On "After State Monopoly Capitalism?" by Zoltan Zigedy

Zoltan Zigedy provides a review of After State Monopoly Capitalism? that provides a glimpse into how bourgeois economists are recognizing the undeniable relationship between monopoly capital and political power. Quoting Krugman who was in turn summarizing Reich, the relationship between monopoly capital and political power is described very clearly:

Rising wealth at the top buys growing political influence via campaign contributions, lobbying, and the rewards of the revolving door. Political influence in turn is used to rewrite the rules of the game—antitrust laws, deregulation, changes in contract law, union-busting—in a way that reinforces income concentration. The result is a sort of spiral, a vicious circle of oligarchy.

The pervasive exploitation and misery that are permanent features of capitalism as a system benefit a very few globally or in the United States. The resulting inequalities have become so starkly visible that even those who are inclined to want to see capitalism survive have to admit to the systemic challenges that capitalism presents to the great mass of people.

In the conflict between exploiters (monopoly capital) and working people the lines are clearly drawn; this conflict demands resolution through systemic change ending exploitation and beginning to build toward a socialist society.

John Grisham's novel "Gray Mountain"

John Grisham's novel "Gray Mountain" is worth the read. The book is a legal thriller chronicling the conflict between big coal companies in Appalachia and the workers in the coal industry. In a book that comes across as truly passionate on its subject, the author weaves a story of crusading lawyers fighting big business and a legal system that is easily manipulated by those with money. Rather than being an even playing field dedicated to finding justice, the courts are arenas where big business beats workers literally to death with appeals and lies, augmented by corporate goons threatening violence at every turn.

While the resolution of the novel is firmly supportive of working within the system, the actual facts vividly described are a penetrating condemnation of capitalist justice that implicitly asks the question of whether the state apparatus is so one-sided in favor of big money as to be irretrievably corrupt and needing to be dumped through a fundamental change in the power relations between workers and employers.

I recommend this book to anyone looking for a good holiday (or otherwise) read. Its fun, intelligent, moving, and accurate. John Grisham at his best.

Opening of the International Conference of Solidarity with the Palestinian People

Today marks the opening of the International Conference of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. This event was organized by the World Federation of Trade Unionists and the General Union of Palestinian Workers.

The Palestinians have been subject to occupation and genocidal attack for over 75 years now, with the continued support of the United States for the atrocities carried out against these people.

The Communist Party of Indiana CPUSA stands with the people of Palestine and demands an end to the attacks by the Israeli state and by individuals against Palestinians, an end to all seizure of Palestinian lands, and recognition of the dignity of the Palestinian people everywhere including peace, self-determination, restoration of lands, and the right of return.

New York Police Officer Fatally Shoots [Unarmed] Man After a Car and Foot Chase

The New York Times is reporting here on 8 December 2015 that "New York Police Officer Fatally Shoots Man After a Car and Foot Chase". While the NY Times headline doesn't mention it, the murdered man was unarmed.

A uniformed New York City police officer shot and killed an unarmed man on Tuesday after a car chase that began in the Bronx ended with a foot pursuit and a confrontation in a wooded area of Yonkers just off the Saw Mill River Parkway, the authorities said.

The NY TImes article avoids specifically mentioning the ethnicity or race of the murdered man, but from his name, Miguel Espinal, it is likely he is Hispanic. The Times goes on to list out the details of all the problems this man had, such as prior run-ins with the law, as if they somehow justified the slaughter of another human being at the hands of the police. Mr. Espinal's past is irrelevant to this murder, and the fact that the NY Times and similar media keep insinuating that only "bad people" get murdered by the police is irresponsible and reprehensible.

The Communist Party of Indiana CPUSA stands against the continuing police murder of African American youth and all people of color, working people, and the mentally ill. That these murders continue to be daily occurrences is indicative of the underlying, the real, function the police serve: to terrorize working class communities and all people of color, especially African American youth, in order to keep people from organizing for a society more conducive to human development and meeting humans needs rather than filling the wallets of the rich.

We support all efforts to impose citizen's control over the police, and support all people standing for justice in the cases of people murdered by the police. We further believe the nature of the role police play in our society must change before people can look to them to cherish and protect rather than abuse and murder.

The Communist Party of Indiana CPUSA stands against all murder by the police and demands a full and open investigation into Mr. Espinal's death at the hands of a police officer.