In the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, the American ruling class and its media microphone have been sounding the call of nationalism, expecting everyone else to fall in line. Unfortunately for them, a significant number of students have decided not to adhere to this most "democratic" ideal, rejecting the bellicose rhetoric of the bourgeoisie and fully understanding the hidden implications of the "us vs. them" mentality.

Next month millions of Americans are faced with the farce of choosing a President drawn from the two big business parties, the Democrats and the Republicans. Bill Clinton and Bob Dole in reality constitute the Tweedle-dee and Tweedle-dum of US politics. That is why the majority of those eligible to vote, as in 1992, will stay at home.

Ever since the magnificent show of anti-capitalist sentiment in Seattle last year, left-wing activists and labor organizations have been planning for the "next big event". The chosen target was the meeting of representatives of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank (WB) beginning on April 16, 2000 in Washington DC. One of the goals of the protest movement is to bring attention to the harmful effects the policies of these capitalist organizations have on the environment and on workers around the world.

We are told in our high school government classes that the judicial arm of government is "objective" and "impartial". Yet time after time it is clear that the decisions taken by the Supreme Court, the highest body of the judicial branch, are tinted with "partisan" bias - the fiasco over the presidential election being the most recent and conspicuous case. The election of George W. Bush raises many questions about the US Supreme Court. Several judges will most probably be appointed under the Bush administration, and the question of "liberal" versus "conservative" judges is a common topic of discussion. Many people fear that important gains such as the right to abortion (Roe vs.

The US government's propaganda war against "terrorism" is also attempting to deflect attention from the dramatic economic slowdown affecting the United States and the dire consequences it is having on American workers. Rob Sewell takes a look at the developing situation.

"I have seen the future, and it doesn't work." Adlai Stevenson, on visiting California

'Brownouts' in the golden west, power cuts in Silicon Valley and, in the longer term, threats by big chunks of high tech business to relocate out of California, the most advanced industrial state on earth. What the hell is going on? Deregulation of the electricity industry, that's what They've decided to introduce market forces into the energy sector, and the result is they're creating havoc.

The last defiant words of Gary Graham, who was executed by lethal injection in Texas, was to accuse his captors of "the systematic state murder of black people". This murder not only takes place on death row but in the cities of America.

This years' campaign for the American presidency has been a hard fought one, with both sides doing everything legal -and sometimes illegal - to  win. In the end it has come down to a dead heat between Vice President Al Gore and his opponent, Governor George W. Bush.  Yet, with this seemingly divided electorate, many Americans still seem uninterested in who wins. In fact, nearly one half did not even bother to vote. Why would so many choose not to vote? Do they not care who will be directing the country? Of course they care.  However, a vote for Bush is a vote for Gore and the working class understands that both Gore and Bush are two sides of the same coin: the coin of

While the generals and politicians in Washington, D.C. beat the drums of war and stir up the whole population, resistance to the impending war is forming everywhere. Marches of up to 6,000 people in New York, vigils across the country and other signs of opposition to war have sprung up. The following incident is especially interesting because it gives a glimpse of something that will hopefully become more and more common as the present war develops. "Firefighters are suspended for alleged truck incident.

The horrific attacks on the morning of September 11, 2001 will go down in history as the day when American imperialism had its nose bloodied and its psychology of invulnerability shattered. As Marxists, we condemn these acts of individual terrorism, and recognize that it will lead only to reinforcing the reactionary policies of Bush and the entire world ruling class. Amid all the calls for "national unity" and the search for a scapegoat, it is clear that we must keep calm and maintain an internationalist and class position. But there is another extremely important implication in the situation &endash; its potential effect on the already tottering US and world economies.

The events of the morning of September 11th have shaken the entire world. One single terrorist attack has not only shocked masses of people out of their daily lives, it has crippled the world economy. Already, the Mayor of New York City, Rudolph Giuliani, has stated that the dead will be counted in “the thousands.” Nearly 300 were killed onboard the jet-liners alone. The World Trade Center disaster has turned the world in the direction of a massive crisis.

INTERVIEW with Ramona Africa in Philadelphia, the sole adult survivor of the 13th May bombing of the MOVE headquarters by police.

As Marxists we see no fundamental difference between the two capitalist parties, which in the final analysis defend private property, the market, and the rule of capital. But George Bush Jr.'s "election" indicates a definite shift in policy on behalf of the American ruling class. So even though their basic interests were guaranteed regardless of who won the election, the capitalists had a decision to make - who would be better suited to face the inevitable crisis facing the US and global economies, and the increasingly unstable and convulsive political situation on a world scale? Although they were bitterly split between the more openly reactionary Republican George W. Bush, and the

"When the peacemakers aim their guns, of course they shoot to pacify, and sometimes they pacify two birds in one shot." (Mario Benedeti, Ode to pacification)

I worked with the 300 workers who worked on top of the World Trade center. This is dedicated to any who may have perished.