Category: Uncategorized

A Jewish Case for Equality in Israel-Palestine – Why I No Longer Believe in a Jewish State 

WHAT MAKES SOMEONE A JEW—not just a Jew in name, but a Jew in good standing—today? In Haredi circles, being a real Jew means adhering to religious law. In leftist Jewish spaces, it means championing progressive causes. But these environments are the exceptions. In the broad center of Jewish life—where power and respectability lie—being a Jew means, above all, supporting the existence of a Jewish state. In most Jewish communities on earth, rejecting Israel is a greater heresy than rejecting God. 

Source: A Jewish Case for Equality in Israel-Palestine – Why I No Longer Believe in a Jewish State | Portside

Inequality and the End of the American Dream 

Well, it’s over. After nearly a century of self-promotion, the American Dream has been officially declared over. Donald Trump declared, during his 2016 campaign, “Sadly, the American dream is dead. But if I ever get elected president, I will bring it back bigger and better than ever.”  He advocated a slogan that looked backward to More

Source: Inequality and the End of the American Dream – CounterPunch.org

Neo-classical fine print

Any economic paradigm will inevitably include a political agenda within its framework. In the case of neoclassical economics, that agenda is hiding in plain sight: the theories (of microeconomics at least) argue that the less the government intervenes in the economy, the better (Keynes expounded an exception to this rule). In addition, it generally seeks to justify the current distribution of wealth and income. In other words, neoclassical economics is the intellectual core of modern-day conservatism, both conventional and neoliberal. When progressives try to offer solutions based on this paradigm, they get sucked back into the conservative mindset.

Source: A New Eco-Economic Paradigm | Common Dreams Views

The English Revolution: the world turned upside down – part twelve

With the Parliamentarians in a favourable position at the outbreak of the Civil War, thousands of men enlisted to fight on their side. The Royalists, relying on the less economically developed regions, were dependent on superior cavalry and a stubborn unwillingness to surrender. The stage was set for a collosal engagement between the two sides, which put a stop to any hope of compromise.

Source: The English Revolution: the world turned upside down – part twelve