Category Archives: Politics

Why the Republicans Were So Successful in the Mid-Term Elections

Posted on 01/30/2015 by David Johnson

It is obvious from the recent mid-term elections that the Democratic Party nation-wide is in crisis. The corporate media states that the Democratic Party must become more “centrist,” meaning that the Democratic Party needs to be more like the Republicans. … Continue reading →

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Is a Viable Third Party Still Possible?

Posted on 01/06/2015 by Susan Shoemaker

​After the lowest midterm election turnout since World War II, it is obvious that many Americans are fed up with politics as usual and that we are facing a “crisis in democracy“. Both the Republicans and the Democrats are now … Continue reading →

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American Exceptionalism and Our Newest War

Posted on 11/13/2014 by Susan Shoemaker

Once upon a time, when I was a child growing up in 1950s America, I truly believed in American Exceptionalism, the idea that the United States is a virtuous country and unique among nations because of our revolutionary history, experimental … Continue reading →

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Political Soccer: A Global Phenomenon—Except Here

Posted on 11/13/2014 by Richard Esbenshade

This summer’s soccer World Cup—always the most-watched sporting event on the planet—in Brazil was accompanied by enormous demonstrations, at times violently repressed. Citizens protested the diversion of vast resources from urgent social needs to the building of hugely expensive stadiums, … Continue reading →

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The Assault on Gaza

Posted on 08/21/2014 by Niloofar Shambayati

Throughout the current Israel’s assault on Gaza, President Obama, the Congress, and the media have been sounding off the mantra of “Israel’s right to defend itself” against rockets from Gaza—a self-evident right, if Israel were indeed the innocent victim of … Continue reading →

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A Faculty Union at UIUC Part 1

Posted on 06/07/2014 by David Prochaska

The UI Chicago faculty union signed its first contract in April 2014. In Urbana the Campus Faculty Association (CFA) submitted in mid-May the necessary number of cards to create a full-time non-tenure track (NTT) faculty union (part-time NTT’s are excluded … Continue reading →

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The Attack on Labor Rights as Collective Human Rights in Great Britain

Posted on 10/03/2013 by Belden Fields

This article is inspired by the book, Human Rights and Labor Solidarity: Trade Unions in the Global Economy. This text was written by a former undergraduate student of mine, Susan Kang, who is now a professor of political science at the … Continue reading →

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Brazilians marching on the street: what´s behind 20 cents

Posted on 08/21/2013 by admin

By Walênia Silva: Walênia Silva is an adjunt professor at the Music School at Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, in Brazil. Dr. Silva completed her PhD. at the College of Education at UIUC. Last June, Brazilians decided to march in … Continue reading →

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Shooting the Messenger: Reflections on the Court Martial of Whistle Blower PFC Bradley Manning

Posted on 08/01/2013 by Niloofar Shambayati

I spent five days in and around Fort Meade military base in Maryland, attending the first two days of the court martial of the whistleblower, Bradley Manning.  The trial started on June 3rd, after he had already spent three years … Continue reading →

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The New Civil Rights Campaign-Health Care is a Human Right!

Posted on 05/24/2013 by David Johnson

DEMOCRACY AND JUSTICE DENIED In May of 2009 the U.S. Senate Finance Committee, chaired by Democratic Montana Senator Max Baucus, pressured by President Barack Obama, held hearings about healthcare reform in the U.S. Over the course of several weeks, only … Continue reading →

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Who’s the Bigger Scapegoat in Europe, Roma or Jew?

Posted on 05/24/2013 by Richard Esbenshade

On October 24 of last year, the Memorial to the Sinti and Roma of Europe Murdered under the National Socialist Regime was unveiled and dedicated in Berlin, Germany, with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Joachim Gauck in attendance. Almost … Continue reading →

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Jason Collins

Posted on 05/24/2013 by Neil Parthun

“I’m a 34 year old NBA center. I’m black. And I’m gay.” With these simple words, Jason Collins made history as the first actively playing out athlete in the NBA, NHL, MLB or NFL. The overwhelming reaction to Collins’ important … Continue reading →

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C-U Marches for Immigration Reform

Posted on 05/24/2013 by Richard Esbenshade

(Compiled from C-U Immigration Forum materials) On Wednesday, April 10th, over 200 students and community members braved steady rain and cold to support comprehensive immigration reform (CIR). Families, students, community and church leaders marched in solidarity from the University Y … Continue reading →

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Mobilization in Al Ma’sarah: “We Will Keep Coming Back”

Posted on 05/24/2013 by Sarah Lazare

“You must refuse to be in the army. Look into my eyes, we are all human,” declared Mahmoud Zwahre, popular committee leader in the West Bank Bethlehem district village of Al Ma’sarah, addressing dozens of M4 toting Israeli soldiers. “We … Continue reading →

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U.S. Seeks to Get Rid of Left Governments in Latin America

Posted on 05/24/2013 by Mark Weisbrot

  By Mark Weisbrot This article was published in Folha de São Paulo, Brazil’s largest circulation newspaper, on April 20, 2013. Recent events indicate that the Obama administration has stepped up its strategy of “regime change” against the left-of-center governments in Latin America, … Continue reading →

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Illinois goes to DC to Fight Climate Change

Posted on 04/03/2013 by Stuart Levy

B by Stuart Levy This February 17th, a coalition of groups, including 350.org, the Sierra Club, and Hip Hop Caucus, held a rally and march in Washington, DC to raise the urgent issue of climate change. The Sierra Club organized … Continue reading →

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Guns and the Second Amendment

Posted on 02/24/2013 by Walter Feinberg

GUN VIOLENCE: A FORM OF AMERICAN EXCEPTIONALISM Mass killings are the events that grab our attention. The media broadcasts them throughout the nation; they can occur anywhere, in schools and universities, in movie theaters, churches, military bases, and on city … Continue reading →

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Media Hate Fiesta for Venezuela Keeps on Keepen’ On

Posted on 02/24/2013 by Mark Weisbrot

By Mark Weisbrot (This article was first published in Al Jazeera English on January 29, 2013) Last week there was a real media hate-fest for Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez, with some of the more influential publications on both sides of … Continue reading →

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The “Fiscal Cliff” is Classic Shock Doctrine

Posted on 01/21/2013 by David Johnson

The “debt ceiling” and “fiscal cliff” scenarios are well choreographed dog-and-pony circus acts brought to you by the same people who crashed the economy in 2008, with the help of their bought-and-paid-for politicians from both the Democrat and Republican parties. … Continue reading →

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A Tale of Two Cities: Public Access to Police Complaints in Champaign and Urbana

Posted on 11/23/2012 by Belden Fields

Backstory: Champaign Over the course of 2012, several pieces have been published in the Public i and the News Gazette regarding the city’s continued practice of ignoring Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests regarding complaints against the police and its … Continue reading →

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