Dear Progressive Reader,

Here in the United States, events seem to be moving along a predicted path. No one was surprised that Donald Trump swept the Iowa caucuses this week and that he continues his almost certain path to the Republican nomination this summer. President Joe Biden, on the other hand, has decided that South Carolina will be his first primary contest and is not even on the ballot in New Hampshire. There are, however, twenty-one other names listed on the New Hampshire ballot as Democratic contenders—including “Paperboy Love Prince” from Brooklyn and the perennial candidate Vermin Supreme.

Meanwhile, frightening events continue to unfold in the rest of the world. Pakistan’s attack on Iran Thursday seemed to come out of nowhere (although it was in response to an Iranian strike earlier in the week). The same day, North Korea tested an “underwater nuclear drone” following an announcement by the country’s supreme leader Kim Jong Un that he was planning to rewrite the constitution to label South Korea as the nation’s principal enemy. The conflict in Ukraine is nearing its two-year anniversary next month. And the war in Gaza, where the death toll has reached nearly 25,000—the majority of whom are civilians—passed its 100th day on Monday.

As we move forward into a new and uncertain year, The Progressive continues our coverage of these and other issues (including the ongoing threats of the climate catastrophe and the ever-present threat of nuclear weapons). Our next issue, which goes to press on Wednesday, offers previews of many electoral contests in 2024. If you are not already a subscriber, you can subscribe online today and get that February/March issue in the mail in a few weeks.

This week on our website, Chris Edelson examines the question of whether Biden’s attacks on Yemen violate the U.S. Constitution; Stephen Zunes asks if the United States will look the other way when the world court rules on South Africa’s case charging Israel with genocide; and cartoonist Mark Fiore illustrates the “glass half-empty” of Ron DeSantis. Also, Ed Rampell reviews the new PBS documentary on a Nazi movement—the German American Bund—in the United States in the 1930s, while Paul Von Blum reviews the graphic novel The Bund, which is about another “Bund”—the leftwing Jewish labor organization of the early twentieth century. Also, Mike Ervin reports on a victory for SSI recipients; Jeff Bryant tells the tale of two different federal education grant programs; and Anthony Pahnke pens an op-ed on the policies that American farmers truly need. Plus, Jeff Abbott reports from the successful inauguration of a progressive reform president in Guatemala and the hopes it raises for that country’s citizens.

Please keep reading, and we will keep bringing you important articles on these and other issues of our time.

Sincerely,

Norman Stockwell
Publisher

P.S. – Don’t miss a minute of the “hidden history” of 2024 – you can still order The Progressive’s new Hidden History of the United States calendar for the coming year. Just go to indiepublishers.shop, and while you are there, check out some of our other great offerings as well.

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