Progressive Sources
For those of us on the Left, it’s not always easy to find op-eds or news articles with points of view that align with ours. Alt-right sites like Breitbart have taken off in recent years, not to mention the lasting prominence of right-wing radio hosts like Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh. I don't think I'm alone in saying that those right-wing sources offer nothing more than free comedy to progressives. If you’re interested in knowing more about the leftist view of the United States government and economy from reliable sources, I recommend checking the following sites.
1. Counterpunch
"Counterpunch" prides itself in being the “Fearless Voice of the American Left” since its start in 1993. Given the amount of content it produces and the quality of that content, it’s hard to argue with that claim. A majority of the articles "Counterpunch" publishes are nonpartisan, in the sense that they don't favor Democrats over Republicans or vice versa - they destroy both parties on policy issues.
One of the reasons why this is my primary source for left-wing content is that many prominent figures in the progressive movement, from Bernie Sanders to Cornel West, contribute with op-eds and interviews because they understand that "Counterpunch" is a unique and important outlet that provides a platform for the Left to get their views out into the mainstream.
Aside from the website, "Counterpunch" also offers a print magazine and an iTunes podcast. I’ll refrain from giving an opinion on the print magazine since I’m not a subscriber, but I will say that the podcast is one I never miss an episode of. Every week, host Eric Draitser brings on a new guest to discuss the past week’s events and explain how leftist policies could make the world a better place. This program, called "Counterpunch Radio," raises issues that the mainstream media doesn't cover and engages in in-depth discussions with people close to those issues.
Overall, Counterpunch.org is a great resource for people interested in leftist ideology because of the sheer amount and quality of content and voices available. "Counterpunch" raises important issues and discusses practical ways of solving them with people who have dedicated their entire careers to doing so.
2. Truthout
This is a source very similar to "Counterpunch" in that it offers very progressive content on a wide range of issues, but I’ve noticed that it focuses a lot more on individual issues than anything else. "Truthout" is also a promoter of activism and community involvement - it is dedicated to truly bringing about change in a peaceful and impactful manner.
One of my favorite aspects of this source is the “Speakout” tab, characterized on the site as a “treasure chest for bloggy, quirky, personally reflective, or especially activism-focused pieces” that represent the individual authors of the pieces, not the particular views of Truthout. This is where I learn not about massive issues that affect millions of people, but about how local issues affect everyday working people.
In this regard, I think that it is superior to any other leftist news source out there. Truth-Out.org understands that it is the people who will create a better society, and the website is a reflection of that.
3. Democracy Now!
While most other sources on this list dedicate a portion of their site to reporting on social issues and grassroots movements through op-eds and interviews, "Democracy Now!" masquerades as a mainstream news organizations while promoting very anti-mainstream leftist views. It has up to the minute information, sort of like a left-wing Breitbart. Except it actually has intelligent things to say.
I’d recommend "Democracy Now!" to anyone interested in reading about some of the most important issues happening around the world with a very different perspective than is presented in all other mainstream media. Like many of the other sources I’ve listed so far, this one is very nonpartisan and writes as many hit speeches for Hillary as it does Trump. Democracy Now! doesn’t support individuals based on their party affiliation, but on what they can do for the country and for the world.
One of the things that makes DemocracyNow.org different than the rest is that, as I said above, it doesn't focus on activism and the individuals creating change through grassroots movements. It looks at the big picture, which is great because it offers another side of the leftist ideology.
4. Democracy @ Work
Unlike the other sources which focus heavily on a plethora of important issues from all over the world, "Democracy @ Work" reports exclusively on economic areas of interest and why our current situation calls for alternate ways of thinking about economics. "D@W" was co-founded by Richard Wolff, one of the most respected Marxian economists in the country, and his knowledge of these systems is reflected all throughout this site.
The main purpose of "D@W" is to engage in discussions about alternatives to capitalism by bringing out fundamental problems that the mainstream media chooses to ignore. If you have any interest in Marxian economics or progressive discussions on the current state of the United States economy, then I highly recommend this website.
In addition to the articles available on the website, Professor Wolff hosts a podcast every Monday called "Economic Update" that explains in layman’s terms how certain economic developments from the past week affect working citizens. Though it can get a bit dry at times, I try never to miss an episode of the program because the information Professor Wolff goes over cannot be found anywhere else, let alone explained in language simple enough for a kid like me to understand.
DemocracyAtWork.info has been an invaluable resource to me because it enables me to access information that no other source reports. Every progressive thinker should visit this page from time to time and learn about practical ways of bettering our current system.
5. Right Wing Watch
"Right Wing Watch" is probably the most entertaining entry on this list. It’s not really even a pro-Left source- it’s just really anti-Right. The entire website is dedicated to calling out conservative figures on their ludicrous beliefs by posting videos and sound bites of comments they make on radio, cable, or the Internet. Some of the recurring characters on the site include evangelicals Pat Robertson and Bryan Fischer, politicians like Trump and Cruz, and pundits Glenn Beck and Bill O’Reilly.
Without websites like "Right Wing Watch" keeping an eye on the most ridiculous public figures in America, how would we know that extremist pastor James David Manning once claimed that “Barack Hussein Obama was integrally involved in 9/11” during a long rant about how Obama is the “one that established the Taliban” during his program "The Manning Report?" Right Wing Watch serves to provide solid supporting information during debates and discussions about how insane the Right is, especially when it comes to the Christian Right.
Though this site is definitely very informative from a research standpoint, I use it far more to remind myself every now and then why it is that I'm on the Left side of politics: to get as far away as possible from the morons put on display at RightWingWatch.org
