jack

i wish we had weekly theory megas so we could bully each other into doing some more reading. it would probably be good for the site culture

be the mega you wish to see in the world

There is no way the US in anything like its current form can continue for more than a few more decades. The American capitalist class has been forced into a state of hyper-cannibalism by the rise of China and the falling rate of profit. It has lost the capacity for class mediation through any mechanism except violence. The worst case scenario (outside of nuclear apocalypse, which would also destroy the USA) is a period of open fascism, and such a thing can only ever last a few decades. Fascism is inherently unstable and constantly accelerates its own contradictions. The free land and imperial plunder that undergirded fascist-like US colonialism has been squeezed for all its got. This system is absolutely doomed.

Maybe some radically transformed thing called the USA emerges from the ashes, but it would need to be a state with a fundamentally different approach to class mediation that, I think, could emerge only from a dramatic break in continuity and the de facto end of the USA as it has existed to this point.

I haven't read the whole Melenchon piece yet but I do agree that excerpt is not a very strong argument, pretty idealistic.

Who cares? It's money away from Israel and you can make it happen. Tons of places are doubling down despite the credit rating drop.

By the end of the century the USA won't exist? That seems pretty conservative to me, imo. Does anyone really think this empire's got 75 years left in it?

Fuck yeah! Campaigning for divestment is one of the most effective tools you can have at the local level against Israel. Tons of states, counties, and municipalities invest in Israel bonds. It is within your power to organize a campaign that takes away millions of dollars from the entity. My branch won two such victories against large urban counties and is collaborating with orgs across my state to spread the experience on how to do so effectively. We held a divestment conference, and we're also connecting it with fossil fuel divestment campaigns.

Do universal simulationists believe in an anthropocentric simulation? They really gotta go all the way to reinventing a personal god who cultivates all of creation around human experience while remaining invisible and omniscient, but this time it's a robot they're inside of.

Critical 1300 families benefit from Bolivarian government social programs in Caracas

The Bolivarian Government social programs continue to play a crucial role in maintaining public trust and addressing basic needs in Venezuela, especially in the capital city of Caracas. On July 13, 2025, more than 1,300 families were assisted through a coordinated Mega Social Program in the Renacer de la Patria Commune, located in the Caucagüita parish of Miranda state.

These efforts are part of the broader Antonio José de Sucre Plan, which aims to guarantee access to health services, nutrition, and social protection for vulnerable populations. In the face of prolonged economic challenges and international sanctions, such initiatives represent a key strategy to uphold social stability and strengthen grassroots governance.

...

The government has actively mobilized popular organizations and communal structures to improve the effectiveness of its social policies. By involving local leaders in refining the Gran Misión Madre Tierra Venezuela, officials aim to create a model of territorial management that prioritizes sustainability and community empowerment.

This approach aligns with Venezuela’s broader push toward decentralized governance and inclusive development, where local participation plays a central role in shaping national strategies.

What do people think about the significance and utility of decentralization in socialist governance? Is it a risk that opens you up to infilitration and weakens your ability to withstand imperialist pressure? Or is it a mandatory step to build the democrat grassroots governance and address the material conditions that socialism needs to sustain popular support?

c/news thread

China backs nuclear-free zone in SE Asia

c/news thread

Can you lay out your analysis here a bit more? I'm struggling to pull the pieces into a cohesive whole.

Yeah, while I do fundamentally disagree with the final conclusions of some of the "doomer" posters, I hate how dismissive that term is in light of the useful analysis they provide on subjects where knowledge in the thread is otherwise lacking. I think XHS is wrong about the prospects of the "neoliberal trade order" and dedollarization, but they aren't just spitting downer shit for fun. They're providing a lot of very useful information on China's internal contradictions and their analysis is off as a matter of emphasis (imo), not fact. And they are always comradely in their communication, so what exactly is the problem with them? It's absolutely not acceptable to act like that in what should be a comradely environment where disagreement can lead to productive synthesis, not shit-flinging.

And frankly, it's just stupid and short-sighted - how often do we as western leftists get to have direct personal communication with a Chinese communist? Quit being an asshole to them or they will leave.

You can't really separate them, there's no Zohran without Bernie. They're both steps on the path to shifting popular consciousness. Plus Zohran needs a lot more time to be properly evaluated.

Is this like all the whack-ass laws crank Republicans introduce in the US that never go anywhere or will this actually go into effect?