Socialist WebZine

By Dennis "DJ" Mikolay

Originally published on the Political Alternative

In modern American politics, the word “socialist” has lost a great deal of its true meaning, robbed of its shock value by frequent overuse and naïve misapplication. Many a conservative pundit has warned President Obama and the national Democratic leadership seek to steer the United States towards a socialistic, or even worse, Marxist state, far from anything the Founders envisioned when they penned the Constitution. Rightwing shock jocks, still waging the early 1990s “culture wars,” have railed against Obama and his allies in the House and Senate.

This article from 'Counterpunch,' by Stansfield Smith, document the reasons why the U.S. occupation of Korea, with 28,000 troops on 22 bases, and recent U.S. flights of strategic bombers near North Korea, among other acts, are dangerous provocations leading toward renewed war in Korea. Millions of Koreans were killed by the U.S. war of 1950-1953; a horrific 20% of the population as estimated by high U.S. military officials.

by Billy Wharton

Being an American requires accepting a certain level of delusion.  Going on vacation raises this level to new heights - especially when your destination is a factory tour.  In this case, I was headed to the Herr’s Potato Chip Factory just outside of Lancaster, PA for a free tour of the facilities.  It was a diplomatic mission to keep the peace in the family that turned into a look inside modern capitalism in America.

Most of us on the Left first heard of your show because of the harsh exchange of words between yourself and fellow academic Cornel West over the efficacy of President Obama in regards to the actual standard of living for most African Americans.

The horrific gang rape of a minor in Steubenville, Ohio and the subsequent show-trial and "slap on the wrist" punishment of a fraction of those responsible has done more to cement the reality of rape culture, victim-blaming and slut-shaming than years of feminist thought and activism could ever accomplish. 

The abuse, objectification and dehumanization of women is inevitable under our current patriarchal system.

By Billy Wharton

It is not everyday, though it is increasingly more common, that an “election” in the People’s Republic of China is more democratic than a political event in the United States.  The appointment of Kevyn Orr as the Emergency Financial Manager (EFM) of Detroit is one such moment. Orr becomes the 14th such emergency manager appointed in the state of Michigan since 1988.

By Billy Wharton

Yesterday, Detroit offered a not so subtle peek into a future that should be avoided at all costs.  Former Mayor, Kwame Kilpatrick was convicted on multiple charges of fraud and racketeering for doling out no-bid contracts in exchange for kickbacks.  This is not a moral failing of Kilpatrick nor just business as usual in Detroit, a city that has been circling the drain for decades nor is it a powerful message that will curtail future corruption.

The threat of war is looming larger than ever before since the Armistice of 1953 between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the United Nations. This current state of affairs is largely due to the careless saber rattling of both the US and North Korean governments.

workers' rights, and social justice.

By Billy Wharton

When we reflect on the death of a historically significant figure we measure them at their peak. So, when considering Hugo Chavez, we can dispel the disturbing images of the end - a cancer ridden warrior struggling to cling to life with his enemies cynically wishing him along to the grave.  We see instead Chavez, the hero of the resistance movement to neoliberalism.  Chavez, the revolutionary committed to the democratic road.