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An Anthology of the Best Political Opinion and
Commentary
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The Dissenting Internet
Here are the progressive "log-ons" that we visit regularly. We recommend them all. And if you are especially generous, think of sending in a subscription and/or donation to these websites and/or their hard-copy publications. There are no Republican fat-cats supporting these worthies.
The Smirking Chimp deserves a daily visit. Direct links to national and international news and commentary. Updated daily. Much of it is high quality journalism (which one has to look far and wide to collect these days) -- from such sources as the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Guardian (UK), etc.Truthout. An excellent source of progressive news and opinion, from the American press, the foreign press, and the internet. Also some worthy original pieces. If you sign up, Truthout will send a daily e-mail of new listings with links.
Democratic Underground. Another fine source of original opinion pieces, forums, reader discussion groups, timely news items, and the slashing satire of Mondays' "Top Ten Conservative Idiots." Currently collaborating with the Crisis Papers, posting the CP Editors' new essays on the same day they appear on The Crisis Papers.
Salon. Some refreshingly sassy commentaries on the antics of George II and his gang. A subscription to their "Premium Edition" costs $30, without which easy access to the full text of the best articles is unavailable. Without a subscription, you will get ads.
BuzzFlash. Another tremungous list of timely articles (linked) and links to other sources. An excellent "first stop" for a session of surfing.
Crooks and Liars: Specializes in audio and video clips. Keeps a close eye on CSPAN and the cable news channels for timely and newsworthy items.
The Crisis Papers features original essays and blogs by the editors, Ernest Partridge, Ph.D and Bernard Weiner, Ph.D. It also contains this "Dissenting Internet" list, Recommended Blogsites, and Activists' Page, and an archive of thousands of links to articles and essays, from the internet and from the printed media, of interest to liberals and progressives.
AfterDowningStreet. David Swanson's invigorating mix of news, opinion, and helpful activist hints, including many pieces by Swanson, one of the most dedicated activists out there.
Democracy Now. News, opinions and interviews by the invaluable journalist/commentator Amy Goodman from her converted firehouse radio/TV studio. Goodman, Juan Gonzales, and their associates have their fingers right on the pulse of what's going wrong, and what can be done about it.
Media Matters. David Brock's well-financed and well-staffed website, devoted to picking apart the right-wing, neo-con media outlets. Brock used to be a HardRight hatchetman -- his book, "Blinded by the Right" was a dynamite expose of that seamy world. He knows where the bodies are buried.
Counterpunch. Solid articles from the left-wing perspective, with a real bite. Edited by Jeffrey St. Clair and Alexander Cockburn.
The Online Gadfly is the website of Ernest Partridge, the co-editor of The CrisisPapers. Features an abundance of brief opinion pieces on politics, economics, the environment, etc., as well as longer scholarly works on environmental ethics, moral philosophy, peace studies and public policy.
BushWatch: Lots of anti-Bush material, along with linked-to headlines of the day from the mass and alternative media.
American Politics Journal.. Despite the stuffy, academic-type title, this site offers beaucoup links and sassy commentary from the left side.
The Nation has now become one of the premier publishers of liberal and progressive thought. The new online edition appears each Friday.
Alternet. A great portal of liberal articles in a wide variety of fields of interest (media, environment, politics, etc.). Also an excellent collection of video clips.
CommonDreams . A good repository of liberal/left articles re-posted from publications and websites.
Tom Paine. Another "don't miss" source of free-wheeling progressive opinion.
Consortium News. Always on top of the news with Robert Parry's insightful analyses.
Project for the Old American Century POAC). Taking off from PNAC (with lots of articles about that neo-con group), PAOC has its finger on the pulse of the crisis facing America. Great graphic posters.
Scoop . A super site from New Zealand. Heavy coverage of New Zealand and Asian politics, but also lots of solid reporting and analysis of American war aims and 9/11 coverup and and voting fraud in the U.S.
The Guardian (UK). England's Guardian offers an incisive analysis of U.S. politics and worldwide machinations, with fresh and definitely non-American insights.
ZNet Magazine.. A wide-ranging list of links and articles from a radical left perspective that covers world and domestic events. Lots of Chomsky.
OpEdNews. Covers a wide range of domestic and international issues, as edited by Rob Kall, and also includes a valuable log of progressive radio programs.
The Online Journal features an abundance of fearless, no-holds-barred critiques of establishment politics and the corporate owners/sponsors thereof. Also contains a rich and reliable repertory of links to progressive commentary and critiques of the Bush Restoration.
Bear Left. Original essays and fresh links to current articles. Features a huge list of links to other sites and sources.Media Transparency is another excellent "gateway site" to current articles and commentary on political issues, from a progressive perspective. If you've had about your fill of "the myth of the liberal media," Media Transparency is an ideal place to turn for material for a refuting argument.
Indymedia. This is the central site for Indymedia websites around the U.S. and the globe. They operate as "a collective of independent media organizations and hundreds of journalists offering grassroots, non-corporate coverage.
Take Back the Media. A site devoted to critical views of the media, especially those based in Washington, DC. Solid ideas about how to keep the media honest.
Information Clearing House. Mostly specializes in foreign policy, but contains a wide range of domestic policy issues also.OpEdNews. Covers a wide range of domestic and international issues, and also includes a valuable log of progressive radio programs.
Cursor. A kind of Drudge for the left, which collects a lot of short items, essays and links to all sorts of websites, newspapers, and such.
Memory Hole. This invaluable website "rescues" previously "disappeared" documents and websites, so that we all can see what isn't supposed to be seen. Also passes on valuable information that may in the future go missing.
The Edge. Hard-hitting exposes and analyses from Earth Island Institute, with emphasis on politics and environmental concerns.
The Green-Dog Democrat: Joe Burgess' excellent compilations of same-topic stories, along with periodic bulletins and alerts. Great for background research.
Naomi Klein, the author of the best-selling "The Shock Doctrine" now has her own website where she offers a wide variety of political observations from around the world.
Still more progressive websites noted (for the moment) without comment:
Of course, that's just a beginning. There are many, many more fine sites offering antidotes to the relentless rightward spin of the establishment media. In fact, many of the above listed sites are excellent gateways to these additional sites. See especially, Bear Left and BuzzFlash. To our knowledge, the largest list of progressive and liberal websites is at "Link Crusader."
For Progressive Radio Programs, follow this link.
The Crisis Papers will lead you to the best of them.
Any other suggestions or developing news? Let us know, and we may add to this list.
For E-Mail and Postal Addresses of Government Officials and Media, and for the websites of prominent liberal and progressive organizations, see "The Activist's Page."
About the Progressive Internet: "The American Samizdat"