Portside

In the face of Trump and the GOP’s likely nationwide attack on unions, labor leaders are scrambling to ensure that they have a hand in reshaping a Democratic Party that has, as union power has diminished, sometimes pushed organized labor to the margins. Union members make up about 100 of the roughly 447 voting members of the Democratic National Committee, making union support a major factor in the race for DNC chair.

In 2000, UC San Diego professor Chalmers Johnson expanded on his observation in his book “Blowback: The Costs and Consequences of American Empire.” Johnson, who died in 2010, argued that the United States would inevitably face the same sort of dirty tricks it had played around the world, paying a price for trying to dominate far-away lands.

Do we need a new Schoolhouse Rock! to remind us how to run a democracy? “Many teachers were scared this year to teach on the election because of the polarization in the country,” Louise Dube said. “They were concerned because they felt that their administration would not back them up in teaching it.”

How student organizers and a state representative are campaigning to eliminate tuition in Illinois.

The response to Bernie showed that a socialist party in the United States is possible. But there is no shortcut to building power.

Facebook fakery; Media misery; Trump’s quid pro quo; Post election plenty; Science silenced; Stormy forecast

Former vice president Al Gore says, “Now more than ever we must rededicate ourselves to solving the climate crisis."

About 8% of teachers leave the field each year, due to long workdays, low salaries and challenging conditions. Some predict a gap of 112,000 teachers by 2018. Some states are lowering the bar for teaching jobs. But there are plenty of good ideas about how to support teachers and improve the jobs in order to lower turnover and improve morale.

While the U.S. set up the electoral system in the Philippines, the feudal/comprador classes manipulate it so that personalities, not ideology, and bribery determine the outcome. Democracy in the Philippines is actually the rule of the privileged minority of landlords, bureaucrat capitalists, and business partners of foreign mega-corporations (called compradors) over the majority. All presidential candidates promise change for the better.

Instead of gifting sugar-laden sweets, try giving more nutritious snacks. Here are some fun ideas that serve as enjoyable and thoughtful gifts, and which can be motivational nudges toward living a healthier lifestyle.