The Comrade Courant

What Happens Now That a Government Shutdown Is Underway With Congress deadlocked over Medicaid cuts and health care subsidies, the federal government has shut down—furloughing hundreds of thousands of workers and disrupting critical services. WASHINGTON — The federal government has officially shut down after lawmakers failed to pass a funding bill by the midnight deadline. Republicans backed a short-term measure to keep agencies funded through November 21 at current levels, but Democrats blocked it, demanding action on health care: reversing Medicaid cuts from President Donald Trump’s summer tax and spending package and extending Affordable Care Act premium tax credits that help millions afford insurance. Republicans dismissed the Democratic proposal as fiscally reckless, estimating it would cost over $1 trillion. With neither side willing to budge, the shutdown began Wednesday. The U.S. Capitol at sunset, where funding negotiations colla...

Trump’s AI Playbook: Deepfakes, Conspiracy, and the Weaponization of Desperation From fabricated Obama arrests to phantom “medbeds,” Donald Trump has turned AI-generated disinformation into a tool of political warfare—and predatory grift. In an era where reality can be convincingly simulated with a few lines of code, Donald Trump has emerged as the most powerful practitioner of synthetic media as political strategy. His use of AI isn’t about innovation—it’s about narrative control. Whether sharing deepfakes of Barack Obama being arrested in the Oval Office or promoting fictional “miracle cure” devices like the so-called “medbed,” Trump leverages generative AI to dominate attention, stoke outrage, and exploit the very real vulnerabilities of a fractured society. A fake AI-generated clip of Barack Obama being arrested in the Oval Office as Donald Trump laughs. (Screenshot/Truth Social/AI) The Deepfake Surge: From Absurdity to Allega...

Solidarity in the Face of Hate: Manchester Attack a Symptom of a Failing System Why socialist solidarity, not empty rhetoric, is the true answer to antisemitic violence Published: October 3, 2025 | Category: Analysis & Commentary The violent attack on a synagogue in the heart of Manchester this past Friday has sent shockwaves through the community, leaving a nation grappling with a familiar and ugly spectre. As socialists, we condemn this act of antisemitic terror in the strongest possible terms. An attack on a house of worship, on people gathered in peace, is an attack on the very notion of community and solidarity we strive to build. According to reports from the scene, a 42-year-old man armed with a makeshift weapon stormed the synagogue during a service, stabbing a man in his seventies and a police officer who responded with immense bravery. The swift intervention of these officers undoubtedly prevented a greater tragedy. The assail...

Israeli attacks on Sumud Humanitarian flotilla sparks international outrage Israeli attacks on Sumud Humanitarian flotilla sparks international outrage Global Working Class Rallies in Solidarity—Italy Spain UK Erupt in Mass Protests and Strikes By The Comrade Courant October 2025 On the flotilla protest in London — Picture: Guy Smallman In a brazen act of maritime aggression, Israeli naval forces intercepted the unarmed humanitarian “Sumud” flotilla in international waters, violently boarding civilian vessels carrying medical supplies and food for besieged Gaza. The assault—condemned by legal experts as a violation of international law—has ignited a wave of militant solidarity across Europe, with Italy emerging as a new front of mass working-class resistance. ...

If the U.S. Government Shuts Down, What Might That Mean to You? If the U.S. Government Shuts Down, What Might That Mean to You ? A Working-Class Guide to the Fallout By The Comrade Courant October 2025 Political Economy When headlines scream “government shutdown,” it’s easy to dismiss it as political theater—another Washington squabble that doesn’t touch your daily life. But the truth is far more personal. A federal shutdown isn’t just about closed monuments or furloughed bureaucrats. It’s about your rent, your food, your child’s education, your health, and your dignity. And if you’re working class, you’ll feel the pain first, deepest, and longest. Your Paycheck at Risk If You Work for the Government—Directly or Indirectly Over 2 m...

10 Ways the Government Shutdown Hurts the Working Class 8 min read Oct 1, 2025 While politicians and the wealthy feel little pain, the capitalist state's failure to function once again makes workers pay the price. The federal government is going to shut down. For the ruling class and their media mouthpieces, this is a political spectacle. But for the working class, it is a sudden and severe crisis. This shutdown isn't an accident; it's a direct consequence of a political system that serves the wealthy and powerful while treating the needs of the people as a bargaining chip. The Comrade Courant breaks down the ten ways this manufactured disaster entrenches the suffering of the proletariat. 1. Paychecks Vanish for Millions of Federal Workers Roughly 800,000 federal employees are immediately furloughed during a government shutdown, while another 1.3 mi...

Beyond the Bounty: 5 Revolutionary Truths from the Life of Assata Shakur 15 min read June 12, 2023 Assata Shakur in Cuba waving a Cuban flag The news of Assata Shakur's death in Cuba was met with the same polarized narrative that defined her life. To the U.S. government, she was Joanne Chesimard, a convicted murderer on the FBI's "Most Wanted Terrorists" list. This official story is simple, stark, and designed to end all discussion. But this narrative is a weapon. The relentless pursuit of Assata Shakur was never about a single crime; it was a war against a powerful idea. To understand her true legacy, we must look beyond the bounty and examine the world of capitalist exploitation and state-sponsored terror that made her a revolutionary. Here are 5 revolutionary truths her story reveals. 1. The Black Panther Party Was About Community S...