| |
Web Research
Inequality Starves the States
Sam Pizzigati -
Article
At mid-century the states built infrastructure for the middle class, then the rich began investing in politics to finance anti-tax movements.
7/5/2009
(186)
Learning from Canadians about Health Care
Sara Robinson -
Article
There are real practical daily life style benefits for everyone in Canada due to its health care system. The American system? So bad it's hard to believe.
6/24/2009
(204)
The Massive Power of Rhetoric
David Michael Green -
Article
Words are deeds, they make a difference, and Barack Obama knows how to talk, his content is more important than his style. But will he follow-through?
6/17/2009
(215)
Ecosocialism for the 21st Century: The Global Crisis of the Left
Eric Toussaint -
Article
Recent years have seen strong political change in Latin America and the United States, as well as in Europe. Here is a discussion of new directions for the global left.
5/20/2009
(314)
Equality in Norway
Sam Pizzigati -
Article
A discussion of a report by Ådne Cappelen and Lars Mjøset, Can Norway Be a Role Model for Natural Resource Abundant Countries?
5/19/2009
(369)
The Erosion of Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance
Article
A review of the current status of employer health care plans and the number of workers not covered.
5/5/2009
(260)
March Blog: Big Budget, Wild Outcries, the Herd Goes on Strike
Ed Knudson -
Comment
Personal commentary, updated throughout the month, tracking the news and politics and unusual stuff here and there.
3/30/2009
(428)
Capitalism Hits the Fan
Article
A DVD explaining how the American dream turned into a nightmare featuring Richard Wolff.
3/20/2009
(304)
Broder's Bad Call on Who has been Gambling with America
Ed Knudson -
Article
David Broder seriously misses the mark in his column on Obama as gambler. It's the financial gamblers who have messed things up so bad.
2/26/2009
(306)
Conservative Intellectual Incoherence
Paul Krugman -
Article
Bobby Jindal had a tough time following Barack Obama, but it's what he actually said that was the biggest problem for Republicans.
2/25/2009
(291)
Explosive Growth in Climate Change Lobby
Kim McGuire -
Article
More than 770 companies and organizations hired 2,340 lobbyists to work on climate change policy in 2008.
2/25/2009
(291)
Taking Charge of the Public Agenda
Ed Knudson -
Article
Barack Obama's speech to Congress and the American people on his budget is a remarkable event demonstrating real competence and confidence.
2/24/2009
(312)
Toyota: Auto Industry Race to the Bottom
Barbara Briggs -
Article
As the U.S. auto industry collapses, more people should know Toyota's history. Unpaid overtime, union-busting, sweatshop suppliers. You might not feel so proud of your Prius after reading this.
2/24/2009
(294)
The Stimulus and the Threat to Stability
Carl Bloice -
Article
In January, 2009, the black jobless rate hit 12.9 percent (9.2 last January). Republican politics threatens economic stability.
2/20/2009
(282)
Social Security Now Threatened by Entitlement Reformers
William Greider -
Article
Behind closed doors, advocates of entitlement reform are pushing Obama to tap the Social Security surplus to pay for bank bailouts. It could be a defining test for new politics in the Obama era.
2/15/2009
(328)
Do Web Research Right Here, Suggest Links
Article
Visitors and Members are asked to help us build the web research functions of the website.
2/10/2009
(357)
The Audacity of Hope Tackles the Enormity of Inequality
Sam Pizzigati -
Article
The new White House faces an uphill battle on executive compensation, quoting new IRS reports.
2/9/2009
(299)
This Can Be Done: Tax the Speculators!
Ralph Nader -
Article
How to Lighten the Income Tax Load on the American Worker .
2/9/2009
(319)
The Icelandic Volcano Erupts
Article
Can a Hedge-Fund Island Lose Its Shirt and Gain Its Soul? By Rebecca Solnit
2/9/2009
(276)
The Obama Era: A Time for Organizing and Advocacy
Deepak Bhargava -
Article
Assessing the first days of the Obama administration from the perspective of community organizing.
2/9/2009
(272)
Social Democrats Asked to Form New Government in Iceland
Article
Iceland's president asks the Social Democrats to form a new government to lead the island nation through a financial meltdown,.
2/8/2009
(335)
Northeast becomes Least Religious Region
Article
New Gallup poll ranks the most religious states in South. Catholics leaving church in the northeast.
2/7/2009
(305)
Fundamentally Flawed Stimulus Coverage
Jamison Foser -
Article
Foser of Media Matters reviews the coverage of the media of the stimulus bill and how it fails to comprehend economic facts.
2/7/2009
(326)
Fantasy Wars Continue at the Pentagon
Chalmers Johnson -
Article
The author of Blowback and other books here talks about fantasy weapons going forward in a time of economic crisis.
2/7/2009
(290)
Unpopular Rush Limbaugh Now Leads Republican Party
Max Blumenthal -
Article
Congressional Republicans have turned to Rush Limbaugh to lead the battle against Obama. One problem: A poll says he's less popular than Jeremiah Wright.
2/7/2009
(4235)
Nationalized Banks are the Only Answer
Joseph E. Stiglitz -
Article
In an interview with Deutsche Welle, Nobel-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz talks about nationalizing banks, the outlook for developing countries.
2/6/2009
(287)
February - 2009 Reconfiguration of this Website
Notes
This site is being reconfigured as of February, 2009.
2/4/2009
(168)
A Revolution in Spirit: The Market Should Serve Society
Benjamin R. Barber -
Article
Benjamin Barber writes of a fateful struggle for the soul of capitalism. The economy should serve people.
1/22/2009
(294)
Environmental Sustainability is a Social Problem
Michael Muller -
Article
Michael Muller, State Secretary in the German Environment Ministry, talks about the environment and social policy.
1/20/2009
(291)
Taking from the Poor and Giving to the Rich
Dean Baker -
Article
The banks are bankrupt. Ordinary folks have trouble believing that the economic system is as corrupt as it is, along with political leaders.
1/19/2009
(420)
Deep Ecology and Paradise
Arne Naess -
Article
The founder of the concept of deep ecology, Arne Naess, dies at 96. Here he briefly talks about his thinking.
1/14/2009
(272)
A New Global Economic Order
Joseph E. Stiglitz -
Article
Nobel economist Joseph Stiglitz says markets can't govern themselves. He proposes specific institutions for global economic governance.
1/5/2009
(247)
Americans Still Blindly Obey Authority
Article
A famous study by Stanley Milgram is repeated showing that Americans are willing to inflict harsh pain on others.
12/29/2008
(389)
The Awful Reality of Millions of Uneducated American Adults
Chris Hedges -
Article
Huge segments of our population, especially those who live in the embrace of the Christian right and the consumer culture, are completely unmoored from reality.
11/15/2008
(427)
Decades of Political Idiocy
Thomas Frank -
Article
Pollsters-consultants represent a great decline in understanding what it means to be an American from what Norman Mailer did for the 60s.
10/17/2008
(243)
The Real Truth: Our Democracy is in Peril
Chris Hedges -
Article
The economic crisis could bring on a political crisis also, pointing to the analysis of Karl Polanyi.
10/13/2008
(336)
Race and Regionalism in a Turning-Point Election
Chalmers Johnson -
Article
The 2008 election is a possible realignment of American politics, depending on race and regionalism as well as the economy.
10/8/2008
(220)
The Left Today: A Social Democratic View
Mitchell Cohen -
Article
An interview with Mitchell Cohen of Dissent Magazine by Robert Swarg, including comments on Obama and McCain on foreign policy.
10/3/2008
(387)
A Social Democrat Advocates Civil Rights Sixty Years Ago
Ed Knudson -
Article
E. J. Dionne recalls Hubert Humphrey's speech in the 1948 Democratic Convention.
8/29/2008
(751)
McCain Ad Cynically Encourages Religious, Hysterical Hatred of Obama
Ed Knudson -
Article
Political advertising has reached a new low in an John McCain ad about Obama as 'The One'.
8/4/2008
(248)
The Southern Dominance of Real Politics
Ed Knudson -
Article
To understand politics for the past few decades it is necessary to realize the South wants to culturally dominate the country.
7/30/2008
(232)
Stock Plunges, Social Security and Michael Harrington
Ed Knudson -
Article
George W. Bush wanted to switch Social Security over to private investments. Where would it be now? Social Democrats like Michael Harrington made S.S. increases possible.
7/30/2008
(280)
Strategy on Jeremiah Wright
Ed Knudson -
Article
How to respond to the Jeremiah Wright issue and what the Obama campaign should do.
3/25/2008
(225)
Healing the Political and Spiritual Crisis of Capitalism
Michael Lerner -
Article
The founder of Tikkun Magazine, Rabbi Michael Lerner, offers some advice to Democrats and why political action is so important today.
3/15/2005
(137)
|
Citizen Activists
The very heart of a democracy is the willingness of people to engage in practical politics. Without such engagement a democracy is not possible. The very idea of "freedom" means to participate in the process by which decisions are made on behalf of the whole community, the name for which is politics. It is one goal of this website to encourage and provide resources for citizen activists as they take responsibility for the future of the community.
If you are already involved in a political or activist group, or hope to do so, we want to help you. You could invite a few folks over to your house, or out for coffee, to discuss setting up a Social Democracy Study Group (or name it what you want) to get together regularly, once a week, bi-weekly, or monthly, to discuss articles you see here on this website. This can help you be more successful in your current involvements with other groups or groups you join in the future. In the future we hope to provide a means to support such groups with online features of the website.
What is needed is more person-to-person discussion, "lateral" rather than horizontal communication, where people can critique what they see on television or read in the newspapers. The world-view one brings to facts and issues makes all the difference. We want to help people discover that they can do their own thinking about politics and the economy and community, rather than just accept what is presented in the media. We want folks to be able to adopt what might be called a "social democratic consciousness" as their way of viewing the world. This can only happen as people get together with others and talk about things. It is words, discourse, language practiced in personal conversation through which consciousness develops. We believe such talk can help literally "create" a future full of new possibility.
Here is the famous Rosie the Riveter poster. Originally called forth to recruit women into industrial production during WWII, Rosie's can-do confidence has made her an icon ever since. It is available from Northland Poster which features the art of social justice, the tools of grassroots union organizing and labor activism, and the craft of union workers.
|