Brendan Smith

Brendan Smith is an journalist, oysterman and labor activist. He is co-founder of Global Labor Strategies, a consulting partner with the Progressive Technology Project, and has recently joined the staff of the Labor Network for Sustainability. As a proud member of the emerging "green jobs" movement, he also runs an 50 acre organic oyster farm off the Thimble Islands of Long Island Sound.

Brendan has published two books, In the Name of Democracy (Holt/Metropolitan) and Globalization From Below (South End), and co-produced the PBS documentary Global Village or Global Pillage?, which was nominated for an Emmy Award in 2000. He also served as a consultant on the documentary about Lt. Ehren Watada titled In the Name of Democracy: America’s Conscience, A Soldier’s Sacrifice. His commentary has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, The Nation, The Guardian, CBS News.com, YahooNews and the Baltimore Sun Times. He is a graduate of Cornell Law School. To contact or read more about Brendan’s work, go to: www.bsmith.org.

US Wars and Military ActionJune 26, 2006

Lieutenant Watada’s War Against the War

In a remarkable, media-savvy protest, First Lieut. Ehren Watada has refused orders to go to Iraq, claiming the war and the occupation violate the Constitution, international law and Army regulations.

Jeremy Brecher and Brendan Smith
LawJune 8, 2006

The Pincer Strategy

Growing concern over Bush’s abuses of executive power could be the force that unites Democrats, Republicans and libertarians in a broad, nonpartisan effort to defend the Constitution and the rule of law.

Jeremy Brecher and Brendan Smith
CongressApril 21, 2006

Attack Iran, Ignore the Constitution

Congress and the American people must challenge the Administration’s assertion that the President can take military action without consulting Congress.

Jeremy Brecher and Brendan Smith
ActivismFebruary 28, 2006

Where Are the Good Americans?

When the day comes for America to be judged for its war on terror and the human rights crimes that have been done in the name of its citizens, who can say they stood up and said no?

Jeremy Brecher and Brendan Smith
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Covert OpsFebruary 10, 2006

Congress Stirs to Rein in the President

In the wake of Senate Judiciary Committee hearings on warrantless spying, bipartisan efforts to rein in the Bush Administration’s exercise of executive power are gaining momentum.

Jeremy Brecher and Brendan Smith
LawJanuary 6, 2006

The Limits of Power: Questions for Alito

Revelations of the Bush Administration’s domestic spying program have sharply shifted the focus of Samuel Alito’s Supreme Court confirmation hearings from domestic and social issues to executive privilege during times of war. Here’s a list of questions Alito should be asked to fully elicit his views on the scope and limits of presidential power.

Jeremy Brecher and Brendan Smith
CongressDecember 21, 2005

Fixing the Torture Fix

Congress has passed legislation allowing evidence obtained through torture to be used against terror suspects in court. But human rights groups and some Congressional leaders will fight back in 2006, with court challenges, hearings and tough questions on executive privilege for Samuel Alito and other Bush nominees.

Jeremy Brecher and Brendan Smith
Jails and PrisonsDecember 2, 2005

Ban Torture or Protect Torturers?

A showdown looms in Congress this week over two competing measures involving bedrock human and legal rights: John McCain’s legislation to ban all forms of torture and Lindsey Graham’s proposal to strip federal courts of the power to hear habeas corpus appeals by terror suspects.

Jeremy Brecher and Brendan Smith
Political FiguresNovember 18, 2005

Break Up Cheney’s Cabal

If the United States is to extricate itself from the Iraq debacle, the first step is to break up the cabal of Bush Administration officials who have led the nation to war.

Jeremy Brecher and Brendan Smith
CongressNovember 14, 2005

Right to Trial Imperiled by Senate Vote

Civil libertarians were stunned last week when the Senate approved a measure that would allow government officials to essentially bypass the courts and lock up people suspected of terrorism without trial. Will cooler heads prevail?

Jeremy Brecher and Brendan Smith

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Brendan Smith

US Wars and Military ActionJune 26, 2006

In a remarkable, media-savvy protest, First Lieut. Ehren Watada has refused orders to go to Iraq, claiming the war and the occupation violate the Constitution, international law and Army regulations.

LawJune 8, 2006

Growing concern over Bush’s abuses of executive power could be the force that unites Democrats, Republicans and libertarians in a broad, nonpartisan effort to defend the Constitution and the rule of law.

CongressApril 21, 2006

Congress and the American people must challenge the Administration’s assertion that the President can take military action without consulting Congress.

ActivismFebruary 28, 2006

When the day comes for America to be judged for its war on terror and the human rights crimes that have been done in the name of its citizens, who can say they stood up and said no?

The stakes are higher now than ever. Get The Nation in your inbox.

Covert OpsFebruary 10, 2006

In the wake of Senate Judiciary Committee hearings on warrantless spying, bipartisan efforts to rein in the Bush Administration’s exercise of executive power are gaining momentum.

LawJanuary 6, 2006

CongressDecember 21, 2005

Jails and PrisonsDecember 2, 2005

A showdown looms in Congress this week over two competing measures involving bedrock human and legal rights: John McCain’s legislation to ban all forms of torture and Lindsey Graham’s proposal to strip federal courts of the power to hear habeas corpus appeals by terror suspects.

Political FiguresNovember 18, 2005

If the United States is to extricate itself from the Iraq debacle, the first step is to break up the cabal of Bush Administration officials who have led the nation to war.

CongressNovember 14, 2005

Civil libertarians were stunned last week when the Senate approved a measure that would allow government officials to essentially bypass the courts and lock up people suspected of terrorism without trial. Will cooler heads prevail?