Analysis

Not every struggle carries the same political significance. Some leave little trace on the political landscape; others rearrange it extensively.

It seems to be a whole new race for both Republican and Democratic presidential candidates in Iowa. This is particularly true for the Republican candidates, who were in a lackluster campaign until Romney, the leader of the pack, heard footsteps drawing nearer, and looking behind, saw Huckabee closing on him

The focus of the world’s attention is shifting to the need to decrease carbon dioxide emissions. Alongside and driving this shift is a decisive shift in world public opinion. This will propel changes in elections, government policies and media coverage for years to come.

PARIS — Two years have passed since the “insurrection of the suburbs” of working-class and immigrant youth in this city’s impoverished outskirts. The violent rebellion of 2005, which included young people setting fire to thousands of automobiles and engaging in street battles with the police, transfixed the nation for nearly three weeks.

Service and maintenance workers at Yale University, members of Local 35 Unite Here, have become the target of an anti-immigrant hate group seeking to create racial divisions and undermine the union leadership.

It looks like President Bush’s apocalyptic push for World War III with Iran has been postponed. With the stunning release of the National Intelligence Estimate this week reporting that Iran ended its nuclear weapons program in 2003 (if it ever had one, which is up for debate), the “war option” is “off the table” for now, at least according to numerous government officials.

It is relatively easy to see why far-right presidential candidate Ron Paul of Texas is driving some of the other Republicans crazy. He clearly won the straw poll after their first debate.

PARIS — During France’s powerful public workers’ strikes of November-December 1995, the political waters were somewhat muddy. On the one hand, President Jacques Chirac had based his recent election campaign on the theme of opposing “social fracture” and disharmony. On the other, newly appointed Prime Minister Alain Juppé had just launched a violent attack on welfare and on public workers’ pay and retirement benefits.

If your Oreo didn’t have the sugary white middle, wouldn’t you notice? If, over time, your car tire middles collapsed, you would notice. So why for so long has our country’s middle been allowed to disappear without notice or correction?

The decisive defeat of the right-wing Coalition government in the Nov. 24 federal elections was a great victory for the labor movement, for the thousands of rank-and-file trade unionists and members of the Australian Labor Party (ALP), for YourRights@Work groups and thousands of rank-and-file workers.