New Ground 121
November - December, 2008
Contents
- Post-Bush Progressive Politics
- A Living Wage Reduces Poverty
- OPRFHS YDS
- Winterfest
- The President Pickets Congress!
- UFPJ Meeting in Chicago
- Third Party Blues
New Ground
121.1 - 12.01.2008
0. DSA News
What Now Conference
Socialist International Council Meeting
1. Politics
Employee Free Choice Act
Workeer Centers and the Labor Movement
Big Three Bankruptcy?
The Labor Movement and Progressive Politics in the Post-Bush
Era
2. Democratic Socialism
The Bail-Out
Is Neo-Liberal Theft
3. Upcoming Events of Interest
New Ground 121.2 - 12.18.2008
0. DSA News
DSA 2009 National Convention Set
for Greater Chicago Area
1. Politics
Republic Windows Strike - Short
Take
Additional Links
A Set-back for Hotel Housekeepers
A Post-Partisan Poem
2. Democratic Socialism
Haymarket Revisited
3. Upcoming Events of Interest
New Ground
121.3 - 12.31.2008
0. People
Rabbi Arnold Jacob Wolf
1. Politics
Economic Recovery from Below
National March for Sex Workers Rights
Migration a lever for union renewal?
Blago Watch
2. Democratic Socialism
The Belem Ecosocialist Declaration
Ubuntuism, Commodification, and the Software Dialectic
3. Upcoming Events of Interest
A Defining
Moment? The 2008 Presidential Election
by Bill Barclay
Was the 2008 election a defining moment?
It is obviously too soon to say but the potential is clearly
there. What follows is an early look at the dynamics of the election
and a few thoughts on what comes next.
There are many ways to look at the 2008
presidential election. It can be analyzed, much like the two
campaigns probably did, by focusing on the number of states that
shifted from Bush to Obama 9, including the 3 southern
states of Florida, North Carolina, and Virginia. It can be analyzed
by the demographics of the vote, with Obama increasing the Democratic
percentage among all age categories but especially those under
30 and first time voters. The former went almost 2 to 1 for Obama,
and the latter supported Obama by almost a 3 to 1 margin. It
could also be understood as confirming a long-time, but largely
unnoticed, pattern in U.S. presidential elections: once the electorate
has shifted from one generation to another in their presidential
choices, there is very little chance for a presidential candidate
from the older generation to win. Both Bill Clinton and George
Bush were from the baby boom generation, while McCain is from
the older demographic cohort often labeled the "silent generation"
by 1950s media. Or, the election can be seen as the Republican
vice presidential candidate described it, in advance, as the
"reveal[ing] of God's will."
It also can be and has widely
been compared to other elections, particularly that of
1932. While some have noted that Obama's 52.3% of the popular
vote is not particularly impressive compared to FDR's 57.4%,
this comparison ignores some important differences between the
two elections. By late 1932, when FDR defeated Hoover, the U.S.
GDP had declined by over 20% from 1929. Almost 23% of the total
labor force, and over 30% of the non-farm labor force, were unemployed.
In Chicago, where the Democrats held their 1932 convention, of
the 1.5 million employed in 1930, 700,000 were now out of work.
The Dow Jones Industrial average had fallen over 80% from its
1929 peak. And even then, Hoover, who had overseen this disaster,
drew almost 40% of the popular vote.
Looking a little deeper into the 2008
vote, it is clear that, while the overall popular vote margin
was 6.1%, there were very few individual states where the election
was that close. Only in the 3 southern states won by Obama (Florida,
North Carolina, and Virginia) and in the 3 Midwestern states
of Missouri (McCain), Indiana, and Ohio was the margin of victory
equal to or less than the national margin. Where he won, McCain
won by large margins: in only 4 of the 23 states that McCain
carried was the margin of his victory less than 10%. While the
Republicans have, at least in this election, been reduced to
a party of the South and the inter-mountain west, the question
for Obama, the Democrats, and progressives is whether, as was
the case for FDR and the Democratic Party of his day, this shift
in voter preferences can be maintained and strengthened in upcoming
elections.
What does the 2008 election mean for
that portion of the U.S. population that describes themselves
as progressives / leftists / socialists. (Maybe the last category
has grown since McCain and Palin were so insistent that voting
for Obama was voting for a socialist?).
First, before we start talking about
shortcomings, questionable decisions (e.g., Emanuel as
chief of staff, although I don't think that is a disaster), failure
to achieve particular goals, let's savor the moment.
Second, let's understand, appreciate,
and celebrate the outpouring of excitement and enthusiasm that
erupted across the U.S, from New York to California, from Florida
to Washington, when Obama was called the victor. Watching this
outpouring was the only time in the past 8 years I felt any empathy
for Republicans. How could you see these spontaneous demonstrations
of joy and relief and not be stunned by the contrast with the
response to Bush's election in either 2000 or 2004? The people
who went into the streets to celebrate, hug strangers, wake up
on the morning of November 5th feeling that maybe, just maybe,
they could again identify with their country are those from whom
we must recruit if we want to strengthen and build the movement
for progressive change. Let's not be too quick to disillusion
them; disillusioned people often become disengaged politically.
It is also important to recognize the
significance of at least two of the demographics of voting mentioned
above: the fact that first-time voters supported Obama 3:1 and
under-30 voters supported him 2:1. Most people form their political
allegiances in their younger years and do not stray far from
them, especially if these affiliations are formed in the course
of a successful political campaign. While these groups may not
be uniformly committed to progressive policies and politics,
much less socialist policies and politics, there is an opening
that has not existed since the 1960s.
Finally, there is the experience of
the Obama campaign itself that should encourage all of us who
believe in grassroots, person-to-person politics. As a member
of Progressive Democrats of America (and we were careful to identify
ourselves as such) my wife and I worked door to door for Obama
in both Wisconsin and Indiana. We shifted from Wisconsin to Indiana
during the final days of the campaign because Wisconsin was safe
for Obama and Indiana was a challenge. I didn't actually expect
we would WIN in Indiana but only that we would keep the pressure
on the McCain campaign. In both states the number and enthusiasm
of the volunteers was incredible and we had both worked
in the 2004 and 2006 elections, so have some comparisons. In
fact, we came home from Indiana on Election Day afternoon earlier
than planned because we were tripping over other Obama volunteers.
There were several things that stand
out about our experience in the campaign. First, the enthusiasm
of most people who identified themselves as Obama supporters
was striking; they were actually excited about voting! Second,
we found we could talk with many of those leaning towards McCain,
including one man who supported the Iraq War and whose wife told
him that Obama was a Muslim but was still considering voting
for him because of disgust with Bush. (The exceptions to this
openness were those who were voting on the issue of anti-choice,
one of whom assured me that there are more babies killed by abortion
in two days than in any war). Third, we were struck by the complete
lack of a McCain ground campaign. Even in Indiana, a crucial
battle ground state, we met no McCain workers and saw not a single
piece of McCain literature. This was a distinct contrast to our
experience in the 2004 election. Finally, and probably most importantly,
many, perhaps most, of the Obama volunteers had never done anything
like this before. And it is an experience they will never forget
and an experience that, for many of them, will shape their political
outlook and activities for the rest of their lives. Obama should
figure out a way to continue drawing upon that enthusiasm and
commitment, e.g., some kind of service to America program.
The above is very optimistic and
should be. However, I do not for one moment underestimate the
daunting tasks facing an Obama administration. In addition, the
hopes and expectations, both in the U.S. and abroad, are beyond
what any human being or group of human beings can accomplish.
There is still no program to deal with the mortgage crisis. This
is different (although obviously connected) with the problem
of insolvent banks. In the latter case, we have the Great Depression
and Bernanke's study of the same to thank for, at least to date,
preventing a repeat of what FDR faced. Health care in the U.S.
is hopeless. Meanwhile the right wing and most economists will
urge Obama to reduce government spending. This pressure should
be at least partially offset by the strong recommendations of
the most recent U.S. winner of the Nobel Prize in economics,
Paul Krugman. I do wish that he or perhaps Joseph Stiglitz were
invited into Obama's inner economics circle. Business organizations
are already mobilizing against the Employee Free Choice Act.
The list goes on and on. But, the victory of Obama in the 2008
election has redefined the terrain on which we, as socialists
and progressives fight, and that redefinition is to our favor.
Other
News
compiled by Bob Roman
Post-Bush Progressive Politics
On October 1st, Chicago DSA and In These Times co-sponsored
a forum on Progressive Politics in the Post-Bush Era. Over 100
people (an SRO crowd) heard Bill Fletcher, Jr., In These Times'
David Moberg, and Teamsters Local 743 President Richard Berg
address the issue, ably moderated by Interfaith Workers Justice's
Kim Bobo. This was followed by a question and answer session
with the audience. The event was recorded by Chicago's public
access cable TV network, CANTV.
For cable TV subscribers within the City of Chicago, the complete
(2 hours) program will be broadcast on Channel 19 on Sunday,
November 30, at 5 PM and Monday, December 1, at Noon.
Chicago's Labor Beat was also
recorded the forum. An edited (28 minute) version is posted at
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4975305145762232493&hl=en
. For a current list of Labor Beat programs, go to http://www.laborbeat.org
/lb/lb-pbl.htm.
A Living Wage Reduces Poverty
Greater Oak Park DSA wrote, proposed,
and got a non-binding referendum placed on the Oak Park Township
ballot for the November election. It asked the voters:
"Shall the Village of Oak Park
enact a 'Living Wage' ordinance stipulating that a) Village employees,
b) employees of contractors or subcontractors performing work
for the Village, and c) employees of businesses that receive
a significant financial subsidy from the Village, receive a living
wage indexed to inflation that would include health benefits
and time off."
The question was affirmed by the voters,
60% yes to 40% no.
Now the difficult work of turning this
advice into law begins. The task is made more complicated by
the Village's difficult financial circumstances. But if you would
like to help, please contact Tom Broderick at 708.386.6007.
OPRFHS YDS
Repeat that several times quickly. It
is the Oak Park River Forest High School Young Democratic Socialists,
a new YDS chapter that is just holding its first meeting. It
took some doing. The procedure for gaining recognition turned
out to be not especially user friendly. But the new chapter is
now able to meet on campus. Stay tuned for further developments.
Winterfest
Each December, the Chicago
Socialist Party has been organizing a "Winterfest:"
a break-even (usually) fundraising party that recognizes that
it's darkest before the dawn and that beer tends to make it all
tolerable. This year's celebration of the hegemony of Neiman-Marxism
will take place on Saturday, December 13, starting at 3 PM at
Quencher's Saloon, 2401 N. Western in Chicago. The mellifluous
sounds of post-capitalist free jazz will be provided by Undertow.
Gathering the left-wing of the impossible around it for warmth
in the face of the gathering winter, this year's event is wrapped
by Chicago DSA, the Marxist-Humanist Committee, the Open University
of the Left, and Quencher's Saloon. As Bill Pelz said, "Beer,
conversation, music, not to mention beer!"
The President Pickets Congress!
The occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan
is not the only war that has been stretching on forever. The
conflict between the Congress Plaza Hotel and its workers is
now at about the 5 1/2 years mark, but the workers are hanging
in for however long it takes.
The past two months have seen a number
of actions directed at educating the general public and prospective
customers of the hotel about the conflict and the issues at stake.
Most recent was a spirited picket line outside the hotel during
Obama's Grant Park victory celebration. With a South Michigan
Avenue location, the hotel did attract some business from Obama
supporters attending the rallies. Some of these people did their
unsuccessful best to pretend nothing was wrong, others had the
decency to be dismayed.
But real enthusiasm and support came
from the incredible street traffic that shared the sidewalk with
the pickets. (One learned to be cautious when making the turn
at the end of the picket line!) People were uniformly friendly.
They took leaflets. They stopped to ask questions. They sometimes
stopped to join the picket line for a few turns.
In this particular fight, the air war
is secondary, but UNITE HERE has updated the strike web site
to take advantage of the Obama connection: http://www.presidentpicketscongress.org
. There are videos, yes, and if you're coming to Chicago, you'll
also find a guide to union hotels.
UFPJ Meeting in Chicago
The 4th National Assembly of United
for Peace and Justice will be held on Friday, December 12 through
Sunday, December 14, at the Wyndham O'Hare Hotel, 6810 N. Mannheim
Rd in Chicago. Aside from the usual housekeeping required of
any organization, the Assembly will set the overall political
direction and priorities of the organization, facilitate movement
building connections, and review and evaluate the work of the
organization as a whole. Registration is required and costs $145
for the entire weekend. For more information, go to http://www.unitedforpeace.org/article.php?id=3964
or call 212.868.5545.
Third Party Blues
While some folks who style themselves
as being to our left like to characterize DSA as "working
within the Democratic Party" and while there certainly were
a good many DSA members working to elect Obama this year, DSA
is in fact a non-partisan organization. Here in Chicago, there
were also a fair number of members who supported, or at least
voted for, Nader or McKinney for President. But it was not a
good year for third parties, not even here in Illinois where,
because Obama was most certainly going to win Illinois, minor
parties all across the political spectrum should have done well
or at least better than usual. They did not.
The Green Party, in particular, suffered
this year with few victories to claim on its own ballot line
and none of them in Illinois.
None of its statewide candidates in
Illinois succeeded in gaining as much as 5% of the vote thus
the Green Party has apparently lost its recognition as an "official"
party statewide. It should still be on the ballot in a number
of counties around the state, including Cook County, as some
local candidates did that well at least. If the party can recruit
candidates in these islands of support for the next round of
elections, there may still be a future for this project. For
the latest news about the Green Party in Illinois, go to http://www.ilgp.org .
Probably the best source of information
about third party travails and legalities is Ballot Access
News, http://www.ballot
-access.org. Some interesting factoids from Ballot Access
News: McKinney's best county was St. Bernard Parish or LaFourche
Parish in Louisiana, both at 1.1%. Nader's best was Lawrence
County, Arkansas at 3.3%. The Socialist
Party USA's Brian Moore did 2.2% in Essex County, Vermont.
Postscript: Lionel Trepanier wrote in
with the following correction:
"The
ILGP did not lose ballot status. The ballot status that was gained
in the election for governor is retained for 4 years. So the
ILGP retains and will have state-wide ballot status and run a
candidate for governor next time around. Then if we recieve at
least 5% of the vote we again retain ballot status for 4 years."
I'm not sure that this much improves
things for the Green Party except that two years is a long time
in politics, so we'll see.
|
New
Ground #121.1
12.01.2008
Contents
0. DSA News
What Now Conference
Socialist International Council Meeting
1. Politics
Employee Free Choice Act
Workeer Centers and the Labor Movement
Big Three Bankruptcy?
The Labor Movement and Progressive Politics in the Post-Bush
Era
2. Democratic Socialism
The Bail-Out Is Neo-Liberal Theft
3. Upcoming Events of Interest
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
DSA News
What Now Conference
The Young Democratic Socialists
chapter at William Paterson University in New Jersey organized
a "What Now? Activism in Post-Election America Youth Conference"
on November 22. Co-sponsors included Brothers for Awareness,
The Feminist Collective, and the Organization for Latin American
Students. Over 200 people registered for the event. For coverage
by the WPU Pioneer Times, go to:
http://media.www.pioneertimeswpu.com/media/storage/paper756/news/2008/11/24/News/Wpu-Hosts.what.Now.Activist.Conference-3560235.shtml
For the bare bones, see:
http://theactivist.org/blog/wpu-event-what-now-activism-in-post-election-america-1122
The event was also covered by radio
station WBAI. For a report by WBAI reporter Fred Nguyen, see:
http://www.radio4all.net/responder.php/podcast/podcast.xml?program_id=30297&version_id=34981&version=1
Socialist International Council
Meeting
The Socialist International's
Council met in Vallarta, Mexico, on November 17 and 18, to discuss
a "Social Democratic Response to the World Financial Crisis."
For more information, see:
http://www.socialistinternational.org/viewArticle.cfm?ArticleID=1960
For a less formal account, along with
some interesting comments about Mexican politics, see "Socialists
Unite... and head for the beach" at:
http://mexfiles.wordpress.com/2008/11/19/socialists-unite-and-head-for-the-beach/
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Politics
Employee Free Choice Act
This act of labor law reform
will be the single most important item of legislation before
Congress in 2009. Just because there are nearly veto proof Democratic
majorities in Congress does not mean The Employee Free Choice
Act will simply walk through both chambers of Congress. Not without
your help. To learn more, and to sign one of those handy dandy
on-line petitions, go to:
http://www.freechoiceact.org/
Workeer Centers and the Labor
Movement
Labor Notes is not a publication that tends to give union
officials the benefit of a doubt. So this account of a recalcitrant
union, members facing the Department of Homeland Security, and
the role of a local Chicago workers' center played in getting
things moving is particularly interesting:
http://labornotes.org/node/1978
Big Three Bankruptcy?
Bob Roman
The bailouts motivated by the current capitalist crisis inspire
visceral disgust among most lefties, even as our representatives
end up voting for them for lack of a better choice. The "Big
Three" auto makers' request for a bridge loan gets much
the same reception, doubled out of resentment for what we've
had to put up with for the financial industry. Bankruptcy is
no more than what they deserve!
Be careful what you wish for. Aside
from the collateral damage: the domino cascade of lay-offs, foreclosures,
etc, bankruptcy has become yet another weapon of class war against
workers. For a look at how it was used in the auto parts industry,
the Spring, 2006, issue of Dissent explores this class
war by other means in an article by Stephen F. Diamond:
http://dissentmagazine.org/article/?article=409
For a look at the UAW's arguments for
a loan in this particular case, see:
http://www.uaw.org/
The Labor Movement and Progressive
Politics in the Post-Bush Era
The October 1st forum organized
by Chicago DSA and In These Times continues to be shown
on cable TV. The Labor Beat version will be shown on Chicago's
CANTV Channel 19 :
Thursday, December 4, 9:30 PM
Friday, December 5, 4:30 PM
And on Evanston's Channel 6:
Monday, January 5, 5:30 PM
Saturday, January 10, 12:30 AM
Monday, January 12, 5:30 PM
Saturday, January 17, 12:30 AM
For a listing of Labor Beat programs
presently available on-line (including the above forum), go to:
http://www.laborbeat.org/lb/lb-pbl.htm
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Democratic Socialism
The
Bail-Out Is Neo-Liberal Theft
Tom Broderick
Much deserved criticism has been leveled at the Federal Government's
response to the global financial crisis. Unfortunately, this
criticism includes the misuse of at least a couple of words:
"nationalization" and "socialism."
Nationalization is the assumption and
control of private property by the state. This can be direct
ownership and control or it can be control through the purchasing
of assets (investing). The U.S. government has not nationalized
the financial industry because it is exercising no control. It
is simply handing over taxpayer money to private enterprise.
Private enterprise is free to do what it feels is appropriate.
Some financial institutions are using
our money to buy other financial institutions, with the goal
of coming out of the crisis, assuming we do, in a stronger position
on a smaller playing field. Others are hoarding.
The U.S. government is not directing
the financial institutions to make credit more available on reasonable
terms. It is not directing the financial institutions to invest
in green technology to create jobs and a cleaner, safer world.
It is not directing the financial institutions to invest in public
works projects with the public money they are receiving. Instead,
we have government pillaging the federal treasury for the profit
of private enterprise.
A more appropriate example of nationalization
would be the use of State National Guards in our war against
the people of Iraq. The U.S. government took control of the various
State National Guards to supplement the fighting strength of
the U.S. military.
Fraudulent use of the term socialism
also masks the truth of this corporate bailout. There are many
descriptions of socialism, but a clinical definition offered
by my copy of The Third Edition of the American Heritage Dictionary
is: "A social system in which the means of producing and
distributing goods are owned collectively and political power
is exercised by the whole community."
As a Democratic Socialist, let me provide
a more personal one: Socialists share a vision of a humane social
order based on popular control of resources and production, economic
planning as if people mattered, and an equitable distribution
of goods and services. We embrace racial equality, feminism and
non-oppressive relationships, including the human relationship
with our planet.
In this country, socialism is regularly
viewed as an economic system. But economic planning is only an
aspect of socialism. All economies are planned to one degree
or another. The questions are who plans and what are the goals.
A humane and just society is not part of a neo-liberal economic
policy, which places the guarantee of private accumulation of
wealth at the forefront of governmental responsibility.
The North American Free Trade Agreement
(NAFTA) is a neo-liberal economic plan that focuses on the rights
of investors to make profits. Investors are free to invest and
disinvest without regard to social issues. Nothing can stand
in the way of profit. National sovereignty, human rights, environmental
stewardship have no legitimacy in this economic plan.
There is a class structure in society
that results in a conflict of interest between a powerful elite
and the vast majority of the population. As the current resident
in the White House put it when addressing his fundraisers, "Some
call you my base. I call you the Haves and the Have Mores."
Then he giggled as though he'd made a funny.
This bailout is the socialization of
the pain and turmoil to really benefit a few. Into the far future,
the vast majority of folk will be burdened by the costs of trying
to save a system that regards them as resources rather than dignified
human beings. Rule by and for the wealthy? Yes. Socialism? Not
by any description that doesn't defy gravity.
What's missing in this misdirection
of wealth is popular control. The misanthropes shoveling our
money into the hands of various private financial institutions
are the same ones who shoved the misnamed USA Patriot Act and
the Homeland Security Act upon us. This regime has done everything
it can to expand the power of the executive branch. The checks
and balances that we expect of our legislative and judicial branches
are treated as gauchely irrelevant.
We are not experiencing nationalization
or socialism. We are suffering neo-liberal theft. Given that
both Senators McCain and Obama signed onto the bailout bill,
it will take popular pressure to create the change needed. Chanting
"Yes We Can" will not create change, and President-elect
Obama has no legislative track record of fighting neo-liberalism.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Upcoming Events of Interest
Events listed here are not necessarily
endorsed by Chicago DSA but should be of interest to DSA members,
friends and other lefties. For other events, go to http://www.chicagodsa.org/page9.html.
Tuesday, December 2, 7:30 PM
Milton Friedman's Legacies:
On the U.S. Economic Crisis
University of Chicago Kent Hall Room 107, 1020 E. 58th St, Chicago
Featuring Senator Bernie Sanders. The 3rd in a series of events
responding to the creation of the Milton Friedman Institute for
Research in Economics. For information, call 773.493.6202 or
773.288.9006.
Thursday, December 4, 6 PM to 8 PM
Human Rights at Home
OMSA Community Lounge, 5710 S. Woodlawn Av, Chicago
A presentation by Standish Willis (Law Office of Standish E.
Willis Ltd) and Joey Mogul (People's Law Office) on the United
Nations and the Chicago Police Torture Cases. The University
of Chicago Human Rights Program http://humanrights.uchicago.edu
Thursday, December 4, 6:45 PM
Iraq Veterans Against the
War: the Road Ahead
Lincoln Park Public Library, 1150 W. Fullerton, Chicago
Panelists from IVAW examine how their agenda may be pusued in
the Obama era. An Open Univeresity of the Left event, cosponsored
by Chicago Socialist Party, Solidarity Chicago Chapter, and New
World Resource Center.
Friday, December 5, 5:30 PM
Illinois Labor History Dinner
Hyatt Regency McCormick Place, 2233 S. Martin Luther King Drive,
Chicago
Featured speaker Congressman Phil Hare. See http://www.kentlaw.edu/ilhs/newsdesk.html
Saturday, December 6, 2:30 PM to 4 PM
A Conversation on Child Advocacy
Chicago Temple James Parlor, 77 W. Washington 2nd Floor, Chicago
Protestants for the Common Good present a reception, talk, and
book signing by authors Diane C. Olson and Laura Dean Friedrich.
RSVP appreciated: call Meghan Strell at 312.223.9544x231
Saturday, December 13, Noon - 1:30 PM
What's Next for Labor and
the Left?
Chicago DSA, 1608 N. Milwaukee Room 403, Chicago
Bill Pelz facilitates a discussion of what's next.
Saturday, December 13, 3 PM to ??
Winterfest
Quencher's Saloon, 2401 N. Western, Chicago
The Chicago Socialist Party's annual celebration, with music
by Undertow.
Wednesday, December 17, 7 PM
International Day to End
Violence Against Sex Workers
YWCA, 360 N. Michigan Av, Chicago
This year, join Sex Workers Outreach Project Chicago in honoring
the lives of those affected by this horrible violence. Bring
photos, poems, artwork, writings, or anything else to help memorialize
these individuals, and share what you feel comfortable. We will
be providing refreshments, and sharing the names and stories
of sex workers who have been affected by violence. For information:
womanisprivateproperty@gmail.com
|
New
Ground #121.2
12.18.2008
Contents
0. DSA News
DSA 2009 National Convention Set
for Greater Chicago Area
1. Politics
Republic Windows Strike - Short
Take
Additional Links
A Set-back for Hotel Housekeepers
A Post-Partisan Poem
2. Democratic Socialism
Haymarket Revisited
3. Upcoming Events of Interest
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
DSA News
DSA 2009 National Convention
Set for Greater Chicago Area
See http://www.dsausa.org/NewsFromDSA/13dec2008.htm
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Politics
Republic Windows Strike - Short
Take
Eric Schuster
Briefly, UE Chicago has a long and continuing
radical tradition, so workers were encouraged to sit-in. This
was good organizing (five years of involvement by UE organizers)
by a rank and file local radicalized by its circumstances. Said
UE local 1110 VP Melvin Ricky Maclin "no one wanted to go
to jail, but we were all prepared to go to jail...we had nothing
to lose." (Grit TV)
A few ways of looking at consequences:
One is the comprehensive coverage by by the Spanish language
Media, as most of the Republic workers are Latino/Latina. The
sit-in was clearly viewed in the community as part of the renewed
struggles stemming from the March 10 movement, the May 1 2006
Chicago demonstration, and the overwhelming November electoral
mobilization against Bush and his vicious ICE blackshirts. This
will undoubtedly raise consciousness within the community on
the value of labor solidarity, as it was viewed there as a major
victory. And it is clearly spilling over into the way folks are
viewing the current heat on UAW workers (There are two major
auto plants in the Chicago region, Ford has already announced
closure of its south side Torrence plant.).
Second, this drove a wedge in the Mayor
Daley's political Omnipotence. Several alderman independently
drove legislation banning the city from doing business with Bank
of America, and the on-site involvement of liberal Representative
Luis Gutierrez (who wants to be mayor, got his start with the
old Puerto Rican Socialist Party) and Jan Schakowsky (who wants
ro be senator, got her start in the Chavez grape boycott) --
both of whom hung out in the plant -- essentially eliminated
any threat from the cops or private security, who did nothing
but traffic management. (Hiz Honor was out of town when this
started rolling). Republic is located in the middle of what was
once an industrial zone, but was mercilessly gentrified in the
1990s, after a long struggle some factories were allowed to stay
and light manufacturing zoning was legislated. Republic received
a bunch of TIF (tax rebate) money, and this has become an issue
again, along with Republic's move to low-wage Iowa. Everyone
understands that this throws a kink into Daley's unwavering commitment
to free market principles (he privatized the parking meters the
previous week!). To his dismay, the Republic struggle was met
with enthusiastic support by every local pol and media outlet.
Any crack in the Daley consensus is a victory.
Third, rapid and mostly spontaneous
labor solidarity from every union local in the city. Let me tell
you, this was a sight for sore eyes. 1110 got more money, food
and bodies for demonstrations than anyone imagined, almost entirely
from rank and filers from locals around the city. Plus well-covered
sympathy demos at Bank of America offices in California and North
Carolina, NYC and Atlanta, and elsewhere. The pro-labor, anti-corporate
enthusiasm was infectious, effective, and establishes the template
for community labor coalitions as the economy gets worse.
Finally, from an AP piece dated December
12: "I'd be the first to say to companies that what you
saw with workers at Republic will be repeated over and over across
the country," said Jerry Roper, president of the Chicagoland
Chamber of Commerce.
Some Additional Links
Jonathan Birnbaum recommended
these links for more information:
Peter Dreier, "Obama Embraces Chicago
Factory Sit-In: Symbol of New Wave of Activism,"
Huffingtonpost.com, December 9, 2008
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/peter-dreier/chicago-factory-sit-in-a_b_149510.html
Benjamin Dangl, "Workers Occupy
Chicago Factory: Echoes of Argentina's 2001 Worker Uprising,"
MRZine, December 8, 2008
http://mrzine.monthlyreview.org/dangl081208.html
Lee Sustar and Nicole Colson, "Raising
the stakes at Republic"
Socialist Worker, December 9, 2008
http://socialistworker.org/2008/12/09/raising-the-stakes-at-republic
Lee Sustar, "Victory at Republic!"
Socialist Worker, December 11, 2008
http://socialistworker.org/2008/12/11/victory-at-republic
Bob Roman tosses these two into the pot, the first from mainstream
press, the second being a conservative take on the event:
Michael Luo and Karen Ann Collotto,
"Even Workers Surprised by Success of Factory Sit-In"
New York Times, December 12, 2008
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/13/us/13factory.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all
Walter Olson, "Window on the Future?
A radical union's action in Chicago could be a sign of things
to come."
City Journal, December 17, 2008
http://www.city-journal.org/2008/eon1217wo.html
A Set-back for Hotel Housekeepers
Bob Roman
Back in the slightly more hopeful years of Blago's first term,
the labor movement succeeded in having the Illinois legislature
pass a modest law requiring hotels, in Cook County only, to provide
hotel housekeepers two paid 15 minute breaks. The law was ruled
invalid by a panel of Judges on the U.S. Court of Appeals 7th
Circuit. Mostly, they thought the law was preempted by Federal
laws concerning collective bargaining. The ruling was as a result
of a lawsuit brought by the Congress Hotel, where workers have
been on strike for over 5 years. The Chicago Tribune quotes
Marc Gordon, President of the Illinois Hotel and Lodging Association,
as saying, "I can't believe it. That's great news."
And Peter Andjelkovich of the Congress Hotel saying, "This
is a huge victory."
Great news, a huge victory, two 15 minute
breaks.
A Post-Partisan Poem
Hugh Iglarsh
"I saw Andrea Mitchell tonight
talking about who President Obama will turn to for help in dealing
with the financial crisis. The first two names were at the top
of the list of people who gave us the financial crisis: Robert
Rubin and Larry Summers. This would be a bit like turning to
Osama Bin Laden for aid in the war on terrorism."
Dean Baker, The American Prospect
Put Bush in charge of Cogitation
And Cheney Truth and Reconciliation.
Rummy has lots of time on his hands,
To process Human Rights demands.
Perle can wield his expertise
Administering Love and Peace.
Good 'ol Browny -- what's he doin'?
There's Infrastructure needs improvin'!
As for cutting Pentagon waste
Set Halliburton on the case.
The media will make us free
When Murdoch chairs the FCC.
So why just Gates from the old regime?
Smooth the transition, keep 'em all on the team.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Democratic Socialism
Haymarket Revisited
November 11 is the anniversary
date for the execution of the Haymarket Martyrs some 121 years
ago. So it's natural that the Canadian publication ACME
made various aspects, past and present, of the Haymarket police
riot the theme of its most recent issue. ACME is a radical
academic journal, billing itself "An International E-Journal
for Critical Geographies." The quality of the articles in
this issue varies from trite and trivial, alas, to pretty interesting
for lefty history buffs. Check it out at:
http://www.acme-journal.org/Volume7-1.htm
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Upcoming Events of Interest
Events listed here are not necessarily
endorsed by Chicago DSA but should be of interest to DSA members,
friends and other lefties. For other events, go to http://www.chicagodsa.org/page9.html.
Friday, December 19, 9 PM
Art Against War
Heartland Cafe, 7000 N. Glenwood Av, Chicago
Featuring Mark Dvorak, Plan B, Gerry Gorman and Kate Harold.
$5 donation.
Saturday, January 10, 7 PM to 11 PM
Cuba / Haiti Hurricane Relief
Benefit
Old Town School of Folk Music, 4544 N. Lincoln Av, Chicago
Chicago Hurricane Relief and the Haitian Congress to Fortify
Haiti are coming together to sponsor a night of Carribean Rhythms
to raise needed funds and awareness for the devastation caused
by the 2008 hurricane season on Cuba and Haiti. $25 donation
requested. For ticket information, see http://www.oldtownschool.org
or call 773.728.6000 or write to aidforcuba@gmail.com
Tuesday, January 13, 7 PM
Chicago DSA Executive Committee
Chicago DSA, 1608 N. Milwaukee, Room 403, Chicago
Business, but all DSA members are welcome.
Sunday, January 18, 10 AM
Meltdown: Can "the System"
Be Saved?
Third Unitarian Church, 301 N. Mayfield, Chicago
DSA member David Schweickart discusses the implications of the
latest fiscal melt-down.
Wednesday, January 31, 1 PM to 4 PM
War's Real Impact: Our Voices
Teamster City Auditorium, 300 S. Ashland, Chicago
Chicago Jobs with Justice Workers' Rights Board will hear testimony.
See http://www.warsrealimpact.org.
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New
Ground #121.3
12.31.2008
Contents
0. People
Rabbi Arnold Jacob Wolf
1. Politics
Economic Recovery from Below
National March for Sex Workers Rights
Migration a lever for union renewal?
Blago Watch
2. Democratic Socialism
The Belem Ecosocialist Declaration
Ubuntuism, Commodification, and the Software Dialectic
3. Upcoming Events of Interest
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
People
Rabbi Arnold Jacob Wolf
Long-time DSA member and supporter
Rabbi Arnold Wolf died unexpectedly on Tuesday, December 23.
He was 84 years old. One of the better obituaries was in the
Chicago Tribune:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-hed-arnold-wolf-25-dec25,0,7051656.story
but also see
http://www.forward.com/articles/14811/
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/30/us/30wolf.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1230644649-8iDEH03jrUjw26fSC/r2ug
http://tough-dove-israel.blogspot.com/2008/12/rabbi-arnold-jacob-wolf-zl-obamas-rabbi.html
http://www.chequer-board.net/story/2008/12/30/11916/691
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Politics
Economic Recovery from Below
Political economy deals with
the issue of who gets what. According to the great American socialist
labor leader Sidney Hillman, this is in fact the essential question
of politics. So with most current economic recovery plans aiming
at the towering heights of the economy, one might be forgiven
for wondering about the rest of us. What are we? Chopped liver?
There are alternatives. There will be more in the next issue
of New Ground, but you can get a head start by reading:
http://www.chicagodsa.org/jobs.pdf
National March for Sex Workers
Rights
"No sex, please; we're
American."
http://blip.tv/file/1619080#share
Migration a lever for
union renewal?
Migrant labor is an issue world-wide,
not just here in the States. In Europe, unions are reacting much
the same as here in the States, ranging from ignoring the issue
to aggressive and non-traditional tactics. For a survey, see
this article by Olle Sahlström:
http://www.eurozine.com/articles/2008-07-22-sahlstrom-en.html
Blago Watch
For those who'd like to know
more about the adventures of Illinois' Governor, here's a careful
if obsessed site:
http://www.thecapitolfaxblog.com/
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Democratic Socialism
The Belem Ecosocialist Declaration
http://www.ecosocialistnetwork.org/
Ubuntuism, Commodification,
and the Software Dialectic
From the December, 2008, issue
of First Monday:
http://www.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/2186/2062
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Upcoming Events of Interest
Events listed here are not necessarily
endorsed by Chicago DSA but should be of interest to DSA members,
friends and other lefties. For other events, go to http://www.chicagodsa.org/page9.html.
Jaunary 1 through January 19
Camp Hope Chicago: Countdown
to Change
East Hyde Park Blvd & South Drexel Av, Chicago
"To congratulate Senator Obama as our new President-elect
and to recommit ourselves to progressive actions he promoted
on his campaign trail" and incidentally remind him and others
of those commitments. For a schedule of issues and activities,
go to http://camphope2009.org/
Thursday, January 1, 1 PM
Commemorate the Zapatista
Uprising
Little Village Arch, 26th & Albany, Chicago
Followed by music and food at the Colibry Gallery, 2032 W. 18th
St, from 3 PM to 6 PM. See http://chicagotra.org/
Friday, January 2, 3 PM
Emergency Mass Protest to
Stop Attack on Gaza
Tribune Plaza, 435 N. Michigan Av, Chicago
Rally then march to Israeli Consulate. For information: http://www.chicagoanswer.net/
Friday, January 9, 7:30 PM
"Wage Theft in America"
Women & Children First, 5233 N. Clark St, Chicago
Kim Bobo reads from and signs copies of her new book.
Saturday, January 10, 7 PM to 11 PM
Cuba / Haiti Hurricane Relief
Benefit
Old Town School of Folk Music, 4544 N. Lincoln Av, Chicago
Chicago Hurricane Relief and the Haitian Congress to Fortify
Haiti are coming together to sponsor a night of Carribean Rhythms
to raise needed funds and awareness for the devastation caused
by the 2008 hurricane season on Cuba and Haiti. $25 donation
requested. For ticket information, see http://www.oldtownschool.org
or call 773.728.6000 or write to aidforcuba@gmail.com
Tuesday, January 13, 7 PM
Chicago DSA Executive Committee
Chicago DSA, 1608 N. Milwaukee, Room 403, Chicago
Business, but all DSA members are welcome.
Sunday, January 18, 10 AM
Meltdown: Can "the System"
Be Saved?
Third Unitarian Church, 301 N. Mayfield, Chicago
DSA member David Schweickart discusses the implications of the
latest fiscal melt-down.
Sunday, January 25, 2 PM
A New New Deal: What Should
It Look Like?
Oak Park Public Library Veterans Room, 834 Lake St, Oak Park
A panel discussion featuring Bill Barclay (the economy), Robin
Rich (energy), Dr. Ida Hellander (health care), Bamshad Mobasher
(foreign policy), James Thindwa (moderator), that will present
specific policy recommendations followed by discussion. See http://www.opctj.org or call
708.386.1371
Monday, January 26, 6 PM
"Wage Theft in America"
Harold Washington Library Center Chicago Authors Room 7th Floor,
400 S. State, Chicago
Kim Bobo reads from and discusses her new book.
Wednesday, January 31, 1 PM to 4 PM
War's Real Impact: Our Voices
Teamster City Auditorium, 300 S. Ashland, Chicago
Chicago Jobs with Justice Workers' Rights Board will hear testimony.
See http://www.warsrealimpact.org.
|