JACOBIN

AUGUST 12. 2025

A Taste of The President’s Cake

The new film The President’s Cake is both entertaining and compelling, but only if you know little about Iraq.

San Francisco’s Ultrarich Are Blocking a Zohran-Style Agenda

For years, democratic socialists in San Francisco have been passing Zohran Mamdani–style policies in the city legislature and through ballot measures, only to see them blocked by Silicon Valley billionaires and powerful real estate interests.

Donald Trump’s Trade War Has Switzerland in Its Sights

The Trump administration has imposed a tariff of 39 percent on Swiss goods — drastically higher than the rates for the EU or the UK. The goal is to transform a rival of the US into a tame economic dependent.

AUGUST 11. 2025

Kerala Is Still the Stronghold of India’s Communist Movement

Narendra Modi’s government is aggressively hostile to the communist-led left-wing alliance that holds power in Kerala because it has a remarkable track record of improving living standards for its people, unlike Modi and his Hindutva cronies.

Zohran Mamdani Should Mobilize NYC’s Pension Fund Leverage

While the mayor of New York has relatively limited economic powers, the big sums invested by the city’s public pension funds are a real source of leverage for Zohran Mamdani and other elected officials. They should make plans to use it.

Environmental Havoc Is Making Colombia’s Mosquitoes Deadlier

Colombia hosts many of the world’s most dangerous species of mosquitoes. Climate change is making them more prevalent.

In Sweden, Militarism Is on the Rise

Sweden long rejected militarism, even offering government funding to peace movements. Yet since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the political mood has changed abruptly, with a witch hunt launched against activists who oppose the country’s embrace of NATO.

Ballard Partners Is the Lobbyist King of the Trump Era

Corporate lobbying shop Ballard Partners previously employed Donald Trump’s chief of staff as well as his attorney general. The firm’s pull in Trumpworld has made it the highest-earning lobbying shop in the US, raking in more than $20 million last quarter.

The Silencing of Health Workers Who Speak Up for Palestine

Israel has killed over 1,400 health care workers in Palestine. But in Britain, doctors and nurses who speak up in solidarity with their colleagues have repeatedly been disciplined and silenced.

AUGUST 10. 2025

How International Law Disintegrated in Gaza

As the Israeli assault in Gaza approaches the two-year mark, the extent of Israel’s crimes becomes clearer by the day. So too does the complicity of other countries who have refused to uphold international law.

How Socialism Won in NYC’s Mayoral Primary

Zohran Mamdani is a longtime member of New York City Democratic Socialists of America, and the organization played a key role in his victory. We spoke to NYC DSA’s cochairs about how it happened.

The Famine in Gaza Was Made in the USA

The people of Gaza are starving because of a man-made famine as Israel draws up plans for a full-scale military occupation. US government officials haven’t just turned a blind eye to the historic atrocities in Gaza — they’ve been cheering them on.

AUGUST 9. 2025

Can Zohran Mamdani Fix New York’s Public Education?

Zohran Mamdani’s potential election as New York City mayor could be transformational for the city’s underfunded public K–12 schools and higher education system.

Donald Trump Seems Intent on Sabotaging US Dominance

By clinging to American primacy through force and intimidation, Donald Trump is, ironically, undermining US global power. A saboteur trying to subvert US interests from the inside could hardly do better than what he’s accomplished through sheer incompetence.