JASON PRAMAS, Author at BINJ

PROGRESSIVE CONFUSION

Only multiparty democracy will ensure that left policies are enacted in Mass May 10, 2017 BY JASON PRAMAS @JASONPRAMAS There is a persistent myth that Massachusetts is a left-wing state. The basis of this demonstrably false conceit is that the Commonwealth has had a Democratic majority in its legislature for as

JASON PRAMAS May 10, 2017

WHEN SLOGANS REPLACE BIRTHRIGHTS

How corporate ed reform threatens democracy April 25, 2017 BY JASON PRAMAS @JASONPRAMAS Over the last couple of decades, it has become fashionable for Americans to attack our public education system. Behind these attacks is that most un-American of attitudes: elitism. This is problematic for a number of reasons — the main

JASON PRAMAS April 25, 2017

A CONFERENCE ON SOCIALISM

Sherri Mitchell Questioning capitalism? Learn more about an increasingly popular alternative. April 19, 2017 BY JASON PRAMAS @JASONPRAMAS Last year, a Harvard University survey concluded that a majority of young Americans between 18 and 29 years old rejected capitalism, and fully one-third now support socialism as an alternative. Despite this

JASON PRAMAS April 19, 2017

ACTION CALL: SAVE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION WITH INVEST NOW MASS

Photo of giant Charlie by Chris Faraone March 21, 2017 BY JASON PRAMAS @JASONPRAMAS Over the long four months since the election of President Donald Trump, this column has focused more on national politics than usual — with special attention to the promising wave of broadly progressive grassroots activism that has

JASON PRAMAS March 21, 2017

THE LONG GAME: SANCTUARY CITIES FIGHT POINTS TO NEED FOR GLOBAL LABOR PROTECTIONS

Original flag image by Adbusters. Or Betsy Ross, depending on who you ask March 7, 2017 BY JASON PRAMAS @JASONPRAMAS Immigration enforcement is the responsibility of the federal government. Yet Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and related federal agencies often rely on local police to help round up undocumented immigrants

JASON PRAMAS March 7, 2017

GENERAL STRIKE: IS THE TRUMP VICTORY SPARKING THE RETURN OF LABOR’S MOST POWERFUL TACTIC?

NYC (1970) February 22, 2017 BY JASON PRAMAS @JASONPRAMAS You know we live in interesting times when general strikes get discussed matter-of-factly in an American big city newspaper. A subject which would have only been raised in a publication like the Boston Globe in recent decades to attack it. But

JASON PRAMAS February 22, 2017

HOW TO FIND A DECENT PROGRESSIVE ACTIVIST GROUP

Photo by Chris Faraone February 6, 2017 BY JASON PRAMAS @JASONPRAMAS So you went to one of the recent big anti-Trump actions, and you want to become a progressive activist. Not just vote every year or two. Great. But there are dozens of major left activist organizations and hundreds of

JASON PRAMAS February 6, 2017

A QUESTION OF STRATEGY: WILL WOMEN’S MARCH LEADERS HELP BUILD A DEMOCRACY MOVEMENT OR JUST PUT THE DEMS BACK IN POWER?

Photo by Scott Murry January 24, 2017 BY JASON PRAMAS @JASONPRAMAS The Boston Women’s March for America was a tremendous success by any metric. Likely the largest political demonstration in the city’s history, its estimated 175,000 attendees made it big enough to dwarf even many national demonstrations of the last

JASON PRAMAS January 24, 2017

HARD DRUG TRUTHS: END MANDATORY MINIMUM DRUG SENTENCES

January 10, 2017 BY JASON PRAMAS @JASONPRAMAS The opioid crisis is dire enough without adding insult to injury. With almost 12,000 deaths from overdoses in Massachusetts since the year 2000—increasing sharply in recent years with fentanyl-laced heroin hitting the streets—the human cost to users, their families, and our communities is

JASON PRAMAS January 10, 2017

UNITED WE STAND: AN ADMONITION FOR 2017

January 4, 2017 BY JASON PRAMAS @JASONPRAMAS As another calendar year begins, it is my custom to prognosticate about what I think is most important for my audience to consider in the months to come. Last year at this time, I asked readers if they wanted to live in a

JASON PRAMAS January 4, 2017