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GTA 6 gameplay leaked ahead of its new trailer, and Rockstar is taking down the videos
Two legit-seeming clips and a world map are out there, if you know where to look.
Former Badgers QB wins starting job at ACC school
One former Badgers QB will now be a starter in his final college season.
Spotify's Running Mode Is Now Available On Android
Spotify's Running Mode is now available on Android.
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One Wisconsin quarterback has made his way back from a major injury to the practice field.
PlayStation's $220 Pulse Elevate Wireless Speakers Arrive November 12
PlayStation's $220 Pulse Elevate wireless speakers arrive November 12.
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5 Anker Gadgets Under $25 Worth Adding To Your Kit
Anker USB-C to Ethernet Adapter, USB-A to USB-C Adapter, 5-in-1 USB-C Hub, USB-C Charging Cable, and 10-in-1 Power Strip with 300J Surge Protector.
Sonos Put Speaker Controls On Your iPhone's Lock Screen (Again)
Sonos released an app update that takes advantage of Apple's Live Activities system.
Why 4K Blu-ray always beats 4K streaming for picture quality
If you're after the best picture quality, you'll always want to go with a disc.
Apple Devices That Are Reaching The End Of Software Support In 2026
The list of Apple devices that will fall out of software support in 2026 includes gadgets across four categories: Apple Watch, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV.
Turn on these settings to protect your Android phone from theft
Google has added some smart theft-detection features to Android in recent years.
Do you really need an antivirus app on your Android?
You probably don't need antivirus software on your Android phone, but there are some exceptions.
8 Foldable Finds From Home Depot That Are Great For Camping Trips
Small and lightweight gear is essential when camping, which makes these folding tools and gadgets a great choice.
Here's why retro games look better on old CRT TVs
Retro TVs are the best pairing for retro games, but why do they appear so much better on outdated display technology?
What is the Retro app for and how do you use it?
Retro is a free app that functions much like Instagram used to. You're prompted to share photos regularly, but only a select few can see what you post.
Is the MacBook Pro M5 still worth buying after the price hike?
It could be wise to wait, or settle for a cheaper model.
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The format remains unique in console history.
How To Set Up Your Emergency Contacts And Medical ID On Your iPhone
Take time to enable these features today before you need them; they could help save your life in an emergency.
Dolby Vision is on Netflix but you'll need these things first
It's only available with the top-tier Premium subscription plan, for one.
11 Cool New Gadgets to Keep on Your Radar
Catching you up on the past week’s most notable product releases.
I work with athletes. Here’s how I evaluate exercise gadgets and supplements.
Thinking about investing in a recovery device, new nutrition product or fitness watch? Ask yourself these questions first.
I work with athletes. Here’s how I evaluate exercise gadgets and supplements.
Thinking about investing in a recovery device, new nutrition product or fitness watch? Ask yourself these questions first.
New cardiovascular health clinic opens in South Arkansas
Area residents now have another option for specialty care regarding heart health in South Arkansas.
Business People
Benjamin Schurhamer, MD, recently joined Washington Regional Ozark Urology, where he provides diagnosis and treatment of urological conditions with a focus on cancers of the prostate, bladder and kidney.
Google Will Now Allow Users To Remove Visible Watermarks From AI Content
The invisible SynthID will remain.
Apple Sends Out Warnings To Targets Of Mercenary Spyware Attacks
Apple has recently sent out notifications, warning users that they’d been targeted by mercenary spyware attack.
Scientists Found a Black Mold Inside Chernobyl’s Reactor – And It Thrives On Radiation
Melanized fungi found inside Chernobyl's reactor not only survived lethal radiation but may convert it to energy - though proof remains elusive.
Cloud storage is great until your vendor goes out of business
A St. Louis PBS station is suing a data center provider to rescue a 70-year archive.
I looked inside an AI generated movie, and the best parts were all human
A deep dive into Higgsfield’s new AI-generated movie.
'Coyote vs. Acme' review: The movie Warner Bros. didn't want you to see is Looney Tunes at its very best
Starring Will Forte, John Cena and Lana Condor, "Coyote vs. Acme" was fated to be a tax write-off. Then fans spoke out.
DJI Mic Mini 2S review: The best tiny mic now offers a pro experience
DJI’s Mic Mini 2S offers high-quality audio and ease of use, and it’s now better for pros due to the new internal 32-bit float recording.
You Can Now Watch Classic Movies Like The Martian, E.T. And Zodiac On Apple TV
Apple just made around 20 classic movies available for subscribers to stream.
WATCH | Science to go: Mid-America adds mobile planetarium to toolkit
Students will have a new opportunity to explore science through a 360-degree immersive learning experience as Mid-America Science Museum brings its new Planetarium To Go to schools through a $30,000 grant from the Arvest Foundation.
Pixel Buds Pro 2 And 2a Are Getting Some Upgrades, Including Deeper Gemini Integration
Google didn't have any new headphones this year, but some new features are coming to the Pixel Buds.
Amazon Is Severing Ties With Two Other MMOs
Amazon is handing off MMOs Lost Ark and Throne and Liberty to other publishers.
Honor Launches Its Long-Awaited Robot Phone And Yes It Can Wiggle At You
The big news with Honor's latest is the automated pop-up camera gimbal.
Ghost Of Yōtei Complete Edition Arrives October 1 And Includes A New Story Arc
Ghost of Yōtei Complete Edition arrives October 1 and includes a new story arc.
Google's Pixel Watch 5 Can Keep Track Of Your Blood Pressure And Insulin Resistance
The biggest additions on the Pixel Watch 5 are new health features.
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Google is taking on Apple's AirTag with its own trackable accessory.
Insta360 X6 review: A 360 camera with a little something for everyone
The high-spec X6 balances ease-of-use with pro features like i-Log and 10-bit color.
Google Is Now Sending Out Emails With Discount Codes For The Pixel 11
You may want to keep a close eye on your Gmail inbox if you’re looking to get a Pixel 11.
Zoom Screen-Sharing Bug Let People Fully Take Over Other Devices On A Call
Zoom screen-sharing bug let people fully take over other devices on a call.
Authors face backlash for participation in 2022 Google AI study
Thirteen authors joined a little-known Google AI study in 2022. Now they're facing backlash.
Motorola Moto Watch (2026) review: Looks can be deceiving
Motorola’s Moto Watch looks like a capable and affordable timepiece, but looks are deceiving.
A Badgers defensive lineman is ready for a fresh start
Hammond Russell IV came to Wisconsin after five seasons of loyalty to West Virginia, and after earning a degree.
Before you throw out your old USB drives, do this first
How to perform a full format of your USB drive, how to destroy it and where to dispose of it. Don't just throw it in the trash without protecting yourself.
Shocking MTG Standard Bans Highlight Major Five-Card Announcement
While The Fantasticar's ban was inevitable, three massive MTG Standard bans are going to completely change the format.
Badgermole Cub, Gran-Gran, Stormchaser's Talent Banned In Standard
The Fantasticar also banned in Legacy and restricted in Vintage
Dell XPS 13 (2026) review: A MacBook Neo alternative that needs more RAM
There’s a lot to like about the XPS 13, but most people should shell out for 16GB of RAM.
Badgers fans, athletes see trade-offs on Big Ten’s expansion
Two years after the Big Ten Conference expanded to 18 teams, revenue is up but UW-Madison athletes and fans see challenges with more travel for away games.
Future Apple Watches May Include More Screen Sizes Or Even A Model With No Display
Apple's next Watch won't change much, but future models may see significant updates.
15 Mini Gadgets That Can Easily Fit Into Your Pocket Or Backpack
If you're looking for useful everyday carry gear, these compact gadgets will slip into your pocket and solve real problems wherever you go.
How to use Claude's voice mode
Anthropic's chatbot can be very vocal, if you want it to be.
13 Cool New Gadgets to Keep on Your Radar
Catching you up on the past week’s most notable product releases.
What RTO personality type are you?
Every office has its RTO personalities: the coffee badgers, the midweek warriors, and the 5-day faithfuls.
Northwest Arkansas growth brings benefits and challenges for local business, owners say
Frederic and Paula Jo Chitty Henry have watched firsthand as the Northwest Arkansas region has rapidly grown around them.
Colton Joseph embraces pressure as Wisconsin prepares for pivotal football season
MADISON, Wis. — A new season brings a familiar question for Wisconsin football: Can the Badgers rebound?
7 Best Tech Gadgets of August 2026
August arrives with a lineup that feels genuinely considered. Not every gadget this month is chasing a headline spec or fighting for shelf space. Some of the most interesting things landing right now are smaller, quieter, and more honest about what they actually do — a folding mouse that disappears into a shirt pocket, a
Readers respond: Bennett cartoon crossed the line; Calvary making politics an idol
Mr. Bennett's political cartoon of July 31 was extremely inappropriate and offensive.
Protect Your Business With This 2-Part AdGuard Bundle, on Sale for $40
Two days left: Get five years of VPN protect and a lifetime without ads.
12 Gadgets To Steer Clear Of At Garage Sales
Garage sales are a great way to pick up a significant value, but make sure to steer clear of these 12 gadgets when bargain hunting.
PSB iQ2 review: Premium sound meets smart-speaker convenience
A great app experience turns this wireless stereo setup into a capable hub for your home audio.
Hackers Stalked Me by Hijacking a Smartwatch for Kids
Security researchers tracked and eavesdropped on a WIRED reporter using vulnerabilities in a pink plastic smartwatch. It’s just one piece of a deeply insecure supply chain of GPS-enabled gadgets.
Jony Ive’s first OpenAI gadget is reportedly a hockey puck-sized smart speaker
OpenAI’s first AI device could launch next year.
PSA: Apple Has Released Security Updates For Mac
Tahoe, Sequoia and Sonoma operating systems have been patched to address a Screen Sharing vulnerability.
Why smartphone makers stopped using removable batteries, and why they're making a comeback
Thanks to a new law in the EU, companies will be required to create phones with batteries that can be replaced by the end user.
How To Watch Google's Pixel 11 Event
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Dolby Vision 2 Is Officially Available On Select Hisense TVs
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Bose Has Refreshed Its QuietComfort Headphones With Two-Way USB-C Audio And Better Noise Cancellation
Bose's updated QuietComfort headphones cost $359.
Samsung QS90H soundbar review: An all-in-one promise fulfilled
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Nintendo's Switch 2 Console Sales Just Dropped Significantly
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The $299 Viture Pro 2 Are The Company's Lightest And Most Comfortable Smartglasses Yet
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Bella Thorne’s ex taught her ‘how to be an adult’ amid hard times with mom
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Old Reddit Could Be The Next Casualty Of Reddit's War On AI Scraping
The company is also planning to retire its public API.
Google Assistant Will Vanish From Android Phones And Connected Devices In September
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College football leaders seek an act of Congress to bring parity
The Texas Longhorns reportedly invested nearly $48 million in their roster as the Wisconsin Badgers spent $25 million.
MasterCraft Brings CarPlay And Android Auto To Its Pontoon Boats
If you're searching for an on-water nav app that also includes tunes, WhatsApp and other apps, there's finally a solution.
We Just Got Our First Real Look At How Small X's Ad Business Is
Advertisers seem to be spending a whole lot less than they used to on the platform.
Xbox's Free 25th Anniversary Gifts Include A Dynamic Theme And Avatars
Xbox's free 25th anniversary gifts include a dynamic theme and avatars.
CMF Announces Its First Pair Of Open-Ear Earbuds For Under $100
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New Samsung TVs Will Support HDR10+ Advanced Streaming On Prime Video Starting This Month
The main features of HDR10+ Advanced include Enhanced Overall Brightness and Intelligent Motion Smoothing.
Here's How To Watch The Nintendo Direct For Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave
The livestream starts today at 10AM ET/7AM PT.
6 Mini Gadgets To Add To Your Wishlist In 2026
Whether you're into cameras, wearables, or clever accessories, these mini gadgets from 2026 show how much technology can fit into a surprisingly small package.
Xbox 360 Games Are Reportedly Coming To PC As Well
Like Sony, Xbox may be laying the groundwork for an all-digital future.
If Not AOC, Then Who?
What do we do if Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez decides not to run for president in 2028? It makes sense that many leftists are currently focused on calling on her to take the plunge. But the absence of a Plan B, or even much discussion about one, is worrisome. The US Left can’t afford to sit out the 2028 Democratic primary. Doing so in 2024 was a disaster: our abstention self-marginalized anti-billionaire politics from the national conversation and thereby gave space for Harris to pivot to the “center” (i.e. the policy preferences of corporate donors, establishment hacks, and AIPAC). Abstaining again in 2028 would be especially counterproductive since democratic socialists now have so much wind in our sails after our big electoral wins in NYC and across the country. It’s time to deepen our momentum, organization, and profile — not to retreat to the margins during America’s single most important political battle. Even more urgently, keeping Trump’s heir out of the White House may depend on whether leftists and the party’s unprecedentedly disenchanted base can force the Democrats in 2028 to take meaningful steps towards a very angry electorate and away from the corporate-consultant blob that has helped get us into this mess. If AOC (or Abdul El-Sayed) decides to run, we should enthusiastically go all in — DSA, fighting unions, progressive organizations, anybody who wants to see a better country and world. But, as far as I can tell from the outside, there’s a real chance that she doesn’t run. And we can’t just wait and see where she lands before discussing alternatives, since AOC’s decision might not come for quite a while, giving us little time to scramble at the last minute for an alternative. So we should start working now on getting a Plan B into motion, and recruiting a good candidate for the role. Here’s one idea. A Worker Candidate — Healthcare Not Warfare 2028 Run a union worker Leftists don’t need to always run experienced, well-known socialist politicians for high-profile contests. Lula, the current president of Brazil, began his political career as a metalworker militant who ran for governor of São Paulo in 1982. Especially in an era of institutional distrust, it’s possible to lean hard into making a virtue out of a working-class comrade’s distance from traditional politics. Experience abroad shows this clearly. Rachel Kéké — an immigrant hotel housekeeper — ran as the candidate of the leftist La France Insoumise for the National Assembly in 2022, defeating a former minister in the Macron government. The Belgian Workers’ Party in 2024 won its first Flemish seat in the European Parliament by running Rudi Kennes, a three-decade veteran of the Opel Antwerp auto factory. And the South Korean left in 2024 elected auto factory militant Yoon Jong-oh to the National Assembly. If a tiny French Trotskyist organization could make such a big splash in 2002 and 2007 by running a well-spoken postal worker cadre for office — the LCR’s Olivier Besancenot received about 1.5 million first-round votes — it’s not far-fetched to expect that a much larger organization like DSA, together with a broader coalition of the willing, could run this playbook to much greater effect. This is especially the case now that almost everything DSA does immediately becomes a national news story. We don’t need someone famous. We just need a charismatic, well-vetted comrade who works in a relatable working-class occupation — e.g. a nurse, or a worker in auto or construction, or at Amazon. Ideally, they have a compelling personal story or have been part of a significant strike or organizing campaign, but even those criteria don’t necessarily have to be deal-breakers. The main lesson of the Graham Platner fiasco isn’t that we should never run outsiders for office (the momentum he generated proves the exact opposite), but that they need proper vetting and roots in democratic membership organizations like DSA or a union. In any case, there are plenty of ways to signal working-class authenticity without resorting to Platner’s or Fetterman’s performative macho white dude affect. Better to have someone of any gender or race who is actually working class, with firm socialist politics, who can speak from experience about the day-to-day realities of trying to make it in America. There are surely at least a dozen such worker leaders in our movement nationwide; we just need to sit down and convince one that their personal sacrifice for the greater good (i.e. running for president) will be worth it. If we don’t have a frontrunner with a clear path to victory like AOC (or El-Sayed, were he to win Michigan), it’s better to embrace someone whose decision to run in itself tells an important story about US politics: workers have been iced out of our political system and are now fighting hard to break back in. The novelty factor, in itself, would generate press. And it would help democratic socialists signal to the American public that our movement’s defining characteristic is that we represent workers vs. bosses, not that we’re “the furthest left” force in American politics — a framework that suggests we’re extremists and that helps our opponents isolate us from non-college-educated voters by highlighting extremely minoritarian (and misguided) stances included in DSA’s platform like prison abolition. We don’t get many opportunities to speak to tens of millions of Americans; we need to use these opportunities to broaden our appeal beyond those already in our orbit. Run to polarize the 2028 primary and general election around “Medicare for All” and “End All Aid to Israel” Why should democratic socialists use our scarce time and volunteer energy to run in a race we’re unlikely to win? Running in the 2028 primary will not only recruit us scores of members (imagine having a DSA member intervening in eleven nationally televised primary debates!), but — more importantly — it has the potential to be a decisive leap forward towards an America that finally starts meeting the needs of working people instead of HMO and AIPAC billionaire donors. Polarizing litmus tests are good, actually — as long as they’re fought for around popular demands in a thoughtful and strategic way. Democratic socialists have an opportunity and responsibility to make the 2028 primary about two of the most widely and deeply felt issues of our moment: domestically, America’s unaffordable, family-breaking private healthcare system; internationally, America’s bankrolling of the genocidal Israeli government. A candidacy relentlessly demanding Medicare for All and No Aid to Israel would pose a sharp question to the American public, the Democratic Party, and other 2028 contenders: Why can’t working-class Americans afford their healthcare bills at the same time that our government is spending at least $3.8 billion yearly to fund an Israeli regime eager to keep dragging us and the world into more forever wars? Our candidate can agitate around a clear message: I’m running to give voice to all those working-class Americans who are struggling to get by. No matter what state you live in, who you voted for in 2024, or your background, it’s just plain common sense that we should make healthcare more affordable instead of spending billions to enable the Israeli government’s crimes against humanity. Every American who agrees with me when I say ‘Medicare for All — Not a Dime for Israel’ should make their voice heard through our campaign. Racking up a high number of votes for this agenda is a crucial way to show the Democratic Party and the country as a whole that we can’t keep supporting a life-destroying status quo in our healthcare system and in the Middle East. If we want to defeat Trump’s handpicked crony this coming November, we need to speak to ordinary people’s frustrations with the status quo — we can’t keep running the same tired establishment playbook and expecting a different result. For those highly engaged voters (or skeptical media pundits) who raise concerns about wasting votes, the candidate can take the time to explain why this isn’t the case: It's true I'm a long shot. But Zohran showed anything can happen — and voting for me is a pragmatic decision, not a wasted vote. In a heavily divided primary with a large number of candidates and a very discredited establishment, my campaign and the democratic socialist movement I’m part of are positioned to be the balance of power if we can get a large enough number of voters to loudly demand Healthcare Not Warfare. Since there’s a high chance no candidate will get to 50% in the 2028 primaries, the Democrats could very well be heading towards a brokered convention, where a disciplined, principled current committed to breaking from corporate donors can play an outsized role in making sure whoever ends up with the nomination raises the banner of single-payer healthcare and cutting aid to Israel. How exactly could running this sort of primary campaign be translated into actual leverage? The candidate replies: I’m aiming to win the nomination, but if I don’t achieve that goal, my delegates and I will pledge our support in the primary only for a candidate who agrees in the general election to call for ending US aid to Israel and establishing Medicare for All at home. These are both winning planks for November against the Republicans, and the only reason I can see that other candidates haven’t yet raised these is that they’re still more scared of the donor class than they are of the people. That needs to change. If Democratic leaders want young people, workers, and those sick of the status quo to show up in big numbers this November, they need to meet us halfway. In this way, whether or not we win the nomination, democratic socialists could still play a decisive role in 2028. The approach outlined here is similar to what radical left parties periodically do in parliamentary democracies like Denmark or Sweden when they find themselves as a junior partner electorally: they dictate to center-left allies what their terms would be for enabling, from the outside, the formation of a new government. Running a Healthcare Not Warfare candidate will make it significantly more likely that the 2028 Democratic candidate stands with ordinary people instead of donors on these two pivotal planks — a shift that will, in turn, make it easier to achieve the existentially important task of defeating MAGA’s heir in November. Look at how much popular traction the Uncommitted movement got with a similar strategy in 2024 with so little on-the-ground organization — surely we can go much further with a working-class candidate, a much bigger DSA, and a Democratic Party base that has turned against Israel, billionaires, and the hacks in the party who prop them up. Objections and Responses There are quite a few objections to this proposal, many of which are very reasonable. Let me briefly address each here. Socialists shouldn’t waste their scarce time and resources on a candidate unlikely to win. This is a good rule in general, but there are important exceptions, and presidential elections are the main one. There’s no other political contest that gets anything like this level of attention and engagement in the US, so if you want to be a serious force in nationwide politics, you basically can’t afford not to have a candidate. Far from being an overall drain on our resources, running a dynamic 2028 campaign would likely result in a major net increase in members and capacity. In that spirit, the very pragmatic Milwaukee sewer socialists — who mostly ran to win at home in Wisconsin — supported Eugene Debs’s propagandistic presidential campaigns, which they correctly saw as a crucial means of recruiting to the Socialist Party. And now that the (post-1972) Democratic Party gives more weight to voters than party operatives in determining its presidential nomination, it’s become feasible to run as a socialist in primaries without risking a split in the vote against the Republicans in November. We should just support Ro Khanna, who also supports M4A and ending aid to Israel. I like Ro Khanna and would enthusiastically vote and canvass for him for president were he to get the nomination. But there’s a real chance that Khanna’s bid for office doesn’t catch on; he lacks the grassroots organizational apparatus of DSA, and, because he’s not really of the Left or labor (despite his current very good positions), he’s unlikely to generate the type of buy-in and enthusiasm that a DSA candidate would. Moreover, Khanna would be running as an individual, not as someone emerging from and building an organized movement — his campaign would not likely focus on building sustained power from below, nor would it likely polarize the 2028 primary around M4A and Israel aid. Also, and not inconsequentially, the poor electoral results for Tom Steyer and Saikat Chakrabarti this spring suggest that there’s perhaps not much of a popular appetite in the Democrats’ base to support multi-millionaire class traitors. Much better, then, to run a democratic socialist worker. If by Super Tuesday it’s clear that our campaign has captured the main left lane in the primary, Khanna should drop out and endorse us; conversely, if he’s managed to capture this lane, DSA could at that point transform its Healthcare Not Warfare campaign into an independent campaign to elect Ro Khanna focused on winning (and holding him accountable to) those two critical planks. An openness to consolidating an anti-corporate candidate by Super Tuesday is a necessary component of the strategy I’m proposing, because otherwise we risk splitting the primary votes (per DNC rules, you need at least 15% to get any delegates to convention). We should convince Shawn Fain or Sara Nelson to run for president instead. I agree it’d be great if either ran for president, but my impression is that there’s basically no chance that will happen in 2028, because both are firmly focused on their union leadership duties (and, in the case of Fain, beating back a federal witch-hunt). This plan could have DSA end up endorsing a non-socialist, non-DSAer for president. That’s against our principles. It’s a myth, and bad politics, that socialists can’t ever support candidates who aren’t members of their organization and/or who don’t call themselves socialists. Bernie, after all, was not a DSAer. And socialists abroad regularly make tactical decisions about if and when supporting a non-socialist candidate makes sense from the standpoint of promoting working-class interests, defending democracy, and building a socialist current in the process. If your “principles” prevent you and DSA from helping achieve the momentous stride forward of having a Democratic candidate in 2028 run on Medicare for All and ending aid to Israel, those “principles” are not very good. In fact, they actively undermine the causes they’re aiming to support. We shouldn’t confuse principles (working-class independence) with tactics (the best way to advance this in a given context). In my recent article in Catalyst on Milwaukee sewer socialism (I’ve uploaded the full text here), I have a section showing how similarly rigid rules about endorsements had to be eventually discarded in the old Socialist Party nationwide after WWI because they tended to lead socialists towards a sectarian abstention from broader anti-corporate electoral insurgencies beyond their party’s control. For what it’s worth, Lenin’s current under Tsarism frequently backed bourgeois candidates in the second round of elections and Lenin himself advocated that British Communists support Labour Party candidates; for his part, Kautsky in 1912 defended the German Social Democracy’s electoral pact with the Progressives in the runoffs. If our predecessors could be that tactically flexible in an era before the limits of their underlying strategic assumptions about intransigent class politics in capitalist democracies were made clear, then there’s no need to insist on being more tactically rigid today, after a century’s worth of accumulated experience. As long as you maintain your own political profile and organization while engaging in broader coalitional efforts, there’s zero inherent contradiction with the principle of political independence. More specifically: DSA and allied organizations should enthusiastically back Michigan’s Abdul El-Sayed if AOC declines to run and he throws his hat in the presidential ring. (I have no idea whether he’s even considering this path, but there’ll surely be chatter about it if he wins his Senate race this November.) Though he doesn’t call himself a socialist, El-Sayed is a principled Berniecrat, a consistent fighter for Palestine, and would have a clear path to victory. Using the “s” word is far less important than whether a campaign fights for the interests of working people at home and abroad — and whether actively participating in it can grow the organized working class and the Left. And the same holds true if a less anti-corporate candidate were, under pressure, to adopt our two Healthcare Not Warfare planks. Why focus only on M4A and ending US aid to Israel? There are so many other important issues to fight for! Obviously there are many pivotal issues beyond healthcare and Israel, and our candidate — and especially our organizations involved in the campaign — should be prepared to speak on all of these. But one of the crucial lessons of the Zohran campaign is that you have to relentlessly stay on message if you want to cut through the noise. CNN and Fox News will want to talk about DSA’s views on Venezuela and abolishing the police; we need to polarize the debate on the widely and deeply felt issues that are most favorable for growing the Left, isolating our opponents, and winning urgently needed changes. One recent poll found 63% of Americans support M4A, even after respondents were told it would raise taxes and eliminate most private insurance. Another found that 74% of Democrats opposed “providing additional economic and military support to Israel.” And focusing on two demands sets the campaign up to be able to leverage its mandate to make clear demands upon other candidates (which we can’t do if we run with a laundry list of demands). Talking about a Plan B is a distraction from the more urgent work of building a groundswell of calls on AOC to run. It’s good for DSAers, fightback unionists, and progressive organizations to try to convince AOC to run. This proposal is meant as an addendum to pushes to get AOC to run and to line DSA up for that eventuality, not as a substitute for those efforts. But I’m worried that, like in 2024, we might eventually find ourselves with no time to find a viable alternative unless we start now. DSA, with its abundant deliberative processes, moves slowly. The approach you’re suggesting seems risky. If a DSA candidate runs but doesn’t receive a lot of votes, it’ll undercut our current national momentum. This is a reasonable worry. All big initiatives always carry risks, and the path I’m advocating is certainly not free of these. That said, if a Healthcare Not Warfare campaign doesn’t catch on like we envisioned, it’s a pretty simple pivot in March 2028 to explain that in the future we really need our standard-bearers like AOC, or our growing bench of national electeds, to step up in presidential primaries. Moreover, it’s worth noting that the risk of my Plan B proposal is on the whole significantly less than the risk entailed by an AOC run. We should all back her if she runs, since she’d fire up the base, provide huge openings for organizing, have a real shot at defeating a Republican (especially given MAGA’s unpopularity), be a great standard-bearer for our issues, particularly M4A and ending aid to Israel, and be less willing than mainstream candidates to capitulate to any anti-democratic machinations from Trump and co. But it’s also true that AOC could lose, which would be a devastating setback to the country and the Left. Or she could win and find herself unable to pass much, if any, of her (and our) program, a demoralizing prospect. So if we’re willing to take these risks with AOC (and we should), it follows that we should be able to take lower-level risks if she doesn’t throw her hat in the ring. What’s Your Plan B? The US Left is facing its biggest opening for growth and influence since the 1930s. Initiatives that would have been impossible a few months ago are now potentially feasible. A President AOC is now easier to imagine, but if she ultimately assesses that the risks aren’t worth the potential reward in 2028, we can’t be left flat-footed. So even if you’re not convinced by the specifics of my Plan B, I hope you can at least agree that it’d be a disaster for us not to have one — and not to start getting a Plan B into motion. Hopefully other organizers and political currents will put forward their responses and alternative ideas ASAP. The stakes are too high to just wait and see. More As always, please share this article widely. This newsletter depends on all you lovely people to get the word out. Thank you! I uploaded the full text of my Catalyst article on Milwaukee sewer socialism here (it’s updated and 3x as long as the version published earlier on this substack). If you haven’t yet, please make sure to subscribe to Catalyst here; I read every issue front to back, highly recommend. 🌹🎵 Ivan Lins (arranged by Arthur Verocai) — “General da Banda” 🌹🎵
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