December 15, 2014 ** What if there was a way to address climate change, halt police brutality, heal the environment, end unemployment, take the profit out of exploitation and racism, and put an end to endless war?  It stands to reason that the powers that be would do all they could to keep it from us.  Those who profit from the violence, injustice and destruction all around us have every incentive to obfuscate, misrepresent and undermine anything that might threaten their privilege. Well it turns out there  is  a concrete, eminently practical way to build a better world.  But don’t expect to read about it in the  New York Times  or the  Washington Post.   Don’t look for it to be featured on network TV news.  It’s called  A Bill of Rights for Working People  and it’s detailed below. The BRWP is more than just a set of ideas; it’s an action plan....