“Cuba should be the envy of many other nations, ostensibly far richer. [It] demonstrates how much nations can do with the resources they have if they focus on the right priorities — health, education, and literacy.” — Kofi Annan, former Secretary General of the United Nations

Introduction

The Republic of Cuba, a small Caribbean nation with a population of only eleven million people, has long taken up a vastly disproportionate space in the heads of US officials. Ever since the 1959 revolution (which overthrew Fulgencio Batista, a rather nasty US-backed dictator), the United States has been engaged in a ceaseless campaign…

Introduction

The American labor movement has been in a steady decline over the last several decades. Despite the fact that most Americans have a positive view of labor unions, membership has fallen dramatically since its peak in 1954 (when it stood at about 34.8% of the workforce), reaching a dismal low of 10.7% in 2017. …

Introduction

Social welfare programs have long been viewed as a way of papering over the cracks of capitalism, by seeking to provide a decent standard of living to everybody, regardless of income or employment status. Even socialists (who would like to transcend capitalism altogether, rather than patching up its holes) nevertheless would generally prefer that these programs exist, as the alternative (unmitigated capitalism) is so horrible as to be worth avoiding at any cost.

Of course, there are many people (liberals and conservatives alike) who would seek to scale back, eliminate, or “reform” these programs, and subject the working class…

Introduction

Opponents of Medicare-for-All have generally based their opposition on a number of claims relating to cost, quality, and choice. They claim that it would be too pricey, that it would result in inferior care, and it would eliminate people’s ability to choose their doctors. Fortunately for proponents of single-payer, these claims are, without exception, entirely and provably false. Let’s look at the evidence.

Myth #1: “Single-payer is too expensive”

Contrary to what conservative pundits will tell you, research has consistently found that Medicare-for-All would save a great deal of money. A 2020 meta-analysis in PLOS Medicine looked at twenty-two separate studies of various single-payer proposals, finding…

Introduction

Transphobia remains disturbingly common, and it is typically “justified” with various lies and slanders about trans people. In order to combat this bigotry, it is necessary to provide solid and easily understandable rebuttals to these common myths. All sources will be listed at the end of the post, if anyone would like to read in more depth.

Myth #1: “Trans People Are Mentally Ill!”

The notion that transgenderism is a mental illness has been explicitly rejected by major medical organizations. In 2021, the American Psychological Association issued a resolution in which they said the following:

Psychologists understand that gender…

Introduction

By now, most people are aware that the American healthcare system is among the most dysfunctional institutions imaginable, with the highest costs in the world, and some of the worst outcomes of any advanced country. That being said, there are still those who deny the necessity of completely overhauling the system, and as such, it is useful to take some time and go over the essential facts of the matter. As always, all sources will be listed at the end.

America’s Poor Health Outcomes

The USA ranks near the bottom of the developed world in most essential health outcomes…

Introduction

Recent years have brought a sharp uptick in the number of people interested in the policies and ideas of the political left. In order to clarify some basic points of confusion, and provide answers to some frequently asked questions, this short primer has been prepared. I encourage the reader to provide feedback if they feel that anything useful has been omitted. As always, all sources are listed at the end.

Question #1: What’s Wrong With Capitalism?

In his 1936 book The General Theory of Employment, Interest, and Money, the famed economist John Maynard Keynes noted that the main problems…

Introduction

The United States has long seen itself as a very special nation, playing a uniquely noble role on the world stage. While other nations are said to be guided by vulgar self-interest, the United States is supposedly different; the primary goal of American foreign policy is, according to the State Department’s website, to “promote and demonstrate democratic values and advance a free, peaceful, and prosperous world.” But how well does the United States live up to those so-called “democratic values”? Does it in fact promote the cause of a “free, peaceful, and prosperous world”? Let’s look at the facts.

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