Toward an Independent Political Voice for Working People, this webzine will be featuring articles examining the efforts to go beyond the stranglehold of the two corporate parties. The 2020 elections sharply illustrate once again the need for a working class alternative with a program for social justice fought for through protests and other direct action and through electoral activity.
We hope to feature examples that reflect a variety of tactics and strategies aimed at shaping a radical alternative. We welcome comments and submissions from readers. Please email webzine@solidarity-us.org to submit your contribution for consideration.
- The crisis after Trump: Biden
Peter Solenberger Posted February 21, 2021 Joe Biden on day one of his presidency, January 20, 2021. He won’t deliver what workers need. (Photo: Jim Lo Scalzo/Pool/AP) Joe Biden and Kamala Harris were inaugurated President and Vice President of the United States on January 20. The inauguration took place at the Capitol, where two weeks… Read more: The crisis after Trump: Biden - The Greens in 2020 Elections and Beyond
Howie Hawkins Posted January 15, 2021 Greens knew from the start that 2020 would be a tough year for their presidential ticket. The election would be a referendum on Trump. For most progressives, Anybody But Trump would do. Our campaign believed that an ecosocialist program is needed for real solutions to the life-or-death issues of… Read more: The Greens in 2020 Elections and Beyond - How the Richmond Progressive Alliance Organized for Victory
Mike Parker Posted January 13, 2021 In California the Richmond Progressive Alliance won another stunning victory in this month’s local elections. Richmond is a working class city of 110,000, 80 percent people of color, north of Oakland on the San Francisco Bay. It is home to a major Chevron refinery that has been the focus… Read more: How the Richmond Progressive Alliance Organized for Victory - Post-Election 2020: What’s Next for the Left?
As Joe Biden prepares to take the oath of office on January 20, how does this shape prospects for the U.S. Left in the years ahead?
Today’s Left is in an interesting place: strong enough for other forces to care about what it thinks and does, but too weak to shape political outcomes. Biden’s steady stream of conservative cabinet picks are but the latest reminder of this.
To be sure, there have been impressive campaigns and mobilizations in recent years, most notably the 2018-19 teachers’ strikes, the resurgence of #BlackLivesMatter, and Bernie Sanders’ presidential runs. But the teacher mobilizations have yet to spark broader labor resurgence as many had hoped. The energy of #BlackLivesMatter dissipated into a focus on diversity and representation, while police have continued to get away with murder and local governments have walked back promises to defund their police departments. And of course, the Democratic Party establishment put an end to the Sanders campaign.