The drums of war in Washington are beating yet again. U.S. government officials, along with corporate media pundits, are calling for military action against Iran. Using similar logic that was used to justify the invasion of Iraq (that Saddam Hussein had “weapons of mass destruction,” which turned out to be a lie), the United States … Continue reading U.S., Israel hurl war threats against Iran
Tag: Barack Obama
Modern day witch hunts sanctioned by law
The indefinite detention provisions of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) managed to avoid mass public outcry as most Americans diverted their attention to end-of-year festivities. On Dec. 31, President Obama made a name for himself as the president who codified into law measures that permit indefinite detention without due process and trial for U.S. … Continue reading Modern day witch hunts sanctioned by law
ICE expands immigrant deportation program despite growing outcry
On Dec. 12, John Morton, the director of Immigration Control and Enforcement (ICE), which operates under the auspices of the Department of Homeland Security, announced that the long-controversial 287(g) program is ending.The designation 287(g) refers to a section of the Immigration and Nationality Act that authorizes ICE to enter into agreements with local law enforcement … Continue reading ICE expands immigrant deportation program despite growing outcry
ILWU Local 21 Victory!
Special Note: As we go to press, the EGT conglomerate has formally recognized ILWU Local 21 as the bargaining representative for all workers at its Longview, Wash., terminal and on all vessels that load grain from that facility. Contract negotiations are underway and expected to be concluded on union-favorable terms in the next few days. Until … Continue reading ILWU Local 21 Victory!
Egyptians mark anniversary of uprising with new protests
In early February, a number of protesters were killed and over 1500 injured, as Egyptian police attacked demonstrations that had been called to express the mounting public anger over the deaths of at least 74 people at a soccer match in Port Said.The mainstream media at first blamed the Feb. 1 soccer stadium fight on … Continue reading Egyptians mark anniversary of uprising with new protests
What sort of third party do we need?
The past year or so has seen a dramatic shift in the U.S. class struggle. The mass movement in Wisconsin against the union busting agenda of tea-party Republican Scott Walker, the Occupy Wall Street (OWS) movement that spread across the U.S., and the ILWU fight to protect their union rights at Longview, WA, and elsewhere … Continue reading What sort of third party do we need?
Northern Lights (news & views from Canada)
Ontario workers rally against concessions and lock-outSome 10,000 people, according to the Toronto Star, converged at London’s Victoria Park, two hours west of Toronto, on Jan. 21 to participate in the rally sponsored by the Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL) against the lockout of 500 workers.The London workers are members of the Canadian Auto Workers … Continue reading Northern Lights (news & views from Canada)
After ‘withdrawal’ from Iraq, U.S. seeks new battlegrounds
On Jan. 5, President Obama made a major speech about a coming shift in U.S. military strategy, a strategy that has been described as more “lean” and more “mean.” The fact that the speech coincided with the withdrawal of U.S. combat troops from Iraq led mainstream commentators to characterize the change primarily as a move … Continue reading After ‘withdrawal’ from Iraq, U.S. seeks new battlegrounds
Obama signs bill allowing indefinite detention of U.S. policy opponents
The kind of repression that can be expected to increase exponentially as a result of the new indefinite-detention rider to the National Defense Authorization Act was illustrated just a week before Obama signed it on New Year’s Eve. On Dec. 20, a Boston jury convicted the pharmacist Dr. Tarek Mehanna of material support to terrorism … Continue reading Obama signs bill allowing indefinite detention of U.S. policy opponents
U.S. Justice Dept. charges Arizona sheriff with discrimination against immigrants
On Dec. 15, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Immigration Customs and Enforcement announced they would be canceling Maricopa County’s 287(g) agreement and restricting the Arizona county’s access to the Secure Communities program. This decision was based on findings by the U.S. Department of Justice that the sheriff’s office had been engaging in unconstitutional … Continue reading U.S. Justice Dept. charges Arizona sheriff with discrimination against immigrants
Northern Lights
Attawapiskat: Native people suffer while corporations mine richesby Eric Kupka It has been called Haiti at minus 40 degrees celsius. Attawapiskat, an isolated Cree First Nations community located near James Bay in northern Ontario, is enduring a severe housing crisis that is just the latest in a series of tragedies that have affected the health … Continue reading Northern Lights
Occupations unleash critical debate on capitalist crisis
<!--[if !mso]> <![endif]-->The Occupy Wall Street (OWS) movement has proven to be the political spark that ignited the pent-up anger and frustration of millions in the United States. It has awakened broad segments of the great majority who have suffered deeply from a decades-long tidal wave of defeats inflicted by a degenerating world capitalist order … Continue reading Occupations unleash critical debate on capitalist crisis
Egyptian masses say military regime must go
The masses of Egypt in their millions have returned to the streets, determined to finish the revolution they began in January by ousting from power the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF). Every day since a police attack in Cairo’s Tahrir Square on Saturday, Nov. 19, thousands of youths have braved murderous police sallies … Continue reading Egyptian masses say military regime must go
Northern Lights
The future of the Occupy movementby Barry Weisleder, the federal secretary of Socialist Action (Canada), and Canada editor of Socialist Action newspaper. TORONTO—On Nov. 23 police enforced an Ontario Superior Court order to Occupy Toronto to vacate St. James Park, a few blocks from Canada’s corporate financial hub. Occupy camps around the world are also … Continue reading Northern Lights
Democrats divert Wisconsin workers into recall campaign
MADISON—On Nov. 19, over 25,000 people rallied at the Wisconsin State Capitol to kick off the electoral drive to recall Gov. Scott Walker and Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefish. Petitioners began collecting signatures on Nov. 15 for a special election in the spring of 2012. To hold the election, 540,000 valid signatures of “electors” (those not … Continue reading Democrats divert Wisconsin workers into recall campaign
UAW members approve concession-filled contracts
In late October, members of the United Auto Workers at the Big Three voted to approve concession-filled contracts under heavy pressure from the Administrative Caucus that rules the UAW. All three contracts maintain the devastating two-tier status of new and recent hires, and contain no wage increases for “traditional” tier autoworkers, no cost-of-living increases, and … Continue reading UAW members approve concession-filled contracts
Wall St. criminals attack OWS; workers, students fight back!
NEW YORK—On Nov. 15, Wall Street’s front man, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, launched an early-morning blitzkrieg-style police raid on Zuccotti Park, the site of the two-month old Occupy Wall Street (OWS) movement. New York’s “thugs in blue” evicted and arrested some 250 non-violent protestors at 1 a.m. and seized their possessions. The growing OWS “people’s library” … Continue reading Wall St. criminals attack OWS; workers, students fight back!
Occupy Oakland shuts down port and calls for blockade
OAKLAND, Calif.—The Occupy Oakland movement reached a new height on Nov. 2 when a “General Strike” drew more than 10,000 working people, students, and trade unionists—the 99%—to downtown. The mobilization grew to upwards of 20,000 as a diverse sea of people marched to the port of Oakland, where the ILWU workers honored their picket line, … Continue reading Occupy Oakland shuts down port and calls for blockade
NATO & G8 to meet in Chicago — Support the right to protest!
On Nov. 17, Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the city of Chicago once again refused to guarantee permits for legal, peaceful protests at the overlapping NATO and G8 summits occurring from May 15 to May 22, 2012. Pat Hunt, a central leader of the Coalition Against NATO/G8 War & Poverty Agenda, explained to the media that … Continue reading NATO & G8 to meet in Chicago — Support the right to protest!
Occupations point the way for mass labor fightback
Socialist Action welcomes the Occupy movement as a hopeful sign that the working-class fightback against the economic crisis, which is decades overdue, may finally be taking off. We salute the bravery and persistence of the Occupations in the face of police repression, media lies, and politician slanders and attempts at cooptation.As with similar mass encampments … Continue reading Occupations point the way for mass labor fightback
Occupy movement goals: Socialist revolution or capitalist reforms?
At last count 900 U.S. cities have joined the Occupy Wall Street (OWS) movement. Five hundred other cities and towns on every continent have joined the mushrooming mobilizations in solidarity. With each repressive blow, the movement comes back stronger—more inclusive, more confident, and more clearly focused. “The Americans are fighting back at last,” cried one … Continue reading Occupy movement goals: Socialist revolution or capitalist reforms?
After Iraq departure, U.S. sends new forces to Africa, Middle East
On Oct. 30, The New York Times announced that in anticipation of the departure of U.S. combat troops from Iraq, the Pentagon is preparing to deploy more than the equivalent number of troops to Kuwait and to dramatically boost the U.S. naval presence in the Gulf region. According to The Times, new basing and military … Continue reading After Iraq departure, U.S. sends new forces to Africa, Middle East
Building the NATO /G8 protests
The Oct. 15 demonstrations and forums called by the United National Antiwar Coalition (UNAC) to mark the 10th anniversary of the occupation of Afghanistan wonderfully coincided with an internationally called Global Day of Action against austerity and were able, in many cities, to link up with the Occupy Movement. In New York, Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, … Continue reading Building the NATO /G8 protests
‘Hell’ in the Afghan war
October 2011 marked the 10th anniversary of the so-called war in Afghanistan. Obama states that 30,000 out of 100,000 troops will be home by the end of 2012. But his new head of operations there, Gen. John Allen, told reporter Scott Pelly on “60 Minutes” a few weeks ago that, in effect, 70,000 U.S. troops … Continue reading ‘Hell’ in the Afghan war
UAW ranks approve concession-filled contracts
In late October, members of the United Auto Workers at the Big Three voted to approve concession-filled contracts under heavy pressure from the Administrative Caucus that rules the UAW. All three contracts maintain the devastating two-tier status of new and recent hires, contain no wage increases for “traditional” tier autoworkers, no cost-of-living increases, and many work-rule … Continue reading UAW ranks approve concession-filled contracts