Democratic politicians insist that the economy’s doing great and people are being misled by the media into believing otherwise. But many workers who have turned to Trump say they have no choice because the elites have abandoned them to poverty and early death. The economy is in fact doing quite poorly for about half the population, as is clear from looking at factors such as median income, survey data, rising personal debt, and the emergence of “services” allowing workers to buy groceries and other necessities on a buy now, pay later basis.

It seems quite possible that the failure to confront this issue could result in Trump returning to the White House next year as well as stifling labor organizing. Warning of the dangers of a resurgent fascism is clearly insufficient to persuade many workers to overlook the many deficiencies of the current system and its conception of a prosperity that does little to meet the needs (let alone the dreams) of the vast majority.

We are requesting submissions (art, commentary, articles, reviews, etc.) for a themed issue along the lines of Imagining a Future Worth Fighting For, envisioning the outlines of a future society, but also thinking about what workers and our organizations could do to get us there. Please submit material by August 1.