Global

Those who had the misfortune of growing up in a war zone require no explanation. War is hell, it is true—but for children, it is something else entirely: a confusing, disorienting fate that defies comprehension.

There are children who live only briefly, experiencing whatever life manages to offer them: the love of parents, the camaraderie of siblings, the fragile joys and inevitable hardships of existence.

There are over 20,000 children in this category who have been killed in Gaza over the span of roughly two years, according to figures released by the Gaza Health Ministry and repeatedly cited by United Nations agencies. Some were born and killed within the same short timeframe.

Nuclear power is inseparable from Donald Trump.  If you support atomic energy, you are also supporting the financial fortunes of the Trump family.

Trump is a major investor in the nuclear industry.  He has invested heavily in the development of fusion power and stands to massively profit from its proliferation.

He also controls the obliteration of the regulatory apparatus designed to guarantee its safety in the United States. Trump’s war in Iran has vastly escalated the potential threat of potentially apocalyptic drone strikes on atomic reactors, now a factor in Vladimir Putin’s war on Ukraine.

Team Trump has made a very public and effective show of tangibly attacking nuclear power’s primary replacements, wind turbines and solar panels, along with geothermal and battery backup.

He has also heavily assaulted electric vehicles, which threaten the business of his fossil fuel backers.

The Myth of "Unquestioned Authority" ​

We are witnessing a historic collision between the old world of "immunity" and a new era of global accountability. Whether we are discussing the geopolitical landscape of the Middle East or the legal framework of the Ohio Revised Code, the fundamental question remains the same: Should any entity be it a superpower or a state official be "Too Big to Fail" or "Too Powerful to Sue"? 

​For decades, the United States has operated under a form of "Strategic Qualified Immunity." In the economic sector, the dominance of the U.S. Dollar allowed our institutions to act without the transparency that true competition requires. In the military sector, a similar doctrine of "unquestioned authority" led many to believe that the use of force could be projected indefinitely without a direct "Right to a Remedy" from the international community. ​

Begins with solar panels on our balconies brought by the great RON LEONARD.

We then work to save our elections for 2026 with JOHN BRAKEY of Arizona.

The great CHRISIAN NUNEZ introduces the a new foundation to protect the rights of women.

Atlanta’s RAY MCCLENDON tells about election protection for the coming mid-terms.

From NY we get more from Mickey Leader.

With a deep personal dive TATANKA BRICCA tells us of the tragedy and triumphs of DOLORES HUERTA and CESAR CHAVEZ.

We mourn the deaths and chaos at LaGuardia and throughout the US airline system.

Longtime network heavy hitter DAVID SALTMAN gives us the inside scoop on the fall of the Columbia Broadcast System.

Co-host MYLA RESON, San Francisco’s BRYAN FOSTER and many more chime in on Iran, authoritarianism and the truly devastating state of American life today.  .

Join us for more next week!!!

American democracy is often framed as a system designed to represent the will of the people. Built on the framework of the United States Constitution, it promises political equality, accountability, and broad participation. Central to this system is the right of citizens to influence government decisions—a principle protected by the First Amendment, which guarantees the right to petition the government.

Over time, however, this principle has evolved into the modern practice of lobbying. Originally intended as a mechanism through which diverse voices could be heard, lobbying today raises fundamental questions about whether American democracy still functions as intended. In theory, lobbying operates as a pluralistic system: businesses, labor unions, advocacy groups, and citizen movements compete to shape public policy. Political theorists such as Robert Dahl argued that such competition prevents any single faction from dominating the system. Ideally, this balance forces policymakers to consider a wide range of perspectives.

With the deadline for paying federal income taxes fast approaching, the thoughts of American taxpayers turn naturally toward the age-old question: Why isn’t there a fairer tax system? 

Thursday, March 26, 2026, 8:00 - 9:00 PM

Join our March People Power Action Call

Across the country, people are organizing to defend our rights and push back against abuses of power. From nationwide No Kings mobilizations to the upcoming Supreme Court decision on birthright citizenship, this moment demands organized action.

Join ACLU organizers and volunteers on Thursday, March 26 at 8 PM ET / 5 PM PT for our March People Power Action Call.

Together we'll ground ourselves in what's happening, hear updates on key campaigns, and identify the concrete roles volunteers can play in organizing this month.

On this call you'll hear:

Each year approximately 500-700 Palestinian children, some as young as 12 years old, are detained and prosecuted in the Israeli military court system. Israel is the only country in the world that tries minors in military courts in violation of human rights standards. 

I would like to summarize the story of Shadi Khoury, as told by his mother, Rania Ellias, and his grandmother, Samia Khoury, because it describes the typical brutality inflicted on Palestinian children in military court system and detention. 

Shadi was seized from his family’s home in Jerusalem in the early morning hours of October18, 2022 at the age of 16. The armed Israeli forces stormed his home, beat and dragged Shadi while handcuffed, blindfolded, barefoot, and wearing only his pajamas. He was placed in detention and interrogated for 41 days. During interrogation, he was subjected to repeated beatings, lost consciousness three times, suffered a broken nose, and was subjected to threats. 

This is the first sentence of a column I cannot write . . . of a “war” I cannot win. There’s just no way to condense the psycho-spiritual devastation of an unleashed nuclear bomb into words. All I can do is ask a question that has no answer: What is the opposite of Armageddon?

Can a collective human embrace be larger, more intense and powerful than collective suicide? Is “peace” a force in its own right, or just a brief moment of quiet while humanity reloads?

OK, no answers, just a bit of context with which to ponder the ongoing U.S.-Israeli war on Iran (and throughout the Middle East). Lawrence Wilkerson – retired U.S. Army colonel and former chief of staff to Secretary of State Colin Powell – put it this way in a recent interview with Democracy Now: “This is a war with long legs and I think Trump has completely misinterpreted it. The only one who has interpreted it correctly is Bibi Netanyahu and I think he’s ready to use a nuclear weapon, should it become as bad as it looks right now.”