Notes From a Very Close Election

Bill Fletcher, Jr. Dissent Magazine
In the Trump era it is the movement that Sanders was part of coalescing that becomes key in building a resistance with a positive vision. One of the weaknesses of the Sanders message was its failure to unify matters of class with race and gender. This is about telling the right story about the United States. It is also a matter of tapping into significant social movements—Occupy; immigrant rights; LGBT, environmental justice; Black Lives Matter. This is where hope lies.

The Man Hoping to Counter President Trump

John Bresnahan and Daniel Strauss Politico
Ellison has pushed policies strongly backed by the left (some of which overlap with Trump's) — reworking major trade deals to benefit American workers, a $1 trillion infrastructure package, protecting entitlement programs, raising taxes on richer Americans, universal health care, stronger environmental protection, drastic cuts in defense spending, background checks for gun sales and a big boost in health and welfare programs.

Big Tobacco Loses in California, Eyes Rise of Big Marijuana

Stanton Glantz The Conversation
Leading tobacco control expert Stanton Glantz analyzes how a big public health push in California defeated Big Tobacco and resulted in a two-dollar cigarette tax increase. The first tax increase on tobacco in 18 years has the potential to reduce smoking prevalence from today’s 9.4 percent to 7.1 percent by 2020. Yet Glantz adds a note of caution: with diminishing cigarette profits, Big Tobacco could find a place in the marijuana market, as more states legalize marijuana.

Leonard Cohen | Democracy

Democracy is coming to the USA ("the cradle of the best and the worst"), Leonard Cohen wrote, "It's coming from the sorrow in the street / The holy places where the races meet." Cohen died this week, but we can still take his defiant, sardonic optimism into the streets with us.

Elizabeth Warren | 'Why We Are Angry'

Sen. Elizabeth Warren at the AFL-CIO tears the mask from Donald Trump program for oligarchy and pledges, "We will stand up to bigotry, no compromises ever on this question."

Leonard Cohen Dead at 82

Richard Gehr Rolling Stone
Hugely influential singer and songwriter's work spanned nearly 50 years

Massachusetts Teachers Knock Out Corporate Charter School Scheme

Samantha Winslow Labor Notes
The No on 2 victory offers a ray of hope to union members and public education activists, even as they grapple with the news of Trump’s presidential win. Building power locally will help not just on the statewide education fights, Madeloni points out, but also in the big picture.