Israeli anti-apartheid and BDS activist Ofer Neiman discusses: Is Israel boxed into a corner militarily in Gaza? The special role that Gaza City plays in Gaza itself and how that relates to […]
Oaklandsocialist interviewed Zachary Lockman, author of the book “Comrades and Enemies”. This important book reviews relations between Arab and Jewish workers in Palestine, starting in the 1920’s. Video of interview is below, […]
Last night (Nov. 27) Oakland City Council had an “emergency” meeting to consider a resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. About 3-400 people turned out, and many of them spoke. The […]
Yes, nowadays enjoying nature is totally political. Plus, we all need a little beauty and pleasure in our lives. Here’s an important part of how we get ours.
I was one of the founding members of the Ukraine Socialist Solidarity Campaign. Here is a presentation I made about our group’s past, present and future. It includes the method I believe […]
Short video/slideshow: We need to think through what is the long term resolution to ending Zionist oppression. It seems to me that it must be on a regional basis and that the […]
by Yorgos Mitralias While the operation to exterminate and ethnically cleanse the Palestinians in Gaza has – quite rightly – monopolized the world’s attention for weeks, little or no attention is being […]
This is part 2 of Oaklandsocialist’s slideshow presentation of our pamphlet on the rise of Zionism and the founding of the State of Israel. This part will examine the role of “labor […]
Sometimes I write articles that are fantasies. This is not one of them. This is a report of what somebody actually told me about a conversation she had with a couple of […]
I had a conversation with a young friend yesterday. He had been active in Occupy Oakland and was agreeing with me that things today were totally unpredictable back then. “If somebody in […]
Oaklandsocialist John Reimann was interviewed by well known DJ Davey D on KPFA’s Hard Knock Radio. Listen to it here.
Biden & Democrats Trump and Republicans Alternative to both & learning from Vietnam War protests Building a working class alternative to both capitalist parties It is not enough for this new movement […]
It’s difficult to know where to even start. There is so much to say about yesterday’s San Francisco protest against Israel and Biden’s support for their war crimes. The photos below hopefully […]
I’m making my pamphlet, The New Apartheid: The rise of Zionism and the founding of the state of Israel, into a slideshow. Here’s part one:
Introduction: A new movement is developing. This movement is different from previous ones like the protests against the US invasion of Iraq in that it takes place as youth are facing a […]
“The Democratic Party’s yearslong unity behind President Biden is beginning to erode over his steadfast support of Israel in its escalating war with the Palestinians, with a left-leaning coalition of young voters […]
QAnon Republicans take over the House of Representatives. US capitalist class losing control. Democratic Party, including its “progressive” wing, trying to board a train that’s long left the station, both regarding Republicans […]
Palestine & Ukraine: Unite the Struggles A Zoom forum presented by Ukraine Socialist Solidarity Campaign Sunday, October 29, 2023 9AM PST / 12PM EST To register for this forum, […]
By Yorgos Mitralias Of course, at the root of the creation and perpetuation of the Middle East tragedy lies the founding of the State of Israel as an exclusively Jewish state, and […]
Question: Does it matter who actually fired the rocket that killed hundreds at the al Ahli Hospital in Gaza? Answer: Yes it matters because if it can be established that it was […]
Statement of the Ukraine Socialist Solidarity Campaign We stand with the Palestinian people The Ukraine Socialist Solidarity Campaign was formed to build support for Ukraine’s fight against Russia’s imperialist invasion. However, we […]
Joe Biden came into office based on appeals to return to a day gone by. He pledged to restore the “soul of America”. He pledged a return to “bipartisanship”, meaning collaborating with […]
While we were visiting Flensburg in northern Germany, we joined a protest about Gaza. Below are a couple of photos plus a video.
Interview with Cheryl Zuur, co-chair of the Ukraine Socialist Solidarity Campaign, about a “peace” award being given to neoliberal, privatizing and Putin apologizing economist Jeffrey Sachs.
by Yorgos Mitralias More than at any time in the 75 years of the State of Israel’s existence, these days we have witnessed the spectacular yet tragic collapse of the Zionist movement’s great […]
Below is a collection of comments of mine on Facebook (and one email) on the unfolding disaster/Israeli war crimes in Israel/Palestine. Oct. 13 I just watched a news clip from BBC showing […]
Ofer Neiman is an Israeli socialist and Palestinian rights, anti apartheid activist. In this interview he discusses the present crisis and some of its background What were the conditions, what was the situation, […]
Just when Biden (and Trump before him), Netanyahu and bin Salman thought they had the entire Palestinian population well under control, Israel and the world received a shock of as great magnitude […]
It took nearly a week and a mere 15 tries for Kevin McCarthy to secure his lifelong dream of becoming House Speaker. But this didn’t come close to the record, which […]
The chaos in the US House of Representatives will have immediate effects at home and longer term domestic and global effects. This crisis is an example of the crisis of U.S. politics […]
Last week was one helluva week, a week in which: The federal government came within hours of shutting down entirely, due to the machinations of the QAnon Republicans whose goal, as the […]
By Bill Weinberg Transcript from CounterVortex podcast of Sept. 23 Oaklandsocialist publishes another transcript of a podcast of Bill Weinberg. If you find value in these articles, we urge readers to subscribe to Bill’s […]
Little did anybody expect that one more teensy tiny government shutdown would have the effect that it did, but when House Speaker Kevin McCarthy… Well, let’s back up a bit: Back last […]
Last Sunday (Sept. 17) a forum was held on how socialists should orient towards the 2024 elections. I was one of the panelists. The following is what I presented, followed by some […]
Save the Date! September 24th 11:00 AM PDT/2:00 PM EDT Socialists and the 2024 Elections in the USA An online forum brought to you by the Marxmail.world List Register Here The Marxism […]
Last Wednesday, the QAnon controlled House Judiciary Committee quizzed Attorney General Merrick Garland. That hearing was important if for no other reason than that it gives us a taste of what the […]
by Yorgos Mitralias As Greek Prime Minister Mitsotakis invokes – for the umpteenth time – the climate crisis as an alibi to mask his responsibility for the successive natural disasters that have […]
“I cannot speak, so I listen very well. I never interrupt, I never deflect the course of the conversation with a comment of my own. People, if you pay attention to them, […]
by Ilya Matveev Sections of the Western left have developed a narrative according to which Russia has been gradually surrounded by NATO and that supposedly “provoked” Putin. It’s increasingly difficult to sustain […]
Here is an interview with South African socialist, scholar and working class fighter Trevor Ngwane. Among other things, Trevor discusses: his own history of struggle, the role of the ANC and […]
Today marks the 50th anniversary of “another” 9-11. That is, the anniversary of the coup in Chile that overthrew the socialist president Salvador Allende. That coup was led by General Augusto Pinochet, […]
Like a “weather disturbance” gathering strength as it moves across the Atlantic, the criminal charges surrounding Trump are gathering force and seem likely to end up in a full scale crisis. If […]
By John Reimann, administrator of Oaklandsocialist. This article originally appeared on the web site of the British group Ukraine Solidarity Campaign. Oaklandsocialist thanks them for publishing it. Ukraine may be on the […]
by Bill Weinberg Note: Here is another transcript from Bill Weinberg’s “Countervortex” podcast. These podcasts are part of Bill’s livelihood. Even if you prefer to only read material online, we urge you […]
Oaklandsocialist interviewed Ofer Neiman again. (See first interview here.) Ofer is an Israeli socialist and Palestinian rights, anti apartheid activist. In this interview we discuss: The present situation in Israel The […]
Today, for your viewing pleasure, oaklandsocialist brings you the latest developments in the case of the Trump indictments;
I watched a little more than half the Republican monster parade, I mean debate, last night. (I couldn’t take much more than that.) Here are a couple of impressions: First was the […]
Introduction The method of capitalist rule in the United States is shaking. It is not shaking because of a clash between the classes. It is shaking because of a crisis at the […]
By Charles Pierson World food prices soared after Russia imposed a naval blockade on Ukraine following its February 24, 2022 invasion. The blockade has prevented grain and other foodstuffs from leaving Ukrainian […]
Introduction The role of multi-millionaire capitalist Neville “Roy” Singham in financing much of the “left” has been publicized by the recent article on him in the NY Times. However, that article is […]
By Bill Weinberg Transcript from CounterVortex podcast of Aug. 12. In this episode, we’re going to take a look at the situation in the West African nation of Niger, where a coup […]
Introduction Donald Trump represents something entirely new in US politics. Because what he represents is so different from what we had over the past 150 years, many people, ironically including most socialists, […]
By Pete Glosser Justifiable fear about the next election cycle has begun circling like the medieval Beasts of Battle as we confront the very real probability that 1) the republican party will […]
Had anybody predicted just ten years ago (2013) that: Donald Trump would be elected president and then would remain largely out of the control of any sector of the US capitalist class; […]
Israel’s political crisis has many aspects, some of which are unique to Israel and some of which the world has in comon. Here, Oaklandsocialist interviews Ofer Neiman, long time Palestinian rights activist […]
According to Casey Michel (American Kleptocracy) the US is “the largest provider of money laundering and financial secrecy services in the world…. The world of the ‘offshore [money laundering haven] has been […]
by Anthony Boynton Why are cluster munitions immoral? Because a bunch of governments have signed a treaty banning their use? Because civilians, especially children have been killed and wounded by cluster munitions? […]
What are the facts regarding Biden’s decision to send cluster bombs to Ukraine and what is the reason for many countries having signed a treaty saying they won’t use cluster bombs? A […]
Today’s Wall St. Journal carries an article that once more raises the issue of money laundering, but unintentionally. An LLC called Flannery Associates has purchased $1 billion worth of land around a […]
The Putin regime is preparing to engage in nuclear terrorism. In my view, here is the military background: Over the winter and early spring, the Putin regime put its seizure of Bakhmut […]
I came of age during the US war against Vietnam. I marched in protests against that war and helped organize some anti-war events. At the same time, I was highly influenced by […]
On June 21, Ukraine’s head of military intelligence, Kyrylo Budanov, warned that Russia had mined the cooling pools of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. Equally ominously, on June 30 the Guardian […]
By Yorgos Mitralias The coincidence is terribly eloquent: On the same day, Wednesday June 21, 2023, almost at the same time, Macron and Putin declared war on all those who take the […]
Contrary to what is being reported, the Republican controlled US Supreme Court has not prohibited affirmative action. It has only prohibited affirmative action that does not benefit white people. For example, the […]
WSWS (and probably others on the Putinized “left”) argues that Prigozhin’s revolt was part of a US plot to break up Russia. Completely aside from the fact that there is not a […]
Even more than thoughts, there are questions and suspicions about Prigozhin’s rebellion. Putin has maintained his stranglehold on power in Russia through keeping potential rivals off balance and fighting each other. At […]
Workers in the U.S, Ukraine and around the world should consider the significance of Biden’s latest diplomatic maneuvers. This week, he welcomed Indian president Narendra Modi to the White House with this […]
After days of breathless and nonstop reporting, the news is that Oceangate’s “Titan” apparently imploded as it descended. There is a political significance to this beyond the fact that millions have been […]
The vacuum in US politics is reflected inside both of the two main parties. In the Democrats it is reflected in the extreme weakness of Biden. A February poll showed that only […]
With the Ukrainian counteroffensive now starting, we should get a human face behind who the Ukrainian soldiers are. Oleg is one of those faces. He was interviewed by a Ukrainian-speaking American friend […]
by Yorgos Mitralias (Introduction by Oaklandsocialist: Readers of this article will note Berlusconi’s similarities with Donald Trump. In fact, just one day after his death, the NY Times published an obituary for Berlusconi […]
Why is the Wall St. Journal editorial board defendingTrump? After all, the indictment makes clear that Trump is a “clear and present danger” to the security of U.S. capital, to which the […]
This is the third and last segment of our interview with Denys Pilash. In a way, it’s the most important, because we get to an idea for a joint campaign. That is […]
Video of second part of three part interview with Denys Pilash. Transcript is below video. Part One of the interview is here. Part three will follow. John Reimann Here’s the second […]
If it wasn’t enough that a crooked, reality TV star could emerge from the pack and take down the anointed Republican presidential nominee (Jeb Bush) in 2016… If it wasn’t enough that […]
Video of interview with Denys Pilash of Ukraine’s Social Movement. Transcript of interview is below. John Reimann Oakland socialists had the opportunity to talk with Denys Pilash of Ukraine’s Sotsialny Rukh or […]
Ukrainian trade unions statement on Kakhovka HPP explosion and an environmental disaster in Ukraine (See original link here) The Independent Trade Union of Miners of Ukraine with other the Ukrainian affiliates of […]
Medea Benjamin and Nicholas Davies are at it again. They have jointly published an article in Commondreams calling for “negotiations” over Ukraine, by which they mean over the heads of the […]
I recently was sent a copy of an email about the war in Ukraine. It was from some South African trade unionists. In it they repeat all the same old falsehoods […]
The California Faculty Association at Sonoma State university has passed this resolution in support of Ukraine’s right to arm and defend itself. The resolution was developed by the Ukraine Socialist Solidarity Campaign. […]
There is a lesson we can learn from CNN’s “town hall” meeting with Trump On May 10th. The lesson involves how we deal with proven serial liars, of which Trump and the […]
The most recent polls must be very worrying to the Democrats. They show that 58% of “Democratic leaning” voters (an absolutely key demographic) want somebody other than Biden as the Democratic […]
Introduction by Oaklandsocialist: I recently talked with a worker in Arkansas. We were talking about all sorts of things – retirement, pension plans, unions… He had heard nothing about these enormous […]
Ilya Budraitskis is a Russian socialist and a refugee from that country. He talked with the Ukraine Socialist Solidarity Campaign recently on the issue of whether Russia is fascist. He raised many […]
The Oakland A’s have officially given up on getting ahold of acres of public land of the Port of Oakland and are moving to Las Vegas. I am proud that I was […]
Today, on International Workers Day, and in the days that follow, we should assess the state of affairs within our class. We do ourselves and our class no favors by dressing this […]
Biden may be on his way towards winning a clear majority in 2024, but the fascist-connected Republicans are not resigned to their “fate”. What legal covers could they use to overturn an […]
I attended this interesting meeting/presentation by Russian refugees Ilya Budraitskis and Ilya Matveev. Important issues were raised, but on one issue there is a serious question. But first a summary: The […]
Introduction Throughout the world, from Russia, to India, to Brazil to the United States, the idea of returning to ancient traditions forms a basic part of the global extreme right and fascist […]
Socialists and other leftists in the US have always played an important role in helping build the unions and build other working class organizations. Today, socialists are more or less […]
On the same day that Trump was formally arrested in New York City, a liberal Democrat won the election to the Wisconsin Supreme Court and another beat his conservative, croporate oriented rival […]
By Michael Pröbsting Originally published on Links.org Politicians of Western governments never tire of asserting that aid from the US and EU for Ukraine is “unprecedented”. Supporters of Russian president Vladimir […]
On April 2, the Ukraine Socialist Solidarity Campaign had a zoom discussion with Olexandr Skyba, a leading member of the railroad workers union in Ukraine, and a fellow railroad worker of his. […]
Trump seemed positively enthusiastic about his being indicted by Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg. At home and alone with Melania (who in general avoided like the plague having to spend alone time with […]
France: May 1968 – March 2023! by Yorgos Mitralias At a time when those who declare, even among the French elites (!), that we are witnessing the emergence of a “new May 68” […]
The walls are closing in on the former president of the United States and millions of Americans are up in arms about it. For many of them, “up in arms” is […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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, […]
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 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 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. […]
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 […]
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 […]
United rally marking the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. A real step forward towards Freedom Fighters of the World United.
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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, […]
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! […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 – […]
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 […]
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, […]
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 […]
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 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 […]
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 […]
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,” […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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, […]
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:
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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. […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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, […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
“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 […]
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 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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 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 […]
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 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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 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 […]
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 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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
“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 […]
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 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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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:
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
“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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
“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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
“‘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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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” […]
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 […]
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 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 […]
“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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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. […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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: […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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, […]
We had a little literature table and talked with visitors to the Hayward Farmers Market this morning. Here are a few photos.
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 […]
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 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 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 […]
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 […]
audio of interview with labor activist Vitaly Dudin in Ukraine. Full interview including text coming soon. Here this post on our podcast.
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 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? […]
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, […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
We spoke briefly with Ukrainian writer Andrey Kurkov, who is located in Kyiv. Here is his report on the situation there at this moment:
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 […]
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 […]
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?” asks John Clarke in Canada. He answers his own question: The ability of a group of blatant fascists to […]
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’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 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 […]
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 […]
“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]”. […]
My long time friends, Marie McKenzie and Gregory Dunston, talk about homelessness in Oakland, including how churches are making money off the situation.
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 […]
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 […]
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: […]
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 […]
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 […]
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. […]
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: […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
(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, 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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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. […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 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 […]
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 […]
