Tag Archives: elections

High Noon in Dallas

July 29, 2026

strategy, elections, history, civil rights, politics, unions, democracy

I’ve always liked the movie “High Noon” from 1954. It seems like a pretty good analogy for Dallas on September 9-10, 2026. In both cases, a very bad guy has announced that he’s coming to town to do his bad business. The local people scurry around to protect themselves.

At first Mr Trump announced that they were holding the Republican Party’s first ever “Mid-Term Convention.” But later they admitted that there won’t be any convention, it’s just a fund raiser and a Trump extravaganza. In fact, most news reports include the idea that they are only doing it because Ken Paxton is losing his race for Texas Senate. They need something to buoy the boy.

Apparently, their big plans for fund raising were a little too big. A week or so after the announcement, they cut the price for a Trumpster ticket by 50%. In the electoral arena, nothing is going very well for the Trumpsters.

The movie was supposed to be a typical cowboy shoot-em-up, but things went wrong and they turned out one of the greatest movies of all time. The screenwriter had been blacklisted, so arch anti-communist John Wayne did all he could to destroy ticket sales. In fact, the real-life story of the production and eventual success of the movie is very parallel to the story in the movie: Values of courage and communal spirit are pitted against pure evil. In the movie, the local law enforcement personifies every cowboy hero in every cowboy story ever told.

As soon as the Marshall finds out that Mr Evil and his gang are coming, the Marshall’s bride-to-be tells him to run. In fact, she says she will leave him if he doesn’t. No pressure.

His loyal deputy, a total opportunist, tries to make a deal before agreeing to help, then he defaults completely. The old judge would like to help, he says, but his hands are too shaky nowadays. The Marshall’s old sweetheart, once the consort of Mr Pure Evil and more lately the deputy’s squeeze, is packing her bags to run. Katy Jurado was magnificent in this role.

As a teenager, I was proud to copy and sing the Frankie Lane popular version of the Title Song, but the Tex Ritter version on the original sound track, while not very accessible, was far better.

Now, I hear that tune when I think about the Trumpsters coming to Dallas.

“Oh to be torn twixt love and duty,

S’posing I lose my fair hair beauty?

Look at that big hand move!

Nearin’ High Noon…”

The townspeople here aren’t scurrying around in fear the way they did in the movie. We’re organizing.

ELECTION OPTIONS FOR PROGRESSIVES

July 19, 2026

democracy, elections, politics, strategy

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As the election “season” begins, activists are weighing several options:

Ignore the elections
Outreach independently
Outreach for a candidate or the Democrats
Outreach along with progressive organizations
Outreach with the labor movement

The best tactic will be the one that correctly understands the situation and anticipates what will happen.

The situation is that the Republican hold over their previous voters is slipping. Democrats are gaining slightly in the polls, but there is no clear shift in power from one party to the other. Republicans are doing everything legally possible to undermine and rig the elections. The Democratic Party’s response is to complain, but their basic strategy is the same as any other election – to get as many votes as possible.

It should be obvious to all that the Trumpsters running the Republican Party will desperately cling to power no matter what it takes, legal or extralegal. We already know that they resorted to extralegal measures in 2020, and they will of certainty do so again if they lose in 2026 – only with a lot more firepower. It is entirely possible that they will even try to cancel the elections. Certainly, they will not hesitate at overthrowing them.

THERE ARE REALLY TWO GREAT CHALLENGES

The first challenge is to beat the Trumpsters decisively on November 3. The second major challenge is to overcome the Trumpster effort to overthrow the electoral process beginning November 4.

The easy way to win on November 3 is to work hard for the Democrats. But they will be incapable of leadership during the assault on democracy beginning November 4^th.

WHICH OPTION IS BEST?

The first option listed above is ridiculous. The second one is best because it advances the possibility of winning both on November 3 AND November 4. But independent outreach work brings a risk of being isolated and could even endanger participants. It would require substantial participation.

The third option listed above works for November 3, but not for November 4. The 4^th option works for both, but its effectiveness on November 4^th depends on the strength of the organization supported.

The 5^th and final option listed above is effective for November 3 and November 4. Unions are the strongest part of the working class and will be the backbone of the fight that begins November 4. It is also the safest choice.

In summary, if the progressive movement has the substance to carry out an independent outreach program, that would be best. If not, working with labor is best.

We Have a Chance for a United Front

July 14, 2026

chauvinism, civil rights, democracy, elections, history, politics, strategy

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Three alternatives are possible when we wake up on November 4, the day after the election:

No substantial transfer of power
Trumpsters substantially win
Anti-Trumpsters substantially win

In the first scenario, we go on with the day-by-day fight to keep from sliding completely into autocracy. In the second, we’ll do the same thing, but with a tremendous handicap. In the third scenario, we can expect the electoral fight to spill over into the streets.

In other words, the Trumpsters will do everything they can to overturn elections — even to the point of overturning the system itself. As they did in 2020, they will use everything at hand — but this time they will have at hand a lot more than a bunch of lawyers and a gang of violent loonies.

In Any Scenario, We Have to Unify

We have less than four months to pull the anti-autocracy forces together. It is not just a good way to win, it is the only way.

Against our unity effort is the mighty obstacle of sectarianism. While opposing the Trumpsters is common to many organizations and ideologies, each of them exists within its silo of isolation. Hardly any of us is open to working with everybody.

The Democrats, or course, have the simplest solution: vote Democrat. But they may be the most sectarian of all. For example, look at the way they gang up against their more progressive (and amazingly successful) candidates for office!

Today’s (7/14/26) Dallas Morning News has a strong lead editorial warning against “extremists” from the Democratic Socialist camp. I wrote them a letter asking if they were comfortable in the “middle of the road” along with yellow stripes and dead armadillos. I’ve seen dozens of articles imploring the Democrats to denounce their progressives because, they say, the American people are so reactionary that denouncing progressives is the only way for Democrats to win.

Cut off your nose to spite your face!

Who’s a Sectarian?

Almost everybody in almost every organization. We were fragmented deliberately by those who rule us, whether Democrat or Republican. We remain fragmented and have never in our history overcome sectarianism completely.

Now, we must. We can because we have to. It’s the only way to win.

How Do We Overcome Our Sectarianism?

Patiently explain.

We find ways to put aside our differences for the common goal of not becoming an authoritarian state in 2026. Texans, especially Dallasites, have a tremendous opportunity for unity because the Trumpsters are planning a gigantic fund raising extravaganza at the American Airlines Center September 9-10.

As usual, of course, every organization in town is working on separate events, but I may have thought of a way to get everybody out of our silos and working together. It has to do with the President (I’m the VP) of the North Texas Area Labor Federation, Tevita Uhatafe.

Unions may not be perfectly aligned, even with one another, but they have a better understanding of winning through solidarity than anybody. Tevita, whose nickname is “Brother Solidarity,” is the most powerful, and the least sectarian, labor leader around.

Tevita has agreed to work with me on an all-encompassing, totally non-sectarian and open, approach to opposing the Trumpsters on September 9-10.

How?

We’re going to do it on-line.

With a lot of technical help from Travis Cantwell, who joined me to put on a successful “Labor Day Breakfast” during the pandemic, we’re planning to stream anti-autocracy speakers and Q&A sessions all the way through the Trumpster extravaganza. They are charging $5,000-$20,000 for a ticket. We’re charging nothing. Talk about democracy!

We will also post every speech on YouTube so people can watch them later.

Newspersons will be the first people invited. Next, we’ll invite spokespersons from every anti-Trumpster organization that has a following.

Who?

Why not get the most outstanding anti-Trumpster speakers? Since it’s on-line and free, we should be able to get Zohran Mamdani, Mayor of New York. We should be able to get dynamic labor leaders like Randi Weingarten of the AFT or Shawn Fain of the UAW.

We should be able to get the most critical candidates, but we shouldn’t stop at electoral politics. Let’s also invite the Palestinians, the peace movement, the communists, the retirees, the feminists, the gays, the church leaders — any single spokesperson for any single organization with a following against the Trumpsters.

That’s the way to unity! That’s the way to win!

–Gene Lantz

I’m on KNON.org radio 89.3FM at 9AM every Saturday. I post all over the internet. My personal web site is https://lilleskole.us.

Some Recent Headlines

June 7, 2026

civil rights, democracy, economy, elections, environment, history, politics, strategy

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All week every week, I collect news articles in hopes of reading them over KNON radio. Here are some recent articles and bits of my observations:

The best understanding always flows from the general to the particular, so I’m going to take a worldwide view and then bring it down to my home in North Texas.

The Economic Situation

We are in the middle of a worldwide shift toward the end of American economic domination.

The Multipolar Moment: What U.S. Hegemony Decline Means Telesur

U.S. economy grew at a modest 1.6% annual pace (1st quarter) ap in dmn //Chinese authorities worry if their growth falls below 5%//

German economists have lowered their predicted growth rate to .4% for next year. Telesur

Trump’s State Visit to Beijing and the New Cold War on Asia Telesur

Trump Between Cuba and Taiwan Telesur

In the U.S., the stock market is booming, but people are beginning to hurt. Construction of data centers and other infrastructure for artificial intelligence is helping some and hurting others. Unions seem paralyzed, but environmentalists and communities are moving into action.

“Households getting discouraged as Wall Street rises” ap in dmn

“Prices in the U.S. are Rising at the fastest pace in years.” NYT

Atmos will be allowed to raise household gas prices $9.46/month. DMN

“Nearly 88,000 U.S. jobs were directly eliminated by AI in 2026 as companies restructured operations,…” Telesur

Inside the Trump-backed push to bring AI doctors into American medicine WAPO via ARA

“It’s clear that if we don’t harness if properly, A.I. is the single biggest threat to working people of our lifetime.” –Pope Leo quoted in PW

Social Security unraveling: 7,100 workers sacked, performance metrics retired, disability claims falling Fortune via ARA

Texas billionaires are benefitting from the tech boom, but a spontaneous resistance is growing. Jun 11, 6P: ”Are Data Centers Good for Texas” film by Texas Organizing Project at Texas Theatre, 231 Jefferson in Oak Cliff. 469-550-4750

“Median CEO pay up nearly 6% in 2025” At the median company, the average worker would have to work 200 years to get what his/her CEO makes in one.” AP in dmn

Musk received $132.3B in one year. Ap in dmn

Data center divide widens in North Texas DMN

The hospitality industry in North Texas, especially in Arlington, expects to make major gains from the World Cup. Each Player to Receive $5,000 Per Day at the 2006 World Cup Finals Telesur

Uncertainty about Trump’s warmaking is affecting business decisions.

Bell Textron announced 250 layoffs and some furloughs. DMN

The fury against data centers is mostly in rural areas. The uprisings in urban areas are largely undirected except that they are always against autocracy. “No Kings” is the most popular slogan in American history.

The Political Situation

U.S. imperialism is intervening, with some success but not unequivocal success, in other nations’ power struggles. The world’s wealthiest man, Elon Musk, is the main ambassador for autocracy.

Trump plans anti-anti-fascist summit. PW

Colombian elections, Bolivian rebellion. Telesur

China Sends Rice Shipment to Cuba Amid U.S. Blockade Telesur

The economic situation is the most important, but is not the only crisis of capitalism. The world is also dangerously close to suffocating, drowning, or dying from disease because of capitalist domination.

The most vulnerable populations such as seniors and children are hardest hit. Oppressed people are learning how to fight. People of color are by far the most likely to fight back. African Americans, because they are overwhelmingly working class, continue as the spearhead for justice.

Trumpsters, like autocrats through history, are trying to control all information.

“…right now, Republicans are running circles around Democrats on the social media platforms where more and more Americans are getting their news. Case in point: Fox News’ TikTok account has exploded from around 500,000 followers on Election Day 2024 to nearly 11 million today.“ Robert Reich

“Scott Pelley worked at CBS News for 37 years, including as White House correspondent, anchor of the “CBS Evening News” and “60 Minutes” correspondent until he was fired on Tuesday.” In an interview with Time magazine, he said he was fired for standing up for the truth, particularly about what happened in Minneapolis. Nyt

In another case of President Trump’s erasure of history, the Trump regime’s Justice Department has deleted all the files—documents, e-mails, reports, and everything else—about the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol invasion and insurrection from its website. And bragged about it PW

The mid-term elections loom before us as an opportunity to set autocracy back. We have no illusions about the straight-jacket of the 2-party capitalist system, but the working class can make gains in spite of it by employing class struggle election policies. Trumpster corruption may be a good election issue. Overwhelming turnout for progressive candidates and ideas is job one.

“Former judges urge inquiry into deal trump struck with I.R.S.“ NYT

”FBI arrests CIA official with $40M in gold bars in his home” NYT

Trump said while surrounded by top administration officials. “I don’t care about the midterms.” AP

“… in congressional primaries and general elections, the top fundraiser still wins 92 percent of the time.” Niskanen Center Oct 2025

“In latest sign of discontent, 43% of voters are dissatisfied with both parties.” NYT

Pastor Robert Jeffress of Dallas Baptist says that Trump understands the Bible better than the Pope does. Fox News https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1F8TiLkbe4

There are 18.7M voters registered in Texas. 81.19% of VAP are registered. 1.4M voted in Republican runoff. 64% went for Paxton . In the primary, before the runoffs, 2.3M Democrats and 2.2 Republicans voted. Texas Secretary of State and DMN

The Trumpsters are currently trying to rig the system as much as possible. Trump himself has floated the idea of not having elections. The most likely future gives Democrats an edge in many if not most elections. However, it is a certainty that the Trumpsters will try to overthrow all elections that they lose, exactly as Trump did in 2020.

Judge declines to block Trump’s mail-in voting executive order. NBC News/Reuters, May 28, 2026

“A federal judge has declined to halt President D Trump’s executive order creating a federal voter list and limiting mail voting, clearing the way for potential sweeping changes in how American elections are run shortly before this year’s midterm elections.” AP in DMN

They will of certainty employ the coercive forces that they can command.

To overcome the billionaire autocrats, we will have to organize to fight beyond the electoral arena. Boycotts and other mass actions will be necessary. The most powerful organizations will be those close to labor like YALL and TARA. Civil rights organizations are a close second.

The progressive movement can be well proud of what we have done over the past period.

Strategies and tactics are now under discussion. Some of them, such as military action, going underground, or total reliance on the Democrats, are obvious losers. But other strategies and tactics are not as clear without a vigorous discussion.

It is our job to make the best recommendations possible and to implement and communicate them as widely as possible.

–GeneLantz19@gmail.com

Shoulders to the Wheel

June 1, 2026

civil rights, democracy, elections, politics, strategy

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We have until November before a systemic crisis hits.

Five months.

Currently, the billionaire autocracy is doing everything possible to rig the November elections. If they are not confident of substantially winning, they may try to end elections entirely. Trump has already floated the idea without success. If the elections are carried out, they will contest every election that they lose.

That they will use every possible means – legal/illegal, moral/immoral – to contest election outcomes is a certainty. It is proven without possible argument by the precedent they set in 2020.

In 2020, the billionaire autocracy had at their disposal only a ragtag group of fanatics. In 2026, they have nominal control over most of the coercive forces, including police, sheriffs, border patrols, ICE, the National Guard, the Army, the Navy, the Marines, the Air Force, and the Space Force.

The working class will resist. Will we be prepared to win by November?

Certainly, more people have hit the streets than at any time in history. Certainly, consciousness is at an all-time historical high. Certainly, the progressive forces are better organized than ever before. Even unions have begun to wake up. Certainly, the advanced part of the working class has brought the entire movement forward. Will it be enough?

Between now and the certain crisis, our movement must carry out two main strategies:

1) Mobilize the largest vote for progressive candidates and ideas

2) Organize the working class to fight beyond the electoral arena

CONFLICTING IDEOLOGIES

In the flurry of new consciousness, several different philosophies have emerged and begun to be put into practice.

Armed struggle is the least intelligent idea, but a few groups and individuals have already begun to advocate it. Where they tried to implement, they played precisely into the hands of the autocracy. Under current conditions the most likely initiators of any such policy are government provocateurs.

Getting everybody into trade unions is a charming idea. The Industrial Workers of the World tried it and made a good showing in the early part of the 20th century. But it didn’t work then and won’t work now. However, there are emerging organizations working with but not under the trade unions that are very promising.

Overcoming our enemies by winning elections within the only system available is the most popular idea, but this shopworn process is easily discredited, as it should be. American voters reject both capitalist parties.

The New York Times ran a headline on May 29: “In latest sign of discontent, 43% of voters are dissatisfied with both parties.”

Thirty percent of those polled “liked” the Republicans and didn’t like the Democrats. Twenty-three percent liked the Democrats and didn’t like the Republicans. The total number satisfied with both capitalist parties was four percent! The article asserted, “Eighty percent of dissatisfied voters said the economic and political system needed major changes or to be torn down entirely…”

The working class is learning class struggle politics. The alternative to the discredited two-capitalist-party political system is exactly that — class struggle politics.

ORGANIZING BEYOND ELECTIONS IS VITAL

Getting more workers to join progressive organizations, particularly those close to labor and civil rights organizations, is positive action. Many of them have already begun to search for ways to fight the autocracy.

We need political guidance to a viable path. That path is to organize the working class for full democracy.

As we study and practice, we move ourselves upward toward cadre status. As we take our place in working class organizations, we improve our options. Raising money is vital.

Shoulders to the wheel, comrades. We are running out of time!

–genelantz19@gmail.com

Texas Primaries May Predict November Outcomes

June 1, 2026

civil rights, democracy, elections, history, politics, strategy

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The votes of far-right Republican voters and the prayers of Democrats elevated former Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to the top of the ticket for the state’s November elections.

Paxton’s Democratic opponent in November posted, “I’m now officially running against Ken Paxton. If we fail to take back Texas, we could hand this seat to the most corrupt politician in America.” – Candidate James Talarico

Trump and Democrats Celebrate the Texas Primary Results

Paxton may be one of the best-known for nastiness politicians from anywhere. His headlines include charges of corruption, infidelity, investigations, impeachment, and homophobia. A recent People’s World article charges him with forcing a Texas hospital to give up gender affirmation and change to behavior modification!

Texas A.G. Ken Paxton forces hospital to establish conversion therapy clinic

In case anyone doubts the death wish of Texas Republican voters, the race for Railroad Commissioner is clear proof. The Railroad Commission oversees oil and gas and is one of the critical elected offices in the state. The winner was Bo French, who had backing from the West Texas oil billionaires who have sponsored right-wing turnarounds in many and varied state elections, including school boards. Backing French’s opponents were the mightiest of right-wing state politicians, including the Governor and Lieutenant Governor. French’s campaign, based almost completely on racism and islamophobia rather than the oil industry, was too disgusting even for the more traditional hate mongerers.

The race for Attorney General in the Republican primary was all hate and mudslinging. The winner overcame the backing for his opponent from no less a well-known far-right hatesman than Senator Ted Cruz!

The shift among Texas Republicans is clearly toward autocracy without any regard to winning in November.

Texas Matters

The Texas primary elections are important because of the size of the state and the earliness of the returns. There are clear trends that can be used to predict outcomes in November.

Republican winner Ken Paxton put it well in his victory speech, “If Republicans lose this state, we lose the country.” — Dallas Morning News

In both the Democratic and Republican primaries that were settled in the runoffs on May 26, some of the biggest issues were hardly mentioned. The effect of artificial intelligence on jobs didn’t find a champion. The ongoing war in Iran and the coming threat to Cuba were not issues. Democrats and Republicans showed little interest in China, Israel, nor the exploding military budget.

Big $Money$ Matters

“The matchup became the most expensive Senate primary in U.S. history, topping $130 million in spending by all candidates and their allies.” –Dallas Morning News

The downright silly mud-slinging contest for Republican nomination for Attorney General drew over $14 million, according to news accounts made before the final tallies.

Despite all the Texas craziness, there were some issues that stood out.

Labor Celebrates, and Deserves to Celebrate

In Congressional District 33 around Dallas, labor endorsed Democrat Colin Allred based a great deal of his campaign on corruption among public officials. He especially charged his opponent with profiting from stock trading while holding public office and trust. He won handily and, because of Republican redistricting, expects little resistance in November.

Labor celebrated its victories in the critical Attorney General’s race and in several state legislature races. Our endorsed candidate for Lieutenant Governor lost, but he lost to another highly respected union member. The Texas AFL-CIO is revitalizing the entire state with political training and backup in local areas.

–GeneLantz@gmail.com

What We’re Talking About

May 23, 2026

civil rights, democracy, economy, elections, politics, strategy, unions

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We’re on KNON radio every Saturday at 9AM central time. They keep the recordings on KNON.org for 2 weeks, so you can still listen to “Gene Lantz” or “Workers Beat.” They put my weekly podcasts on Soundcloud under “Workers Beat Extra.”

On May 23, the first caller spoke about the odd proposal to tear down our Dallas City Hall. Apparently, Mrs Adelson, the big Trump sponsor, wants to build an arena there for her Dallas Mavericks basketball team. The caller said the only problem was a leak in the basement, and that they need to get a better plumber. Bonnie, my Co-Host, said they need a union plumber.

I had a newspaper article on the topic: “A group of businessmen and architects propose 47 acres of city-owned land for the Mavericks. Their opposition wants to tear down City Hall and says the building is ‘unpopular.’ ” Dallas Morning News

During the next lull, I got to talk about something I’ve been wanting to say for weeks: the reason that Trump wants lower interest rates even as inflation rises. Normally, the Federal Reserve raises interest rates as monetary policy to fight inflation, but Trump wants the reverse — lower interest rates despite inflation.

Fiscal policy — government expenditures — are also fanning the fires of inflation. During the past week, I had accumulated several examples:

“Trump wants $1.2T to put weapons in space. $1.5T for miliary budget. $350B for present war.” New York Times

White House Approves $9 Billion for Spy Agencies to Catch Up on A.I.

NYT

$1.7 billion contract awarded “for border wall in Big Bend” amid public confusion over construction plans. TX Tribune

“Trump is setting up a $1.8B “weaponization fund.” “The massive fund would give Jan. 6 rioters pardoned by Trump a mechanism to seek taxpayer payouts for their claims of government overreach.” NBC News

Justice Department gifts Trump with slush fund Salon

“Trump Officials Decline to Rule Out DOJ Payouts to Jan. 6 Rioters Who Assaulted Police.” Time

“There has never been an example of presidential corruption like this.” NYT editors

“Never in 250 years has America witnessed a sitting president shield himself and his family from tax scrutiny, after leveraging policies that benefit his own businesses and personal portfolios, as Donald J. Trump has done… In doing so, he has set a precedent — once so unfathomable as to be laughable — that it’s OK for presidents and family members to make billions off deals affected by government decisions, then use the Justice Department to secure lifetime protection from scrutiny of their past tax returns.” AXIOS

After a couple more callers, I was finally able to give my take on why Trump keeps driving up inflation and demands lower interest rates: he wants to continue “borrowing” taxpayer money and driving up national debt in order to fund his plans for military and internal coercive forces, especially ICE. In other words, he doesn’t care about his sagging popularity. He intends to take what he wants, internationally and domestically, BY FORCE!

Dallas political analyist Carolyn King Arnold called, as she often does, to urge everybody to vote. She said that voting is “the only way” that people can change anything. After she finished, I disagreed.

Voting is important, but hardly the “only way.” People need to organize. Bonnie and I agreed that the best organizations are those closest to the union movement. Unions are the largest and best organized part of the progressive movement. I also recommended NAACP as a good organization to join.

Another caller reviewed his own article in PeoplesWorld.org. It was about an important voters’ event held last week in Friendship West megachurch. They set a goal of 75% turnout for Black voters. And they will do the work! He recommended working with Dr Frederick Haynes. I do, too.

With the subject of voting on hand, Bonnie and I could hardly resist talking about Trump’s seemingly insane endorsement of Ken Paxton to head the Republican ticket in Texas as the nominee for U.S. Senate. The caller who brought it up said that Republican voters “must be crazy.” I disagreed again.

I had two reasons. Firstly, even though Trump’s endorsement is winning Republican primaries all over the country, I don’t think that all rank-and-file Republican voters are nuts enough to elect Paxton on our May 26 runoff election day. There was a letter-to-editor in the Dallas newspaper demonstrating my point:

This article was also in today’s paper: “After Trump endorsed Paxton, Republican turnout in early voting dropped.” DMN //it proves that Republicans are not necessarily crazy//

And from last week, “Paxton and Cornyn race gets uglier and uglier.” DMN

My second argument goes beyond whether or not Trump is crazy or otherwise incompetent. I think that the billionaires behind Trump have a plan that largely disregards the question of winning elections. I think they intend to try to overthrow any election they don’t win, and Ken Paxton, famous for oceans of frivolous lawsuits, is just the kind of lawyer they need to help overthrow elections. His opponent, John Cornyn, may still believe in the Constitution.

My friend Arash called to talk about a mural unveiling for ICE victims and other civil rights issues. I wished we had more time to talk about civil rights and the current and next Trump wars, but it’s just a talk show and it’s just an hour. I was loaded up with recent articles on those subjects.

Civil Rights Being Decimated

“Thousands rallied in Montgomery for voting rights. ” Ap in dmn

“NAACP calls for boycott of Southern college sports programs over voting rights” Courier Texas

“Texas is the death penalty capital and Tarrant is the capital of that. 92% of death penalty cases are against people of color. ” Jane.harper@dallasnews.com

“Texas executed a man with a tested IQ of 70. ” Jamie.landers@dallasnews.com

“Justice Dept. Accuses U.C.L.A. Medical School of Bias Against White and Asian Applicants.” nyt

“Trump’s border wall is desecrating Native American site.” Ap in dmn

Trump’s Wars Worsen

New York Times ran a poll asking how many people support Trump’s war in Iran. 30% do, but it’s 70% for Republicans and 5% for Democrats.

“Israelis bomb Lebanon during truce.” NYT

Trump says “It looks like I’ll be the one that does it,” about invading Cuba. AP in dmn

And Everything Else

I had dozens of articles and opinions about this perilous economy and, especially, about artificial intelligence. But we get only an hour.

–Gene Lantz

We’re on KNON.org every Saturday at 9AM and they keep the recordings on for 2 weeks afterward. My podcasts are under “Workers Beat Extra” on Soundcloud and my personal web site is http://lilleskole.us.

Just Look At What We Have Done!

May 18, 2026

civil rights, democracy, economy, elections, history, politics, strategy, unions

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If everything looks bad, it’s only because our enemies are flooding the world with lies. In truth, they are cornered rats. I’m not saying that cornered rats are not dangerous, but they can be stomped!

Take a look at what we have already accomplished in 2026:

Crowds at No Kings events have surpassed all previous American protests!

Our labor movement broke 70 years of precedent by condemning Trump’s wars

Our labor movement broke even longer precedent by promoting May 1, International Workers Day

The Alliance for Retired Americans, which has never gone beyond immediate retiree issues, unanimously passed a hot resolution against the war in Iran. It’s a very long and detailed resolution. You can read it on http://retiredamericans.org. Here’s just one paragraph:

”Whereas the price of oil has already risen dramatically and will lead to sharp increases in the prices of many products that are daily necessities for American families, and the cost of this war will fall squarely on the working people of our country, and on our military service members who are being asked to wage a war and sacrifice their well-being, perhaps their lives, with no clear reason or end plan.”

Let me mention a few other items from today’s news:

Today, Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) and 28 co-sponsors introduced the Fair Trade for Working Families Resolution, which outlines new principles for international trade that would prioritize the interests of working people over the profits of multinational corporations.… The resolution is endorsed by the United Steelworkers (USW), United Auto Workers (UAW), AFL-CIO, International Association of Machinists (IAM), Citizens Trade Campaign (CTC), Rethink Trade, Public Citizen, Sierra Club, NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice, the National Family Farm Coalition, and BlueGreen Alliance.

This seems like a good time to note that critical alliances are being formed in the progressive movement!

Here’s more from today’s news:

NYT asked “Do you think Donald Trumps decision to go to war with Iran was the right decision or the wrong decision?” Democrats said yes by 5%, Republians by 22%. And the general population by 30%.

Thousands rallied in Montgomery for voting rights. Ap in Dallas newspaper. It’s important to show that the fight goes on.

The Democratic nominee for Senate in Maine says he wants to change the system. NYT

Editors who usually choose to endorse candidates on the basis that they are probably going to win have chosen labor-endorsed Colin Allred on CD33, Venton Jones on TX100 and Nathan Johnson for Attorney General. Texas primary runoffs are May 26.

Mexican Government Reaffirms Support for Michelle Bachelet’s UN Secretary-General Candidacy Telesur This one is important because we might get a very progressive Secretary-General, but it also matters considerably that the President of Mexico does not cringe before Trump!

Unions are winning some big victories:

United Airlines Flight Attendants have new contract: The five-year contract includes a 31% base pay rate increase this summer; boarding pay (which averages an 7% to 8% increase to compensation); $741 million in retroactive pay; expanded job security; restrictions on red-eye flying; sit pay for scheduled and rescheduled sits over 2.5 hours; per diem and 401(k) contribution increases; 10 weeks’ paid maternity and two weeks’ paid parental and adoption leaves; elimination of 24 hour on-call reserve and more. Aflcio

Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Texas workers at George R. Brown Convention Center and Houston Entertainment Center just won massive 46% raises! TX AFL-CIO

I’m not positive how to evaluate this, but I think it’s big news:

Trump went to China, but came back empty handed. One interpretation of Trump’s war in Iran is that it was caused by the undermining of the “petrodollar” by the BRICS countries. Brazil, Russia, India, China and their 25 or so new partners have been trading for everything, including oil, in their own currencies instead of bowing to the United States and using dollars. If this is the reason for the war, and I think it is, then don’t expect it to be over soon. I’ll go so far as to say that the war in Iran will not really be over before the end of November.

–Gene Lantz. I’m on KNON radio at 9AM every Saturday. They podcast it on knon.org. They podcast my “Workers Beat Extra” podcasts on Soundcloud. I podcast them on Spotify under my own name. If you were curious about what I really think, you might look at https://lilleskole.us.

Message to Zeeshan

January 27, 2026

democracy, economy, elections, history, politics, strategy

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To Zeeshan: Why You Matter to Me

I’m wholeheartedly advocating your campaign in Congressional District 33. My reasons may be unique.

It’s not because I dislike the other two candidates. Julie Johnson and Colin Allred have been solid for labor and for retirees. I’ve always liked them both and would have had a hard time choosing between them if you hadn’t come along.

It’s not because I think electing a new congressperson this November will significantly change the awful direction that our nation is going. I am not convinced that we will even have American elections in November.

My reasons for supporting you are strong. They include some specific parts of your program, but are more about the salutary effect you have on our fragmented progressive movement.

I admire what seems to be growing respect between you and another candidate in a different district, Reverend Doctor Frederick Haynes III. You and I are recently acquainted, but I have been listening to Haynes for decades and I have never witnessed a better spokesperson for unity between the civil rights movement and labor. Also, I have never heard him say anything that wasn’t absolutely true.

I was tremendously impressed by your call for shortening working hours without cutting paychecks. I have never heard a candidate with this program, and I don’t believe that even old-timers in the labor movement are likely to remember that “30 for 40 [hours] with no cut in pay” was once a basic demand in the Congress of Industrial Organizations.

Shortening the working hours without cutting pay is the only possible solution to the threat of automation. Artificial intelligence, today’s most prominent form of automation, is being promoted fanatically by big business and the Trump Administration. It has one and only one purpose: layoffs. Even though artificial intelligence is in its first stages, America is already in a jobs crisis, and it will get worse unless we shift to your solution.

The other proposals for fighting automation and artificial intelligence are tragedies. They consist of minor attempts at legislative regulation and, most forlorn hope of all, controlling automation with union contracts. 90% of American workers don’t even have a union contract!

Ordinary progressive spokespersons are insufficient in these times, because these are not normal times. We are facing an aspiring fascist dictatorship that can only be stopped by a strong, intelligent, and well-integrated people’s movement. Judges haven’t stopped it, and neither have legislatures, nor will they.

We need spokespersons like you who understand the threat, can clarify it for others, and can point us toward solutions. Most particularly, you have the potential to help overcome the boss-invented divisions that are holding us back. Racism and chauvinism are the best known of these sociological maladies, but jingoism must also be overcome. For far too long, some of our political representatives have voted well enough on domestic issues, but they almost inevitably failed us on international ones.

Your message of unity is the same that Dr. King expressed at Riverside Church in 1967. He tried to heal the rifts dividing labor, civil rights, and the peace movement. Dr King is gone but the rifts remain, until now when we finally have an opportunity for clarity and unity.

President Trump is spending almost $1 trillion dollars on the military, and he recently called for a 50% increase! The main beneficiaries of American militarism are oil companies. He isn’t making America great, he is making rich America obscenely richer.

America is running out of time. Spokespersons like you have to explain the danger and put forward the only possible solution – unity!

That’s why I’m on board for Zeeshan Hafeez.