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Thursday, March 23rd, 2023

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Against the “progressive” betrayal of Ukraine

By oaklandsocialist on March 20, 2023 • ( 1 Comment )

Against ‘progressive’ betrayal of Ukraine by Bill Weinberg. Transcript from CounterVortex podcast of March 13. We just passed the one-year anniversary of the start of the Ukraine war, Putin’s massive invasion of Ukraine. Which was […]

France: The historic counterattack of the workers’ movement puts the political system itself in deep crisis!

By oaklandsocialist on March 18, 2023 • ( Leave a comment )

By Yorgos Mitralias What is happening in France this March 2023? What is happening is that France is now well into a – very promising – social and political crisis that is […]

Aleksandr Dugin: Alchemist of “Traditionalism”, mysticism and fascism

By oaklandsocialist on March 17, 2023 • ( Leave a comment )

Dugin’s philosophic roots: mysticism, “Traditionalism” and fascism vs. reality of social class. Dugin’s international fascist links. Dugin’s Foundations of Geopolitics – towards Eurasianism and Russian imperialism. Dugin’s Fourth Political Theory – No […]

Kavita Krishnan on “Why we should pay attention to Narendra Modi”

By oaklandsocialist on March 17, 2023 • ( Leave a comment )

  On March 12, the Ukraine Socialist Solidarity Campaign had a presentation from Kavita Krishnanon “Why the world should pay attention to Narendra Modi”. This was followed by a full discussion. Below […]

Biden half steps helping reaction at home and abroad

By oaklandsocialist on March 14, 2023 • ( 1 Comment )

From East Palestine to east Ukraine, Biden’s half steps are killing people while they boost the chances of the fascist connected Republicans in 2024 and help the fascist connected Putin’s invasion of […]

France : days of exacerbation of a historic class conflict !

By oaklandsocialist on March 10, 2023 • ( Leave a comment )

by Yorgos Mitralias In France, the popular mobilisation of 7 March did not disappoint expectations and was indeed of historic proportions. That is why, moreover, it immediately provoked a new and even greater […]

Beware Ron DeSantis – Florida’s Viktor Orbán

By oaklandsocialist on March 7, 2023 • ( 1 Comment )

  Workers and political activists beware: What is happening in Florida threatens all political campaigns we are involved in. Florida governor Ron DeSantis is moving to be the US’s Viktor Orbán. Orbán, […]

Upcoming Zoom discussion: Kavita Krishnan on why we should pay attention to Narendra Modi

By oaklandsocialist on March 7, 2023 • ( Leave a comment )

Ukraine Socialist Solidarity Campaign presents: Kavita Krishnan on “Why the world should pay attention to Narendra Modi” In May of 2019, after India’s Narendra Modi was overwhelmingly reelected, the Financial times commented: […]

East Palestine, Ohio, and Ukraine are closer than you think!

By oaklandsocialist on March 5, 2023 • ( Leave a comment )

  East Palestine, Ohio, and Kyiv, Ukraine, may be nearly 5,000 miles apart, but they are closer than you think. And in both cases, the U.S. union leadership is missing in action. […]

The trial of Alex Murdaugh: A real life soap opera drama

By oaklandsocialist on March 3, 2023 • ( Leave a comment )

The real life soap opera murder trial of Alex Murdaugh has been dominating the news over the last week or so. Largely because the trial has been televised, it’s been great drama. […]

East Palestine neighbor talks about the politics in that area

By oaklandsocialist on March 1, 2023 • ( Leave a comment )

A local resident and American Indian talks about the politics in the area of East Palestine John Reimann So we’re talking with somebody that lives in the next county over from, from […]

Interview with Oaklandsocialist

By oaklandsocialist on February 27, 2023 • ( 4 Comments )

The author of this blog, John Reimann, was recently interviewed by Luke Pickrell. Here is that interview as he published it. Interview with socialist activist and writer John Reimann By Luke Pickrell 2/11/2023 The […]

Video: S.F. Bay Area rally marks Ukraine invasion anniversary with landmark united rally

By oaklandsocialist on February 27, 2023 • ( Leave a comment )

  United rally marking the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. A real step forward towards Freedom Fighters of the World United.

American railroads’ toxic pollution of the air, water, soil and of US politics

By oaklandsocialist on February 22, 2023 • ( Leave a comment )

On February 3, a 1.8 mile long train run by Norfolk Southern derailed in East Palestine, Ohio. It was known at the time that the train was carrying the highly toxic vinyl […]

Report on “Rage Against the War Machine”: A Tempest in a Teapot?

By oaklandsocialist on February 20, 2023 • ( 2 Comments )

  Given the numbers involved, it might seem that all the brouhaha over the “Rage Against the War Machine” protests is just a tempest in a teapot. After all, their signal event […]

France: millions of demonstrators ready to escalate the strikes and paralyse the country!

By oaklandsocialist on February 17, 2023 • ( 2 Comments )

by Giorgios Mitralias In France, what happened in the previous three days of popular mobilisation against the government’s pension (anti-)reform, happened again in the fourth, on Saturday 11 February: many hundreds of […]

“The Right of Nations to Self-Determination” – a Dialectical Approach

By oaklandsocialist on February 15, 2023 • ( Leave a comment )

Any thinking worker – no less any real socialist – will say, “of course the people of Ukraine have the right to defend themselves, arms in hand, against the Russian invaders.” That is […]

Boycott “Rage Against the War Machine”

By oaklandsocialist on February 15, 2023 • ( Leave a comment )

From the Ukraine Socialist Solidarity Campaign Boycott “Rage Against the War Machine” UKRAINE SOCIALIST SOLIDARITY CAMPAIGN, CISPOS, AND SYRIA SOLIDARITY NYC CALL FOR BOYCOTTING “RAGE AGAINST THE WAR MACHINE” RALLY ON FEBRUARY […]

The Far Right in Ukraine: an interview with Taras Bilous

By oaklandsocialist on February 12, 2023 • ( Leave a comment )

With their permission, we republish here an interview with Taras Bilous originally published in New Politics. This is invaluable information, first and foremost to keep us informed of the actual situation in […]

Earthquake! “I am so full of rage”

By oaklandsocialist on February 10, 2023 • ( 1 Comment )

I was talking with a friend of mine who is from Turkey today. I commented on the fact that I was seeing a building that had collapsed into a pile of rubble […]

Interview with Howie Hawkins on the Green Party, his future plans and more

By oaklandsocialist on February 9, 2023 • ( 4 Comments )

Oaklandsocialist interviews Green Party candidate of president in 2020 and long time activist, Howie Hawkins. Full transcript below video. John Reiman So we’re talking here with Howie Hawkins, who’s a prominent member […]

Where is the Sacred Union? A voice from France

By oaklandsocialist on February 7, 2023 • ( Leave a comment )

From the French group Aplutsoc: The United States, which had gambled on Ukraine being crushed last February and the subsequent organization of Russia’s financial and commercial isolation, must provide arms to Ukraine, […]

France: Towards a social explosion of historic proportions

By oaklandsocialist on February 4, 2023 • ( 2 Comments )

By Yorgos Mitralias The international media may say hardly a word, but that does not mean that these days France is not being shaken by the biggest social eruption of the last several decades! […]

Oakland stands with Tyre Nichols

By oaklandsocialist on January 30, 2023 • ( Leave a comment )

I went to the Oakland protest about the murder of Tyre Nichols last night. It was a fairly good turnout and the speeches reflected that anger, and determination to put an end […]

Which side are you on? — Bill Fletcher & Medea Benjamin debate

By oaklandsocialist on January 24, 2023 • ( 2 Comments )

  Bill Fletcher, Jr. (Ukraine Solidarity Network) debated Medea Benjamin (Code Pink) last Sunday (Jan. 29) on the issue of Ukraine. The debate helped clarify some points, and raised some previously less […]

The Burmese coup 2 years later: An internationalist speaks

By oaklandsocialist on January 23, 2023 • ( Leave a comment )

Khin Thiri Nandar Soe, a Burmese woman living in the San Francisco Bay Area explains that the Burmese junta is waging a war against the population of that country and that it learned […]

“Why Did Russia Invade Ukraine?” – comic book by Bill Weinberg & Seth Tobocman

By oaklandsocialist on January 20, 2023 • ( Leave a comment )

Brilliant comic book style history of the invasion of Ukraine. Words by Bill Weinberg, artwork by Seth Tobocman and Tamara Tornado. Originally published here. Also see Bill Weinberg’s web site Countervortex. See […]

Brazil’s “January 6th”: Interview with Fabio Bosco

By oaklandsocialist on January 19, 2023 • ( Leave a comment )

There are important similarities – and also differences – between January 6 2021 in the US and the recent coup attempt. Workers here in the US should draw the lessons. Here, we […]

Ukraine war: Sub-Imperialist positioning, not “anti-colonial consciousness,” behind the neutrality of reactionary elites in the Global South

By oaklandsocialist on January 14, 2023 • ( Leave a comment )

Reprinted from Michael Karadjis’s blog site. He makes one point that should be obvious, that many on the “left” ignore: That a government’s support for (or opposition to) any particular issue – […]

Svitlana Romanko, Ukrainian environmental activist, talks with Ukraine Socialist Solidarity Campaign

By oaklandsocialist on January 11, 2023 • ( 2 Comments )

On January 8, Svitlana Romanko talked with the Ukrainian Socialist Solidarity Campaign. Svitlana is an environmentalist lawyer in Ukraine. Just a short while ago, she was kicked out of the Cop 27 […]

The Counter-Revolution of the Brown International in the Making

By oaklandsocialist on January 10, 2023 • ( Leave a comment )

NO PASARAN! The frightening civilisational counter-revolution of the Brown International in the making by Yorgos Mitralias With interest focused – rightly so – on the war Putin is waging against Ukraine and its people, […]

Republicans step back from abyss…. for now

By oaklandsocialist on January 8, 2023 • ( Leave a comment )

The Republicans stared into the abyss and stepped back…. for now. They watched Matt Gaetz apparently renege on a deal. They watched fellow Representative Mike Rogers (R, Alabama) have to be restrained […]

“Which side are you on?” in the 21st century

By oaklandsocialist on January 6, 2023 • ( 2 Comments )

I wrote a new version of the old song “Which side are you on?”, as it applies to the struggles in Iran, Ukraine, Myanmar and the world socialist movement (“Oh, workers of […]

The House Speaker Crisis and the Transformation of the Republican Party

By oaklandsocialist on January 5, 2023 • ( Leave a comment )

The last two times members of the House of Representatives had to resort to multiple ballots to elect a House Speaker tell us a lot about the present crisis. Both times the […]

Discussion with Ukrainian in Kiev

By oaklandsocialist on December 30, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

The Ukraine Socialist Solidarity Campaign recently held a zoom discussion with Eugene, who lives in Kiev. Below is the recording plus a transcript.   Eugene Bronstein So I hope that I will […]

Zoom presentation & discussion: Fossil Fuel Dependency and Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine

By oaklandsocialist on December 29, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

Fossil Fuel Dependency and Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine: A Forum/Discussion “Ending our dependence on oil and gas is the best way to stop fueling thugs like Putin and the growing climate crisis,” […]

“Putin’s Last Stand” and entropy

By oaklandsocialist on December 27, 2022 • ( 2 Comments )

Foreign Affairs, the journal of the Council on Foreign Relations, is probably the most serious journal of the US capitalist class. It recently published an article entitled Putin’s Last Stand. This article […]

January 6th Committee Issues final report: Does Trump bear all the blame?

By oaklandsocialist on December 24, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

The House Special Committee to investigate January 6 has issued its final report, issued in time before it disappears like a building swallowed up in a sink hole, when the Republicans take […]

Medea Benjamin, the pro-Putin “left” and the far right in America

By oaklandsocialist on December 20, 2022 • ( 1 Comment )

The world crisis revolving around the war in Ukraine has a deep influence in US politics. This makes understanding that war all the more important. In January, the fascist-linked Republican Party will […]

Review of Medea Benjamin’s book on Ukraine

By oaklandsocialist on December 14, 2022 • ( 4 Comments )

by Bill Weinberg. Note, this is the transcript of an audio of Bill Weinberg’s “Countervortex”. That audio can be heard on his blog here. Against pseudo-left disinformation on Ukraine From the CounterVortex […]

Jeffrey Sachs on Democracy Now

By oaklandsocialist on December 12, 2022 • ( 1 Comment )

Reposted from Claysbeach.blogspot.com Friday, December 9, 2022 Jeffrey Sachs on @DemocracyNow vs. Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin On Tuesday, Jeffrey Sachs was on Democracy Now to talk about the war in Ukraine. On Wednesday, […]

Video: San Francisco rally for Iran revolution

By oaklandsocialist on December 12, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

About a thousand Iranians, Iranian-Americans and a few supporters rallied in San Francisco on Dec. 11 to show support for the Iran revolution. Here’s a short video of that event:

Moore v. Harper: A Coup by the Court?

By oaklandsocialist on December 9, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

If there is to be a coup – meaning the overthrow of the norms of capitalist democracy – in the US, it will most likely be a “constitutional coup”. This means that […]

Ukraine Socialist Solidarity Campaign forum on Iran with Frieda Afary

By oaklandsocialist on December 6, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

On Dec. 4, the Ukraine Socialist Solidarity Campaign held a forum on the revolution in Iran, with socialist feminist Frieda Afary presenting. Here is a video of the entire forum plus, below […]

Video: Oakland rally in support of Iran revolution

By oaklandsocialist on December 4, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

 

Oaklandsocialist Talks With Railroad Worker Matt Weaver

By oaklandsocialist on December 3, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

John Reimann On the afternoon after the US Senate, under the leadership of Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer passed the bill to force the railroad workers to keep on working, prohibiting […]

Railroad Workers and the Carpenters Wildcat Strike of 1973-4: Action is Power

By oaklandsocialist on December 1, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

Biden is pushing for the government to prohibit a railroad strike. The excuse is that such a strike would hurt the economy. This whole situation brings to mind the great SF Bay […]

Putin’s Doves

By oaklandsocialist on November 28, 2022 • ( 3 Comments )

by Charles Pierson On November 19, the People’s Forum in New York City hosted a panel discussion: “The Real Path to Peace in Ukraine.” The speakers were a rogues’ gallery of tankie […]

Upcoming Forum/discussion on Uprising in Iran

By oaklandsocialist on November 25, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

The uprising in Iran is inspiring millions around the world.    On Sunday, Dec. 4, the Ukraine Socialist Solidarity Campaign will host Iranian American socialist feminist, writer and translator,  Frieda Afary to […]

“Go along to get along” – a cautionary tale

By oaklandsocialist on November 24, 2022 • ( 6 Comments )

I was (unofficially) expelled from a small socialist group I helped found over 15 years ago and was very active in for many years. How that happened is a cautionary tale. The […]

Yesterday as today, the policy of appeasement has only led to disaster!

By oaklandsocialist on November 20, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

by Yorgos Mitralias Introduction by Oaklandsocialist: On November 19, a variety of US “peace groups”, plus speakers like former British Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn and former Green Party candidate for president […]

Kavita Krishnan on “peace”

By oaklandsocialist on November 19, 2022 • ( 2 Comments )

by Kavita Krishnan You may have come across mention of a “Peoples Forum” in New York, calling for “No to War-Yes to Negotiations” in Ukraine. I’ve signed a petition drafted by the […]

Biden military representatives hold press conference: Read between the lines.

By oaklandsocialist on November 17, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

Something I learned from my years of activity inside the union: Pay close attention to exactly what the union leadership is saying… and also what they’re not saying. That’s because they are […]

Analysis of the 2022 US election results

By oaklandsocialist on November 15, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

The partial setback for the MAGA Republicans follows a similar event in Brazil, where the Brazil style Donald Trump – Jair Bolsonaro – was narrowly defeated. But just as in Brazil, this […]

Message to those who voted for the Oaklandsocialist for mayor

By oaklandsocialist on November 11, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

Here’s what I posted on my Facebook page for my mayorial campaign: Election results and the potential: Friends, as of now I got 521 votes in the first round, meaning that so […]

What I learned campaigning as the working class socialist candidate for Oakland mayor

By oaklandsocialist on November 7, 2022 • ( 5 Comments )

I ran for mayor of Oakland as the “working class socialist candidate” in this election cycle. Along the way, I learned a lot and, I believe, set some examples for future similar […]

Fascists are not “interesting” or funny

By oaklandsocialist on November 4, 2022 • ( 4 Comments )

Peter Liu is a candidate for Oakland mayor. He sends around emails about “crooked Jews” and “dirty Jews” and says an admirer of Hitler (rapper “Ye”) is a role model for him. […]

Assault aimed at Nancy Pelosi a combination of social isolation, MAGAism, and misogyny/ageism

By oaklandsocialist on November 3, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

The assault on Paul Pelosi, husband of Congressional House leader Nancy Pelosi, says a lot about the direction of US politics. The alleged attacker is a man named David DePape. (From all […]

From Trump to Bolsonaro and back again: The drive to overturn election results

By oaklandsocialist on November 1, 2022 • ( 1 Comment )

As of this writing, Trump surrogate in Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro, has not accepted his election defeat by Lula da Silva. Immediately following his loss, he was reported as meeting for hours with […]

The Fallacies of the call for “Negotiations”: A reply to Binoy Kampmark’s article in Counterpunch

By oaklandsocialist on November 1, 2022 • ( 3 Comments )

By Charles Pierson Note: The following article was submitted to Counterpunch as a reply to the article mentioned in the paragraph below. Counterpunch has refused to publish it. “Victory against Russia,” is […]

Iran Israel: Same Shit, Different Place, Phony War

By oaklandsocialist on October 30, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

By Michael Karadjis reposted from his blog. (Michael Karadjis makes a vital point: That not all capitalist rivalries can be boiled down to simple economic rivalries. That is because every capitalist regime […]

Forced labor in Dominican Republic: A state crime

By oaklandsocialist on October 28, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

By Socialist Workers’ Movement of the Dominican Republic In a press release dated July 19, 2022, the head of the Ways and Means Committee of the US Congress, Earl Blumenauer, and Dan […]

Video: Oakland mayoral candidates – including the Oaklandsocialist – debate the issue of homelessness

By oaklandsocialist on October 26, 2022 • ( 1 Comment )

At last I was able to break through the nice, friendly, collegial atmosphere that the liberals try to impose on these events. It was a combination of several factors, first and foremost […]

What this candidate for Mayor told the S.F. Chronicle

By oaklandsocialist on October 25, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

A reporter from the S.F. Chronicle interviewed me this morning. It was part of their decision-making process to decide whom they will endorse. (Newsflash: Don’t be shocked if they don’t endorse this, […]

Kavita Krishnan talks with Ukraine Socialist Solidarity Campaign

By oaklandsocialist on October 24, 2022 • ( 2 Comments )

On Oct. 23, the Ukraine Socialist Solidarity Campaign met with Indian Marxist, Kavita Krishnan. (See the announcement of this meeting for a short biography of Kavita.) This was a small but hugely important […]

MAGAism exposed: One of the main reasons why I’m Running for Oakland Mayor

By oaklandsocialist on October 22, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

Today’s Washington Post reports that Trump had stolen classified documents containing state secrets about Iran and China. This is a major reason why I’m running for Mayor. Every other candidate wants you […]

The Consciousness in Britain and the US: An online conversation with Aditya Sarkar

By oaklandsocialist on October 21, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

Oaklandsocialist had an online conversation with Aditya Sarkar about the situation in Britain. Aditya is a labor historian from India, working in Britain. We met through the Ukraine Socialist Solidarity Campaign, but […]

Important Indian Socialist to Speak at Zoom Meeting

By oaklandsocialist on October 15, 2022 • ( 1 Comment )

This will be a very important meeting. I urge all workers to attend and to publicize widely: The Ukraine Socialist Solidarity Campaign is extremely proud to announce that well known Indian socialist […]

Urge ILWU to stand firm for Ukraine

By oaklandsocialist on October 15, 2022 • ( 2 Comments )

NOTE: If you like this letter and want to add your name as a current or former union member, contact this blog site at: oaklandsocialist@gmail.com and or send a note to: StandFirmForUkraine@gmail.com […]

Putin in trouble

By oaklandsocialist on October 10, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

Ukraine’s bombing of the Kerch Bridge and Putin’s reaction should be seen in light of a recent articlein the Washington Post. That article cites growing divisions within the Putin government, including from […]

John “Oaklandsocialist” Reimann interviewed on why he is running for mayor

By oaklandsocialist on October 9, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

I was interviewed the other day on why I am running for Oakland mayor. Unlike the candidate forums – which are largely like beauty pageants – in this one I was given […]

Video: Socialist candidate on League of Women Voters Forum

By oaklandsocialist on October 5, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

Yesterday the “nonpartisan” League of Women Voters held a “forum” for candidates for Oakland mayor. This whole campaign has been a tremendous learning experience for me and I’m starting to get a […]

Putin accuses the West of ‘Satanism’ to justify Russia’s colonial theft of 15 percent of Ukraine

By oaklandsocialist on October 4, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

by Michael Karadjis republished from his blog MKaradjis.com. Interesting that in a 37-minute speech to justify Russia’s brazen annexation of four regions of Ukraine, Putin didn’t mention “Nazis” or “de-Nazification” once, these silly tropes […]

Ukraine Socialist Solidarity Campaign Discusses with Russian Dissident Ilya Budraitskis

By oaklandsocialist on October 3, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

On Oct. 2, the Ukraine Socialist Solidarity Campaign held a Zoom meeting with exiled Russian dissident Ilya Budraitskis. What follows is a video of the full meeting plus a transcript of Ilya’s […]

Can Putin Survive? What Might Follow if he is Ousted?

By oaklandsocialist on October 1, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

With the crisis of the Putin regime, a new and even more unstable period in world history may be opening up. The “Cold War” was marked by tensions and constant struggles. Then […]

My interview with the SF Chronicle

By oaklandsocialist on September 28, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

Here is a video plus the text of an interview I did with the SF Chronicle yesterday: SF Chronicle Well, John, can you tell me a little bit about yourself? John Reimann […]

Italian post-fascists in power

By oaklandsocialist on September 28, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

The old demons of the interwar period  are back in Europe! By Yorgos Mitralias “Days of 1922? Not yet, but Italy is on track to “celebrate” in four years the centenary of […]

More on why I’m running for mayor as Oaklandsocialist

By oaklandsocialist on September 26, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

It is important to learn how to answer capitalist politicians, and running for office is one way of doing so. I’m learning a lot by running for mayor of Oakland, mainly through […]

Walter Mosely’s “RL’s Dream”

By oaklandsocialist on September 24, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

“And RL cracked a smile that woulda made a sweet girl’s photograph cry.” There are such beautifully descriptive sentences scattered throughout Walter Mosley’s 1995 novel “RL’s Dream”. The novel is formally about […]

Trump and Putin: What they have in common; where they differ

By oaklandsocialist on September 23, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

When viewed more closely, the crises in which Trump and Putin find themselves go a long way towards defining what they have in common and where they differ. The fact that Putin […]

Ukraine Socialist Solidarity Campaign to hold meetings on events inside Ukraine & Russia

By oaklandsocialist on September 21, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

Ukraine Socialist Solidarity Campaign will be holding two meetings/discussions on events inside Ukraine and inside Russia. We urge people to attend and participate. Sunday, September 25: What is happening inside Ukraine? The […]

Why Socialists Should Understand the Trump Crisis

By oaklandsocialist on September 15, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

We must start to draw a link between the confusions – in fact the abandonment of principle – of many socialists regarding Ukraine and their equally great confusions about the crisis swirling […]

Oaklandsocialist John Reimann crashes the party!

By oaklandsocialist on September 10, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

 

Mar-a-Lago Search: a MAGA Judge Takes Over

By oaklandsocialist on September 7, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

The latest in the Mar-a-Lago search drama is the ruling by the MAGAist federal judge Aileen Cannon that the Department of Justice (DOJ) must stop its investigation until a “special master” can […]

Video: Interview With Micah Reddy of South Africa’s Amabhungane

By oaklandsocialist on September 5, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

Oaklandsocialist interviewed Micah Reddy of South Africa. Much of our discussion focused on the role of a murky figure named Roy Singham. Singham is a multi-millionaire who financed a left journal in […]

Towards the Brown International of the European and global far right?

By oaklandsocialist on September 5, 2022 • ( 3 Comments )

By Yorgos Mitralias Not since the end of the last world war has the threat of a reinvigorated, aggressive and almost universally rising far right been felt as much as today. Why is […]

Ukraine Socialist Solidarity Campaign Holds Meeting on Sao Paolo Forum

By oaklandsocialist on August 29, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

On August 28, the Ukraine Socialist Solidarity Campaign held a very informative discussion on Latin America’s Sao Paolo Forum. The speaker was Simón Rodríguez from Venezuela. Here is a video of that meeting […]

The Mar-a-Lago Search: “The Greatest Crisis Since the Civil War” or a mere “Dispute Over Documents”?

By oaklandsocialist on August 29, 2022 • ( 1 Comment )

The usually staid editorial board of the NY Times calls this newest Donald Trump scandal “the greatest crisis in American Democracy since the Civil War…. Mr. Trump’s actions as a public official, like […]

Democratic Socialists of America and the Political Crisis of Socialism

By oaklandsocialist on August 27, 2022 • ( 1 Comment )

The fact that tens of millions of US workers still support Trump shows the massive confusion that exists. Part of the reason for that confusion is the absence of any significant working […]

No Tears for Dugina

By oaklandsocialist on August 25, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

No tears for Dugina Republished from AWL on 23 August, 2022 – 2:50 Author: Dale Street Darya Dugina on a day-trip to the Azovstal plant in “liberated” Mariupol Darya Dugina was killed in […]

The Assassination of Darya Dugina: Should Socialists Support Such Methods?

By oaklandsocialist on August 23, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

Darya Dugina, fascist daughter of fascist father Aleksandr Dugin, was killed by a car bomb the other day. The probable target was Dugin himself but his fascist daughter will not be missed […]

“Revolutionaries at War”: Ukrainian lefts speak about the war there

By oaklandsocialist on August 20, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

Here is an excellent documentary in which Ukrainian lefts of all sorts speak. They explain how they see the Russian invasion, the issue of corruption, the issue of the far right, and […]

Video: Kaiser Mental Health Workers on Strike and capitalism with “ethics”

By oaklandsocialist on August 19, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

Mental Health workers are on strike at Kaiser Permanente. On Aug. 19 they held a strike rally in Oakland. I was there as the working class socialist candidate for Oakland Mayor and […]

Colombia Lurches Left

By oaklandsocialist on August 15, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

by Anthony Boynton in Bogotá, Colombia Imagine that you wake up tomorrow and Bernie Sanders has been elected President of the United States, AND his supporters have won a majority in the […]

The Mar-a-Lago Search and “Political Furies”

By oaklandsocialist on August 14, 2022 • ( 5 Comments )

“The Justice Department is unleashing political furies it can’t control.” So wrote the editors of the Wall St. Journal on the day after the FBI search of Mar-a-Lago. They are wrong. Those […]

WSJ Editors on Mar-a-Lago FBI Search

By oaklandsocialist on August 10, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

Those militant uncompromising fighters for their class – the capitalist class – are not happy. Yes, I’m talking about the editorial board of the Wall St. Journal. They have several complaints, criticisms […]

The Call for “Diplomacy” to End the War in Ukraine: A Reply to L. Michael Hager

By oaklandsocialist on August 6, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

The supposedly left journal Counterpunch has published an article called Diplomacy not Weapons Will End the War”by L. Michael Hager. Hager, starts off by in effect appealing to the concerns of Western […]

Alex Jones and the slanderers of the Syrian and Ukrainian People

By oaklandsocialist on August 5, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

Millions are celebrating that Alex Jones will have to pay millions of dollars to those he caused mental anguish and slandered. The question is: How is Jones any different from those on […]

Guido Picelli: The man who routed the fascists!

By oaklandsocialist on August 2, 2022 • ( 2 Comments )

Introduction from Oaklandsocialist: For the next three days, there will be celebrations in Italy for the centenary of the “Barricades of Parma”. These were barricades erected by the workers movement against attacks […]

Ukraine Socialist Solidarity Campaign holds meeting on “Fascist Ideas on the left”

By oaklandsocialist on August 1, 2022 • ( 3 Comments )

On July 31, the Ukraine Socialist Solidarity Campaign held an important meeting on the issue of “Fascist Ideas on the Left: Past, Present and What to do About It”. This was the […]

Trump learned his lesson; building a team for second term

By oaklandsocialist on July 27, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

Donald Trump is preparing to clean house if he gets a second term in office. A major obstacle standing in the way of Trump establishing a Victor Orban-like dictatorship in his first […]

January 6th hearings Day 8: “Something Old and Something New”

By oaklandsocialist on July 23, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

“Something old and something new” could be the summary of the eighth day of public hearings from the January 6 committee. The committee seems to be doing a couple of things: First […]

Police inaction in Uvalde vs. Police In Action

By oaklandsocialist on July 18, 2022 • ( 1 Comment )

  The media is playing off the complete failure of the police in Uvalde as being due to the failure of whoever was in charge. Yes, whoever was in charge failed and […]

Day 7 of Hearings of House January 6th Committee: The Exact Course of the Plot Becomes Clarified

By oaklandsocialist on July 13, 2022 • ( 2 Comments )

Day 7 of the hearings of the House January 6 committee helped clarify what role Trump and his “team crazy” played in the build up to that day. The question is what […]

Discussion with Simon Pirani about Donbass, Crimea, Maidan and Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine

By oaklandsocialist on July 12, 2022 • ( 1 Comment )

Introduction: On July 10, the Ukraine Socialist Solidarity Campaign hosted a meeting at which Simon Pirani spoke on the issue of the situation in Donbass and Crimea and Russia’s intervention there in […]

Interview with an Artist-Activist with Long Covid

By oaklandsocialist on July 10, 2022 • ( 1 Comment )

    Note: This interview will also be able to be heard on Oaklandsocialist’s podcast. John Reimann So we’re talking with Meghan Keane, who is an artist and a political activist, including […]

What makes Putinists and Putinisants perpetuate the most abject traditions of the international left?

By oaklandsocialist on July 6, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

by Yorgos Mitralias   A first conclusion of the reading of Trotsky’s texts “Learn to think”  and “On the Sino-Japanese war” is that they explain in a very convincing and detailed way, the […]

Letter from South Africa: The Capture of National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa by a US Capitalist

By oaklandsocialist on July 4, 2022 • ( 4 Comments )

Introduction: Oaklandsocialist received the following letter, which is being circulated by concerned members, shop stewards and staff of the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA). At the time of the […]

Video: My speech at press conference on Howard Terminal A’s stadium project

By oaklandsocialist on June 29, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

A coalition of different liberal groups held a press conference to demand a ballot referendum on the real estate development/A’s stadium project. Here is my speech on the project:

January 6 Hearing Day 6: Imagining the Unimaginable

By oaklandsocialist on June 29, 2022 • ( 1 Comment )

Trump’s loyalists may be flipping. On the sixth, and previously unscheduled day of the January 6 hearings, Cassidy Hutchinson, former top aide to Trump’s chief of staff Mark Meadows, testified. Apparently she […]

Report from Labor Notes Conference

By oaklandsocialist on June 27, 2022 • ( 1 Comment )

By Art Francisco, co-Chair P.J. McGuire Caucus (Carpenters Union) Last weekend I had the privilege of being able to attend the Labor Notes conference, a national union conference that had 4000 attendees […]

Video: Oakland Protests Supreme Court Anti-Abortion Ruling

By oaklandsocialist on June 26, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

The large turnout on only a few hours notice shows the huge potential for a new movement of youth and workers. In future articles, Oaklandsocialist will examine what immediate demands can be […]

January 6 Hearings Day 5: Why it is a mistake to ignore these hearings

By oaklandsocialist on June 24, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

As this is being posted, it was just announced that the US Supreme Court has officially overturned Roe v Wade. The dictatorial role of these political hacks simply confirms everything in this […]

Day 4 of January 6 Hearings: “Lots of theories but no evidence”

By oaklandsocialist on June 23, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

“We have lots of theories. We just don’t have any evidence.” So spoke Rudy Giuliani according to Mike Shirky, Republican State Senate in Michigan. If for no other reason, the fourth day […]

Day 3 of January 6 Hearings: A violent coup or a future legal coup coming?

By oaklandsocialist on June 18, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

On the day after the third day of hearings of the January 6 House committee, the Wall St. Journal ran an editorial in which they essentially said that all decisions as far as […]

What is this strange war in Ukraine where it is forbidden to either “defeat or humiliate” Putin?

By oaklandsocialist on June 16, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

by Yorgos Mitralias The strangeness of this war of Mr. Putin in Ukraine is probably without historical precedent. Why? For a whole series of reasons, the first of which is that, for […]

What Was Revealed by Day 2 of the Hearings of the House January 6 Investigation Committee

By oaklandsocialist on June 15, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

The Republicans’ “team normal” reveal Trump’s crimes. U.S. capitalist rule based on “rule of law” and recognition of science, within limits. The “team normal and Democratic alliance to remove “the cause of […]

January 6 revisited: First day of Congressional January 6 Committee hearings

By oaklandsocialist on June 10, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

“I can just remember my breath catching in my throat because what I saw was just a war scene. It was something like I had seen out of the movies. “I couldn’t […]

Report from Kyiv

By oaklandsocialist on June 9, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

Oaklandsocialist talked with Eugene in Kyiv. He talked about the situation there and the mood in general. A lot refers back to what actually happened in the Maidan revolt of 2014, which […]

Debate about Ukraine

By oaklandsocialist on June 8, 2022 • ( 4 Comments )

I went to a meeting of the East Bay DSA “Night School” last night. This was a presentation supposedly on Ukraine. As I expected, the meeting was a not-so-subtle cover for Putin […]

Video: Parents & Community occupying Parker Elementary School hold press conference

By oaklandsocialist on June 6, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

Parker Elementary School in East Oakland has been under occupation for several weeks now. Here the parents and community members doing the occupation hold a press conference to explain why. Also see […]

USSC Meeting: Syria, Ukraine, Geopolitics and the working class

By oaklandsocialist on June 5, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

On June 5, the Ukraine Socialist Solidarity Campaign hosted a very successful meeting (with 40 attending) on Syria, Ukraine, Geopolitics and the working class. Michael Karadjis made an initial presentation, whose text […]

Ukraine: Is a “Negotiated Settlement” a Euphemism for Defeat of Ukraine?

By oaklandsocialist on June 4, 2022 • ( 2 Comments )

“‘Russian artillery is shooting from morning until evening,’ said Volodymyr Pohorilyy, 43, intelligence commander of the Dnipro-1 battalion, which holds several key positions in the region. ‘If our side shoots one their […]

Elections in Colombia

By oaklandsocialist on June 3, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

From Anthony Boynton in Bogotá Colombia just had the first round of this year’s presidential elections, and some of the results were surprising. The fact that Gustavo Petro, the candidate of the […]

Biden’s Reluctant Half-Steps

By oaklandsocialist on June 1, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

The reluctant half measures of Biden both domestically and in regards to Ukraine What the call for “negotiations” in Ukraine really means The similarity of the position of much of the US […]

Uvalde & Murders by Police

By oaklandsocialist on June 1, 2022 • ( 1 Comment )

The cowardice of the different police in the Uvalde disaster clarifies what really happens in many if not the great majority of police shootings of civilians. Take the example of the police […]

Michael Karadjis to speak

By oaklandsocialist on May 31, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

Ukraine Socialist Solidarity Campaign will be sponsoring a meeting featuring Michael Karadjis. Michael is a lecturer at the University of Western Sidney in Australia. His blog site, Mkaradjis.com, contains some of the most […]

Video: S.F. school students walk out to defend abortion rights

By oaklandsocialist on May 27, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

The NRA, Gun Control, Violence and Alienation in America Today

By oaklandsocialist on May 26, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

With 31 people murdered at two mass shootings in less that one week’s time, US society seems spiraling into pathologically violent insanity. How did we get this way and what is the […]

The Crisis in the Left and in the Working Class: A Zoom Discussion

By oaklandsocialist on May 25, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

On May 22, the Ukraine Socialist Solidarity Campaign (USSC) held a zoom meeting on the crisis in the left and in the working class. Fifteen people in all participated. Cheryl Zuur, long […]

Report from Russia: Putin Considers Tactical Nuclear Strike at Facilities in Ukraine and Poland

By oaklandsocialist on May 24, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

The following article from a Russian Telegram Channel called “Volya”, which is roughly translated as “Free Will” says that there are serious discussions in Putin’s inner circle about the use of  “tactical” […]

War in Ukraine and Some Points About World Perspectives

By oaklandsocialist on May 22, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

Oaklandsocialist publishes this article by Pete Glosser. Its perspective is not very optimistic as far as the war in Ukraine. However, while we support the defeat of the Russian invasion, we have […]

Why does Putin make all the Soviet dead of the Second World War… “Russians”?

By oaklandsocialist on May 21, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

By Yorgos Mitralias May 9 has come and gone, and as has been the constant for the past two decades, both Mr. Putin’s enemies and friends have repeated in unison that on […]

Russian and Ukrainian Oligarchs: Finding and Seizing Their REAL Assets

By oaklandsocialist on May 18, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

Russian oligarchs’s $300 million yacht seized by Fiji on behalf of U.S.” blared the headline in the Washington Post. “Germany seizes world’s largest yacht because of its ties to Russian oligarch” blared […]

Racist Murders in Buffalo: A Warning to be Taken Seriously

By oaklandsocialist on May 16, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

“This was pure evil,” said Erie County Sheriff, John Garcia about the racist murders at the Tops supermarket in Buffalo, NY. His widely quoted statement is a cover up for the real […]

Photos of abortion rights protest in Oakland

By oaklandsocialist on May 15, 2022 • ( 1 Comment )

Here are photos of the abortion rights protest in Oakland. It was very poorly publicized. (I didn’t even know about it until I happened to pass by on my way to the […]

Interview with Ukrainian Union Organizer Artem Tidva

By oaklandsocialist on May 11, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

Ukrainian union organizer Artem Tidva talks about The unions from the old Soviet Union days Employers’ tactics to weaken unions since independence Relations between Ukrainian and Russian unions before the invasion and […]

Message to Amazon Workers: Unionize!

By oaklandsocialist on May 10, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

From John Reimann for Oakland mayor. Feel free to reprint and distribute wherever you are, but especially in the East Bay and give to Amazon drivers. Or write up your own leaflet. […]

The Putinist Left, its monstrosities and the Ukrainian national question

By oaklandsocialist on May 10, 2022 • ( 4 Comments )

by Yorgos Mitralias For a long time now, almost everyone has been tormented by the same question: why are people turning their backs on the Left? Why does the Left seem so […]

Will Putin voluntarily withdraw? A reply to Ron Jacobs

By oaklandsocialist on May 4, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

The well known left intellectual Ron Jacobs has written an article in the equally well known left magazine Counterpunch, on the war in Ukraine. The article is called called “We need an […]

Abortion Ruling: Supreme Court in Hands of Religious Fanatics

By oaklandsocialist on May 4, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

A Campaign Statement of John Reimann for Oakland Mayor It’s now out in the open: The fanatical Christian bigots have seized control not only over the Republican Party but also over the […]

Stop Privatization – a campaign statement from John Reimann for Oakland mayor

By oaklandsocialist on April 29, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

  Campaign statement by John Reimann for Oakland mayor. For more information, see: Why I will be running for Oakland Mayor   “In February of this year I posted this article What an Oaklandsocialist […]

The “Grand Chessboard”: It’s not as simple as you think!

By oaklandsocialist on April 27, 2022 • ( 1 Comment )

By Michael Karadjis Introduction by Oaklandsocialist: The following article is by Australian Marxist Michael Karadjis. He uses a couple of terms that may be unfamiliar to some. “Tankies” refers to those on […]

The French Elections: Interview with Olivier Delbeke

By oaklandsocialist on April 26, 2022 • ( 2 Comments )

John Reimann And we’re talking with Olivier Delbeke in France about the elections there. Olivier is with Aplutsoc, which is the abbreviations of Argument (or Struggle) for the Social Struggle. Olivier For […]

Nationalism, fascism and the rise of capitalism in Ukraine: Some Tentative Conclusions

By oaklandsocialist on April 25, 2022 • ( 3 Comments )

The connection between Russian oppression and Stalinism The connection between Ukrainian nationalism and anti-communism The present basis of support for Ukrainian fascist groups How that could all change Since I was recently […]

CWA Local 7250 Resolution on Ukraine

By oaklandsocialist on April 20, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

Communication Workers of America (CWA) Local 7250 executive committee has passed an excellent resolution on the war in Ukraine. We urge other union activists to raise this or similar resolutions. It starts: […]

My visit to Lviv, Ukraine, in pictures

By oaklandsocialist on April 16, 2022 • ( 5 Comments )

Here are some photos of my visit to Lviv, Ukraine. I stress “Lviv” because I think it is not like other parts of Ukraine in that while the war has touched Lviv […]

Once More: Should socialists support or oppose NATO arms to Ukraine?

By oaklandsocialist on April 11, 2022 • ( 9 Comments )

Today the majority of socialists in the West argue that it is our duty to oppose “our” government’s sending arms to Ukraine. They equate the situation today with that at the start […]

Discussion with a Ukrainian construction worker

By oaklandsocialist on April 10, 2022 • ( 1 Comment )

I had a discussion with an unemployed construction worker today. He was in the army but was expelled after a month after they discovered that he’d been arrested some time ago for […]

My first day in Ukraine

By oaklandsocialist on April 8, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

  Most of the time walking around Lviv you would just think this is a nice old city with interesting architecture. Some are apartent buildings built in the days of the old […]

Putin propaganda machine justifies war crimes

By oaklandsocialist on April 8, 2022 • ( 1 Comment )

Message to “left” denialists

By oaklandsocialist on April 5, 2022 • ( 7 Comments )

To all those who denied the fact of Putin/Assad atrocities in Syria or ignored it; to all those who amplified the claim that the gas attacks there were a false flag; to […]

Bucha & Mariupol: Russian atrocities reveal Putin’s real goal

By oaklandsocialist on April 4, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

Russian war atrocities not limited to Bucha Atrocities reveal Putin’s real goal Putin’s trajectory towards complete domination at home and regionally Reasons for Biden’s completely inadequate response For a real workers program […]

Amazon Labor Union Wins!

By oaklandsocialist on April 2, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

The smashing victory of the Amazon Labour Union in Staten Island, NY, is the real sign of the times. Chris Smalls and Derrick Palmer and a small crowd of fellow workers overcame […]

When Donald Trump Became Speaker of the House

By oaklandsocialist on March 28, 2022 • ( 1 Comment )

Few paid attention when Matt Gaetz promised to nominate Trump for Speaker of the House if the Republicans won control in November. (See video above.) Those who did scoffed. They shouldn’t have, […]

Ukraine supporters in Hayward, CA

By oaklandsocialist on March 27, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

We had a little literature table and talked with visitors to the Hayward Farmers Market this morning. Here are a few photos.      

Ukraine: Russian military setbacks indicate possible new perspectives

By oaklandsocialist on March 24, 2022 • ( 1 Comment )

Implications of Russian military setbacks More limited political goals? US/NATO goals Possible use of chemical or “tactical” nuclear weapons and US response Can Russia become a “failed state”? Role of the Ukrainian […]

Ukraine and NATO

By oaklandsocialist on March 23, 2022 • ( 1 Comment )

Australian Marxist Michael Karadjis commented on the issue of NATO’s expansion. He wrote: Quite frankly, while a former colony is being smashed to bits by hundreds of rockets and missiles artillery and […]

“You need to defend workers and your country”: Interview with Ukrainian socialist Vladyslav Starodubtsev

By oaklandsocialist on March 23, 2022 • ( 1 Comment )

“You need to fight for workers rights, and you need to fight for your country.” We talked with Ukrainian socialist Vladyslav Starodubtsev. We discussed: The fight for workers rights in a neoliberal […]

The Invasion of Ukraine: A Socialist Analysis

By oaklandsocialist on March 21, 2022 • ( 2 Comments )

  The Maidan revolt The role of western imperialism including NATO Putin: Make Russia Great Again Support Ukraine’s right to get arms from any source possible Zelensky & Ukrainian capitalism The seizure […]

“Socialism is not the past, it is the future”: Vitaly Dudin in Ukraine

By oaklandsocialist on March 15, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

Oaklandsocialist interviewed Vitaly Dudin, labor activist in Ukraine. We discussed: The need to fight against Russia’s invasion Labor rights in Ukraine and neoliberalism The Ukrainian oligarchs’s role The seizure of both the […]

From Vitaly Dudin in Ukraine: “Socialism is not the past; it is the future”

By oaklandsocialist on March 15, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

audio of interview with labor activist Vitaly Dudin in Ukraine. Full interview including text coming soon. Here this post on our podcast.

Seize, Sell ALL Assets of Russian Oligarchs. Send to Ukraine NOW

By oaklandsocialist on March 15, 2022 • ( 4 Comments )

The Biden administration has announced the seizure of assets of Russian oligarchs. “These individuals and their family members will be cut off from the U.S. financial system, their assets in the United […]

Human Rights from Burma/Myanmar to Ukraine!

By oaklandsocialist on March 14, 2022 • ( 1 Comment )

Saturday was Burma Human Rights day. The Burmese American community held an event commemorating and linking it with the issue of human rights in Ukraine. Cheryl Zuur, retired union leader and long […]

“People are showing solidarity”: A Ukrainian youth speaks

By oaklandsocialist on March 13, 2022 • ( 1 Comment )

Here is a video of an interview with Yaroslav Kovalchuk, who lives in Ukraine. Below is a transcript of the interview. Yaroslav explained the issue of nationalism – its limited impact and […]

Ukraine and the future of “anti-imperialism”

By oaklandsocialist on March 12, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

by Junius Introduction by Oaklandsocialist: Although it is tiny and with hardly any influence, it is a mistake to ignore those on the left who call themselves “anti-imperialists”. It’s an even bigger […]

Putin’s Increasingly Desperate Situation and Possible Outcomes

By oaklandsocialist on March 10, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

Putin’s situation becoming desperate. Is a coup possible? Is a fascist-type dictatorship possible? Is there a social base and an armed force for such a dictatorship? What is the working class alternative? […]

Video: Protest Against School Closings in Oakland

By oaklandsocialist on March 7, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

Peace Treaties and “Big Businessmen Without High Hats”

By oaklandsocialist on March 7, 2022 • ( 1 Comment )

How should we see the efforts of France’s Emmanuel Macron, Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and Israel’s Naftali Bennet to negotiate a truce in Ukraine with Putin? Or any peace treaty among capitalists, […]

School Closings = Gentrification

By oaklandsocialist on March 5, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

Oakland is planning on closing ten schools. Here’s a statement on this issue from John Reimann for Oakland Mayor.   For more on our campaign, see: This interview with Zennie Abraham And […]

Ukraine-Russia Negotiations: What is the Purpose?

By oaklandsocialist on March 3, 2022 • ( 1 Comment )

    When I first heard about Zelensky agreeing to negotiate with Putin’s representatives I wondered, to say the least. What is there to negotiate over?  Maybe this is just paranoia, but […]

Interview with Ukrainian Leftist, Ivan Shmatko

By oaklandsocialist on March 2, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

Self described Ukrainian leftist discusses the situation within his country. He explains the powerful opposition to the Russian invasion, disputes the claim that there is a strong division between Russian and Ukrainian […]

Preliminary Assessment of Ukraine Invasion and its Political Fallout

By oaklandsocialist on February 28, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

Apparent Splits in Russian Military Tops: Possible Coup? NATO Spread the Cause of Invasion? Anti-War Protests Spread in Russia Military Assessment, Thermobaric bomb & Putin a “Cornered rat” Political Fallout in US […]

Putin’s Blitzkrieg: A Perspective from the United States

By oaklandsocialist on February 24, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

The Russian invasion of Ukraine is now in full swing. Explosions have been heard near and around cities throughout the country. These appear to have been missile attacks on airports and possibly […]

Andrey Kurkov: First Hand Report From Kyiv

By oaklandsocialist on February 23, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

We spoke briefly with Ukrainian writer Andrey Kurkov, who is located in Kyiv. Here is his report on the situation there at this moment:

Putin Orders Invasion of Ukraine

By oaklandsocialist on February 22, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

A new stage has been reached in the Ukraine crisis. Putin has formally recognized the two breakaway “republics” – The Donetsk Peoples Republic and the Lunetsk Peoples Republic, known alternatively as the […]

Interview with Ukrainian Writer Andrey Kurkov

By oaklandsocialist on February 14, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

Here is an interview with Ukrainian writer Andrey Kurkov. He reports on the situation in Ukraine today. Those who find the interview interesting might also be interested in our review of his […]

Some Ideas on Stopping the Reactionary “Freedom” Convoy

By oaklandsocialist on February 11, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

Canada’s so-called “Freedom” Convoy is blocking several major bridges between the US and Canada. Ford and General Motors are having to cut back production, meaning lay off workers, as a result. Meanwhile, […]

Why Has The Fascist Canadian Truck Convoy Had Such An Easy Ride?

By oaklandsocialist on February 10, 2022 • ( 1 Comment )

  “Why has the fascist Canadian Truck Convoy had such an easy ride?” asks John Clarke in Canada. He answers his own question: The ability of a group of blatant fascists to […]

“Ukraine Diaries”: A Vital Explanation of the 2014 Maidan Protests and What Followed

By oaklandsocialist on February 8, 2022 • ( 2 Comments )

In 2014, prominent Ukrainian writer and intellectual Andrey Kurkov published a book called Ukraine Diaries. These are excerpts from diary entries Kurkov wrote during the Maidan protests. They cover not only what […]

Will Putin Invade Ukraine?

By oaklandsocialist on February 4, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

Will Putin’s troops invade Ukraine? Putin says he is not planning to do so. However, he has every reason to deny it at this time. Most analysts predict that if he does […]

The Crisis in Ukraine, Imperialism, and a Divided Working Class

By oaklandsocialist on February 3, 2022 • ( 1 Comment )

The crisis in Ukraine and the resulting extremely increased tensions between the US and Russian governments show that workers in the US cannot escape world events. That being so, it’s vital that […]

Report from Canada: Far Right Trucker Convoy Crosses Canada

By oaklandsocialist on February 1, 2022 • ( 4 Comments )

John Clarke reports from Canada It can’t be denied that the far right in Canada has achieved a major organizational and political advance with its truck convoy that challenged public health measures […]

Ukraine at the heart of the world capitalist crisis

By oaklandsocialist on January 27, 2022 • ( 1 Comment )

“The world is on the brink of the largest military offensive in Europe since World War II.” So wrote Foreign Affairs magazine in an article entitled “The Day After Russia Attacks [Ukraine]”. […]

Interview: Marie and Greg talk about homelessness in Oakland

By oaklandsocialist on January 22, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

My long time friends, Marie McKenzie and Gregory Dunston, talk about homelessness in Oakland, including how churches are making money off the situation.

Ukraine, Russia and the U.S. – and the winner is….

By oaklandsocialist on January 21, 2022 • ( 1 Comment )

By Anthony Boynton And the winner is… China! Will Russia invade Ukraine? Probability is high, and not just because the Biden administration and the Ukrainians are afraid of it. Putin Putin faces […]

Supreme Court, Voter Suppression and Possible “Coup”

By oaklandsocialist on January 21, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

In Oaklandsocialist’s recent article “Will There Be A Coup?” we explored the various factors that would tend towards a “yes” and a “no” answer. This article homes in a little more about […]

Interview: John Reimann for Oakland Mayor

By oaklandsocialist on January 16, 2022 • ( 3 Comments )

Here is an edited/shortened version of an interview I did with Zennie Abraham of Zennie62Media on my campaign for Oakland Mayor: To see the full hour and twenty minute video, go here: […]

Will There Be a “Coup”?

By oaklandsocialist on January 15, 2022 • ( 5 Comments )

We usually think of a coup in terms of a military dictatorship, bloodshed, and tanks rolling down the streets. The main point, though, is the ending of “normal” democratic rights. That can […]

Report: January 6 Oakland Candlelight Vigil “For Democracy”

By oaklandsocialist on January 7, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

On January 6, 2022, liberal Democratic Party activist groups Moveon and Indivisible held memorial events to protest last year’s attempted Trump “auto coup”/riot in Washington DC. As elsewhere in the country, the […]

Omicron: Some Conclusions Starting to Emerge

By oaklandsocialist on January 3, 2022 • ( 3 Comments )

The process of scientists learning about Omicron should be a learning experience for workers as well. It is a living example of how a relationship between two events doesn’t necessarily prove cause-and-effect. […]

The Biden-Putin Phone Call: Oaklandsocialist’s “Clairvoyant Correspondent” Reports

By oaklandsocialist on December 30, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

Once again, Oaklandsocialist’s Clairvoyant Correspondent scoops all other media by reporting a “transcript” of today’s Biden-Putin phone conversation. (NOTE: This story is filed under the category “Fiction More Real than Fact”) Scene: […]

The Coming Republican Election Fraud: Where Are the Protests?

By oaklandsocialist on December 24, 2021 • ( 1 Comment )

I was sitting here watching the news with my heart pounding. It was partly out of pure anger, partly frustration – anger at what is being prepared for us and frustration that […]

Why I will be Running for Mayor in Oakland in 2022

By oaklandsocialist on December 13, 2021 • ( 1 Comment )

In February of this year I posted this article What an Oaklandsocialist for Mayor in 2022 Campaign Could Accomplish. As I pointed out there, Oakland is not an isolated island; there is not […]

Discussing With Workers Who Support Trump

By oaklandsocialist on December 10, 2021 • ( 2 Comments )

I have had multiple discussions with Trump-supporting workers. One of them I know personally. He’s a very nice guy to meet in person, and we had several long political discussions. Others I’ve […]

Cuba: the case of the young artist Abel Lescay

By oaklandsocialist on December 5, 2021 • ( 7 Comments )

(Oaklandsocialist carries below an appeal for support for an imprisoned artist in Cuba. We fully support the demands for political freedom in Cuba. In doing so, we completely oppose any intervention by […]

Oxford, Michigan: Everytown USA

By oaklandsocialist on December 1, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

Oxford, Michigan, Everytown, USA, where 95% of the population is white and over half the households are married couples. Median family income is $72,875, a very comfortable income considering that a new […]

British Labour Party’s Widening Split

By oaklandsocialist on November 30, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

US workers probably pay more attention to the politics in Britain than any other country outside the US. Therefore, the widening split in Britain’s Labour Party, and what may come out of […]

The Union Democracy Movement: An Analysis

By oaklandsocialist on November 28, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

Oaklandsocialist recently posted an article on the Teamsters election and the role of Teamsters for a Democratic Union (TDU). Here is a more in-depth analysis of that group and the whole union […]

Where is TDU Going?

By oaklandsocialist on November 26, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

Oaklandsocialist Introduction: The election of supposed reformer Sean O’Brien as president of the Teamsters Union, along with his entire slate, has been greeted with near universal and uncritical enthusiasm on the left. […]

Rittenhouse Verdict: US Headed Towards Becoming a “Failed State”?

By oaklandsocialist on November 19, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

That then 17 year old killer Kyle Rittenhouse would walk free is ominous and has implications far greater than those for just this one individual. The NY Times’s Farhad Manjoo explained the […]

Book Review: “The Jewish Question” by Abram Leon

By oaklandsocialist on November 13, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

Antisemitism (which is not the same as anti-Zionism) is reviving as the far right, including outright fascism, develops. There were over 2,000 antisemitic attacks in 2020 compared with 751 in 2013. These […]

Rittenhouse Trial: Vigilantism a Threat to Workers

By oaklandsocialist on November 12, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

The Rittenhouse trial and the trial of the murderers of Ahmad Arbery have great importance. Coming as they do after the Texas abortion law, these trials will determine whether vigilantism will be […]

John Deere Workers Reject Second Contract Proposal: Becoming a Trend

By oaklandsocialist on November 3, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

Striking John Deere workers rejected a second tentative agreement (TA) by a vote of 45% “yes” to 55% “no” on Tuesday. The new TA was a significant improvement from the first one, […]

The Day Before the Day After: A Play

By oaklandsocialist on October 30, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

The Day Before the Day After By John Reimann CHARACTERS (in order of appearance) NANCY PELOSI Speaker of the house JOE BIDEN President KAMALA HARRIS Vice President KAITLEN COLLINS a newscaster MAN […]

Message from Art Esparza, chair of the Carpenters’ P.J. McGuire Group on the Crisis in the PNW Carpenters Council

By oaklandsocialist on October 28, 2021 • ( 3 Comments )

Note: Oaklandsocialist has carried numerous articles and videos of the struggle of carpenters in Western Washington to win a good contract. That struggle was basically a war on two fronts: Against both […]

“America’s Crumbling Global Position” and a Turn to Trumpism Lite?

By oaklandsocialist on October 27, 2021 • ( 1 Comment )

Anti-Trump Old Guard Republican conservative Bret Stephens has an interesting column in today’s NY Times. It’s entitled “America’s Crumbling Global Position”. In it he details the foreign policy “failings” of President Biden. According […]

IATSE, the Union Leadership and Death on the Job

By oaklandsocialist on October 26, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

The accidental shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins at the hands of Alec Baldwin on the set of Rust has to be understood in the light of the struggle of the stagehands’ […]

John Deere Strikers Can Win It All…. and Transform the Labor Movement!

By oaklandsocialist on October 23, 2021 • ( 2 Comments )

The powerful position that the striking John Deere workers find themselves in means that they can win absolutely everything they want. There is no need to compromise one iota. Wall St. Journal […]

Interview with Anand Gopal: Afghanistan’s Tribal Traditions, Taliban, and US Occupation

By oaklandsocialist on October 23, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

Anand Gopal is a former reporter for the Wall St. Journal and author of the book “No Good Men Among the Living”. Gopal spent years traveling around in the hinterlands of Afghanistan, […]

The union leadership “like a PR firm for the company”: Interview with UAW member Justin Mayhugh

By oaklandsocialist on October 18, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

Justin Mayhugh is an alternate delegate in UAW Local 31 and a member of a UAW caucus called Unite All Workers for Democracy (UAWD). He works on the assembly line for GM. […]

Western Washington Carpenters Can Make History

By oaklandsocialist on October 8, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

It’s no exaggeration: Western Washington carpenters can make history. That’s because the situation they face is not that very different from that faced by all union members in the US; if rank […]

Abortion Rights Protest in San Francisco: Cheryl Zuur Comments

By oaklandsocialist on October 3, 2021 • ( 2 Comments )

by Cheryl Zuur I went to the SF Women’s March today, one of the many across the country. I really did not want to go but knew that I MUST go. Many […]

Interview: Vermont State AFL-CIO president David Van Deusen

By oaklandsocialist on September 29, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

Last year the Vermont State AFL-CIO made some headlines when it called for a general strike in the event of an attempted coup by outgoing president Trump. Here, Oaklandsocialist talks with the […]

Video: Rank and file carpenters show what REAL unionism is!

By oaklandsocialist on September 28, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

Here is a glimpse of what the rank and file carpenters in Western Washington have been doing, how they have been shutting down jobs. Along the way, they confront the union bureaucracy […]

Video: Carpenters speak at rally organized by Kshama Sawant

By oaklandsocialist on September 26, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

Excerpts from speeches given by carpenters as well as others (including Kshama Sawant) at a rally she and her group – Socialist Alternative – organized.

Art Francisco, chair of carpenters’ Peter J. McGuire Group, speaking

By oaklandsocialist on September 26, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

Here is Art Francisco, the chair of the Peter J. McGuire Group, speaking at a rally organized by Seattle City Council member Kshama Sawant.  

Video: Reimann speaking at Western Washington carpenters rally

By oaklandsocialist on September 24, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

Here is the speech I gave at a rally for the Western Washington carpenters on strike against the contractors and their own union leadership. The rally was organized by Seattle city council […]

Rank and file carpenters and Kshama Sawant confront union bureaucrats

By oaklandsocialist on September 24, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

The struggle of the rank and file carpenters took a new twist on Thursday (Sept. 23) when some union bureaucrats came out to try to red-bait Kshama Sawant. It didn’t turn out […]

Carpenters take matter into own hands

By oaklandsocialist on September 23, 2021 • ( 3 Comments )

Fed up with cut rate contract proposals/“tentative agreements” that were voted down four times, and fed up with a designed to fail “strike” policy, carpenters have started taking matters into their own […]

Carpenters leadership pickets empty construction site

By oaklandsocialist on September 23, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

First the Carpenters Union leadership said it didn’t want a higher raise (for the members). That would hinder “recapturing market share”, you see. That business term means that the leadership sees the […]

I Was Expelled From the Carpenters Union (and kept on working)

By oaklandsocialist on September 21, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

I was expelled from the carpenters union in 2000. My experience might be helpful to those striking carpenters in Western Washington who are worried that if they violate the Council’s pro-contractor strategy […]

CWA 7250 President: “Hit ‘em Hard!”

By oaklandsocialist on September 21, 2021 • ( 1 Comment )

Kieran Knutson, President of CWA Local 7250, sent the following solidarity message to the carpenters Peter J. McGuire Group and to all the carpenters in struggle in Western Washington: Fellow workers – […]

The Most Important Strike in America Today

By oaklandsocialist on September 19, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

The strike of Western Washington carpenters is the most important strike in America today. There are quite a few other trikes, including the Nabisco strike, that involve a lot more workers (for […]

“The Fight Continues”: A striking carpenter speaks

By oaklandsocialist on September 19, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

By Jason Bartos, a striking carpenter The Fight Continues It has been an extremely exhausting week for me, the PJMG, and all of the brothers and sisters on the picket lines. I’m […]

Nina Wurz, striking carpenter, speaks at rally for rent control in Seattle

By oaklandsocialist on September 19, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

Here is another striking carpenter, Nina Wurz, speaking. This is at a rally for rent control put on by Socialist Alternative. Introducing her is City Council member Kshama Sawant, the only city […]

Art Francisco, carpenters rank and file strike leader, speaks in Seattle

By oaklandsocialist on September 19, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

Carpenters in Western Washington have forced their leadership to call a strike (of sorts). Here is Art Francisco, one of the leaders of the opposition caucus The Peter J. McGuire Group, speaking […]

Oaklandsocialist speaks at Western Washington State carpenters rank and file strike rally

By oaklandsocialist on September 18, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

Cheryl Zuur, Former Union President: “Solidarity With Rank-and-File Carpenters”

By oaklandsocialist on September 17, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

My name is Cheryl Zuur. I am a retired industrial electrician and former president of AFSCME Local 444 in Oakland, California. I stand in solidarity with your struggle. Your courage to demand […]

Western Washington Carpenters Leading U.S. Working Class

By oaklandsocialist on September 16, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

Union carpenters in Western Washington are leading the American working class at this moment. They are not waiting for the official leadership to tell them what to do anymore. Instead, they are […]

Washington State Carpenters “Strike” Update

By oaklandsocialist on September 14, 2021 • ( 2 Comments )

Introduction: After having had four contract proposals/tentative agreements (TA’s) rejected by the membership, the leadership of the Western Washington Regional Council of Carpenters has been forced to call a strike. This is […]

Afghanistan and the Theory of Permanent/Uninterrupted Revolution: Making the General Concrete

By oaklandsocialist on September 13, 2021 • ( 2 Comments )

Introduction This is a transcribed version of an introduction to a discussion on Afghanistan and the theory of permanent, or uninterrupted, revolution. The main purpose of the discussion was to try to […]

Germany’s Upcoming Elections: A Writer Unsure How to Vote

By oaklandsocialist on September 10, 2021 • ( 3 Comments )

A writer in Germany describes the situation there and is uncertain how to vote: In Germany, elections for the Bundestag are coming up (a government and a chancellor are elected), and as […]

Video Interview Labor Day 2021: Rank & File Carpenters Oppose Cut-Rage Contract

By oaklandsocialist on September 5, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

Rank and file carpenters in Washington State are organizing a Labor Day rally as part of their campaign to stop a cut-rate contract that the union leadership, together with the contractors, are […]

Early History of Afghanistan and the Origins of the Taliban

By oaklandsocialist on September 3, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

Now that US troops have pulled out of Afghanistan, the US media will be putting that country in the rearview mirror at best. It will be moving on to the next sensationalist […]

Fight the Texas anti-abortion law in the streets!

By oaklandsocialist on September 2, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

The new law in Texas banning abortion is trying to give the US Supreme Court a sneaky way to allow that ban while pretending to avoid the issue. They are doing that […]

Video: Afghanistan protest opposes both Taliban & US

By oaklandsocialist on August 29, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

Here is the third protest of the last week by Afghani Americans in the SF Bay Area. As with the other two, this protest was demanding the US allow Afghan refugees come […]

A Dream Upon the Death of Louis Proyect

By oaklandsocialist on August 29, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

Dreams are like a good plum cobbler, mixing up all sorts of flavors – or emotions and thoughts – combining them in an unrecognizable way but with each ingredient also retaining its […]

Afghanistan, China and the Theory of Permanent/Uninterrupted Revolution

By oaklandsocialist on August 29, 2021 • ( 3 Comments )

by Cheryl Zuur I watched some bits of news/documentaries about Afghanistan on Youtube. Both of them followed a woman reporter (one from France News 24) into different parts of Afghanistan, including rural […]

Book Review: The Soviet Century

By oaklandsocialist on August 27, 2021 • ( 1 Comment )

Introduction, by Oaklandsocialist: It may seem to some, especially those of younger generations, that what happened in the Soviet Union is “yesterday’s news”. That is far from the truth. With “socialism” becoming […]

A Dream

By oaklandsocialist on August 26, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

First it was very simple: I dreamed I had a brand new (bright yellow) power cord that had developed numerous cracks in the insulation. I had no idea what had caused the […]

Video: Afghanistan Protest in Oakland

By oaklandsocialist on August 23, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

Consider what this young woman – the MC – is saying: “Even though we are immigrants, we are kind of settlers, we are not invited here by the indigenous people…. There’s a […]

Video: Afghanistan Protest in Fremont, CA

By oaklandsocialist on August 23, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

In order to understand the situation in Afghanistan, including who the Taliban is, we have to listen to the voices of Afghani people. Here is a video of a protest organized by […]

The Women of Afghanistan vs. the United States and the Taliban

By oaklandsocialist on August 19, 2021 • ( 7 Comments )

A theme is going around on the “left” that the fact that the Taliban “won” proves that they have popular support. One of the main “left” anti-war groups in the US – […]

Afghanistan from an Indian Perspective

By oaklandsocialist on August 17, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

by Rohini Hensman* in India We [in India] too protested against the US war on Afghanistan in writing and in demonstrations. The difference is that we had already been protesting and critiquing […]

Afghanistan: Some Preliminary Thoughts

By oaklandsocialist on August 15, 2021 • ( 1 Comment )

  With Afghani soldiers and police now reportedly stripping off their uniforms and abandoning their posts, and with (now former) President Ghani now reported as having fled the country, the former government […]

Trump’s Last Year in Office: A Book Review

By oaklandsocialist on August 11, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

With Trump now out of office for six months, it’s time to look back over what the Trump years meant, and especially his last year in office. A series of new “Trump” […]

Rich Trumka’s Greatest Condemnation of All

By oaklandsocialist on August 6, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

Yesterday, AFL-CIO president Rich Trumka died. Nobody who really cares about workers will mourn his death. But the greatest condemnation of Trumka came from Mark Milley, former Chairman of Joint Chiefs of […]

Covid Delta Variation: Facts, Fiction and Half-Truths

By oaklandsocialist on August 5, 2021 • ( 4 Comments )

It is vital for workers – and for socialists within the working class – to know and understand the actual facts on any important issue in order to combat the hysteria, myths, […]

British Labour Party Convulsed in Historic Crisis

By oaklandsocialist on August 1, 2021 • ( 6 Comments )

Roger Silverman reports from London   The British Labour Party is currently convulsed in a historic crisis. Founded 120 years ago as the political voice of the trade unions at a time […]

Solidaridad con la lucha obrera y popular en Irán

By oaklandsocialist on July 31, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

Traducida por mst-rd Compañeros trabajadores: Según los reportes que recibimos, Irán está experimentando un estallido de huelgas y protestas: más de 2.000 en los últimos 12 meses. Esto incluye una huelga nacional […]

January 6 Investigation: Only Scratching the Surface As Did Mueller Report?

By oaklandsocialist on July 30, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

“If a hit man is hired and he kills somebody, the hit man goes to jail. But not only does the hit man go to jail, but the person who hired them […]

Solidarity with the Struggle in Iran

By oaklandsocialist on July 29, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

Fellow workers: According to reports, Iran is experiencing an absolute outburst of strikes and protests – over 2,000 in the last 12 months. This includes a national strike of over 100,000 oil […]

Message to Trump Supporters, Science Deniers, Second Amendment’ers and Conspiracy Theorists

By oaklandsocialist on July 24, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

To all those Trump supporters, science denying anti-vaxxers, Second Amendment fanatics and conspiracy theorists who claim to love freedom: When have you ever walked on a picket line? When have you ever […]

Video: Iran Erupting in Protests

By oaklandsocialist on July 21, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

Here is a video of some recent protests throughout Iran. As Oaklandsocialist has pointed out, if a workers movement succeeds in bringing down the Mullahs in Iran, it will transform the entire […]

Colombia Update: “Veinte de Julio” (July 20th)

By oaklandsocialist on July 20, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

From Anthony Boynton in Bogotá Tomorrow is Veinte de Julio (July 20th), one of the three independence days celebrated here in Colombia. It is a legal holiday, and a day upon which […]

Support Iran Oil Workers!

By oaklandsocialist on July 18, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

Reprinted from Hekmatist.com Workers at gas, petrochemical and oil refineries have gone on strike across Iran over pay and conditions, health and safety, and social welfare. This is a national strike in […]

Book Review: “American Kompromat” by Craig Unger

By oaklandsocialist on July 16, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

US Fascism Rests on Two Pillars by Junius Review of Craig Unger: American Kompromat This latest book by Craig Unger is a follow up of his House of Trump House of Putin’ […]

Report From Myanmar: Deadly Covid Wave

By oaklandsocialist on July 14, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

Oaklandsocialist has received the following report from Myanmar about the deadly increase in Covid there: “Everyday I saw loads of posts about asking for help Oxygen tanks (needed) everywhere in Myanmar…. One […]

Interview: Simón Rodríguez on the Situation in Venezuela, Maduro’s “Bicentennial” and the Role of DSA and the International Left

By oaklandsocialist on July 12, 2021 • ( 1 Comment )

Here is an interview Oaklandsocialist did with Simón Rodríguez, a Venezuelan socialist. The first part of the interview covers the general situation in Venezuela. The second part, starting at 13:49 minutes, covers […]

Myanmar Solidarity Bulletin #2

By oaklandsocialist on July 8, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

Below is issue Number 2 of the Myanmar Solidarity Bulletin. Oaklandsocialist presents it with these thoughts in mind: With a young fresh industrial working class growing by leaps and bounds, Southeast Asia […]

Will January 6 Investigation Be Another Cover-Up?

By oaklandsocialist on July 4, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

This is an interesting video for several reasons: First, it gives the clear impression that a few organized groups (Proud Boys and Oath Keepers mainly) had specific plans to invade the Capitol […]

Attack on “Critical Race Theory”: Racism and McCarthyism

By oaklandsocialist on July 2, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

John Reimann: The Republican attack on so called critical race theory has to be seen in its context. Just in the last few days, the republican controlled US Supreme Court made two […]

Podcast: The Republican Attacks on So-Called “Critical Race Theory”

By oaklandsocialist on July 2, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

Pod cast. Video and transcript coming.

Why Surfside City Condo Collapsed: What The Engineers Are Saying

By oaklandsocialist on June 28, 2021 • ( 1 Comment )

It is still way to early to know for sure, but some things are starting to emerge as far as the possible reasons for the collapse of the condo tower (Champlain Tower […]

Voters Rights Bill: Who Gets To Vote? Who Gets To Count the Votes?

By oaklandsocialist on June 23, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

On a 50-50 vote along strict party lines, the US Senate has failed to override a Republican filibuster of the voting rights act. Every single Republican voted to keep the bill off […]

Myanmar Solidarity Bulletin

By oaklandsocialist on June 22, 2021 • ( 1 Comment )

The first edition of the Myanmar Solidarity Bulletin has just been published. Oaklandsocialist is proud to have been one of the participants. We urge readers to download the pdf and help distribute […]

“Myanmar’s Coming Revolution”

By oaklandsocialist on June 19, 2021 • ( 1 Comment )

The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) has published an important article on “Myanmar’s Coming Revolution”. This article is important if for no other reason than that the CFR is the most important […]

Book Review: “Working-Class Politics In The German Revolution”

By oaklandsocialist on June 17, 2021 • ( 2 Comments )

The German revolution of 1919 and the years that followed hold many fundamental lessons for today. That includes lessons for the general uprising of the Asian working class that may be developing […]

Report from Bogotá: Colombia at Turning Point?

By oaklandsocialist on June 9, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

Anthony Boynton reports from Bogotá, Colombia: Tomorrow (Wednesday June 9, 2021) could be a turning point for the mass movement that erupted here at the end of April and which has thrown […]

Organize to Stop Republican Threat!

By oaklandsocialist on May 31, 2021 • ( 1 Comment )

The Republican Party has been transformed into a real and serious threat, one that is much greater than anything we have seen in over 100 years. Because of the undemocratic nature of […]

Video: Multi-Ethnic Burma/Myanmar Solidarity Rally

By oaklandsocialist on May 30, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

On May 29, the Burmese community held a solidarity rally to unite all the different ethnic nationalities in Burma against the military junta. Here is a short video of that rally, featuring […]

Israel-Hamas Cease Fire and Black Lives Matter Movement

By oaklandsocialist on May 22, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

The Black Lives Matter movement can take credit for having forced Israel to back off, even if only partially and temporarily. It is an example of international solidarity in action which goes […]

Oakland A’s New Ballpark: Privatization, Job Losses and Gentrification

By oaklandsocialist on May 19, 2021 • ( 2 Comments )

Back in 2014, when the corporate-controlled Oakland Zoo was moving to destroy a large part of the beautiful open space Knowland Park, zoo spokesman Nick Dehajia explained that the project would “change […]

Video: S.F. Protests Israel’s War on Palestine

By oaklandsocialist on May 16, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

Colombia: 15 Consecutive Days of National Work Stoppage… and Counting!

By oaklandsocialist on May 13, 2021 • ( 1 Comment )

Anthony Boynton reports from Bogotá, Colombia, on the background to the mass protest movement that has broken out there. Also, at the end, we have received an update, dated May 15. As […]

Zoom Meeting: Discussion on stopping Republican threat

By oaklandsocialist on May 13, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

If Trump Mark I whipped up bigotry and denialism beyond anything seen in recent decades, if he did all he could to suppress democratic rights and to open up the environment to […]

“Covid Catastrophe”: Capitalism Unable to Overcome India’s Feudal and Colonial Heritage

By oaklandsocialist on May 5, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

India today: where the unimaginable actually exists through a human society near total collapse. As Indian commentator and activist Arundhati Roy put it: “The system hasn’t collapsed…. What we are witnessing is […]

The US Civil War and Reconstruction: A Zoom Meeting

By oaklandsocialist on May 3, 2021 • ( 2 Comments )

The US Civil War and Reconstruction Presented by Irene Kellogg Irene writes: The Civil War and the Reconstruction Period were the most powerful periods of American history. Four million slaves liberated themselves […]

America: In Remission Before Cancer Returns?

By oaklandsocialist on April 29, 2021 • ( 1 Comment )

Are we in an interregnum, a pause before we plunge into the abyss? Is the Joe Biden presidency just a temporary respite, the lull before the storm? In the pre-Trump era such […]

News of Week Ending April 24

By oaklandsocialist on April 25, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

The ending of the Derek Chauvin trial means that this will be the last week where that holds “first place” as a separate category in this week’s news summary. Police, Derek Chauvin […]

Video: Milk Tea Alliance Protest in San Francisco

By oaklandsocialist on April 25, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

Video of April 24 Milk Tea Alliance protest in San Francisco. Also see Oaklandsocialist articles: Myanmar in Struggle: Workers of the World Unite! and: General Strike in Myanmar: Don’t Forget the Rohingya! […]

Oaklandsocialist Zoom Meeting: Dealing with the Cops

By oaklandsocialist on April 22, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

The conviction of Derek Chauvin is worthy of celebration. It also shows the capitalist class’s desire to rein in police, but that threatens to open up a huge crisis as the cops […]

Chauvin Convicted; Crisis Remains

By oaklandsocialist on April 21, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

Crisis looms as capitalists struggle to rein in police.   It certainly was a beautiful sight: Derek Chauvin being led away with his hands cuffed behind his back, and millions celebrated it […]

News of Week Ending April 17

By oaklandsocialist on April 18, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

For me, this last week was dominated by watching the Chauvin trial, and working on Burma/Myanmar solidarity and finally getting into shape the interview/discussion with Kieran Knutson and Cheryl Zuur. (See main […]

Video: Interview with Kieran Frazier Knutson, CWA #7250 president, Part 2

By oaklandsocialist on April 15, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

In the second half of this interview with CWA Local 7250 president Kieran Kieran Frazier Knutson​, we focused on labor’s political role. As the Derek Chauvin trial was ongoing at the time, […]

Video: Interview with CWA Local 7250 President Kieran Knutson

By oaklandsocialist on April 13, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

This is the first part of a two part interview with recently elected president of CWA Local 7250, Kieran Frazier Knutson​. In this first part, Kieran mainly discusses how he sees his […]

News of Week: Week ending April 11

By oaklandsocialist on April 12, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

Here are some comments on the Derek Chauvin trial as it was unfolding plus comments on some other news, for the week ending April 11. Where I have included a few comments […]

Zoom Meeting: Burma/Myanmar Update

By oaklandsocialist on April 11, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

  Also see Oaklandsocialist’s articles: Myanmar in Struggle: Workers of the World, Unite! General Strike in Myanmar: Don’t Forget the Rohingya!

Why Amazon Workers Voted Down a Union and What Can Be Done

By oaklandsocialist on April 10, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

What is happening here that workers in the Amazon distribution center in Bessemer Alabama voted down the union by almost 2-1? It’s not that unions in general are unpopular. On the contrary, […]

Zoom Meeting: Follow-up Discussion on Myanmar

By oaklandsocialist on April 7, 2021 • ( 1 Comment )

Zoom Meeting Saturday, April 10, 9:00 a.m. Pacific Coast Time:  What are the latest developments in the movement in Myanmar, what are some of the problems and complications, and how can we […]

Video: Oaklandsocialist speaks at free Burma rally in San Francisco

By oaklandsocialist on April 4, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

Oaklandsocialist spoke at this Free Burma rally in San Francisco. We drew the links between the struggle in Burma/Myanmar, the global struggles for democratic rights, and the struggle here in the United […]

News of the Week

By oaklandsocialist on April 3, 2021 • ( 2 Comments )

Note: Oaklandsocialist will try to have a regular weekly article with comments on events of the previous week. Last week, all the stars aligned to focus attention on the trial of Derek […]

Zoom Meeting: The Derek Chauvin Trial; Remember George Floyd!

By oaklandsocialist on March 31, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

Zoom Meeting The Derek Chauvin Trial: Remember George Floyd! Hear a first hand report from Linda Mann in Minneapolis on the Derek Chauvin trial. Linda will discuss last year’s uprising and the […]