September 10, 2020 20:55

By James J. Jackson, Jr

Comrades, the time is now!

Like many of you, I was thrilled when our chapter received the phenomenal news that the Sacramento Community Stabilization and Fair Rent Charter Amendment, will appear on the November ballot as Measure C.

This means that after years of hard work, draining legal battles, and intense coalition building, Sacramento will finally have the chance to vote for Real Rent Control.

This is a great victory, one that almost makes up for the fact that the Strong Mayor initiative (Measure A) will also be on the November ballot.

But the fact that both Real Rent Control and Strong Mayor are on the same ballot might be one of the greatest opportunities presented to us as a chapter. We have the chance to defeat the neoliberal opportunism of Mayor Darrell Steinberg and his capitalist cronies not once, but twice!

If we can defeat Strong Mayor and win Real Rent Control in the same election then not only will the working class of Sacramento win twice, but we will have shown that democratic socialism is a force to be reckoned with in Sacramento.

In order to make that happen we need all hands on deck. This might frustrate some of you to hear because it has been such a long battle, but getting the rent control measure on the ballot was the easy part. Now the hard work begins.

Katie Valenzuela, our democratic socialist city council member-elect, has grouped together a coalition that is taking initiative to both fight against Measure A and in favor of Measure C, in addition to fighting for a budget that reflects the needs of Sacramento’s working class. If you haven’t already, be sure to check out The People’s Budget Sacramento!

We need to offer these campaigns all the help and resources we are capable of giving as a chapter, and the connections between defeating Strong Mayor and winning Real Rent Control should be made explicit in our platform as a chapter.

And we cannot fool ourselves into thinking that Strong Mayor will easily be defeated nor that Rent Control will be easily won. While clearly very unpopular with activist groups like ours, the amount of money behind the Strong Mayor and Anti Rent Control campaigns are in the millions. The only thing that defeats big money in an election is dedicated and intentional organization, this is where we come in.

Our chapter has a duty to our history, our ideals, and to the material needs of Sacramento to show our class power. This can be done not once but twice in this election, but it won’t happen at all if we do not organize as intentionally and as intensely as possible.

This means we must do at least two things:

1. We must never stop mounting public pressure on our community leaders to get them to oppose Strong Mayor and to support Real Rent Control. Whether it is our union, our organization, or our elected officials, we have to keep the pressure on.

2. We must engage our members in these campaigns in a way that does not put the burden of labor on anyone individually but shares it collectively. Meaning we don’t just passively ask our members to vote or rally them into anti Steinberg frenzies but instead we must be intentional by giving members the resources they need to get involved. If we are too passive in this moment we risk losing not once, but twice.

Our victory is in our hands comrades. Socialists love to say “We have a world to win.” Well, this is one of those chances to win a piece of that world. It’s not every election that you get the opportunity to reject neoliberalism twice on the same ballot. Let’s not waste this opportunity.

So comrades, get to phone-banking, fill up public comment at every city council meeting, and give everything you can to these campaigns. This is our chance to show Darrell Steinberg that Sacramento is not a neoliberal city, we are a democratic socialist one!

Let us take action and campaign like we have never campaigned before!

Comrades, the time is now.

You’re listening to Revolution Per Minute on listener sponsored WBAI in NYC broadcasting at 99.5 FM and streaming on your favorite podcast app. To connect with us after the show you can email us at revolutionsnyc@gmail.com. You can find us on our website revolutionsperminute.simplecast.com or on twitter @nycRPM.

You’re listening to Revolution Per Minute on listener sponsored WBAI in NYC broadcasting at 99.5 FM and streaming on your favorite podcast app. To connect with us after the show you can email us at revolutionsnyc@gmail.com. You can find us on our website revolutionsperminute.simplecast.com or on twitter @nycRPM

You’re listening to Revolution Per Minute on listener sponsored WBAI in New York City broadcasting at 99.5 FM and streaming on your favorite podcast app. To connect with us after the show you can email us at revolutionsnyc@gmail.com. You can find us on our website revolutionsperminute.simplecast.com or on twitter @nycRPM.

Our latest episode of "Heart of a Heartless World" is a recording of the latest webinar put on by the Religion & Socialist working group. On July 16th, Linda Sarsour, the co-founder of Until Freedom and former co-chair of the Women’s March, spoke with Rev. Andrew Wilkes, a pastor, policy director, and member of Religious Socialism’s editorial group, about how faith traditions can help undergird abolition, undo structural racism, and push toward a fundamental restructuring of our political economy. This Thursday, August 20th, at 7:30pm EDT, Rev. Wilkes will be in conversation with Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis, National Co-Chair of the Poor People’s Campaign, on how to build an inclusive movement for economic justice. We hope you enjoy the podcast, and can join us at the webinar! Go here to RSVP: https://act.dsausa.org/survey/Building_Inclusive_Movement_Economic_Justice_Liz_Theoharris/

You’re listening to Revolution Per Minute on listener sponsored WBAI in NYC broadcasting at 99.5 FM and streaming on your favorite podcast app. To connect with us after the show you can email us at revolutionsnyc@gmail.com. You can find us on our website revolutionsperminute.simplecast.com or on twitter @nycRPM

Democratic Socialists of America chapters across Indiana have been working alongside other activist groups in Indiana toward a rent jubilee since the coronavirus pandemic shutdown in mid-March. Hoosiers have sent […]

Buffalo DSA’s new steering committee is passionate about building vibrant workgroups that check in with each other at general meetings. These workgroups give volunteers opportunities to participate in, learn about, and truly advance socialist initiatives in a variety of different meaningful ways. Please contact info@buffalodsa.org to be connected to a workgroup!

Labor: Advances political education and truly local support for worker’s rights & strikes, labor organizer training and support

IT: Facilitates internal data, safety, and technology initiatives

Healthcare: Organizes campaigns to pressure local politicians to co-sponsor legislations such as Medicare for All, the Emergency Healthcare Guarantee Act, and the New York Health Act, alongside political education on the material benefits of healthcare reform

Electoral: Organizing around a long-term political infrastructure and electoral strategy to gain socialist power

Ecosocialist: Political education and organizing around the need to center the working class in a Green New Deal to transform our climate policy and economy

Political Education: Reading and discussion groups on vital literature to the socialist project

SocFem: Organizing on local material socialist feminist issues, as well as reading and discussion groupsHousing: Advancing tenant organizing, rent control, and a tenant’s bill of rights in our communities.

Media: Developing a socialist newsletter, compiling media to advance political education of the public, and running social media channels.

You’re listening to Revolution Per Minute on listener sponsored WBAI in NYC broadcasting at 99.5 FM and streaming on your favorite podcast app. To connect with us after the show you can email us at revolutionsnyc@gmail.com. You can find us on our websites revolutionsperminute.simplecast.com or rednet.socialists.nyc as well as on twitter @nycRPM.

The Champlain Valley DSA is excited to announce the endorsement of an excellent slate of candidates for the 2020 elections. Meet the candidates below.
We will also be hosting a Meet the Candidates webinar with endorsed candidates for the state legislature on Monday, July 27. Register for the webinar or tune in live on Facebook.
Finally, don't forget to request your absentee ballot today and help get these candidates into the State House.