Portside

Dear Portside reader,

The year is ending with a serious challenge to progressives. It's the kind of situation that brings home just how important Portside is. We hope you're in a generous mood, because a lot is at stake in 2015.

With right-wingers in firm control of both houses of Congress, there is little prospect of national legislative progress, but there is a certainty of many hard-fought battles -- over ideas, policies and politics.

The Right celebrates a new Gilded Age, with unprecedented opulence for the 1% (especially the one tenth of 1%), and growing numbers of people barely getting by -- or not getting by.

The Right is confused and conflicted about tactics, but they are very clear about wanting to take our country back politically to the time before the New Deal.

The Left has a big role to play in the battles ahead -- including forging a vision of a society in which there is more, not less, democracy, equality and economic security. It's a diverse and vibrant Left, and it is the mission of Portside to promote it.

We need your help to keep going. We don't intend to stand still. In the next year, we will improve and expand Portside, making it easier to use, to search and to share. Early next year we will initiate a new daily post, dealing with books, films, poetry, food -- with a left slant. We plan to add music, sports and health.

We moderators will remain, as ever, unpaid. We do what we do to help promote the Left perspectives that are sorely needed but mostly excluded or marginalized in major media. It is sufficient compensation for us to see our work have an influence, and to have so many readers join with us in these efforts.

But even with volunteer effort and modern technology, Portside costs money. We need your financial contributions to guarantee that we survive and grow.

You can make a contribution using our secure donation page at https://donate.portside.org/

This can be a one-time contribution, or you can become a regular sustainer in whatever amount you can afford. If you would prefer to mail a contribution, please send to the address at the bottom of this email.

We also urge you to invite friends, co-workers, neighbors and family to subscribe via the Web at https://portside.org/subscribe
or by email at portside@portside.org.

Studs Terkel used to sign off his radio show with the terse advice from the rap Talking Union: "Take it easy, but take it." Good motto.

Yours in struggle,

The Portside and Portside Labor crew -

Mark Allen, Judy Atkins, Peter N. Carroll, Barry Cohen, David Cohen, Ira Cohen, Marti Garza, Greg Heires, Geoffrey Jacques, Will Jones, Stephanie Luce, Ray Markey, Carol Pittman, John P. Pittman, Nan Rubin, Meredith Schaffer, Jay Schaffner, Kurt Stand, Ethan Young

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Portside
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