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Dear Progressive Reader,

The new year is a time to look back at a year that has passed, and to look forward toward a year that is coming. This weekend, Cartoonist Mark Fiore offers his look ([link removed]) at a 2022 “year-end clearance sale.” Unfortunately, many of the issues that confronted us during 2022 (the war in Ukraine, COVID-19, environmental destruction, unchecked gun violence) will continue in the year to come. But there are many new things that will be different in 2023.

In Brazil, Luiz Inácio da Silva, known as Lula, will be inaugurated as president on Sunday. As Jeff Abbott reported ([link removed]) earlier this fall, “In his victory speech, Lula promised that his administration would open a new era of relations with the United States and Europe, and with local governments inside his own country. He emphasized that his administration’s commitment will be to the people of Brazil.” But Lula’s government will face opposition in the country’s parliament. One big issue looming for the new president is deforestation in the Amazon rainforest. As Abbott notes ([link removed]) this week, “the incoming administration faces major challenges in achieving its new goals: Lula is inheriting a country whose environmental safeguards have been slashed under the far-right administration of Jair Bolsonaro.”

Bill Blum gives us his rundown ([link removed]) on the release last week of the January 6 committee’s report: “[Donald] Trump’s prosecution, at least at the federal level (he’s also under serious investigation in the states of Georgia and New York), now rests in the hands of the Justice Department and special counsel Jack Smith. The DOJ has received criminal referrals from the committee for four overlapping federal felonies committed by the former President.” But the final outcome remains uncertain, he explains. “We may have the answer in a matter of months.”

Eleanor J. Bader went to Washington, D.C., last week to witness ([link removed]) National Homeless Persons’ Remembrance Day, an event to address homelessness in the United States and the lack of government response to this crisis. “We came to D.C. with handmade tokens of love and creativity to make sure that Congress is reminded that this is totally unacceptable,” one organizer told her.

Kathy Kelly writes about efforts to hold war makers and war profiteers accountable.
Kelly hearkens back to the words of lifelong peace activist Phillip Berrigan, noting ([link removed]) , “One step we can take involves both political and humanitarian efforts to hold accountable the corporations profiting from the U.S. military budget. Drawing on Phil Berrigan’s steadfastness, activists worldwide are planning the Merchants of Death War Crimes Tribunal scheduled to be held November 10 to 13, 2023.”

Finally, in the wake of the COP27 climate meetings in Egypt followed by the COP15 biodiversity conference in Canada, Nigerian journalist Obiora Ikoku points out ([link removed]) , “activists in Nigeria are already discussing concrete steps to put pressure on the Global North to prevent the deal [reached on the last day of COP27] from becoming mostly symbolic.”
Meanwhile, the United States and the Vatican remain the only two countries ([link removed]) not to have signed on to the U.N.’s Convention on Biological Diversity.

Like other media outlets, The Progressive does want to look back at some accomplishments that took place in 2022. This week, peace activist Medea Benjamin offers her list ([link removed]) of “Ten Surprisingly Good Things That Happened in 2022.” And, as is our annual custom, our December/January issue ([link removed]) includes a list of “Favorite Books of 2022 ([link removed]) ” compiled by many of our staff and writers.

The Progressive has been, and continues to be, a voice for peace and social justice. We have published continuously since 1909, and plan to continue for many years to come. But we can only do it with your help. Please consider a year-end tax-deductible donation to support our work in 2023 and beyond. You can click the button below to donate online today; mail a gift to P.O. Box 1021, Madison, WI 53701; or feel free to call our office during the coming week at 608-257-4626 and make a donation over the phone. I thank you in advance for your support of this important work.

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. - The new 2023 Hidden History of the United States calendar is now available. You can order one online ([link removed]) and get it mailed in time for the holidays.

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P.P.P.P.S. – Thank you so much to everyone who has already donated to support The Progressive! We need you now more than ever. If you have not done so already, please take a moment to support hard-hitting, independent reporting on issues that matter to you. Your donation today will keep us on solid ground in 2022 and will help us continue to grow in the coming years. You can use the wallet envelope in the current issue of the magazine, or click on the “Donate” button below to join your fellow progressives in sustaining The Progressive as a voice for peace, social justice, and the common good.
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