These comments are from a number of Comrades mainly from a CWI and IMT background. But we think they will find an echo with Comrades from many other left backgrounds. We have concluded that the internal life of just about every left group is unhealthy, overly centralized, too top down, even we would go so far as saying to some extent undemocratic. We believe that the internal lives of these groups draw from the period when the Bolshevik party was degenerating and being taken over by Stalinism and along with that became negatively influenced by many decades when they were isolated from the mass workers movement. The recent crisis in the IMT is a reflection of these false methods of organizing which are common to just about all revolutionary left groups. We try to discuss this here. We look forward to hearing from Comrades. See our Learning From the Past link and our blog address. John Throne. read full story / add a comment

The California students at UCLA are using the old methods. read full story / add a comment

"There is no one who represents the black inner city, who is rooted in the black community. It's the whole black Brahmin thing.: Vote for us because we're better than you." read full story / add a comment

Now the Bush regime has taken a stake in the top nine US banks. It does so to save the system which the Wall Street Journal says was on the edge of a precipice. This is a major defeat for the US model of capitalism. And for the Bush regime. Bush came to power promising to reverse the gains of the 1930's and the 1960's. Now he will leave power having gone back to again increasing the role of the state in the economy. Not to mention the military defeats abroad. read full story / add a comment

It is everywhere. The talk of the bail out. And now the talk of the extra $140 billion they bribed the politicians to pass it. Meanwhile tens of millions of American workers are watching their savings, pensions, homes and jobs vanish before their eyes. The anger about the bail out prevented it being passed the first time. There has been a fundamental shift in consciousness in the US working class. It will not go back to having the same trust in the Republicans and the Democrats and the system. However a much greater shift could have taken place if the union leaders instead of trailing with their heads down after the Democrats and the bail out had taken an independent stand. read full story / add a comment

The US puppet regime in Georgia thought it could retake S. Ossetia and Abkhazia. It underestimated the revival of Russian power. Now its US and Israeli military has been crushed and the regime is in tatters. This represents a change in world relations. Russia has now shown it is prepared to intervene militarily beyond its borders. This will mean that the russian minorities in the former Soviet republics will become much more assertive. this in turn will mean that the governments of these countries will have to pay more heed to Russia. And the sige of Bush only able to wring his hands in china while his boy was getting whipped in Georgia will strengthen all Anti uS forces worldwide. read full story / add a comment

Over the past few years i have raised in indymedia the damage done to the working class movement by left sectarianism and advocated that attempts be made by left groups and left activists to work together much more. For this I have been attacked and slandered by the leadership of the old organization of which I was a part, the Socialist Party in Ireland. I am very glad to see that the Socialist party in Britain now appears to be taking steps in the direction of trying to work together with other groups on the left. I hope when I raise this again i will not be treated as some sort of heretic. Comradely, John Throne. read full story / add a comment

The Service Employees Internation Union in the USA has led the way in the policy of co-operation with management. It is now facing increased opposition from within its own ranks to this policy. read full story / add a comment

Lynn Walsh of the CWI reviews Capitalism Unleashed by Andrew Glynn. John Throne comments. read full story / add a comment

I am very sad to hear about Ted Grant. I met him first in the late 1960's and from him I came to understand the basics of marxism. He defended the method of marxism throughout the entire difficult period of the post war period. In particular he defended the orientation to the mass organizations of the working class and the struggle for the revolutionary program within the working class. This laid the basis for maintaining a working class orientation and analysis and program in Ireland where I lived over many of these difficult years. I have great memories of Ted explaining his ideas at meetings and conferences and in discussions.

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Over 2 million marched in the US over the past four days. This is a great step forward. I try to discuss here some issues this movement faces. Especially the issues of leadership and program. read full story / add a comment

Workers in the wake of Katrina are trying to self organize and fight back. Some of us activists here in the US are trying to help them both by going there and also by sending financial and other aid. Our aim is to help the workers self organize as opposed to being pushed around by the government and its many agencies. Arising out of this self organizing comes increased consciousness about our own power and this can lead to increased consciousness and struggle in all other areas of all of our lives.

Please check out the blog at bringdownbush.org and donate what you can through paypal on that site. read full story / add a comment

The Other America. BP, US Steel and other corporations bribed the politicians of Indiana to reassess their tax base and reduce their tax liability. The reduction of taxes that followed was then passed onto the taxes on the homes of working class people. 200,000 families are now estimated to be in danger of losing their homes. But a fight back is under way. Cant't Pay Won't Pay with the the bottom line being that nobody will loose their home. These are the main ideas of the campaign. The tactics are mass fight to win action exposing the politicians and the corporations and their corrupt rotten system.

Over 130 people met to launch this campaign in Hammond Indiana on monday night. The success of last night's meeting far surpassed anything could have been hoped for. Over 130 residents came out to the meeting in bitter cold temperatures of 20 below. The campaign is under way. John Throne. read full story / add a comment

The elections, the anti bin charge campaign and the struggle against sectarianism. read full story / add a comment

It is my understanding that the electricians have won all of their claim. read full story / add a comment

The growth associated with the so-called Celtic Tiger has vaulted Southern Ireland into the economic lead in the list of small states in the EU. But the distribution of the fruits of this growth has been mainly decided by the bosses and their parties. However the electrical workers in Southern Ireland have now voted and in fact already taken action in the last weeks to say no to this bosses share up. Victory for the electrical workers could open the door for a much wider struggle. The electrical workers must get full support. read full story / add a comment

There is a mood building against the war . I received this from a friend. It was his experience. read full story / add a comment

Recently I put the Pentagon Report on the threat to the environment and life on earth as we know it. Below I am posting another study this time by scientists that is even more devastating a criticism of capitalism's stewardship of the earth. I also make some comments and try to draw some conclusions. John Throne read full story / add a comment

I am posting a piece below on Patricks Day that I wrote a couple of years ago. It tries to give an idea of the contradiction between remembering and missing my home and at the same time having to seperate myself from the form that the celebration of March 17th takes in Chicago. read full story / add a comment

The Grocery workers strike/lock out in Southern California came up against the refusal of the union leaders to mobilize the power of the working class. Read some comments and reports from California. read full story / add a comment