Democracy

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Primaries can be long drawn-out affairs. The Obama-Clinton struggle of spring-summer 2008 went down to the wire, still being contested in June. As I write Tuesday evening, the delegate count for Super Tuesday is still not known, and the actual count for California could take a long time to nail […]

Elections

Iran goes from Bad to Worse: Hardliners win elections, thanks in part to Trump’s treaty withdrawal

Reese Erlich

(Progressive.org) – ‘TEHRAN—The parliamentary candidates had rented a large hall for a campaign rally, but only a few hundred supporters showed up. They came to see Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, a leading hardliner and possible presidential candidate next year. As warm-up speakers droned on, the audience responded with ritualistic chants but little enthusiasm. Many stared at their […]

Democracy

Sudan’s People Power Movement Forced the Military to Share Power, but is the Deal Falling Apart?

Middle East Monitor

Khalil Charles | @khalilcharles | – ( Middle East Monitor) – The gap between the military and civilian government in Sudan appears to be widening. The rift is threatening the political stability of the country and the power-sharing agreement. In less than ten days, three major disagreements have rocked the transitional government pitting the civilian […]

Congress

The Senate Refused to do its Duty in Impeachment, but the American People Can Still do Theirs

OtherWords

By Diallo Brooks | – (Otherwords.org) – Hours before the House of Representatives impeached Donald Trump for using the power of his office to sabotage our elections, Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) gave a passionate speech on the House floor emphasizing that his colleagues’ duty with their pending votes was far more than political — it […]

Democracy

Why the First Democratic Primary should be in Illinois

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (informed Comment) – The custom of Iowa having the first Democratic primary (or as they are pleased to arrange it, caucus) goes back to 1972, because of the complexity of their process. I have often spoken in Iowa and love the state, but it should not be the first Democratic primary state. I […]

Climate Crisis

Being our own Hope: Running for Office in the Age of Trump and Climate Crisis

Frida Berrigan

(Tomdispatch.com) – “YES!” he yelled, thrusting his fist in the air. “We get to live in the mayor’s house!” My son’s reaction when I told his two sisters and him that I was running for mayor of our town became the laugh line of my campaign. But in real time, I had to burst his […]

Algeria

2019: Americans Slept while Street Revolts Reshaped Iraq, Lebanon, Sudan and Algeria

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – In 2019, the Middle East was shaken by a new round of street revolts. As the year began, Abdelaziz Bouteflika had announced a fifth run for the presidency of Algeria. Then the peaceful “revolution of Smiles” broke out and by April he had resigned. A small elite has for decades […]

Democracy

Bush Falsely Promised a New Iraq, but now it is being Forged by Crowds in Baghdad’s Tahrir Square

Open Democracy

After the death of hundreds of people since the eruption of Iraq’s revolution in October, there is no return to the old system.

Democracy

From Tory Landslide to Trump non-Impeachment: Can Filthy Rich Liars sink Democracy in Britain and the U.S.?

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – The danger to democracy posed by our new information system plus our new levels of wealth concentration cannot be overestimated. The degree of inequality both in the US and the UK is now virtually unprecedented, as is media consolidation. That is, fewer and much wealthier people own more and more […]