Portside

Harris taking steps to bolster the all-important union vote.

A common view of the two major US labor federations of the 20th century is that the AFL was top-down while the CIO was bottom-up. In truth, the CIO’s success was owed to a potent mix of rank-and-file militancy and strategic leadership.

The Minnesota attorney general will use his speech at the DNC to call for a deeper dialogue around Palestine.

For-profit hospitals jacking up prices matches a similar story of predatory corporate practices on grocery costs and housing prices. It's not market supply and demand. Corporate giants have figured out how to rip people off more effectively.

The crisis in Venezuela is unlikely to be resolved soon. Public pressure for diplomacy, negotiations, an end to sanctions and other illegal, coercive measures; and in favor of cooperation with other governments who share those goals is needed.

Harris’s passion for cooking is well-documented; the cookbook titles tell about the contours and range of her interest in the culinary arts. She values the restorative powers of cooking as part of a community; and she understands food as identity.

The law in question has been on the books for more than a decade. It prohibits the United States from assisting any unit of a foreign security force that commits “gross violations” of human rights. But it has never been applied to Israel.

Canada's two main railway companies are on the verge of a simultaneous labor stoppage for the first time. The companies say they'll start locking out workers Thursday if they can't reach a deal; the union (Teamsters) says it's ready to call a strike.

The journalist and TV show host, who died Sunday at the age of 88, made his mark on our society. He fought for the underdog. He did it with style and grace and a wonderful sense of humor. He changed my life and the lives of so many others.

Open to the Public? (1939), Dissin’ Freedom Democrats (1964), Voters Say ‘No’ to the Klan (1924), Starting a Revolution (1774), Broadway’s a Tough Place to Take a Break (1959), Protecting Miners’ Health (1969), A Setback for Civil Rights (1949)