contributions

When the U.S. Senate last Friday refused to renew the liberticidal Patriot Act — with its provisions for spying on Americans’ use of libraries and the Internet, among other Constitution- shredding activities — it was in part because that morning’s New York Times had revealed how Bush and his White House had committed a major crime.
By ordering the National Security Agency (a massive spying shop so secretive that in Washington its initials are said to stand for "No Such Agency") to wiretap (…)

As if the lies that took us to Iraq were not enough. As if the knowing use of bad intelligence wasn’t enough. As if the ever- shifting justifications for this war were not enough. As if the use of torture by and at the behest of the United States was not enough. As if the disclosure of classified information to retaliate against a critic of the war policy was not enough. As if the shroud of secrecy that binds this administration was not enough. As if the squandering of hundreds of billions (…)

by Juan Gonzalez
For three days, their transit strike had paralyzed America’s greatest city, and now it was time to go back to work.
The 33,700 members of Transport Workers Union Local 100 were exhausted. They had incurred the wrath of millions of transit riders, of Mayor Bloomberg, of Gov. Pataki, of the city’s entire business establishment, even of their own parent union in Washington. For violating the Taylor Law, the local and each individual striker still face huge fines.
Still, (…)

by Errol Louis
Mayor Bloomberg yesterday confirmed that he stood by every word of his televised outburst against the Transport Workers Union’s leadership at the height of this week’s strike. He called them "thuggish," "selfish," "frauds" and the like. A host of critics, such as state Sen. Kevin Parker of Brooklyn, now accuse the mayor of being racially divisive.
"We only need to look back to the day and time when MTA workers first gained the kind of pension and benefits which are now (…)

Havana, (Prensa Latina) The Cuban Parliament closed its last session of the year reaffirming the social, economic and political programs of the Revolution, slamming the new threats by the US government and painting a brighter future for 2006. # Fidel Castro: Transition in US
The legislative discussions, led by the President of the Councils of State and Ministers Fidel Castro, assessed the Island’s economic indicators that showed an 11.8 percent growth, and passed the budget for the next (…)

By Harry Targ
Over 100 activists, including 20 speakers on five panels, from the labor, anti-racist, peace, women’s, and socialist movements met to talk about ’Building A Progressive Majority’ on Saturday, December 10 at the SEIU 1199 meeting hall in New York City. The event was sponsored and organized by The Committees of Correspondence Education Fund.
Although difficult ’how to do it’ questions remain, attendees agreed with Leslie Cagan, United for Peace and Justice (UFPJ) coordinator, (…)

By Cindy Sheehan
I have been in Europe for 2 weeks now. I have been toasted by the Mayor of London, Ken Livingston, and greeted by Foreign Ministers, a Vice President and members of the various Parliaments. Those stories are for another article.
My highest honor both here in the States and in Europe now is meeting with the families of children murdered in George Bush’s War of Terror against the world.
No matter if we all speak differently accented English, Spanish, or the heavy (…)

By Syed Saleem Shahzad
KARACHI - Since the onset of the "war on terror", the US has detained more than 3,000 people worldwide in a network of secret prisons established by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in a number of regions, from Southeast Asia to North Africa, South Asia and Eastern Europe.
Revelations of this policy have drawn a flood of criticism, with allegations that prisoners held in such countries at the CIA’s behest could have been subject to unlawful interrogation.
US (…)

by Mary MacElveen
To all of our readers around this planet I want to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas, Feliz Navidad, Happy Hannukah and a Happy Kwanza ... no matter how we express ourselves during this season, it is far more important to do so with love in our hearts.
The other day, taking a cab to the market, in conversation with a Jewish cab driver, I asked him his take on how we should express what is in our hearts during this season. He said: "If someone wishes me a Merry (…)

by: Steve Watson
With the major stories of torture/rendition and spying on US citizens, one important revelation has slipped away virtually unnoticed - the fact that the Blair Government and the British Intelligence services had prior knowledge of the London bombings on July 7th of this year.
The London Times reported last weekend that MI5 and MI6 had specifically warned Tony Blair before the July 7 suicide bombings that Al-Qaeda was planning a “high priority” attack specifically aimed (…)