What are the conditions facing workers on May Day? End of Year update

words by Charles Brooks 

This is an end of year update on the issues and conditions affecting working people today. 

In the seven months since May 1st, otherwise known as May Day and International Workers Day, workers in the US and around the world continued to experience increasing challenges to their personal household economy. 

2025 comes to a close with one gloomy news report after another about the national and local economies.  The crisis to the personal economy deepens with rising rates of unemployment, record layoffs, and increasing costs of living, including health-care. 

2025 was a record year for layoffs - over one million layoffs, as the unemployment rate rose to its highest rates in four years since 2021.  

Store closures climbed pass eight thousand during 2025. 

Where is the sense of urgency (December 2025 update)

words by Charles Brooks

Due to recent developments, "Where is the urgency?" has been updated:

Earlier this year on June 17th, Bilal “BJ” Abdullah was shot and killed by three Baltimore City police officers.  He was well known in communities and neighborhoods throughout Baltimore City as an arabber, selling fruits and vegetables from a horse-drawn cart. He was also reportedly known to have mental challenges as well.  

For six months, the Independent Investigations Division (IID) in Maryland’s Attorney General office conducted their investigation.  

Just days before Christmas Day, the Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown announced his decision, based on the IID’s report findings, not to prosecute any of the police officers involved in Abdullah’s death.  The decision was met with anger and frustration from Abdullah’s  family as the family’s attorney stated his intention to legally challenge the report findings.

Press Release: Attorney General Brown Announces That No Charges Will Be Filed in the June 17, 2025 Fatal Police-Involved Shooting in Baltimore - News - Office of the Attorney General of Maryland

Independent Investigations Division Report: 25-IID-012 FINAL_Declination Report- 6.17.2025 Baltimore Police Involved Shooting (ABDULLAH).pdf

Family Attorney press conference: http://instagram.com/reels/DSnNcoNEYxb/

See the originally published article here

How do we approach human rights?

 words by Charles Brooks

One way to describe the current political moment can be the constant reminder of the political contradictions on public display, every single day.  

December 10th was no different. 

December 10th is observed across the world as Human Rights Day, commemorating the anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights signed on this day, back in 1948. 

The US, in parading itself as the defender and champion of human rights, publishes an annual report outlining the human rights abuses occurring in nearly 200 countries around the world. The report highlights atrocities such as torture, genocide, crimes against humanity, and political repression to name a few.  

Are we thinking differently about Thanksgiving?

words by Charles Brooks

As families typically come together to eat on Thanksgiving, it is also the day that amplifies the historical contradictions and deep-seated mythology rooted in American history.  

For the indigenous folk, the 27th was a reminder of loss. Of death. They remember Thanksgiving as a Day of Mourning. 

Thanksgiving is now one of those days, another federally recognized holiday that day reminds us of the country’s violent settler beginnings. 

As the days got closer to Thanksgiving, I thought more and more about the late Glen Ford - a long-time journalist, and a co-founder of the Black Agenda Report, who served as their Executive Editor until he passed away in 2021.  It's an online site that publish stories that examine critical "themes, topics, and debates of concern to the Black radical left".

The very first sentence in Pascal Roberts' obituary of Glen Ford was telling, “Black radical analysis was the foundation of Glen Ford's work….”

What hidden truths does Dr. Horne uncover?

words by Charles Brooks 

Book Discussion: “The Capital of Slavery: Washington D.C. 1800-1865”.

What hidden truths are uncovered in his newest work?

There are organized formations having political discussions, engaging in political work and activities in neighborhoods and communities all across the country extending beyond the cursory critique of Trump or excitement around the NYC Mayoral campaign. These discussions spotlight the political contradictions while organizing Black folk around particular issues affecting their material and political conditions. 

In NYC, the December 12th Movement is one of those organized formations with a long history in the fight for liberation for Black people.  For nearly forty years, they’ve been active on all political fronts, from the local and national to international political struggles.

In Brooklyn, New York there’s Sista’s Place, where over the years they've hosted many political events, report backs, meetings, community forums, and film screenings. “...Over its 30 years, Sistas’ Place has fulfilled that vision – as a jazz unicorn, a coffee shop, a community center, a cultural gathering place, and a liberated zone in the People’s Republic of Brooklyn…”

Where is the sense of urgency?

words by Charles Brooks

The political misleadership in Baltimore City is on full public display as their Mayor Brandon Scott continues to bask in the limelight for crime and violence reduction while three families mourn and grieve after losing loved ones experiencing mental crises only to end up dead. 

Over a span of just eight days, a few months now back in June, three Black people experienced mental crises and are now dead. 

Bilal “BJ” Abdullah shot by police. Pytorcarcha Brooks shot by police. Donnie Melton was handcuffed, in leg restraints yet died in police custody. 

The multiple deaths in such a short period of time compelled the City Council to hold a hearing.  

Their deaths are shedding light not only on a broken 911 diversion program but are increasingly serving as a reminder of the ongoing issues with the Baltimore PD that includes their response to mental crises and beyond. 

The Capital of Slavery: Washington D.C. 1800-1865 - a book discussion

words by charles brooks

Book Discussion: “The Capital of Slavery: Washington D.C. 1800-1865” by Gerald Horne

What myths are shattered with his newest work?

The current political moment compels a clear analysis of history to understand the forces shaping today's material and political conditions. 

Dr. Horne’s analysis, research and intellectual production bring clarity to a moment defined by uncertainty, confusion and chaos. His diverse body of work includes over 40 books as settler colonialism, (racial) capitalism and white supremacy became the focus of his scholarship in recent years. 

He is frequently interviewed as a recurrent guest on several radio shows and podcasts to share his observations and analysis of recent developments in national and global politics. 

Dr. Horne recently visited Sista’s Place in Brooklyn, New York to discuss his newest book, “The Capital of Slavery: Washington D.C. 1800-1865”.  The book is another installment in his body of work, highlighting the counter-narratives and contradictions dispelling those strongly held myths of American history, particularly around the nation’s founding.   

Is the first step to take a Second Look?

words by Charles Brooks 

One of Maryland's newest laws can drastically alter the racial disparities in Maryland’s state prison system caused by years of mass incarceration of Black by people. 

On October 1st, Maryland joined a steadily growing list of states along with the District of Columbia, and the federal government that will now provide a process to review the sentences of those who served at least twenty years for possible sentence reduction.  

In Maryland state prisons, the racial disparity is particularly profound in the overall prison population and the prison's aging population. Although statistics paint a disturbing picture for Black folks in Maryland who make up about 30% of the state population and 71% of the prison population, the law’s eligibility criteria actually limits its potential reach to fully address these disparities. 

How are community-based organizations addressing crime in Baltimore City?

words by charles brooks 

“…the power of the community is demonstrated in the decline of crime…”, Maryland State Public Defender, Natasha Dartigue

From 2015 through 2022, the murder rate exceeded 300 bodies every single year. Then the murder began to decline. Significantly. In 2023, there were 262 bodies. In 2024, barely 200. At the June half-year mark in 2025, the count sits at 68.  

There’s a different story unfolding in Baltimore with a new chapter being written. Not by Hollywood scripts or media narratives, but by a network of committed organizations dedicated to their community and neighborhoods. Their story starts with meeting the moment with a heightened sense of urgency in the neighborhoods and communities where trauma is amplified yet muted. 

WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM MAY 13TH?

words by charles brooks

Mother's Day is just not the same for this working-class community in Philadelphia, where 6221 Osage Avenue sits. The people remember May 13th, 1985. 

The people remember the tragedy of May 13th, 1985, ensuring its place as one of those days that will never be forgotten. May 13th occupies a strong hold on our collective memory because it’s not just another typical reminder of another typical routine episode of police terror and state violence.  

Forty years ago, Philadelphia’s political leadership, Mayor Wilson Goode, Police commissioner Gregore Sambor, Fire Commissioner William Richmond and managing director Leo Brooks collaborated in their decision to orchestrate a destructive military style attack, targeting a group of Black revolutionaries. 

What are the conditions facing workers on May Day?

words by Charles Brooks 

The current moment is best described by the experiences of today’s working class. 

This year’s International Workers Day, commonly known as May Day, happens to fall on the day after the popular political benchmark of 100 days.  

The actions taken by Trump during his first 100 days in office have caused widespread chaos, disappointment, confusion, and even anger.  Deregulation, privatization along with budget cuts to Medicaid, and implementing tariffs that will raise prices on everyday goods as the cost of living continues to rise negatively impacting personal economies 

One hundred days of a litany of executive orders, actions, and decisions widely viewed as a war, an assault on the working- and middle-class folks. 

Mahmoud Khalil’s Attorney: “This Is the McCarthy Era All Over Again”

 By Majorie Cohn, TruthOut

A federal judge in New Jersey will soon issue a ruling on where the deportation case of Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian student who led the student encampment at Columbia University last year, can be litigated. On March 8, Khalil was abducted in New York by agents from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) who told him his lawful permanent residency status had been “revoked.” He is now languishing in a notorious Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) jail in Louisiana, more than 1,000 miles from his U.S. citizen wife who is over eight months pregnant, while U.S. District Judge Michael E. Farbiarz decides where his case will be heard. Khalil has been charged with no crime.

House rejects GOP amendments, gives final approval to bill creating Reparations Commission

 By William J. Ford 

Maryland would become fourth state with a commission; it would study ‘appropriate benefits’ for those affected by ‘historical inequality’

It’s done.

The House of Delegates gave final approval Wednesday evening to a bill that would create a Maryland Reparations Commission, sending the measure to the governor for his signature.

Measure that amends Florida’s compensation law for the wrongfully incarcerated passes Senate

 By Mitch Perry

A bill that would make it much easier for individuals wrongfully incarcerated to receive compensation has cleared the Florida Senate, and needs just one final vote in the House before going to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ desk.

Basic Reforms to New York’s Legal Code Are At Risk as Democrats Lurch Rightward

 By Schuyler Mitchell

A push to claw back a process-oriented change in New York’s criminal legal code shows just how readily Democrats will capitulate to carceral demands in 2025.

Here Are the Texted War Plans That Hegseth Said 'Nobody Was Texting' on Signal

 By Jon Queally

In response to U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth claiming on live television earlier this week that "nobody was texting war plans," The Atlantic magazine on Wednesday morning published the "war plans" that were, in fact, shared on the private sector messaging app Signal by top members of President Donald Trump's national security team, including Hegseth and national security advisor Mike Waltz.

“I will wear my persona non grata as a badge of dignity”, said South African ambassador expelled by the US

 By Pavin Kulkarni

“We must enter into trade negotiations with the USA because our economy and our people need them. But we must never trade our sovereignty, lest we be told that China and Cuba cannot be our friends,” said veteran diplomat Ebrahim Rasool on his return to South Africa.

Cheering crowds thronged outside the Cape Town International Airport on Sunday, March 23, to welcome the South African ambassador expelled from the US after being subjected to repeated attacks for his stance in solidarity with Palestine.  “Ebrahim Rasool is a race-baiting politician who hates America,” US State Secretary Marco Rubio accused in a X post on March 15.

Trump’s school choice push adds to momentum in statehouses

 By Robbie Sequeira

Federal moves might provide additional money for universal vouchers and scholarships.

More than a dozen states in the past two years have launched or expanded programs that allow families to use taxpayer dollars to send their students to private schools. Now, President Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress want to supercharge those efforts.

Youngkin vetoes minimum wage hike, prescription affordability board bills

By Charlotte Rene Woods and Nathaniel Cline

Monday was Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s deadline to take action on the roughly 900 bills that Virginia’s legislature approved to send his way. Monday afternoon saw over 300 signatures and a handful of vetoes, while he had until 11:59 p.m. for his other signatures, amendments and vetoes to be posted on Virginia’s Legislative Information System.

Mahmoud Khalil still detained in notorious Louisiana detention center as case is moved to New Jersey

By Bobbi-Jean Misick 

After former Columbia University student and permanent U.S. resident Mahmoud Khalil was detained by federal immigration officials over his involvement in student-led protests last year — a move that shocked advocates for free speech and immigrants’ rights around the country — he was taken to Jena, a small town of 4,000 in north-central Louisiana and home to one of the country’s largest and most notorious immigration detention centers. 

THEY DESERVE A SECOND LOOK

 words by charles brooks

UPDATE as of 3/16/25: The bill was ultimately advanced in the House for a final vote, which is expected to occur in the coming days before moving to the Senate

There’s an opportunity in 2025 for Maryland state lawmakers to address the state’s mass incarceration and sentencing policies with the Maryland Second Look Act.  

The proposed measure creates a pathway for men and women who served twenty plus years in prison to petition the court to have a judge review their sentence for possible reduction. The proposed measure is sponsored by State Senator Charles E. Sydnor, III, and House Delegate Cheryl E. Pasteur.  The proposal requires a comprehensive evaluation process to prove to the court they no longer pose a threat to society. The rigorous process allows the judge to measure their capacity to change, and as a result the proposed legislation cannot be viewed as a, “get out of jail free card”. 

Can they get a Second Look?

 words by charles brooks 

They’re asking for a second look. 

They’ve been locked up, and languishing behind the walls for over 20 years. 30 years. 40 years in prison. When as a juvenile, or coming to age as an adult at 18 or 19 years old was met with the experience of making a regrettable mistake that cost lives. 

Trump’s Latest Order Aims to Stifle Legal Challenges to His Executive Actions

By Chris Walker

 The order requires agencies to demand “financial securities” from plaintiffs suing the administration.

On Thursday, President Donald Trump issued an executive order that aims to limit legal challenges to his administration’s actions by seeking to get judges to require monetary “security” payments from plaintiffs if an injunction is issued.

U.S. Education Department escalates crackdown on Gaza protests with warning to colleges

 By Shauneen Miranda

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Education Department on Monday warned 60 colleges and universities they could face repercussions if they fail “to protect Jewish students on campus.”

In a statement announcing letters to schools across the country, the department did not detail what consequences the schools could face, but the letters came less than a week after the administration announced that it would be canceling roughly $400 million in federal grants and contracts to Columbia University over “the school’s continued inaction in the face of persistent harassment of Jewish students.”

Trump Threatens Students, Universities If They Engage in Protests

By Chris Walker

Trump wrote that students taking part in “illegal” demonstrations at college campuses should be arrested or deported

In a Truth Social post on Tuesday morning, President Donald Trump said he would punish students who engage in demonstrations of any kind — a clear violation of their First Amendment speech and assembly rights — and threatened consequences for any college or university that allows protests to take place.

SC anti-DEI bill could impact everything from school cafeterias to university bookstores

 By Jessica Holdman

COLUMBIA — If South Carolina legislators pass legislation meant to strip diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives from state and local governments, the impact could stretch far beyond the halls of public colleges and state agencies, opponents warned Tuesday.

Trump’s Speech Vowed a New “Golden Age,” But His Policies Drive Us Into the Dust

 By Sasha Abramsky 

In his speech to Congress, Trump doubled down on the tariffs that economists say may trigger another Great Depression.

On Tuesday evening, hours after the Dow Jones stock index had closed — falling several hundred points for the second day straight in response to the U.S. imposing high tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China — Donald Trump addressed a joint session of Congress and declared a new “golden age of America.”

Trump administration profile: Linda McMahon

 By Robby Brod

President Donald Trump nominated Linda McMahon, 76, to serve as secretary of education on Nov. 19, 2024. McMahon is a prolific political donor, Republican fundraiser and successful businesswoman best known for her tenure as CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). 

McMahon is being considered for the Cabinet position while a defendant in a lawsuit claiming she used her position as CEO to conceal sexual abuse committed by a former WWE staffer against the company’s teenage employees.

While McMahon has prior government experience, having served as head of the Small Business Administration during Trump’s first term, she has been chosen to spearhead America’s educational system despite having limited education leadership experience.

Who is she?

McMahon co-founded and led WWE with her husband, Vince, from 1980 to 2009, growing it from a regional promotion into a publicly traded entertainment empire worth over $1 billion. Her relationship with Trump dates back to his first WWE appearances in the 1980s, which continued through the 2000s. After leaving WWE, she served one year on Connecticut’s Board of Education and launched two unsuccessful Senate campaigns, spending nearly $100 million of her own money. 

Despite admitting “I’m not an educator” during her state board confirmation, McMahon has maintained connections to education through her longtime role as a Sacred Heart University trustee, where buildings bear her name following substantial donations. She is an outspoken advocate for school choice and charter schools.

Follow the money

McMahon has been a significant financial backer of Republican causes and her fundraising efforts on behalf of Trump’s campaigns have made her a key figure in GOP circles.McMahon’s exact net worth remains a mystery as she and Vince share an estimated $3 billion fortune. They announced their separation after Linda was announced as Trump’s Cabinet pick, just weeks after jointly spending millions to re-elect Trump.

• During the 2024 election cycle, the McMahons were Trump’s sixth largest individual donors, having contributed $20.3 million to the presidential campaign and outside organizations backing Trump.
• The McMahons donated $360,000 to Trump’s campaign during the 2020 election.
• In 2016, they contributed $7.2 million to support Trump’s presidential bid after he secured the Republican nomination.
• During McMahon’s first year in Trump’s Cabinet, she and her husband earned at least $100 million from dividends, interest, and sales of investments.
• The McMahons’ family foundation has given over $20 million to around 80 groups since 2006, according to public tax filings. This includes at least $12 million to Sacred Heart University and $2 million to her alma mater, East Carolina University.

Sexual abuse lawsuit

Three weeks before being announced as Trump’s pick to head the Department of Education, McMahon was named as a defendant in a lawsuit which claims that during her tenure as CEO of WWE, she and Vince failed to protect teenage workers at the company from being sexually assaulted by a ringside announcer. The suit claims Linda and Vince knew of the assaults, which occurred during the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, and actively worked to conceal them. The litigation is currently on hold as the Supreme Court of Maryland revisits the state’s statute of limitations laws for sexual assault filings. The McMahons deny the lawsuit’s claims.

Vince resigned as CEO of TKO, WWE’s parent company, due to a separate federal lawsuit filed by a former employee who accused Vince of sex trafficking, harassment, and illegal hush money payments. 

Why does it matter?

McMahon’s nomination raises questions about the future of federal education policy and leadership given her limited experience in the field. She will likely be responsible for overseeing Trump’s commitment to dismantle the Department of Education.

• Her brief tenure on a state board of education suggests a further deprioritization of traditional education policy expertise under Trump.
• Trump framed McMahon’s nomination around “parents’ rights” and returning control of education to states, potentially signalling a pullback of federal involvement in areas like national standards, funding and civil rights enforcement in schools.
• McMahon’s involvement in ongoing litigation could prove a major distraction.
• Her close financial ties to Trump, including her family’s campaign contributions and fundraising on his behalf, may fuel criticism that her nomination is based more on political patronage than qualifications.
• Critics could argue McMahon’s selection and the significant investment earnings she made during her previous Cabinet stint reflect a concerning trend of Trump rewarding wealthy allies with powerful posts.

This article originally appeared in Open Secrets on January 27th, 2025

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Analysis Finds Trump Tariffs Will Cost Average US Family $1,600 or More Per Year

 By Jessica Corbett

The trade war Trump is igniting will weaken our economy and cause chaos in our marketplace as Americans pay the cost in the form of higher prices on everyday items," said Rep. Don Beyer.

As U.S. President Donald Trump's new tariffs took effect on Tuesday, Congressman Don Beyer released a Joint Economic Committee report showing that the policies could cost the average working-class family in the United States at least $1,600 annually. 

Republicans passed a budget that could result in cuts to Medicaid—the largest public health insurance program in the US

 By Natalia Marques 

In order to pay for the drastic losses to the national budget due to new tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy, the new House budget resolution could entail major cuts to public health insurance

On Tuesday, February 25, Republicans in the House of Representatives narrowly passed a budget resolution that would extend Trump’s 2017 tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy and implement new tax cuts, costing the government USD 4.1 trillion. 

Sahel alliance unveils new flag as regional bloc moves toward greater integration

 by  Nicholas Mwangi

The AES unveils a new flag as the member nations forge a new path toward regional unity, economic independence, and territorial security.

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The Alliance of Sahel States (AES), that includes Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, has taken another decisive step toward regional integration following its recent withdrawal from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). On February 22, the new flag was unveiled and symbolizes the bloc’s growing autonomy as it seeks to redefine its political, economic, and security structures outside the influence of French imperialism and Western neoliberal frameworks.

To Cozy Up to Trump, Bezos Banishes Dissent From WaPo

By Pete Tucker

Bravo, Jeff Bezos!”

That was the congratulatory message Elon Musk posted on X, the platform he bought for $44 billion in 2022 and subsequently turned into a pro-Trump bullhorn. Musk’s “bravo” was in response to Bezos’ shocking announcement that he was taking his media outlet, the Washington Post, in a Trumpian direction as well. 

Corporate Media Offer Excuses for ‘Powerless’ Democrats

 By Julie Hollar

As oligarchs Donald Trump and Elon Musk continue their pursuit of power unfettered by the Constitution, many citizens wonder why their elected representatives in Washington are doing so little to stop the administrative coup. They also might well wonder why the media so rarely ask the same question.