From the Left
/Politics
We the People Will Succeed
These are the most stressful and nerve-racking days I can recall. I vacillate between optimism and fear, hope and dread.
You?
I don’t recall an election in which the two candidates represent such opposite poles of the American character.
Harris is the rule of law; Trump, lawlessness. Harris, inclusion; Trump, exclusion. Harris, decency; ...Read more
Harris’ Closing Message: Why it Must Center on Anti-Elitist Economics
I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling more anxious about the outcome of the upcoming election. I’m still nauseously optimistic, but the nausea is growing.
I’m as skeptical of polls as any of you, but when all of them show the same thing — that Kamala Harris’ campaign stalled several weeks ago, yet Trump’s continues to surge — ...Read more
Trump’s Penis Envy: Why Winning the Presidency is More Important to Him than Preserving Democracy
On Saturday, Trump opened his speech at the airport in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, with 12 minutes of reminiscences about the golfer Arnold Palmer, who grew up in Latrobe and for whom its airport is named.
As The New York Times reported, “His monologue culminated in lewd remarks about the size of Mr. Palmer’s penis.”
What historians may term ...Read more
Keep the Faith
Some of you have shared with me your fears about the upcoming election, now just 22 days away.
I can’t sugarcoat this. It is frightening and worrying. We have already endured four years of Trump. Another term could tip America and the world into full-bore fascism.
Trump has become even more unhinged and vindictive. His fascistic personality ...Read more
How did the GOP become the party of cranks, crackpots and fruitcakes?
Mark Robinson, the GOP gubernatorial candidate in North Carolina and current lieutenant governor, is in trouble again.
Not just because Robinson has referred to himself as a “black NAZI” and a “perv,” expressed support for reinstating slavery, said he watched transgender pornography, called homosexuality “filth” and the Holocaust �...Read more
How the hell can Trump be running neck-and-neck with Harris? Let me tell you
With less than 40 days until Election Day, how can it be that Trump has taken a small lead in Arizona and Georgia — two swing states he lost to Biden in 2020? How can he be narrowly leading Harris in the swing state of North Carolina? How can he now be essentially tied with her in the other key swing states of Michigan and Wisconsin?
More ...Read more
‘Hate’ Has Become Trump’s Signature Utterance
The FBI is investigating the source of suspicious packages sent to election offices in more than 20 states. Some election offices have been evacuated; staff are frightened.
Suspicious packages, bomb threats, death threats, harassment, assassination attempts, and violence are consequences of the politics of hate, now emanating more ferociously ...Read more
Trump’s Hate is No Joke
The second apparent attempt on Trump’s life — yesterday at his golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida — occurred just over two months after he was wounded during an attempt on his life at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. “They’re not coming after me, they’re coming after you,” Trump said after the first attempt. “I’m just ...Read more
Trump’s Woman Problem
If Kamala Harris wins in November, American women will deserve a lot of the credit. Polls suggest women will vote in record margins for Kamala Harris.
The ABC News/Ipsos poll released Sept. 1 found Harris leading Trump by a whopping 54% to 41% among women.
Donald Trump has a yuge woman problem. Below, I first examine why; then discuss how ...Read more
Why Giant Mergers Harm Workers
In front of the Federal Trade Commission building on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C., where I used to work, stands a giant sculpture of a runaway horse being reined in. It’s called “Man Controlling Trade.” The allegorical sculpture by Michael Lantz is one of a pair installed in 1942, part of a New Deal-era program administered by ...Read more
The Real Fight, Now
I’m feeling optimistic about Kamala Harris and Tim Walz.
I want to put this extraordinary moment into context.
Like many of you, I’ve worked my heart out during elections. (My first one was in 1968, when I went “clean for Gene” — Eugene McCarthy — shaved off my beard and organized volunteers to go door-to-door for the anti-Vietnam ...Read more
We Thank You, Joe
Tonight’s opening of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago will be an opportunity for the Democratic Party and the nation to take stock of Joe Biden’s term of office and thank him for his service.
He still has five months to go as president, of course, but the baton has been passed.
Biden’s singular achievement has been to change...Read more
The Trump Crack-Up
As the Harris-Walz team soars (polls are already showing Kamala taking the lead), Trump is cracking up.
His ego can’t take it. He is freaking out that his opponent — a Black woman — has more energy and momentum behind her than he has.
Last Thursday, after 10 days of Kamala in the limelight, Trump was so desperate for attention that he ...Read more