Although the United States may be melting, lit ablaze by decades of unfettered addiction to corrosive capitalism, few of our political systems seem capable of meeting the crises that besiege the American working-class. On the bright side, our bout with the pandemic seems to be receding, and “By the Numbers” attempts to put our run-in with mass death into context. Though, sitting too deeply with that risks trapping many in despair. “New Virginny” finds hope in the capacity for conservative morasses to evolve into a progressive stronghold — justifying the effort put into long-game electoral gambits as “What Is Socialism?” reminds us what the alternative to this toxic system we're all fighting for is.

Biden’s administration seems reluctant to embark on the radical change required to counteract the pandemic, ecological and economic crises encumbering the American people. The debate over how the left should respond has consumed segments of the socialist left. “Breaking Bad” argues — in exhaustive detail — against calls for the left to pursue power through the ballot line, reminding that the left’s power will always be independent of the electoral system. “Breaking the Cycle” provides a counter to some critics of the Democratic Socialists, arguing that the critiques of the DSA’s current organizational strategy surface from the sort of partisanship that prevents the working class from organizing itself into a disciplined political regimen. Though, “A Left That Matters?” critically responds to calls on operating political power within the Democratic Party, reminding that the advancement of many issues imperative to socialists occurred outside of the party. “Oppositional Politics” emphasizes the need for the left to stop falling into the trap of opposition-based political alliances. And a local comrade considers how socialists should treat the lingering threat of fascism in “Security,” which outlines some of the information-security protocols used by the local DSA and stresses the need to think seriously about security when building the systems and structures used by the organized left.

Finally, two articles explore the intersection between technology and community. “Democracy and Microgrids” emphasizes the need for the progressive left to consider the management and ownership structure of our energy systems. And “Capitalist Decay and Digital Worlds” provides an annotated discussion with two filmmakers whose new series sheds light on the virtual worlds that have provided many escapes from the banality and alienation of capitalism.