Over the course of the past year, my writing has focused on several themes: the very provisional revival of American unions and the imposing obstacles they still must surmount; the unending tragedy of Israel-Palestine with some thoughts on how to end (or at least, mitigate) it; and the waning fortunes of President Biden, with some suggestions to both Biden and his fellow Democrats on what they should be doing to defeat Donald Trump. Herewith, some pieces from all three baskets, with one more thrown in for good measure.
“Ford Says Electric Cars Just Aren’t Affordable”
Unions first, beginning with a look at workers and the green transition, and the history and Keynesian economics that the UAW could draw on as it approached its strike.
“The Ghost of Reuther Past”
I wrote a lot about that strike and its successful outcome, and when it was done, I wrote about what linked it to union strategies and successes of long ago (most union successes were long ago).
“In 2023, Everyone Who Can Go Union Is Doing Just That”
But in the course of the year, I also wrote about how successful union organizing, as distinct from striking, was still limited to workers who couldn’t be readily replaced (professionals, academics, etc.), which meant it was still extremely difficult to organize sales clerks and assembly-line workers whom managers routinely fire when they seek to go union. I also totaled up the votes of all the grad student TAs and RAs who’d gone union in the past 18 months, found they’d voted 89 percent for unionization, and opined that young people in stores and factories would vote that way, too, if labor law actually penalized their bosses for firing them.
“When M.D.s Go Union”
For our August print issue, I wrote a feature on one surprising subset of unionizing professionals: physicians.
“Biden’s NLRB Brings Workers’ Rights Back From the Dead”
But I also continued my coverage of the groundbreaking efforts of President Biden’s NLRB to resurrect the worker rights originally in the National Labor Relations Act, so that nonprofessional employees could regain the ability to unionize, too.
“Israel and Palestine: No Exit”
The second topic I returned to repeatedly was that of Israel-Palestine, writing before October 7 about the ultranationalist and ultra-Orthodox government of Israel and the failure of American Jews to oppose it sufficiently, and after October 7 about how all Israeli and Palestinian parties had ensured disaster and what the U.S. government should do to end this most vicious of cycles.
“Condition U.S. Aid to Israel on a Modicum of Israeli Realism”
And then, my most recent one, on conditioning U.S. aid to Israel on substantial West Bank withdrawal and a two-state solution.
“In Pro-Choice Ohio, Where Density Is Destiny”
Third, in the realm of U.S. politics, I looked at the extremes dividing rural and urban America.
“It’s Time for Biden to Start Naming Names”
And more particularly, at what a politically floundering Joe Biden could do to help himself and keep Donald Trump from returning to power. Last spring, I suggested he go after the excessive profits and junk fees of leading corporations not just in the abstract but by calling out particular companies.
“Are the Democrats Sleepwalking to Disaster?”
And most recently, I concluded that Biden, though an estimable president, was probably the weakest candidate the Democrats could put up against Trump, and argued that other Democrats should enter the race, or, that (probably) failing, that Biden, should he come to next summer’s convention considerably down in the polls, release his delegates.
“Invading Mexico to Destroy the Drug Cartels? Here’s How!”
That made ten, but the list omits one other topic I was frequently compelled to return to, though at times I found that impossible to do with a straight face: the Republicans and their frequently deranged policy proposals. Here, then, my effort to show how one such proposal—invading Mexico—could actually be made workable.
And a happy new year to you all.
