Buffalo DSA Statement on Governor Andrew Cuomo
Buffalo DSA condemns the actions of Governor Andrew Cuomo in his role as New York State’s chief executive and we call for his immediate resignation.
For the last decade, Governor Cuomo has offered nothing but abuse to the working class of New York State. His policies have consolidated his own power and given massive leverage to his friends in the unaccountable private sector.
Governor Cuomo’s blue-blooded and corrupt governance has led to Buffalo, among other large cities upstate, facing a dramatic rise in child poverty. Central and Western New York continues to face inadequate funding for public healthcare, education, and housing. His heartless destruction of the public sector through cuts to social services and infrastructure has placed vital employment and services to the working class in danger for years. There is a human cost in our region to his political career of empowering the ultra-wealthy and financial sector.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, he willingly put our elderly population directly in harm’s way with his negligent and egotistical handling of the crisis. Governor Cuomo must be held responsible for hiding sick people in nursing homes, creating infectious risk, and hiding evidence of his wrongdoings through threats and cooking the state’s books.
It has come to light through sexual harassment allegations that his abuse of power continues behind closed doors as he is accused of coercing and manipulating his colleagues, who had respected and even admired him. Solidarity with Charlotte Bennett, Lindsey Boylan, and Anna Ruch.
Governor Cuomo has not been a leader for the working class of our State and is not a role model who should be representing the people of New York State. He must resign and immediately be investigated for his crimes in office.
Should Governor Cuomo fail to resign, we demand that the New York State Assembly bring forward articles of impeachment to investigate and remove the Governor from office.
Signed,
Buffalo DSA Steering Committee
Burlington City Elections — Letters to the Editor on our Endorsed Candidates
Written by Mark Hoppmann, Champlain Valley DSA member and organizer with the CVDSA Electoral Working Group
Max Tracy
Max Tracy has been a longtime leader in Burlington with a particular focus on policies that benefit the multiracial working class in Burlington such as fighting for livable wages for city employees, pushing for robust walk/bike infrastructure,and restructuring public safety to redirect funds away from armed police officers.
Since becoming the President of the Burlington City Council in 2019 , Max Tracy has taken a leading role in the fight to ensure police accountability, supporting the establishment of an independent Police Accountability Board (a proposal which Mayor Weinburger has vetoed). He has also supported the reduction of the Burlington PD’s budget, instead seeking to fund and empower people and institutions which focus on helping those suffering from mental health crises, substance use disorders, and homelessness. For too long these sensitive issues have been entrusted to untrained, armed police officers: Max knows it is time to let the professionals get to work.
As a member of the State Committee of the Vermont Progressive Party, I’ve had the good fortune to hear Max Tracy speak a number of times: each time I was impressed by his depth of knowledge on the issues facing Burlington, as well as the energy and passion with which he set about solving those issues. Max is the kind of leader Burlington needs right now: both radical and practical. A Mayor who aims to amplify the voices of the oppressed and the poorest, creating a city for everyone.
Perri Freeman
Perri Freeman, who is running for reelection to the Central District seat on the Burlington City Council, began their first campaign for City Council in 2019 hoping to bring fresh energy to City Hall. As part of the Progressive majority on the Council they have led on racial justice issues, the fight for public housing, and supported the implementation of a livable wage. Perri also supports the creation of a free public transportation network, as a way to decrease carbon emissions and ensure a just transition in Burlington.
Perri has been an exemplary municipal leader. Perri asks, once again, for your vote on March 2nd.
Jack Hanson
Councilor Hanson has prioritized the fights against climate change and police brutality during his first term representing the East District on the City Council. As one of his first acts on the Council, Jack helped to shepherd the Zero Energy Roadmap through the City Council, which aims to greatly reduce Burlington’s dependence on fossil fuels, with the goal of total energy independence by 2030. Councillor Hanson is eminently qualified to lead on environmental issues- he received a degree in Environmental Science from UVM in 2016, where he organized against UVM's investment in fossil fuels and founded UVM's Renewable Energy Network. He has led summer canvases at the Vermont Public Interest Research Group to educate and push for statewide climate policy, and currently works at UVM's sustainable transportation department.
Jack Hanson approaches the issues of racial justice and police brutality with an activist’s commitment, as well as a sincere desire to see his constituents, his neighbors, lead prosperous and tranquil lives, free of the blight of an overbearing and, all-too often, openly hostile Police Department. To this end, Jack has co-sponsored resolutions to shift funding away from the Police Department and towards social services which serve the BIPOC community and our most vulnerable citizens. He supports the establishment of a Police Accountability Board, to provide independent community-based oversight of the Police Department.
Over the last two years, Jack Hanson has served his constituents ably, blending expertise with neighborly good will. He is a fantastic Council member, and I hope the voters of the East District will return him to office this year.
Kienan Christianson
Kienan Christianson knows the value of community. At a time when we are all more-or-less cloistered at home due to the Pandemic, Kienan’s skills as a community builder are just what is needed. Kienan has advocated for his neighbors on the most important issues facing the NNE and city at-large: housing affordability, police reform, economic development and climate change. These issues are terrifically complex, with effects which reach deep into the community. Solving them will take a collaborative approach. Kienan has pledged to bring ALL voices into the conversation, especially working to amplify the voices of those on the margins, the people who, all-too-often, are not heard from at all: BIPOC voices and the economically disadvantaged. It is my hope that the citizens of the North District will send Kienan Christianson to City Hall on March 2nd to fight for his neighbors, as he has always done.
Grace Ahmed
A long-time community organizer, Grace Ahmed now has her sights set on City Council, hoping to represent the people of the South District. Grace has focused her campaign on the issues of police reform and housing availability. Regarding police reform, Grace unequivocally supports the proposal of a Police Accountability Board by the City Council as well as the hiring of trained professionals to handle situations, such as those involving mental health, for which police officers have little training. On housing, she supports Just Cause eviction, which limits the grounds on which a tenant may be evicted.
I believe that Grace Ahmed, because of her tireless advocacy against oppression and her respect for different lived experiences, would bring a jolt of new energy to the Council.
Tuition Strike Actions Survey + Voting Form
We are planning a series of escalating actions for the next month to pressure Columbia to give us a concrete plan for how they will meet our demands. If you are interested in coming to any in-person actions, please fill out this form to let us know which actions you think would be most effective and which you’d be most comfortable participating in.
You can read the notes from our action-planning town hall if you want more context behind the different options.
Unnatural Disasters: Killer Cuomo & Texan Tundra
While the increasing rate of vaccinations is a rare bit of good news, the pandemic is still raging in New York and Cuomo is yet again throwing workers under the bus by dangerously opening indoor dining. But restaurant workers are organizing to build power that will last beyond just this crisis. Gary Inman from the Restaurant Organizing Project will update you on these crucial efforts. Restaurant workers aren’t the only ones who have suffered from Cuomo’s wrath as thousands died in nursing homes while his friends raked in profits. Alice Murphy (@rosaceabitch) joins us to discuss the protest outside Medgar Evans against the governor this past Monday. Later in the show Madeleine Pelzel from Houston DSA will share with us her on the ground perspective about man-made disaster in Texas and how local socialist have responded to the crisis.
Follow @HoustonDSA @MutualAidHou, @SayHerNameTX and @MadsPelzel who are doing work on the ground right now in Texas. https://powerfortexas.org/
Tuition Strike Update 2/24 – Registration Holds & Action-Planning Town Hall
Columbia has started imposing registration holds on strikers’ accounts. What this means is that you won’t be able to register when it’s your designated time, if the strike doesn’t end before then. You can find a full list of registration times here—the earliest registration date for the summer is March 8, and fall registration doesn’t begin until April 5. There will be another billing deadline on March 18, and we’ll reassess whether to continue to strike at that point. For the time being, we’re asking everyone to continue to withhold tuition for as long as possible.
It’s important to keep in mind that you can still register for classes as soon as you pay tuition (the administration claims it’s instantaneous that holds are removed after paying tuition), so you could still register even if you miss your first scheduled registration time. If you are flexible about what classes you register for, or if the classes you want are widely available, then there are minimal risks to continuing to strike.
For students who are graduating this year, commencement begins on April 27, meaning a diploma hold will come into effect on March 27. As with the registration holds, this is not permanent but rather will be lifted once you pay. As mentioned above, we will have held a vote on whether to continue the strike before the March 18 deadline, and will continue to be in touch about how we want to move forward.
If you are considering dropping out of the strike, please reach out to columbia.ydsa@gmail.com to talk more.
Lastly, we want to emphasize that Columbia will do everything in their power to keep us in school and get us to pay tuition again. The administration aims to intimidate us with this retaliation, but we still have power. Over the next month, we’re going to be doing everything we can to force the administration to concede. We’ll need all the help we can get. If you’re interested in getting involved, you can join one of our working groups! We’re also hosting a town hall meeting this Thursday, 2/25, at 8 pm EST where we’ll be discussing potential in-person actions and other next steps.
Solidarity,
Columbia YDSA
Labor Rights and the American Catholic Church
Charlotte Metro DSA for M4A
On January 3rd, 2021, Charlotte Metro DSA held its monthly meeting in the midst of the #ForcetheVote on Medicare for All debate that was raging online amongst the American Left. While the weeks since that meeting have diverted our attention, it is important for the chapter leadership to revisit what was discussed at the meeting and report on the debates and decisions that the chapter made as a democratic organization in regard to #ForcetheVote.
Members displayed their passion and commitment to socialism and building working class power in one the longest debates in chapter history. Many fantastic questions were raised about how we build power, the nature of organizing work, and how we can effectively reach our friends, family, coworkers, and neighbors in the working class. Ultimately it was decided to not endorse the #ForcetheVote effort, but instead to use this as an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment as a chapter to Medicare for All organizing.
Through the debate we were able to reach a consensus as a chapter that healthcare is at the top of everyone’s mind, especially in the midst of a pandemic and economic crisis. Since healthcare intersects with every aspect of our lives - labor, housing, education, race, and gender, to name a few - it is also one of the easiest ways for us to start talking to and organizing with the people in our lives. So, instead of simply voting “no” on endorsing the #ForcetheVote effort, we want to use this as an opportunity. An opportunity to recommit to supporting Medicare for All organizing within Charlotte Metro DSA and in the Carolinas, as a way to reach and recruit new members, as a vehicle to building an effective organizing body in the region, and as a way to positively impact the lives of workers in our community and state.
As we launch this renewed effort in Medicare for All organizing, please join us for our Medicare for All Campaign Kickoff on Saturday, February 20th at 1:00 PM.
RSVP here. Campaign news, updates, and actions will be posted on our M4A Campaign launch page.
Medicare for All now. Solidarity forever.
The Charlotte Metro DSA Steering Committee
Protected: February 2021 Regular Meeting Minutes
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A World to Win
Our society is in economic and social crisis, and as socialists, we know that the roots of this crisis spread far beyond the immediate cause of the COVID-19 pandemic. Deliberate policy decisions by our leadership at all levels have led to a widening gap between the wealthy and the poor, crumbling social and physical infrastructure, an education system designed to reinforce the dominance of the capitalist class, a healthcare system designed to extract profit from human suffering, and a mass incarceration system that imprisons and brutalizes tens of thousands. In this episode, RPM's own Jack Devine interviews State Senator and NYC-DSA member Julia Salazar about the state budget process and how New York State can lead the charge against 50 years of harmful neoliberal austerity. We also speak to Emmaline Bennet of Columbia YDSA about the current tuition strike at Columbia and the fight for democratized universities dedicated to the pursuit of human knowledge over private profits. Finally, because it's COVID winter, Desiree Frias will walk us all through how to help eligible people, especially elders, sign up for a vaccine appointment through the city's fiendishly difficult online portals. Times are tough, but we have a world to win.
https://taxtherichnys.com/
https://bit.ly/tuition-strike-fund
https://bit.ly/tuition-strike-letter
https://nycvaccinelist.com
To give to the station, please call (516) 620-3602 or go to wbai.org. Thank you!