Author: Norman Solomon

  • Progressives and the Obama Administration

    This letter was published in The Nation [October 11, 2010 print edition]:      The "Debating Obama" forum spotlighted some big obstacles to progressive change, but the discourse was notably hazy about presidential accountability for calamitous policies. It was a bad sign that the word "Afghanistan" did not appear anywhere in the forum's seven pages. (What would we…

  • No, Higher Consciousness Won’t Save Us

    By Norman Solomon      Autumn 2010 is a time of disillusionment for many who deplore the USA’s current political trajectory. Some who’ve been active for progressive causes are now gravitating toward hope that individual actions — in tandem with higher consciousness, more down-to-earth lifestyles and healthy cultural alternatives — can succeed where social activism has…

  • Politics from Washington to the North Bay

         Denial may be convenient, but it's not a political strategy.       Since last year, the Democratic Party's base has been eroding. Like canaries in a political coal mine, some progressives have warned of dire consequences. Instead of telling the canaries to pipe down, the way to prevent a collapse is to assess the ominous…

  • Elections Are a Waste of Time — If . . .

    By Norman Solomon   A pithy idea — now going around in some progressive circles — is that elections are a waste of time. The idea can be catchy. It all depends on some tacit assumptions. For instance: elections are a waste of time if you figure the U.S. government is so far gone that it…

  • An interview about progressives and the midterm elections

    During a mid-September interview on The Real News Network, Norman Solomon discussed the challenges for progressives in the current electoral arena. To watch, click here.