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Sun, Jan 4th, 2026

Silicon Valley DSA posted at 17:00

SVDSA Condemns the United States’ Imperialist War Against Venezuela

Two nights ago, Trump’s fascist regime carried out airstrikes on Venezuela’s capital and kidnapped Venezuela’s leader, Nicolás Maduro, along with his wife, Cilia Flores. In this armed invasion of a sovereign nation, the US also shamelessly murdered at least 40 Venezuelan people, including civilians. The Silicon Valley Democratic Socialists of America mourns this loss of life and condemns the imperialist war against Venezuela.

This kidnapping is simply a continuation of the long history of the United States undermining the sovereignty of Latin American states. This history goes decades back, including the 1954 overthrow of pro-labor President Jacobo Árbenz in Guatemala, which led to decades of civil war in the nation, and the 1973 coup against socialist President Salvador Allende in Chile, which led to the fascist dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet.

These coups were orchestrated or encouraged by the US government not because the US believes in fighting for “democracy” or “freedom,” but because these Latin American governments pursued policies which undermined the economic interests of US corporations. This is the core of modern US foreign policy – to wreck entire countries and derail the lives of millions of people for decades, just so some corporate elites can make a quick buck off exploiting workers, land, and whatever or whoever they can get their hands on.

The US’ aggression against Venezuela is no different: Like the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, this war is being waged for the profits of US oil companies which are destroying the planet. Trump doesn’t even hide our government’s greed anymore, openly declaring after the airstrikes that the US intends to run Venezuela and plunder its vast oil resources.

This aggression started not just with the airstrikes, but has been waged through an almost-decades-long bipartisan “maximum pressure campaign” since 2017, where the US placed blanket sanctions on Venezuela’s oil sector which powers its economy. These sanctions played a key role in drastically lowering Venezuela’s oil production, leading to a deep humanitarian crisis where Venezuela is no longer able to import its basic necessities like food and medicine. The sanctions have also had a staggering death toll, as mortality increased by 31 percent — meaning 40,000 more people died — just one year after the sanctions took effect. In turn, the US has attempted to pull the wool over the American people’s eyes and use this crisis to point to Venezuela as a failed state and justify their war, when they are the ones who accelerated the crisis in the first place!

However, the American people will not be fooled by this pathetic attempt to justify brazen imperialism – people know regime change does not work and will not benefit the 99%. When US healthcare and social programs are being slashed while billions are spent on military adventures, coups, and genocides, people know the only winners are the oil industry, the US war machine, and the billionaire class which profits off the exploitation of both American and Venezuelan workers.

Therefore, we as Silicon Valley DSA take a clear and uncompromising stand: Down with the military industrial complex which powers imperialism! Down with the genocidal US Empire and its capitalist cronies! And hands off Venezuela!

The post SVDSA Condemns the United States’ Imperialist War Against Venezuela appeared first on Silicon Valley DSA.

Sat, Jan 3rd, 2026

Tacoma DSA posted at 20:37

Guest Submission: West Sound DSA – NO WAR ON VENEZUELA

STATEMENT IN CONDEMNATION OF ONGOING, REGIONAL, US MILITARY ACTION

Since this statement was written, late on the night of January 2nd, the US bombed military and civilian facilities in Caracas, culminating in the abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores. This act is a violation of International Law, as well as the stated goals of occupation prior to regime change. It signals an alarming precedent that US law enforcement are willing to conduct illegal military operations on sovereign soil.

The West Sound chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America recognizes that the United States of America is currently engaged in remote, unlawful and inhumane military action in and around the sovereign space of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, and condemns the Trump administration as well as any Republican or Democratic lawmaker who voted to reject two resolutions, brought forward in 2025 under the War Powers Act of 1973. These measures would have limited executive authority to carry out such actions and required congressional approval for both military action taken against Venezuela, and military action in the Caribbean Sea. The failure of these congressional measures signal the continued concentration of war-making power within the US state, and the erosion of democratic control on the use of military force.

These military actions primarily involved the striking of suspected drug traffickers off the Caribbean coast of Venezuela. As of reporting from December 29th, 2025, strikes on a boat in the Eastern Pacific Ocean and a Venezuelan port have occurred, marking the first land strike of a facility by the US military in Venezuela since the operation began. These actions are a part of the US Counter-Narco-Terrorism campaign, Operation Southern Spear. Rather than detain individuals through any credible judicial process, the Trump administration is relying on terrorist designations that have long been used to circumvent accountability for extrajudicial violence.

It is through this distinction of “fighting terrorism” that the Trump administration justifies the use of deadly force against declared “non-state groups,” seemingly acting as executioner with impunity. These Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) are identified as Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua as well as Cartel de los Soles, and were initially used to distinguish the action taken militarily as not being directed at the Venezuelan government itself; in December 2025, this too would change when President Trump declared Venezuela as an FTO. This has been a common strategy utilized by previous US administrations to take military action without democratic consent, especially when it came to many military operations in the Middle East.

A US military operation on September 2nd, 2025, observed and directed by US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, and US Naval Admiral Mitch Bradley, resulted in the death of 11 people. This was prior to the FTO designation being applied to Venezuela itself. The initial drone strike destroyed the vessel and presumably killed 9 individuals onboard. From captured aerial footage, 2 individuals survived the strike and are seen swimming towards the wreckage. A subsequent strike would kill these two people. The events as described constitute a war crime and violation of the Geneva Convention.

According to Common Article III of the Geneva Conventions of 1949:
In the case of armed conflict not of an international character occurring in the territory of one of the High Contracting Parties, each Party to the conflict shall be bound to apply, as a minimum, the following provisions:

Persons taking no active part in the hostilities, including members of armed forces who have laid down their arms and those placed hors de combat by sickness, wounds, detention, or any other cause, shall in all circumstances be treated humanely, without any adverse distinction founded on race, colour, religion or faith, sex, birth or wealth, or any other similar criteria. To this end, the following acts are and shall remain prohibited at any time and in any place whatsoever with respect to the above-mentioned persons:
1. violence to life and person, in particular murder of all kinds, mutilation, cruel treatment and torture;
2. taking of hostages;
3. outrages upon personal dignity, in particular, humiliating and degrading treatment;
4. the passing of sentences and the carrying out of executions without previous judgment pronounced by a regularly constituted court affording all the judicial guarantees which are recognized as indispensable by civilized peoples.
The wounded and sick shall be collected and cared for. An impartial humanitarian body, such as the International Committee of the Red Cross, may offer its services to the Parties to the conflict. The Parties to the conflict should further endeavour to bring into force, by means of special agreements, all or part of the other provisions of the present Convention. The application of the preceding provisions shall not affect the legal status of the Parties to the conflict.

Additionally, the summary of the United States War Crimes Act of 1996 (H.R. 3680) states: War Crimes Act of 1996 – Amends the Federal criminal code to provide that anyone, whether inside or outside the United States, who commits a grave breach of the Geneva conventions, where the person who commits such breach or the victim of such breach is a member of the U.S. armed forces or a U.S. national, shall be fined or imprisoned for life or any term of years, or both, or, if death results to the victim, be subject to the death penalty.

It is by these standards that all involved in the September 2nd operation, in which survivors of an initial kinetic strike were killed in a subsequent strike after confirmation of survivors was known, are potentially guilty of both violating the Geneva Convention as well as federal law under the War Crimes Act of 1996, and should be immediately tried accordingly. As of the 29th of December, and from the beginning of military action in the Caribbean, 30 boat strikes and at least 107 people have been killed by US strikes, according to the Associated Press.

It should also not be left unsaid that this is not the first instance of the US violating the Geneva Convention in this way, as multiple instances of these “double-taps” and killing the wounded have been reported across multiple conflicts, including conflicts under President George Bush Sr. during the First Gulf War, President George W. Bush during the Iraq War (Second Gulf War), and President Barack Obama in Iraq, Pakistan, and Yemen (among other countries). This tactic of “double-taps” is usually compounded with the targeting of individuals seeking to aid the wounded, and has only been becoming more prolific of a “strategy” over the last few decades.

It is with great urgency that we as a nation must address these grievances enacted on the foreign persons of Venezuela by this administration, as not only is it in violation of international law, but it is in violation of federal law as well. President Trump and his administration, notably Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Vice President J.D. Vance, tout drug trafficking as tantamount to terrorism, placing significant emphasis on the transportation of fentanyl within repurposed fishing vessels. According to an executive order signed December 15th, 2025, fentanyl is “closer to a chemical weapon than a narcotic” and “illicit fentanyl and its core precursor chemicals” are thus classified Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD); this supposedly necessitates the need for extreme military action.

We must recognize similarities between the urgent calls to wage war and calls to incite regime change abroad by the Trump administration with nearly identical calls for action in Iraq at the turn of the millennium:

[…] our belief is that the international community wants to see Saddam Hussein reverse course and that Saddam Hussein’s possession of weapons of mass destruction are a threat to everybody in the region.

– Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright and Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu; Joint Press Availability, Royal Garden Hotel; London, United Kingdom, November 14, 1997.

The US would later begin military operations in Iraq in 2003, and by January 2004 the Bush administration would concede to there being no “Weapons of Mass Destruction” in Iraq.

Similarly, there is no evidence that fentanyl is produced or distributed through or within Venezuela. For the drug trafficking of Schedule 1 and 2 substances, which includes cocaine, fentanyl, and fentanyl analogs, the punishment ranges from 5- 40 years in for a first offense, with life imprisonment being the maximum sentence for multiple offences or when loss of life is involved. None of the killed have so far been proven to be drug traffickers, let alone tried in a court of law.

The actual motivations for the Trump administration and US military violating domestic and international law are likely in part due to control over perceived valuable resources, with President Trump having stated: “They took all of our oil not that long ago. And we want it back.” He has also advocated explicitly for regime change in Venezuela, and they have enacted, concurrently with the administration’s military actions, a total blockade of sanctioned oil tankers leaving Venezuela, resulting in two such tankers being intercepted and acquired by the US military. Another key motivation for regime change is due to Venezuela’s status as a socialist country, a justification used for US military intervention globally since the start of the Cold War.

We must also be wary of the capital forces behind continued military action anywhere. For reference, Dick Cheney, as Vice President of the US, helped ensure the company Haliburton received 36.9 billion dollars in military contracts. Dick Cheney was a former Halliburton CEO and continued to receive “deferred compensation” of 1 million dollars annually while the company executives participated in discussions within the administration over potential oil production in post-war Iraq. Today in Venezuela, fentanyl is the media spin, but there is little mistaking capital as a primary driver of this military action.

Land, resources, and weapons manufacturing are the primary drivers of US military spending, especially since the second World War, and it props up an economy dependent on constant conflict.

This conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new in the American experience Yet we must not fail to comprehend its grave implications In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.

– President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s Farewell Address (1961).

It is this feature of wartime profiteering that is a hallmark of US imperialism, and is perpetuated through capital influences on our politics from the defence lobby.

This echoes the motivation for US interventionism and imperialism in Latin America throughout our nation’s history. From the land theft of indigenous peoples by settlers all over the country, culminating in war with Mexico to seize land from California to Texas, to President Theodore Roosevelt’s Roosevelt Corollary, which began directing US military operations throughout Central and South America as a way to protect US and European colonial interests throughout the 20th century. The resources and capital extracted by US companies from Latin American banana republics was the primary motivator for continuous military interventionism and multiple campaigns of regime change.

After World War II and during the Cold War with the USSR, leftist and socialist campaigns to uplift the peasantry and decouple the governments from colonialism were brutally suppressed by the United States, either through direct military action or the training and funding of US-friendly authoritarian regimes, in the name of fighting communism. Even nations somewhat successful in establishing leftist governments found their situations sabotaged by crippling sanctions imposed by the US, and internal corruption exacerbated by CIA operations.

Throughout the 20th century in Latin America, the US was involved directly in the “successful” regime change of 17 governments, and of 24 others indirectly, through training and military funding. As noted in a Harvard Review of Latin America paper from 2005, if spread out evenly over the whole of the 20th century, this would amount to US policy having been consequential in instituting largely right-wing authoritarians in a different country every 28 months. This does not include less-than successful attempts at regime change such as US involvement in Cuba defined by the Cuban Missile Crisis and the rise of Fidel Castro, nor the amount of times the US has directly or indirectly supported pro-US dictatorships in the region from regime change. Notable examples include:

The use of Cuban liberation as an excuse to wage war on Spain at the turn of the 20thcentury, after which the US directly occupied Cuba before installing a US-friendly dictator.
Intervention promoting Panamanian secession from Colombia, using US troops to occupy and secure land which would be used to begin construction of the Panama Canal in 1904, which would not fall under ownership of Panama until December 31st 1999.
Occupation of the Dominican Republic under President Lyndon B. Johnson a few years after the assassination of DR President Trujillo as a way to exert political power in the face of internal US political threats by Republicans in congress.
Contra war, in which US backed opposition to the Sandinista government of Nicaragua, with Henry Kissinger and Ronald Reagan having circumvented congressional law that prevented the arming of rebel groups by first selling weapons to Iran to then sell to rebels in Nicaragua.
Heavy involvement in Chile in the early 1970s by Henry Kissinger and Richard Nixon, culminating in the brutal coup d’état and assassination of the democratically elected President of Chile, Marxist-socialist Salavador Allende, by military general Pinochet.
US funding and training of death squads in El Salvador after backing the establishment of a military junta in the country. They supported the right-wing authoritarian regime against leftist guerilla groups during the over-decade long civil war from 1979 to 1992.

Hundreds of thousands of people, mainly indigenous folks and the peasantry, would lose their lives to conflicts funded and at times directed by the United States. The echoes of colonialism, violence, and bloodshed in the name of US imperialism can still be felt in these countries. As people in Latin America continue to fight for self-determination and an end to the perpetual poverty necessitated by US capital interests, our government continues the inhumane treatment of refugees and persons seeking solace within our own borders. In many ways, the immigration crisis we face now has been manufactured over decades of US imperialism, and our dependence on an economically-depressed Latin America prolongs the conditions which cause them to flee.

War profiteering, human rights abuses, and a bipartisan legacy of undemocratic military intervention are on full display in these operations. Please join West Sound DSA in saying no to perpetuating US imperialism, and no to war on Venezuela.

Military Action:

Fentanyl as WMD

https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/12/designating-fentanyl-as-a-weapon-of-mass-destruction/

Eisenhower, Military Industrial Complex

https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/president-dwight-d-eisenhowers-farewell-address

Congressional Reaction:

Iraq:

Oil:

Law:

Latin America Interventionism

Key Contributors

Original Statement

Written by

Carlos Yosten

Copyediting by

Sage Westfall

Amendment 1

Written by

Nick Schmitt

Acknowledgement of Contribution

Daniel Baca

Approval Signatories

West Sound Democratic Socialists of America – Steering Committee (2025-2026)

Daniel Baca – Co-Chair

Approved

Carlos Yosten – Co-Chair Approved

Nick Schmitt – Secretary Approved

Kristin Lillegard – Membership Coordinator Approved

Jared Sterling – Treasurer Approved

Fri, Jan 2nd, 2026

Pinellas DSA posted at 16:59

Chapter Notes: January 2026

Hope your new year is off to a great start! Us? We’re stoked to dive in and start the work of building socialism off right in 2026! Check out the first newsletter of the year — whether it’s flyering local apartment complexes, picketing in support of striking working, spreading political education, or holding a press conference to demand an end to SPPD’s ICE collaboration, our members are on the move 🔥🔥🔥 and we’ve got the details below ⬇⬇⬇

Pinellas DSA members on the picket line with SBWU members at the Cleveland St. Starbucks location in Clearwater, FL.

December Highlights

We started off the month with members of our Housing Working Group joining the St. Petersburg Tenants’ Union to flyer at The Morgan, an apartment complex in South St. Pete where residents are experiencing profound landlord neglect. We also hosted an organizing meeting with residents of The Morgan to discuss the severe issues facing their complex, from structural damage to unclean common spaces, and what we can do about them.

Next was our first-ever Tri-County Social, bringing together socialists from the Pinellas, Tampa, and Pasco-Hernando DSA chapters. As we continue to grow DSA’s national profile, communication and collaboration with nearby branches is going to be essential. That’s why members of the three participating chapters met at John Chesnut Park in Palm Harbor on December 6th for games, grilling, and some comradely camaraderie!

We also hosted Unions 101, the final installment of the four core education series for the year. At this workshop, we shared crucial political education for members and non-members alike about the centrality of organized labor to the socialist cause, and why the struggle for a fair workplace and the struggle for a fair society are one and the same.

We also held two events focused around St. Pete PD’s 287(g) agreement, which deputizes SPPD officers to act as part-time brownshirts for ICE. First was a volunteer and canvassing meeting to share info about the 287(g) agreement and gauge support for a canvassing initiative on the issue. Then, on December 23, we participated alongside the Tampa Bay Immigrant Solidarity Network, Tampa DSA, PSL Tampa Bay, Tampa Immigrants Rights Committee, and members of the clergy for a press conference demanding Chief Holloway and his boss in City Hall, Mayor Ken Welch, void the 287(g) agreement.

Are we missing anything? Oh right… we also elected a new Steering Committee at our December General Body Meeting! The new Steering Committee includes Co-Chairs Karla C. and Shane M., Treasurer Sarah C., Secretary Tyler G., Organizer Chaize H., and Social Media Coordinator David D. Huge props to the outgoing Steering Committee for all their hard work and dedication in 2025!

CAMPAIGN UPDATE: Dump Duke

The temperature outside is dropping, but we’re turning up the heat on Duke Energy! Our Dump Duke campaign is entering its second year, and the tide is turning against the power conglomerate, which is why they’re throwing money into propaganda to sway residents against their best interests.

Duke is already spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on TV and social media ads through the lobbying group Edison Electric Institute, as well as their own newly formed dark-money 501(c)(6) organizations, the Clearwater Energy Alliance and Pinellas Energy Alliance. This, while Duke Energy announces massive rate hikes. They expect Pinellas residents to finance a propaganda campaign that cuts against the peoples’ best interest? We say we’re going to beat dark money with grassroots power!

The City of St. Petersburg is expected to send out requests for proposals in January to conduct a feasibility study on a municipally owned power utility. Meanwhile, we’re continuing our outreach efforts, with our next canvas scheduled for January 10. Come on out and get involved in this effort!

CAMPAIGN UPDATE: End 287(g)

Pinellas DSA members, alongside members of allied organizations, hosted a press conference in front of SPPD headquarters on December 23, demanding an end to the city’s 287(g) agreement with ICE.

Pinellas DSA, as a member organization of the Tampa Bay Immigrant Solidarity Network, joined Tampa DSA, PSL Tampa Bay, Tampa Immigrants Rights Committee, and members of the clergy for a press conference on December 23 in front of the headquarters of the St. Petersburg Police Department. We demanded that Chief Holloway and his boss in City Hall, Mayor Ken Welch, void the 287(g) agreement signed back in February, which authorizes local police to collaborate with ICE and serve as enforcers of fascism.

287(g) is a voluntary agreement. And, while Chief Holloway alleges that there’s been no direct collaboration as of yet with ICE, this agreement sets a dangerous precedent, and leaves the door open for local cops to be deputized stormtroopers at any time. That’s why we say “No more collaboration! End 287(g) now!”

CAMPAIGN UPDATE: SBWU Strike

Members of Pinellas DSA hit the picket lines this month in support of baristas fighting for a fair contract as part of the first-ever nationwide Starbucks Workers United strike. We joined striking workers at the Cleveland Street Starbucks in downtown Clearwater to say “No contract? No coffee!”

While workers at some stores across the country have since returned to work, the unprecedented strike wave continues. More than 250 new union baristas at 13 stores have won their union elections since the national ULP strike began on November 13, and just last week, SBWU announced that hundreds more baristas across 18 cities in 15 states have joined the struggle. This fight is far from over!

CAMPAIGN UPDATE: Organizing at The Morgan

Our organizing efforts at The Morgan Apartments in South St. Pete are paying off! The PDSA Housing Working Group and the St. Petersburg Tenants’ Union held a joint meeting on December 5 with over a dozen residents from The Morgan. These residents are fed up, passionate, and determined to take on their greedy, exploitative landlord.

Tenants at the meeting voted in favor of establishing a tenants union at The Morgan — a landmark achievement! Attendees also voted to hold another meeting to press for further action!

We’ll be hosting a joint assembly between the St. Petersburg Tenants’ Union & the Pinellas DSA Housing Working Group on January 6, with the aim of getting more people acclimated to the fight for housing justice.

Upcoming Events

Boycott Chevron Picket
Saturday, January 3·from 10:00–11:30am. Meet us at 855 Tyrone Blvd N in St. Petersburg! Water and sunscreen provided.

The Morgan Door-Knocking
Sunday, January 4 from 4:00–5:30pm. Knocking doors at The Morgan to inform tenants of the next tenants union meeting and urge them to get involved. Meet at The Morgan (5473 27th St S. in St. Petersburg).

Health Justice Working Group Meeting
Monday, January 5·from 7:00–8:00pm. This will be a virtual meeting.
RSVP Here

DSA & SPTU Housing Assembly
Tuesday, January 6·from 7:00–8:30pm at Allendale United Methodist Church (3803 Haines Rd N. in St. Petersburg). Discuss and take action on the housing crisis in St. Pete at this joint assembly between the St. Pete Tenants Union and Pinellas DSA.
RSVP Here

Venezuela Educational Forum
Wednesday, January 7 from 6:00–7:30pm at Barbara S. Ponce Public Library (7770 52nd St N. in Pinellas Park).
RSVP Here

Dump Duke Canvass
Saturday, January 10 from·10:30am–12:30pm. Meet at Lake Maggiore Park (3601 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. St. S. in St. Petersburg).

General Body Meeting
Sunday, January 11 from 2:00–3:30pm at Allendale United Methodist Church (3803 Haines Rd N. in St. Petersburg).

Educational/Social Working Group Meeting
Wednesday, January 14 from·6:30–8:00pm. Join us at Bula Kava Bar & Coffee House (2500 5th Ave N. in St. Petersburg) to help plan the upcoming year’s events!

Housing Working Group + St. Pete Tenants’ Union Joint Meeting
Tuesday, January 20 from·7:00–8:30pm at Allendale United Methodist Church (3803 Haines Rd N. in St. Petersburg). We will meet in the Wesley Room; reach out to Boshko for more details!

Self-Managed Abortion Info Session
Jan 24, 2026 at 01:00pm. People across the world are using abortion pills to end their pregnancies at home. The pills are safe and effective with accurate information and appropriate support. This will be a virtual event.
RSVP Here

Richie Floyd Campaign Kickoff
Saturday, January 24 from·7:00–9:00pm. Location details are TBA, but stay posted — you won’t want to miss this!

Cuba: An American History Reading Group
Saturday, January 31 from·4:00–5:30pm at Allendale United Methodist Church (3803 Haines Rd N. in St. Petersburg). We’ll be reading up to page 299 — there’s still time to get caught up!

We hope to see you at some upcoming events!

Instagram: @pinellasdsa
Twitter: @pinellasdsa
Bluesky: @pinellasdsa.bsky.social
Facebook: facebook.com/pinellasdsa
YouTube: @pinellasdsa

Tue, Dec 30th, 2025

Tacoma DSA posted at 01:05

Socialist Songs for January 2026

Come join our Socialist sing-along after the General meeting on January 7th!

We build solidarity by singing songs that unite us and bring attention to issues within our communities. Currently Kira is in charge of the Socialist Sing-along, if you have suggestions reach out to her on Signal or by email at kirasorensen@gmail.com. Read on to learn about the songs we’ll be singing in January.

Workingman Unite, written 1918 by E.S. Nelson and recorded 1977 by Joe Glazer

Workingman Unite was written in 1918 by IWW (Industrial Workers of the World) member E. S. Nelson. The IWW formed in 1905, and was the only American Union at the time that included immigrants, women, and African Americans. The IWW is still active across the globe. This particular recording was released in 1977 on the album I Will Win: Songs of the Wobblies by Joe Glazer (1918-2006). A member of the Textile Workers Union of America, Joe focused his music on workers’ songs including albums about coal mining, newspaper printing, steel and woodworking and eventually started his own record company.

Make America Great Again, Pussy Riot, 2016

In 2015 the Russian feminist protest band Pussy Riot released their first English song I can’t Breathe. This song was based on the police killing of Eric Garner in New York City. Pussy Riot released Make America Great Again in October 2016, before Trump’s first presidential election. Their music videos are banned in Russia where the group is listed as an extremist organization as of December 2025.

Imagine, John Lennon and Yoko Ono, 1971

Released in 1971, Imagine rose to #3 of the Billboard Hot 100 and has climbed the charts several times since. The song was inspired by pieces in Yoko Ono’s book Grapefruit (1964) and has been controversial because of its denunciation of religion, starting with “Imagine there’s no heaven”. It is considered by many to be one of the best songs of the 20th century.

by Kira Sorensen

Tue, Dec 23rd, 2025

Columbus DSA posted at 17:03

Columbus DSA Statement: ICE Out of Columbus and All of Central Ohio

A statement from our City Council Non-Cooperation Campaign

ICE and their “Operation Buckeye” are present in Central Ohio and they are kidnapping families, friends and neighbors from their homes, jobs and off the street. They are working to create terror and distrust in our communities so that we stand weaker and more divided from each other, knowing that in unity we are strong.

We condemn their presence here and stand in solidarity with our immigrant neighbors. Migration is a basic part of being human. Migrants have moved here in the best interest of their families, for safety, for opportunity. They do not deserve to be targeted, imprisoned and brutalized by our government.

Help protect yourself and our community by making sure you know your rights and sharing with others their rights, reporting verified sightings of ice to the appropriate channels, checking on your neighbors and staying vigilant. We keep each other safe!

For other ways to get involved, join us at an upcoming meeting to see the work we’re doing to change the way our cities protect immigrants and keep an eye on our story for other ways to protect our community – even the smallest act of solidarity is a sign of strength.
Check out our calendar of meetings & events here: columbusdsa.org/events

(see the statement on Instagram)

Mon, Dec 22nd, 2025

Atlanta DSA posted at 13:00

Atlanta DSA endorses Gabriel Sanchez for State House

Atlanta DSA is proud to once again endorse our comrade Gabriel Sanchez for re-election to the Georgia State House, representing District 42.

In 2024, we made history by electing Representative Sanchez, the first Democratic Socialist in Georgia’s State House, on a platform of housing, healthcare, and an economy that works for all of us. Now, he’s running for re-election in 2026 to continue to fight for working families, stand up to fascism, and build a better Georgia for all. Atlanta DSA is thrilled to back our comrade once again.

Gabriel has been an active member of Atlanta DSA since 2019 and has spent years supporting striking workers on picket lines, organizing to Stop Cop City, campaigning for abortion rights, and advocating for a Free Palestine. During his first term, Gabriel continued fighting for working Georgians in the State House with support from a staff made up of DSA members. He introduced bills to raise the minimum wage to $20 and end corporate ownership of Georgia homes, voted to eliminate subminimum wages for disabled workers and against tax cuts for the wealthy, and authored and held a hearing for a bill to end rental price fixing via AI software. Gabriel also brought his many years of experience as a community organizer into his first term. Over the past year, he has hosted in-district mutual aid events in partnership with Atlanta DSA, as well as town halls and meet and greets to speak directly with residents about the pressing issues they’re facing right now. Our chapter is extremely proud of the work Representative Sanchez has done, and we look forward to continuing to build a Georgia for all alongside him.

As a proud Democratic Socialist, Gabriel is refusing money from corporations or their PACs. Just like last time, we’re running a grassroots campaign of, by, and for working people, and we need your help to win this election. Donate now at SanchezForGeorgia.com

In the lead-up to the 2024 election, Atlanta DSA knocked thousands of doors in District 42 to talk directly to voters about Gabriel’s campaign for housing, healthcare, and an economy for all. We’re planning to do the same next year. Sign up now to volunteer with our campaign at atldsa.org/Volunteer4Gabriel and stay tuned for info about a kickoff canvass in the new year. Let’s re-elect Representative Gabriel Sanchez!

Grand Rapids DSA posted at 08:39

GRDSA for the Many – We support money out of politics, funding education, and rank choice voting!

There are several ballot initiatives circulating petitions this cycle. The members of the GRDSA are proud to endorse Invest in MI Kids, MOP Up Michigan, and Rank MI Vote. If successful, these initiatives would mean real change for Michiganders.

We are circulating petitions! Our goal is to contribute 1,000 collected signatures for the Invest in MI Kids and MOP Up Michigan campaigns. If you are interested in volunteering, please fill out this form.

UPDATE: We have exceeded our goal! But there is still more work to get MOP Up Michigan on the ballot this November.

UPDATE: Rank MI Vote and Invest in MI Kids have paused their campaigns.

Invest in MI Kids – investinmikids.org

We support this ballot initiative because every student deserves access to excellent public education. This excellence requires proper facilities, educational material, and well-paid teachers. To fund these vital elements of education, this initiative would create a 5% fair share surcharge on income over $500K ($1M filing jointly) to be deposited in the State School Aid Fund. It will also add a requirement that money from the School Aid Fund be spent exclusively on local school districts.

MOP Up Michigan – mopupmichigan.org

MOP = Money Out of Politics

We deserve fair utilities, a clean environment, and honest elections. But as our bills continue to grow, utility companies use political contributions to avoid accountability and slow down reform. This ballot initiative would reign in corporate control of government by prohibiting companies with over $250,000 in government contracts from making campaign contributions. Additionally, the initiative introduces finance laws which would require donor information to be made more clear in political communications.

Rank MI Vote – rankmivote.org

NOTE: The Rank MI Vote campaign has suspended signature gathering for their 2026 statewide campaign.

We believe every voter should feel comfortable voting for their best option, rather than the better of two bad options. Rank choice voting is an alternative voting system where the voter ranks up to five candidates for each office, as opposed to picking one option. This allows the voter to rank their favorite candidate first, even if they aren’t likely to win, before ranking their second, third, etc. Voters may still vote for just one candidate or leave that office/section blank. If the votes are tallied and no candidate has enough votes to win, candidates with less votes are eliminated and back up choices are used until one candidate wins.

Dishonorable Mention

There are a few bad petitions circulating as well. There are some that would require IDs to vote and one to cut taxes, Ax MI Tax. Decline to sign these regressive initiatives.

The post GRDSA for the Many – We support money out of politics, funding education, and rank choice voting! appeared first on Grand Rapids Democratic Socialists of America.

Sun, Dec 21st, 2025

Las Vegas DSA posted at 18:17

In the News: Mamdani’s win in New York fuels Las Vegas democratic socialists

New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s victory over establishment Democrats has reverberated nationwide — energizing Democratic Socialists of America chapters — including in Las Vegas, where local membership and energy have surged.

Nationally, DSA membership jumped from 80,000 in October to over 90,000 by November. The Las Vegas chapter gained 200 members between Mamdani’s primary win and November general election victory, reaching around 550 people now paying dues. A recent Las Vegas DSA general body meeting had 89 members show up, the largest co-chair Shaun Navarro has seen.

Las Vegas DSA aims to channel this energy into two Nevada Assembly seats in 2026 midterms. Navarro is running for Assembly District 34, while the group backs Val Thomason, who got 34.5% in her 2024 primary loss to Assemblymember Venise Karris in District 10.

“We’re trying to create Zohran in every single state,” Navarro said. “We want to replicate that here, and I think it shows a winning message.”

Read the full article

Sat, Dec 20th, 2025

Champlain Valley DSA posted at 17:42

The Vermont Socialist (12/7/25): The belated November edition

Happy belated Thanksgiving, and apologies for the tardy newsletter. Remember that it’s now flu season, so make sure that your immunizations are up to date (or you too might fall behind on your work!).

The legislative season is around the corner, and legislators are dealing with the fallout from federal budget cuts, with which come an intensification of the ever-present calls for austerity. This year, some of our most vulnerable friends and neighbors were thrown on the street and left without food. GMDSA believes not just that everyone deserves housing and food, but that the money exists — what we need is the political will. That’s why GMDSA’s second annual convention voted to make Tax the Rich our priority campaign for 2026.

Our members also voted on a new slate of officers and committee chairs. Congratulations in particular to Will Fritch, our new East Branch Co-Chair, and Nana Brownell, who will be returning to that same role for West Branch.

Upcoming Events

GMDSA is sponsoring “For Ukrainian Self-Determination: Building International Working Class Solidarity,” featuring our very own Sen. Tanya Vyhovsky and Traven Leyshon. Discussion begins December 15th at 5pm at Migrant Justice (179 S. Winooski Ave., Burlington) .
Talk about your job and learn about shop-floor organizing from peers at Workers' Circle (co-hosted by the Green Mountain IWW) on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month. The next one is at 6pm and is also at Migrant Justice on December 10th.

GMDSA Meetings

Labor Committee meets December 8 at 6pm
Membership Committee meets December 8 at 7pm
Electoral Committee meets December 9 at 6pm
Communications Committee meets December
General Meeting on December 20th (details TBA; check our calendar)

TState News

Burlington’s democratic, member-run, GMDSA-sponsored cinema is now open for business. Congrats to Partizanfilm on its successful opening!

Thu, Dec 18th, 2025

DSA National: NPC Dispatch and Newsletter posted at 20:50

Your National Political Committee Newsletter — Bringing the Light

Enjoy your December National Political Committee (NPC) newsletter! Our NPC is an elected 27-person body (including both YDSA Co-Chairs) which functions as the board of directors of DSA. This month, check out hot labor solidarity across the country, sign up for volunteer opportunities for the New Year, and more!

And to make sure you get our newsletters in your inbox, sign up here! Each one features action alerts, upcoming events, political education, and more.

From the National Political Committee — Bringing the Light
Workers Demand More Forever Program Committee — Apply by Friday 1/9/26
DSA Archive Volunteer Opportunity — Deadline Saturday 1/10/26
Be Part of the DSA National Editorial Board! Apply by Thursday 1/15/26

From the National Political Committee — Bringing the Light

Dear Comrades,

Cultures around the world have found ways to celebrate the time around the winter solstice, using candles and lights to cut through the early darkness, and celebrations and rituals to combat the isolation and sadness that comes with the winter’s chill.

As socialists, this is a time to pause and remember what we are fighting for; to look past the commercialism and commodification and understand that we deserve to have the space and safety to make community, the resources to enjoy the company of our loved ones, and the right to rest. As the old slogan goes, “we fight for bread, but we fight for roses, too.” We, the working class, have the right to have our basic needs fulfilled, and we also have the right to lives full of joy and celebration and relaxation.

The symbolism of the season holds true: everywhere you look, you can see our comrades in DSA finding ways to bring light into the world. Chapters across the country, from Atlanta to Detroit to Denver and beyond, are standing strong with our partners at Starbucks Workers United and saying “No contract? No coffee!” If your chapter isn’t already engaged in Starbucks solidarity but you’d like to be, get in touch with DSA’s National Labor Commission and get started, and in the meantime, don’t hesitate to find a nearby picket line and jump in!

With the final runoffs in the bag, season is officially over for the year and just across the river from the soon-to-be-Mamdani-led New York City, two socialists and proud North New Jersey DSA members, Jake Ephros and Joel Brooks, won their Jersey City Council races, bringing a socialist legislative bloc to the city in one fell swoop.

And from coast to coast, chapters are taking on Trump’s fascist deportation machine: participating in ICE Watch programs, organizing for sanctuary city legislation, and making ICE collaboration a toxic decision for businesses like Avelo Airlines.

There is so much more critical work happening everywhere in the country as DSA works to build working class power and take back our rights and dignity from the fascists and their billionaire funders. If you are not yet a DSA member, join us now. And if you are a member, you’ve still got time to jump in on the Fall Drive, recruit three new folks and win yourself a limited edition 2025 Fall Drive t-shirt, designed by Chattanooga DSA leader and labor artist Tabitha Arnold!

And Young Democratic Socialists of America (YDSA), our youth and students section, is preparing for next year’s organizing too. Are you a student interested in building the movement for democratic socialism on your campus? Know someone who is? Registration for the 2026 YDSA Organizing Conference is open! The Conference will be held from 2/20/26 to 2/22/26 in Chicago, Illinois. The weekend will be full of inspiring speakers, opportunities to connect with other organizers from across the country, and tons of skills workshops. You can register at the link here. Early bird rate of $99 ends this Sunday, 12/21!

2026 will demand a lot of our energy, so we genuinely hope that you have the chance to recharge your batteries with warmth and light and your favorite holiday snacks and plenty of rest over the next few weeks. The fight continues, and we’ll see you in the new year!

In Solidarity, Comfort, and Joy,

Megan and Ashik
DSA National Co-Chairs

Workers Demand More Forever Program Committee — Apply by Friday 1/9/26

Applications are now open for the Workers Demand More (WDM) Forever Program committee! As a reminder, Resolution 34, Workers Deserve More Forever, was passed at this August’s National Convention. The 13-member program committee calls for four at-large members in good standing. To apply, see here. The application deadline is Friday, January 9th at 11:59pm PT.

This committee is time bound. After its tasks are completed, the Program committee will dissolve and the NPC members who had been on the committee will be the primary liaisons and stewards to the organization’s various bodies and socialists in office to support and promote the effective use of WDM.

DSA Archive Volunteer Opportunity — Deadline Saturday 1/10/26

The Archives Policy of the Democracy Commission (CB01-01) was passed by the 2025 DSA National Convention to create an archive of DSA meeting minutes, Convention results, and standing policies available to all members, and empowered the NPC to designate a group of members to assist with the archiving project, with their efforts concluding no later than January 1, 2027. Archive documents can be submitted here.

The Archive Committee will be undertaking this effort over the next year to ensure the archive is completed, and will assist the NPC Secretary in regular reporting and expanding the scope of resources to be available in the Archives. Applications are due by Saturday 1/10/26.

Be Part of the DSA National Editorial Board! Apply by Thursday 1/15/26

Applications are now open to the 2025-2027 DSA National Editorial Board. The Editorial Board is a 9-member body appointed by the NPC that oversees the organization’s two national publications, Democratic Left and Socialist Forum. The Editorial Board is composed of members with various points of view on important political questions. It does not exist to develop a single theoretical or strategic perspective. As a result, the publications reflect the wide range of views within the organization. The goal of the Editorial Board is not to espouse a particular “party line,” but to maintain strong editorial standards for our publications. As such, the process prioritizes familiarity with DSA and editorial experience in appointment to positions on the board.

If you are interested in being appointed to the Editorial Board, please fill out this application by Thursday, 1/15/26 at 11:59PM Hawaii Standard Time.

The post Your National Political Committee Newsletter — Bringing the Light appeared first on Democratic Socialists of America (DSA).

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