Month: May 2012

Counter Revolution Disguised as Democracy in Egypt

by Shamus Cooke In a country where the embers of revolution are still glowing, you would assume that a presidential election would produce a revolutionary-appearing government. Not so in Egypt. The revolutionaries who toppled the hated dictator Mubarak will have zero representation in the upcoming runoff election for president. Those who opposed the revolution, however,…

From the Chilean Winter to the Maple Spring

by Andrew Gavin Marshall On the night of May 16, thousands of Montréal students and supporters took to the streets for the 23rd consecutive night of protests, this time spurred on by the Government of Québec’s announcement that it would legislate an end to the 14-week student strike which has gripped Quebec for the past three…

Can Obama Stop Casino Capitalism?

by Shamus Cooke The recent JPMorgan scandal where billions of dollars were lost in risky bets has re-ignited the move to properly regulate the U.S. banking system. Among those asking for new regulations is Robert Reich, former labor secretary to Bill Clinton. Recently Reich made a plea of sorts to President Obama, whom he wishes…

Real Lessons from the Age of Industrial Violence

The Gilded Age is very much in the news. In early April, President Obama derided a budget proposal favored by Mitt Romney as “thinly veiled Social Darwinism,” referring to ideas usually associated with such men as Andrew Carnegie and John D. Rockefeller. During his campaign to secure the Republican nomination, Newt Gingrich derided child-labor laws…

The First Domino Falls in Greece

by Shamus Cooke After the last Greek elections rejected austerity and caused a global uproar, early polling indicates that the next Greek elections — scheduled for June 17 — will do the same, albeit with more fury. Greece’s situation is not an isolated event, but a bellwether for the industrial world and beyond. The fallout…

Strategically Incapacitated in Chi-Town

by David “Däv” O’Bryant The following is my general report on the events of my arrest and detention on May 20th, 2012 during the NATO summit protests in Chicago, Ill. I was arrested at around 4:15 in the back of the main march today in Chicago. I was detained until 11:45. I was walking across…

Statement from PLOC: Militancy for Liberation

by the Strategy & Vision Cluster of the Portland Liberation Organizing Council download pdf of this document Introduction On May Day 2012, the Black Working Group and the Portland Liberation Organizing Council helped Alicia Jackson liberate her house.  Jackson faced threats from the banks and self-evicted in August of 2011.  Ongoing community organizing, going back…

Occupy Northeast: The Coffee Shop

by Kendall Reflections is a coffee shop where people meet to change the world. It’s a meeting space, book store, theatre, art gallery, music venue, and park. It’s one of the few places in Portland where people can buy African-American greeting cards and cowrie shells, fridge magnets and baskets. It’s a place to play chess,…