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 […]
Rand and file carpenters and Kshama Sawant confront union bureaucrats
Carpenters take matter into own hands
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
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)
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!”
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
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 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
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
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
Cheryl Zuur, Former Union President: “Solidarity With Rank-and-File Carpenters”
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
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
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
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
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
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
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!
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
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
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 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
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
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
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
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
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 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
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
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
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
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
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
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?
“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
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
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
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)
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!
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
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
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
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
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?
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
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”
Pod cast. Video and transcript coming.
Why Surfside City Condo Collapsed: What The Engineers Are Saying
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?
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
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”
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”
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?
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!
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
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
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
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
Colombia: 15 Consecutive Days of National Work Stoppage… and Counting!
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
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
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
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?
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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!
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 […]
What Next After Georgia Passes First Voter Suppression Law?
President Trump may be out of office, but his drive to eliminate (capitalist) democracy is not. It has just taken a new route: Vastly increased voter suppression. So far, over 250 voter […]
Oaklandsocialist Zoom Meeting: Myanmar in Struggle
Zoom meeting: Myanmar in struggle A huge movement against the military coup continues in Myanmar. The army there, which previously carried out atrocities against the Rohingya people, is now using similar methods […]
Misogynist Murderer Having a “Really Bad Day”
Myanmar in Struggle: Workers of the World Unite!
183 killed, 74 last Sunday, March 14, alone. 2,175 reported arrested, many facing charges that could mean execution. Yet tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, maybe millions continue to pour onto the […]
WIN Zoom meeting this Sunday: perspectives for USA
PERSPECTIVES FOR THE USA A Workers’ International Network meeting introduced by John Reimann (Oakland Socialist) and Tia Kurtisnger-Edison (Kentucky Alliance) The USA has entered a period of turmoil and instability. What […]
Discussion on British Labour Party
Here is a recording of the Zoom meeting we announced, the discussion on what is happening in the British Labour Party. Presenters were Tina Werkmann, Pam Bromley and John Dunn. The discussion […]
Podcast: Discussion on British Labour Party
Here is a podcast of the discussion on the British Labour Party.
Oaklandsocialist Zoom Meeting
Zoom meeting Saturday, March 6 What is happening with the British Labour Party? When left wing Jeremy Corbyn won the leadership of Britain’s Labour Party, millions of workers and young people were […]
The Murder of Fred Hampton
Here is a documentary of Fred Hampton in his own words, unedited and revolutionary. The second half is a documentary investigation of his murder. Overall, this video not only shows the fearless […]
Eyewitness in Xinjiang
(Recently there has been denials on the left of reports of repression of the Uyghur people in Xinjiang Province in China. Here, Aaron Ruby, an avowed communist, who visited Xinjiang Province […]
My Deep State Hearing Aids Overhear Another Conversation
I wrote once before about these weird deep state hearing aids that I got. As I noted then, if truth is stranger than fiction sometimes, then fiction can be truer than truth. With […]
What an Oaklandsocialist For Mayor in 2022 Campaign Could Accomplish
A political vacuum of unprecedented proportions has opened up in the United States. Not since the US Civil War has the US capitalist class faced such a political crisis. It spent four […]
General Strike in Myanmar: Don’t Forget the Rohingya!
They poured out onto the streets in the millions. They have brought the country to a virtual standstill. This is Myanmar today – workers, youth, small business people, opposing the military coup […]
Mogadishu Police Open Fire on Protesters
Police open fire on protesters in Mogadishu by Mohamed Abdi Nour General Secretary, Somali Public Trade Union Gunfire erupted in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, Friday morning after security forces cut off a […]
Republicans Declare War on Black and Latino Voters
Republican Party Declares War on Black & Latino Voters Union Activists Can Organize to Stop Them The Republican Party has declared war on black and Latino voters. That is what happened when […]
Trump on Trial: The Prosecution Presents Their Case
On the second day of the senate trial for Trump’s second impeachment, Democratic impeachment managers showed chilling video of the marauding mob rushing through the Capitol building, looking for various politicians. At […]
What Lead Up to January 6 and Some Lessons for the Future
As the impeachment hearings approach, it pays to look back at the what lead up to the January 6 lynch mob/coup attempt and what lessons can be learned. An article in the […]
Belden “Noonie Man” Batiste runs for congress
The lack of a mass working class party in the US is the key to the crisis workers are facing. If and when that starts to build, that will transform US and […]
“Jail Killer Cops”: A Talk by Brian Taylor
Brian Taylor is the author of the article ” PROSECUTE and JAIL KILLER COPS! A Tale of Mis-leadership: Why ‘Black Lives Matter: Cincinnati’ Changed Its Name” Here he explains this issue. We […]
Marxists must recognize a changed situation: We are not a religion.
Marxism is so marginalized that it is just a drop in the ocean of the wider working class. Because of this, we tend all too often to just think only of ourselves […]
Discussion with We Can’t Wait New Orleans on Biden Covid Relief Plan
We Can’t Wait New Orleans was one of the only groups in the US to hold a rally demanding real economic relief. Here is a video of a discussion they organized around […]
The Next Two Years? If You Think You Know, Then You REALLY Don’t Know!
Although things are very much in flux, the dim outlines for the next two years are starting to emerge from the mist. Executive Orders Whatever the reason, Biden’s Covid relief proposal goes a […]
Oaklandsocialist speaking at an anti-fascist rally
My speech at an anti-fascist rally earlier today. One of the groups that was a main organizer is a group that supports Assad, so I had to speak on that issue, among […]
Biden’s Covid Relief Plan: Not Just Neoliberal “Austerity”
Senator Everett Dirkson once said “You take a billion here, a billion there, and pretty soon you come up with serious money.” So, what in the world has come over Joe Biden? […]
Crisis of Republican Party Is Crisis of US Capitalist Rule
For 150 years the US capitalist class has ruled through alternating the power between one of its two parties. The secondary differences in their roles helped assure the stability of that system […]
Somali Public Trade Union Sends Message of Solidarity
We have received the following message of solidarity from the Somali Public Trade Union. Such solidarity is what is needed. In sending this message, the SPTU is setting an example for the […]
The Next Twelve Days (and Beyond)
What will happen over the next 13 days is not a slam dunk. Trump is on the retreat as he has never been before. Even some Republicans are talking about impeachment or […]
The DC Riot: Lessons and Perspectives
In Munich Germany in 1923, Adolph Hitler instituted the “Beer Hall Putsch”. This attempted coup was a total failure as far as seizing power and it resulted in Hitler’s arrest. After a […]
The Next Four Years: More Reality TV
A couple of off-the-cuff thoughts on the state of affairs in US politics: (As this is being written, there are reports of a minimum of 30,000 Trump hysterics and various bigots gathering […]
My Deep State Hearing Aids
Introduction: Nowadays truth is stranger than fiction and fiction is truer than truth. Keeping that in mind… I got a set of hearing aids the other day, but I think the hearing […]
Call to Action for January 20
Sisters and Brothers, we hope you as an individual and/or your political group or union will sign onto this call: Call to Action The Covid relief bill passed by the Democrats and […]
Hedge of Insanity
From John Dunn in Britain, who is starting off the new year right I did my best to have a good Christmas, as I always enjoy commemorating the birth of an imaginary […]
Remember George Stinney, James Taylor, Tamir Rice, Breonna Taylor….
As 2020 comes to a close, two old stories are put to rest. Or so the cops and capitalist politicians hope. Those are the stories of Tamir Rice and Breonna Taylor. Tamir […]
A “Revolting” Christmas Poem
Twas the week before Christmas and all through the hood, A man was walking who meant no good. He was posting a note on many a door, Telling the folks they would […]
The $2000 vs. the Real Issue
Pay close attention to the “debate” on the Senate floor over whether that body will take up the one time only $2000 payment. It’s a reminder that those who control the agenda […]
Trump Going off Rails: Danger (and Possibilities) Ahead
A long time comrade of mine in Britain was comparing Boris Johnson to Trump. “Johnson’s less grotesque, but he’s also completely incompetent, unprincipled and narcissistic,” he wrote. After a bit of back […]
Oaklandsocialist interviews Leda Victoria, Candidate for House of Deputies in Mexico
Oaklandsocialist interviewed Leda Victoria, revolutionary socialist, feminist and member of MAS (Movement Towards Socialism) in Mexico. She discusses her candidacy as part of an Anticapitalist United Front that is preparing to run […]
Video: 100 Faces of Human Solidarity
History matters, whether it is the history of 10 years ago or one hundred . That is especially true for the process of revolution and counter revolution. If we completely misunderstand those […]
The Covid 19 Vaccines: What They Can and Cannot Do
A recent article in the NY Times plus some articles by scientist Dale W. Harrison help us understand what the three new Covid-19 vaccines apparently can and cannot do. Sterilizing vs. Disease […]
The Role of Money in Politics
by Michael Frank Primaries in American politics have often been referred to as “money primaries,” meaning that big money determines who the final candidates are. Those candidates who fall behind their competitors […]
Supreme Court and US Military: Saviors of “Our Democracy”?
The capitalist talking heads are celebrating. “It’s been five weeks now, and the institutions of our democracy held against this onslaught,” said constitutional lawyer Ben Ginsburg on CNN on Friday night. “Our […]
Congressional Republicans Walk Out on President Biden
Oaklandsocialist launches its powerful new Marxist time machine to bring you this news report from February, 2021: Congressional Republicans walk out as President Biden addresses joint session of congress February 30, 2021 […]
Book Review: “Dead Epidemiologists” by Rob Wallace
(By John Reimann, Oaklandsocialist administrator and reprinted from Left Voice.) There is currently a record 90,000 hospitalized with Covid-19, and over a quarter of a million people in the United States have […]
Assassination of Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh: Israel the Likely Culprit
The assassination of the Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh was almost certainly carried out by Israel. Nor is it likely to be any coincidence that they did it before Trump leaves office […]
Hunger in America: Where Are the Protests?
Not just food “insecurity”, but absolute hunger is stalking America. A community food bank in Rhode Island reports a 26% increase in those seeking assistance and they estimate that one in four […]
A Reading list
A friend and comrade of mine has been urging me to put together a bibliography of some of the books I have in my “library”. Here it is. I have put in […]
New Vaccine both Welcome and Ominous
The news of this new method of producing vaccines may be just as ominous as it is welcome. Of course, we welcome a vaccine that can provide protection against Covid 19. But […]
The Post-Trump Era: Program and Perspectives for the Workers’ Struggle
Every thinking worker, every worker who cares about other people (or the planet), every worker who understands the need for working class solidarity will be breathing a sigh of relief that Trump […]
Zoom Meeting Saturday, November 14
Just when we thought things were settling down in the US, Trump has provoked a new crisis with his refusal to accept the election results. What does this crisis tell us about […]
US Election Aftermath: Peering Beneath the Surface of the “Smooth Transition” Crisis
In refusing to accept the verdict of 75 million voters, Donald Trump and his Trump-owned and operated Republican Party (Team Trump) may be sowing immediate confusion. They may be creating further conditions […]
What Really Made Martin Luther King and Malcolm X Great
Thought for the day: The two greatest prominent leaders of the last 75 years were Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. What made them great was their willingness and ability to […]
President Joe Biden: “The Dog that Caught the Car”
The coming removal of Bigot-in-Chief DonaldTrump from the White House was met with dancing in the street across the country. Rightfully so. However, we should also keep this exchange in mind: “You’re […]
US Elections: Preliminary Results
Watching the election results, and like the overwhelming majority of thinking workers, yes, I do hope that Trump loses. That is starting to look like it is more possible and it’s turning […]
Zoom Meeting on Wednesday
Stop Trump! Stop Trumpism!
The police pepper spraying of the marchers in N. Carolina who were marching to support Black Lives Matter… The Trump vigilante car caravan interference with the Biden campaign bus in Texas… Trump’s […]
Why I voted for the “lesser evil” – AKA Joe Biden – this time
After 50 years of never voting for any “lesser evil” Democrat, I voted for Joe Biden the other day. I waited for weeks to fill in the little circle by his name. […]
The Elections, A “Batshit Crazy” President and the US Capitalist Class
Oaklandsocialist has been mistaken. We have said for several years that Trump is out of the control of the mainstream of the US capitalist class. No. He is out of the control […]
Interview with Joe Burns
Oaklandsocialist interviewed Joe Burns, author of Reviving the Strike and Strike Back. Joe is the head of bargaining for the Association of Flight Attendants. The main thesis of both books is that […]
The hour is late, but not too late
Eric Blanc, one of the leaders of DSA, has published an article urging DSA to campaign for Biden. His point is that this time it’s different (which is also the title of an […]
Oaklandsocialist on New Jersey Revolution Radio
Oaklandsocialist was interviewed recently on New Jersey Revolution Radio. The whole show is interesting, but my part starts at 37:20 in.
Supreme Court, the Second Amendment and the Real History of the US Constitution
The elevation of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court and the fact that that court will now have five Trump thinkalikes; the role of the armed and dangerous “militias” and […]
A Few Thoughts on the Second Biden-Trump Debate
CNN reported an interesting result regarding last night’s Biden/Trump debate: One reporter of theirs watched the debate with ten “undecided” voters in North Carolina. As a result of the debate none of […]
Sara Nelson: The 21st Century’s John L. Lewis?
In 1935, John L. Lewis, president of the coal miners union, famously punched right wing president of the Carpenters, Bill Hutchenson, in the jaw, walked out of the AFL, and formed the […]
US Elections: Some Background and Perspectives
It now seems increasingly likely that Trump will be gone come January 20. In order to understand where we might be headed, we have to consider what Trump represents. We are in […]
Kamala Harris debates Mike Pence
Here’s my talking heads, political junkie analysis of last night’s debate between Pence and Harris: I think the Democrats’ strategy during last night’s debate was simply “don’t screw up.” In other words, […]
Kieran Knutson & Cliff Willmeng: Two fighters run for union office
Kieran Knutson and Cliff Willmeng are long time fighters for working class people and all the oppressed. They are also anti-capitalists who both live in Minneapolis and are running for […]
Donald Trump: Different from Previous Republican Presidents
The news of Trump’s testing positive for Covid 19 has largely overridden discussion of his bullying behavior during the debate with Biden. This positive test is no accident. By continually engaging in […]
BLM leader gives cover to Proud Boys
Equating the Proud Boys with white supremacy has some serious limitations. That’s because they actually have black members and they don’t campaign against black people per se. Despite their denials, however, they […]
Labor vs. Fascists
U.S. Elections: Is a “Shitstorm” Coming?
An article from Atlantic magazine is drawing considerable notice. The publishers considered the article so important that they published the October issue of their magazine (which contains the article) before its scheduled publication […]
“Why Won’t AFL-CIO Call a General Strike?”
The current issue of the popular “left” magazine Jacobin has an article Why Won’t the US’s Largest Labor Federation Talk About a General Strike? But the author doesn’t even ask a lot “smaller” […]
Ruth Bader Ginsburg dies: What comes next?
The death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg will probably decisively end an entire era in the role of the US Supreme Court and how it is seen by the great majority of Americans. […]
Video: Social Democracy in Denmark
It’s important for workers to understand the history of social democracy, known as “democratic socialism” in the US. Like elsewhere in Europe, in Denmark it arose as part of the working class […]
Video: “Feels like the end of the world”
It was dark and eerie all day as smoke from wildfires all the way from upper Washington down through Oregon and Northern California hovered over Oakland. A young woman told me “it […]
I want to leave California
I want to leave California. In 1969, when I first arrived in this state, already much of nature was being destroyed, but it was still beautiful. We used to take trips up […]
Rob Wallace Speaks to Workers International Network, Part 2
“Those of us who are radicalized often accept the premises of our enemies…. But we arrive at a moment when we understand that those who are running things are a bunch […]
Rob Wallace Speaks to Workers International Network, Part One
Here is the first part of a two-part series of Rob Wallace speaking on capitalist development and Covid 2. This was recorded from a meeting hosted by the Workers International Network. For […]
Podcast: Rob Wallace Speaks to Workers International Network, Part 1
First of two parts of the presentation of Rob Wallace on capitalism and Covid 19. Also see posts as video.
Are “Hong Kong” and “Belarus” Coming to America?
A major split is opening up within the US capitalist class. This split has implications for the already-existing movement from below. Two columns in the September 3 NY Times show what is […]
Rob Wallace to Speak Sunday, September 6
COVID 19, HABITAT DESTRUCTION AND FACTORY FARMING A Workers International Network Meeting Sunday 6th September at 7 p.m. British Summer Time/ 1pm US Central Time Speaker: Rob Wallace Rob Wallace is an evolutionary epidemiologist with the Agro-ecology and Rural Economics Research […]
Oaklandsocialist leaflet: “Where are the unions?”
Oaklandsocialist distributed this leaflet at the Oakland protest against the shooting of Jacob Blake. We got a good response. Let’s hope something comes of it, especially since the pro athletes are setting […]
Hard Knock Radio/Davey D interviews John Reimann on environment and Covid 19
Here is an interview that this blog site’s administrator, John Reimann, did with popular radio host Davey D Cook on the environmental causes of Covid 19 – how this and other viruses […]
Belarus: The last act has not been written
A central feature of the events in Belarus is going more or less unreported: Fully one half of the Belarusian economy is through state-owned enterprises. This fact has given Belarus dictator Alexander […]
Oaklandsocialist support for Iranian strikers distributed in Iran
A month ago, Oaklandsocialist carried a report of the strike of Haft Tapeh strikers in Iran. We also wrote the following letter of support: “We send our comradely greetings to the Haft […]
A Constitutional Path Towards Dictatorship?
A recent column in the Washington Post, entitled Trump Keeps Pretending to be Dictator, explained that presidents are “constrained by Congress and the courts and the law and international treaties, not to […]
Davey D interviews John Reimann of Oaklandsocialist
My interview with Davey D of Hard Knock Radio. How Covid 19 is spread through unsafe factory farming For more detail on the environmental issues, see this article: Covid 19, capitalism […]
Covid-19 denialists: An explanation of their thinking
“Belief in science is the worst form of superstition ever”… a medical doctor in Germany. “Listen up Numb nuts This whole mask thing is a psyop to condition you to comply with […]
Trump’s Troubles Deepen Still Further
WSJ editors suggest Trump withdraw from race Trump’s troubles with his own class – the US capitalist class – continue to worsen. They see him as too unreliable, too destabilizing of their […]
Defend, expand $600 federal unemployment subsidy
It is past time for a movement in the streets to demand the continuation and in fact the expansion of the $600/week federal unemployment subsidy! The US economy in free fall, declining […]
Report from Placerville, CA
By a member of the UFCW and anti-racist activist Friday July 17th 2020 This protest was organized in response to the attacks on Main St businesses with Neo Nazi propaganda. Contrary to […]
Trump’s not-so-secret war: Voter suppression and how to fight it
The strategy of the Trump reelection campaign is starting to come into more clear focus. That strategy is to combine widespread repression with voter suppression in order to return Trump into office […]
RIP John Lewis
John Lewis, long time civil rights icon and then member of the House of Representatives has died. Many on the left will remember him for his role as an establishment liberal. I […]
Economic train wreck coming
A short note on the Covid-19 economy: If you think things are bad now, you ain’t seen nothing yet. While there was a slight pickup in May, which continued into June to […]
Strike of Haft Tapeh workers in Iran
From Aman Kafa of the Hekmatist Party (official Line) – Organization Abroad July 14, 2020 Four representatives and speakers of Haft Tapeh workers, Youseff Bahmani, Ebrahim Abassi, Mohammad Khanifar, Moslem Cheshm Khavar […]
Trump, Fauci and Ecomodernism
Compared to the lies of Trump and the religious mysticism of Mike Pence, Anthony Fauci seems like a breath of fresh air. He bases himself on science, after all. Why, then, has […]
Russian bounties, WMD’s and big game hunters
When a big game hunter goes after a large and dangerous beast, he had better understand how that beast functions, or else the hunter can become the hunted. The same is true […]
Reform the police? A serious discussion needed
Friends and comrades, “Police reform” is one of the major issues of the day. For liberals and social democrats, the question stops there. Marxists have to have clarity on the question. We […]
The Crimes of the Minneapolis Police Department
By a Minneapolis union member and anti-racist activist The crimes of the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) against the people of Minneapolis are many. This is an organization charged with upholding an unjust […]
Trump headed for a crash?
What do we make of Trump’s claim that he was never briefed on the US intelligence belief that Putin’s government had placed a bounty on the heads of US soldiers in Afghanistan? […]
Republican election strategy starting to emerge
The Republicans’ November election strategy is starting to emerge. Yesterday the US Supreme Court made an important but lightly noticed ruling on Texas voting law. They allowed Texas to prohibit all mail-in […]
Is Trump deflating?
Hold up! What is that sound we’re hearing? Is it the sound of the air being let out of the Trump balloon? Trump’s moves to consolidate his grip on the various branches […]
Juneteenth Port of Oakland shutdown photos
Some photos of yesterday’s event: Next is the march over the overpass towards downtown Oakland Next in front of OPD headquarters and at Oscar Grant Plaza I always feel that some […]
Video: Juneteenth Port of Oakland shutdown
Short video from the Juneteenth Port of Oakland shutdown. Also see leaflet Oaklandsocialist distributed. Also see still photos here. Make it a movement
Grocery workers walk off in solidarity with #JusticeForGeorgeFloyd!
by a worker at Seward Co-op On June 16th nearly the entire staff on shift at Seward Co-op’s Franklin Ave. store in Minneapolis walked out for a 9 minute work stoppage to […]
History of the Minneapolis Police Department, Part I
Abolish the Police Pt. 1 What is the MPD and why it can’t be made into something for us . . . By a Minneapolis union member and anti-racist activist (This is […]
Trump in trouble, the future is uncertain (to say the least)
Trump is in deep trouble, but the outcome is uncertain. His national approval ratings are sinking like a stone, down from 41% approval, compared to 55% disapproval as of June 11. This […]
AFL-CIO statement on George Floyd: A suggestion for a rank and file resolution to be introduced at the local level
Two weeks after George Floyd was choked to death by the Minneapolis police, the AFL-CIO has issued a full statement on this crime. They should have waited two years. “The scourge of […]
Minneapolis City Council votes to “disband police” – will they?
When the police make a high-profile arrest, they make him or her walk in public through the throng of reporters. It’s called a “perp walk.” On June 6, Minneapolis’s reform minded young […]
Oaklandsocialist leaflet for a program
This leaflet is based on the previous article on the need for a program. If you like it, please use it!(Note:pdf at bottom.) ungovernable movement needs program
Our ungovernable movement needs a program
We have marched, we have sat-down, we have occupied freeways. And yet the wave of murders of black people by the police continues. It has unleashed a rage. From Bronx New York to […]
Video: Oakland protest Friday, June 5
A short video of the protest in Oakland on Friday, June 5. If you like the video, we urge you to check out our blog. See, for example, Minneapolis and the Crisis […]
Video of Oakland protests
Video of the protests in Oakland over last few days. Also see articles on Minneapolis and the crisis of US capitalism, and other related articles including a solidarity letter from the Somali […]
Oakland protests photos
Photos from Oakland protests. The top ones are from the aftermath of the first night of protests here.
Solidarity to protesters from Somali Public Trade Union
The Somali Public Trade Union sends this message of solidarity to the protesters in the US and to the family of George Floyd. Please distribute widely. A pdf of this message is […]
Are you a union member?
Leaflet I’m distributing. Also see: George Floyd murder shows need to completely transform the unions.
Minneapolis and the crisis of US capitalism
Divided, led by a demented and out-of-control president who is absolutely despised and has no credibility whatsoever among wide layers of society, with out-of-control police forces across the country, the US capitalist […]
Health Care Workers Murdered in Somalia
Oaklandsocialist has received the following appeal: SPTU, Is an Independent trade union based in Somalia. is shocked and outraged by the barbaric killing of seven healthcare workers and one civilian at the […]
“It’s a beautiful thing”: Interview with Minneapolis Activist
Kieran is a union member and a long-time activist in Minneapolis. Here he explains who it is who has been out in the streets, how the police and the politicians are reacting […]
Killer cops doing “Essential Work” – a poem
Essential Work by Raymond Nat Turner We’ll always need Race car drivers roaring down streets where children chase balls; like We’ll always need peaceful protesters pepper sprayed like cockroaches; And We’ll always […]
Covid-19, the rise of new zoonotic diseases and the capitalist disaster
“Science and socialism go hand-in-hand” Felicity Dowling In today’s NY Times, the bard of neoliberalism, Thomas Friedman, wrote about how Trump cannot defeat “Mother Nature”, which as he explained “is entirely made up […]
Podcast: Covid-19, the rise of new zoonotic diseases and the capitalist disaster
Podcast of Oaklandsocialist introduction to Zoom meeting of this title. The meeting was hosted by the Workers International Network (WIN).
Poem: More Mengele Medicine
More Mengele Medicine from Boss Tweet and the1% “As to diseases, make a habit of two things — to help, or at least, to do no harm.” ― Hippocrates “It is very […]
Zoom Meeting Saturday, May 23
Covid-19, the rise of new zoonotic* diseases, and the capitalist disaster Saturday 23rd May at 9 a.m. Pacific Time [* Zoonotic = diseases transmitted from other species to humans] The Covid-19 pandemic […]
Interview with ER nurse Cliff Willmeng
Oaklandsocialist talks with ER nurse Cliff Willmeng. Cliff was terminated for fighting for safety on the job. For more on the worker fightback, see our article Strike wave without precedent which can […]
Trump, Covid-19, and new steps towards authoritarian one-man rule
With each twist and turn in events, with each step he takes, Trump is driven ever further down the road of one-man authoritarian rule. His recent steps in that direction have flown […]
When my fellow carpenters surprised me
So, here’s a little bit of personal history, a mistake that I made, that maybe we all can learn from: In 1999, some 2000 SF Bay Area carpenters went out on a […]
President Franklin Delano Cuomo?
How does the sound of “President Franklin Delano Cuomo” grab you? Like it or not, Cuomo is already in effect running against Trump. Every day he’s on national TV, giving a fact-based […]
Strike wave without precedent for decades: What is to come?
A wave of strikes and walk-outs that is unprecedented in numbers is sweeping the United States. It’s largely flown under the radar because the capitalist press in general isn’t reporting on it […]
Fauci, Birx and the union leadership: Accommodating capitalism
“The daily death toll [from Covid-19] will reach about 3,000 [nearly double the official White House prediction] on June 1, according to an internal [CDC] document obtained by The New York Times…” […]
May Day 2020 in Oakland
Here is a short video of May Day, 2020 in Oakland. We end this video with a call to support all those workers who are working under unsafe conditions, but especially the […]
May Day Greetings
MAY DAY GREETINGS! We’re celebrating May Day 2020 in extraordinary times. The flimsy tissue of capitalist “civilisation” has been torn asunder. So far a quarter of a million people have died worldwide, […]
Pamphlet: Covid 19 – the capitalist pandemic
New oaklandsocialist pamphlet Covid-19: The capitalist pandemic Introduction As the capitalist class loses control over society, a new workers’ movement seems to be breaking out. Already, workers have conducted over 100 […]
Covid-19 and the science we need to understand it: Rob Wallace and Theo Colborn
John Ioannidis is at it again. He’s got an article that is making the rounds in scientific circles which claims that the actual mortality rate for Covid-19 is far lower than thought […]
Is Trump cracking up?
Is Donald Trump cracking up? An article in Thursday’s NY Times describes him as being “in a sour mood after his morning marathon of television” (which he watches for five or six […]
Urge UFCW President Perrone to act: Please sign petition
Please sign the petition and pass it on. Grocery workers are essential workers and their health and safety is as important as anybody else’s. Yet in this Covid-19 emergency, the stores are […]
Notice in SaveMart and Lucky’s food stores
This notice is being posted in SaveMart and Lucky’s food stores, at least in Northern California. The information on the particular store where this has been posted is blacked out to protect […]
Back-to-work protests a threat to all workers’ health and safety!
The back-to-work/business as usual protests of far right fanatics is a threat to your health and safety. Consider: At Safeway’s distribution center in Tracy, CA, 51 workers were found to be infected. […]
Prayers, guns and “freedom”
In response to the calls of the Trump idiots and of the Idiot in Chief himself to go back to work, there have been conversations on various construction worker Facebook pages. Here’s […]
Poem: Now’s the time
By Raymond Nat turner coronavirus is coming across treacherous food deserts—their Red Lined decades of diabetes— over hills of hypertension; steep mountains of medical neglect; over shattered ruins of poverty like a […]
Coronavirus, mortality rates and environmental factors
The Covid-19 pandemic is but the most striking example of how the laws of nature are affecting the lives of ordinary working class people. As we will show, we as workers cannot […]
Calhoon Tugg is fed up
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