Category Archives: American Dream

Co-op Wars: Lessons for the Future from the Past

During the 1970s, I was a child and missed most of the craziness of that era. I only received driver’s license after the election of Ronald Reagan in the fall of 1980 which largely marks the end of the “’60s”. … Continue reading

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Make USPS a Solidarity Co-op!

The recent fight over the post office has been dramatic and hyper partisan while also obscuring the causes of the financial problems of the post office. These problems largely result from one major decision by the Congress known as the … Continue reading

Posted in 2040, American Dream, Uncategorized, worker co-ops | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Abolish The City

A couple of weeks ago, I discussed how the co-op model might change policing in the immediate wake of George Floyd’s murder by Minneapolis police. Since then, the US has seen over four weeks of consecutive protests, calls to de-fund … Continue reading

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How Do We Change the Police?

The above image comes from NPR’s Codeswitch and a show entitled “A Decade of Watching Black People Die“. A similar report from The Guardian based on 2016 numbers also notes that people of color are generally significantly more likely to … Continue reading

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The Unnamed Co-op Value: Gritty

Calvin Coolidge, the US President that symbolized the 1920s, has been credited with this statement: “Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; … Continue reading

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ROC and Roll

Resident Owned Communities (ROCs) have become a thing. This term generally refers to a specific type of housing co-op that engages manufactured home parks. This is a slightly different model than what most people think of when they hear the … Continue reading

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Worker Co-ops and the American Dream, part 6

The Union-Co-op as a Pathway to Restoring the American Dream As the effects of the Great Recession linger even ten years later, Americans seek new avenues to meet their needs and desires. The labor movement has largely been fighting a … Continue reading

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Worker Co-ops and the American Dream, part 5

Keeping the Dream Alive Despite the data that clearly exposes the shortcomings of the American Dream, it is still a powerful myth that draws thousands of new immigrants to the United States each year. Even those who deny the Dream … Continue reading

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Worker Co-ops and the American Dream, part 4

American Dream Deferred The American Dream, it must be noted, has always been an aspect of white privilege. The promise of those inalienable rights remained a promise for those brought in slavery and this aspect has played a role in … Continue reading

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Worker Co-ops and the American Dream, part 3

In many ways, the labor movement of the fin de siècle period (1880-1914) resembles the labor movement of today. Skilled craft labor unions found limited success, but mainly in areas where its leader, Samuel Gompers, could make deals (much in the manner of the strategy of Service Employees International Union (SEIU) today). Social movements by the unorganized pressed for political change such as the eight-hour day (compared to today’s $15 per hour movement), and workers might still form cooperatives to meet their needs (such as the Union Fishermen’s Cannery in Astoria, OR). Continue reading

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