New Ground 142
May -- June, 2012
Contents
New Ground
142.1 -- 06.01.2012
0. DSA News
DSA National Expands
Congratulations Hollande
DSA in the News by Bob Roman
Chicago DSA vs NATO
Talkin' Socialism
1. Politics
Congress
Hotel Strike by Tom Broderick
Other Labor News
The Left and the U.S. Elections
2. Ars Politica
Morbid
Curiosity by Tom Broderick
My Kind of Town
3. Democratic Socialism
Taking Socialism Seriously: But
What Is Your Alternative?
Year of the Cooperative
4. Upcoming Events of Interest
New Ground
142.2 -- 06.18.2012
0. DSA News
Democratic Left
Summer School
DSA in the News by Bob Roman
Talkin' Socialism
1. Politics
The Longest
Strike in the U.S. by Tom
Broderick
The Hands That Feed Us
May Jobs Report
Junk Food Deficiency
Austerity and Democracy
2. Ars Politica
Girls!
3. Democratic Socialism
Dude, Where's My Singularity?
4. Upcoming Events of Interest
New Ground
142.3 -- 06.29.2012
0. DSA News
DSA in the News
Summer School
1. Politics
Robin Hood Comes to Chicago
Prosperity Not Austerity!
Save the Dates
The Pension Amendment
Debt by Degrees
TIFs and School Construction
Rebuild Chicago
2. Upcoming Events of Interest
Another
America
by Bob Roman
The 54th
Debs - Thomas - Harrington Dinner on April 27 at the Holiday
Inn Mart Plaza was a "swank" affair, according to one
conservative commentator who had attended the event, perhaps
hoping to ambush Obama with an iphone. Alas, there were only
the hoi polloi in attendance, an eagle's nest view of the west
Loop, and far too much good food and drink to be credible. After
all, doesn't one have to wear scratchy hair shirts and live on
beans to be a socialist? This opulent abundance was obviously
far more than lefties deserve.
The speakers clearly irritated our troll,
too. Emcee Laurie Burgess greeted the crowd with bullet points
(not bullets) from "Why
We Are Democratic Socialists ". Speaking on behalf of
Chicago Jobs with Justice
, Susan Hurley spoke about what her organization had planned,
including campaigning for a financial transactions tax. Honoree
John Bouman spoke of
the pleasure it was to address an audience directly, without
strategy, about the need for a tax increase. The horror!
And then there was our featured speaker:
Ruth Conniff, political editor for The
Progressive . She mostly brought fresh news of the uprising
in Wisconsin, relating it to the publication of Michael Harrington's
The Other America fifty years ago. Harrington's book,
and the reaction to it, represented the optimism of the sixties.
Since Reagan, economic insecurity has taken its toll, reducing
our imagination, fostering an ill-spirited meanness instead of
solidarity. But times are changing. Walker's (among others) attack
on the middle class has galvanized people, and outrage has spread
beyond the confines of DSA members and readers of The Progressive.
The era of passive citizenship, Conniff proclaimed, is over.
One could well imagine our troll at
this point with indigestion, acid reflux, the beginnings of a
migraine. For the troll seriously misliked the crowd's spirited
rendition of "Solidarity Forever". To which one can
only reply, most sincerely, with a query: Troll, why do you hate
America?
Does
Labor History Matter?
"The teaching of history shall
also include a study of the role of labor unions."
llinois School Code
by Tom Suhrbur
I regularly conduct labor education
programs for teachers, union members and others about labor history,
organizing and the role of unions in society. It has become very
clear to me that most Americans, including many union members,
know very little about labor history; much of what they have
learned has been distorted to discredit unions. One of the first
exercises that I often begin with at my education program is
to ask the participants to tell me something about Andrew Carnegie,
John D. Rockefeller, J.P. Morgan, Bill Gates and other prominent
businessmen. Usually most of the participants, whether they are
college faculty members or union apprentices just out of high
school, can tell me something about these people. Next, when
I ask them to identify A. Phillip Randolph, Eugene Debs, Samuel
Gompers, Richard Trumka, George Meany, Cesar Chavez and others,
most of them are stumped except for one famous union leader.
Everyone seems to know Jimmy Hoffa -- not the current president
of the Teamsters Union but his corrupt father who spent years
in prison and disappeared in an apparent mob murder. Obviously
unions need to get their story out to the public and to their
own members.
Why do apprentices, let alone college
faculty union members, know so little about labor history? While
stories about the corporate elite and powerful are regularly
covered in school textbooks and the press, unions are usually
treated as a mere footnote in history. In general, the media
depicts unions in a negative light. Union leaders are typically
referred to as "bosses" in the press. Movies often
depict unions as being controlled by gangsters. Strikes, "riots"
and corruption get the most attention.
The labor movement has been under a
relentless assault by our determined and well-financed political
enemies. There is a whole industry backed by the National Manufacturing
Association, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, wealthy businessmen
such as the Koch brothers and others promoting the anti-union
agenda. They have financed conservative groups Americans For
Prosperity, America Crossroads, the National Right To Work Committee,
American Legislative Exchange Council, dozens of right wing think
tanks and others to carry out their campaign against unions.
Most Americans have very little direct contact with labor unions.
If union members know so little about the past, what does the
public think in light of the onslaught of anti-union propaganda?
History shapes how people think about
the present and public opinion is very important for any group
seeking to influence society. If unions are going to survive
and thrive they need to tell their story. Unions have a great
story to tell!
Unions have always been successful in
improving the economic needs of their members. Employment in
a union shop means higher pay and better benefits than similar
work in a non-union shop. Most Americans realize this fact. What
many Americans do not understand is that many of the successes
of unions have also benefited them.
Unions have been instrumental in many
of the economic gains enjoyed by working class and lower middle
class Americans today. Unions successfully fought for Social
Security, Medicare, unemployment compensation, workers' compensation,
minimum wage, 40 hour week, Occupational Safety and Health Administration
(OSHA) and numerous other programs that have benefited all
Americans.
Unions have always played a key role
in the struggle for social justice. Prior to the Civil
War, the emerging labor movement was inspired by two great ideas:
abolitionism and social democracy. Many working class immigrants
fleeing oppression following the demise of the 1848 Revolutions
were ardent socialists. Trade union activists were outspoken
in their opposition to slavery. Slavery was evil but so was "wage
slavery." The labor movement supported the creation of a
free, universal education system including laws against child
labor and mandatory school attendance. After the war, the National
Labor Union and later the Knights of Labor welcomed African-American
into their ranks. In 1869, the National Labor Union adopted a
resolution urging "our colored fellow members to form organizations
in all legitimate ways, and send delegates from every state in
the union to the next congress." While some unions had practiced
racial discrimination in the past, many others especially the
industrial unions included all workers regardless of race. In
the early twentieth century, Industrial Workers of the World
and other radical unions actively recruited all races. So did
the Congress of Industrial Organization, signing up tens of thousands
of African-Americans during the Great Depression. In 1941, A.
Phillip Randolph, President of the Brotherhood Sleeping Car Porters'
Union, was instrumental in planning a mass protest in Washington,
D.C. to protest job discrimination in war industries and segregation
in the armed forces. The protest was cancelled when President
Roosevelt issued an Executive Order banning discrimination in
the war industries but not in the armed forces. Keep in mind
that until the 1960's, union halls were one of the few places
where working class whites and African-Americans could meet together
as equals. In the fight against Jim Crow segregation, United
Auto Workers, AFSCME and other unions marched with Martin Luther
King. King was assassinated in Memphis while supporting the sanitation
workers strike.
Equal rights also meant women's rights.
Throughout the history of both unions, the National Education
Association and the American Federation of Teachers have played
a major role in fighting for women's rights. Not only did the
AFL-CIO support the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) but many of
its national unions such as AFSCME, SEIU and others worked tirelessly
to pass it. Even though the ERA eventually failed to get enough
states to ratify it, the principles behind the Amendment has
been widely accepted in public discourse and through legislation.
While improvement in pay and benefits
has drawn workers to unions, other factors are equally important
in union organizing. Whenever I do labor history programs, I
always get into a discussion about core union values such as
solidarity, equality, fairness, democratic decision-making and
social justice. History is full of examples of how these values
have guided the labor movement. Deeply held values are what motivates
people to support and even sacrifice for a cause. Values inspire
people to join the military, political parties, and religions.
These core values of the labor movement
are part of the American democratic tradition going back to 1776.
In light of the growing economic inequality in the U.S., now
more than ever, the labor movement should educate the public
about its contributions to democracy and social justice. Labor
history should be taught in our schools and in union halls.
There is an ongoing struggle in this
nation to make this a "more perfect union" -- a just
and democratic society. Unions have played a central role in
this struggle. If we are to have a better future, we must have
a strong union movement. The alternative is a society in which
an aristocratic elite will own most of the wealth, control the
government and dominate all aspect of American society.
Resources
Here are some sites that provide
useful curriculum information on labor education:
DePaul
University Labor Education Center;
Eugene V. Debs Foundation;
Illinois Labor
History Society;
Labor
History Links;
Labor Trail;
Teachers
for Social Justice.
This is not meant to be a comprehensive
but a place to start. -- Editor.
School
for Trouble Makers
by Tom Broderick
The 2012 Labor
Notes Conference was a three-day whirlwind of workshops,
meetings, networking, actions along with music and fun. From
Friday, May 4 through Sunday, May 6, labor and community activists
met at the Crowne Plaza hotel near O'Hare airport.
Workshops were held over several time-blocks
throughout the conference. Selecting which to attend was difficult.
One plus in the program book was they were tracked by themes,
such as Building Member Driven Unions, Community
Coalitions, Public Sector and International.
A few were offered more than once and several fed into others.
Linking the Occupy Movement with Labor
rank and file was a key issue at the conference. One of the workshops
and one of the meetings focused on labor and occupy. Occupy participants,
both within and outside organized labor, were presenters at several
of the workshops. Occupy was given credit for bringing the unfair
wealth divide to national attention.
Larry Hanley, president, Amalgamated
Transit Union (ATU), gave a provoking presentation during the
Saturday morning opening session. He stressed the need for labor
and community to work together for a better society, not just
a stronger but isolated labor movement. Hanley did a national
tour of some of his locals and during the discussions he had
with individual workers, feeling alone, isolated and afraid were
mentioned. He linked Rosa Park's refusal to give up her seat
to today's labor situation.
Rosa Parks acted, not just as an individual,
but as part of a movement that had been well planned and prepared
to respond. Her action sparked the Montgomery bus boycott, which
continued for more than a year. Although she was arrested alone,
she had a group behind her ready to pressure the bus company
with the boycott, which ended in victory.
Today's labor movement, led by the rank
and file, must forge real links with the 99% on issues that affect
them. This includes a fairer distribution of wealth and a real,
democratic discussion on what to do with our money.
There were two planned labor actions.
On Friday, Restaurant Opportunities
Center (ROC) had one school bus to take people into downtown
Chicago to loudly picket outside a Capital Grille at Ontario
and St. Clair. They could have had two busses. Some people didn't
go because the bus filled up, and others traveled by car. There
is something to be said for having ROC as your acronym when it
comes to shouting out chants. ROC members were involved in several
of the workshops.
The Saturday action was a short walk
to a nearby Hyatt
hotel in support of UNITE-HERE! Local 450. Several hundred
people carrying picket signs and yelling The Hyatt is Cheap!
Cheap and Mean! walked back and forth at the main entrance
for half an hour. UNITE-HERE! is fighting to include in their
contract that the out-sourcing of work to non-union workers is
forbidden.
The two international workshops I attended
were too short, even at 1 hour 45 minutes each, but very informative.
The first was on Europe and the austerity programs. There were
union folk from England, Portugal and France and there was an
audience member from Germany who also provided information. Given
the difficulties that Greece is facing, it would have been a
real benefit to have someone from there. Two of the three speakers
also referred to their local versions of the Occupy movement.
They also spoke about the need for militancy ~ and the lack thereof
in most cases ~ to fight back against the harsh austerity conditions
being implemented.
On Sunday, I attended a second workshop
that I think highlights the importance of Labor Notes
and these conferences. This was called "China: Wildcat Strike
Epicenter of the World". Academics and grass roots organizers
from China joined facilitator Ellen David Friedman from the International
Labor Center at Sun Yat-sen University for a presentation that
I don't think will be made at very many locations.
All labor strikes in China are wildcat
strikes. None are made with the backing or support of the single,
state sponsored labor union. There are apparently tens of thousands
every year and workers are fighting for better wages, safer working
conditions and better living locations when they are housed by
the businesses they work for. Do these demands sound familiar?
A couple of web sites that were provided are: chinastrikes.crowdmap.com
and clntranslations.org
.
Other
News
compiled by Bob Roman
The April jobs numbers are nothing to
crow about, accourding to the Chicago Political Economy Group:
The April job numbers were uniformly
dismal according to both the Household and Establishment Survey.
115,000 jobs were added, even less than the disappointing March
numbers of 120,000 (since revised upward to 154,000), and not
nearly enough to cover the rise in the civilian labor force.
This led to a significant reduction in the labor participation
rate, the key significant number. There is no sign of making
up for the 5-7 million jobs lost in the 2008-9 recession. MORE.
The Airport
Living Wage Ordinance remains not just buried in committee,
but buried in a zombie committee, according to Progress
Illinois. As the Council fiddles and Emanuel smirks, "workers
are feeling increasingly agitated and uncertain." For good
reason.
Emanuel is also messing with the nurses.
The May
18th demonstration against austerity and for a Financial
Transactions Tax has had it's permit pulled. The nurses are suing.
Chicago DSA is among the endorsers of this march, and we expect
to be there.
Letters
To The Editor:
I am concerned about our unhuman, unspeaking Fellow Citizens
who seem to have a lot of money. They're the perfect ventriloquist's
Dummy. And there are many ventriloquists -- manipulators -- of
this dummy. Some are stern of face and stentorian of voice and
pound on the podium because the dummy can't.
They would have us believe the economy
will continue to revolve assuring themselves continuing profits
as in the past. But we of the 99% are in the throes of losing
our homes, bereft of jobs that might save our homes and continuing
to feed ourselves and our families.
We have heard of perpetual motion machines that can work without
the further input of power! We know better. They even think there
are devices and ideas that work that way.
They are so unamerican as to suggest
we are incapable of governing ourselves. They are suggesting
we shouldn't have public schools which is one of the things that
made this country great. They denigrate our water systems, our
sewer systems, our highways, our public power systems.
So my fellow human citizens, let us
get out there and vote. So we can eliminate the denigrators,
the dummy voters, the ventriloquists and manipulators and unamerican
thinkers.
Sincerely,
Fred J. Dietz, Sr.
Springfield
Upcoming
Events
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.
Saturday, May 12 through Sunday, May
13
The People's Summit
Occupy Chicago, 500 W. Cermak, Chicago
A weekend of panels and workshops dedicated to the struggle
for a better world! MORE
INFORMATION.
Saturday, May 12, NOON
Re-Dedication of the Studs
Terkel Bridge
Division Street over the Chicago River,
Chicago
Whose bridge? Studs' bridge! MORE
INFORMATION.
Saturday, May 12, NOON
March for Trauma Center
beginning @ 61st & Cottage Grove, Chicago
Demanding a full service trauma center at the Univeristy of Chicago
Hospital. MORE
INFORMATION.
Saturday, May 12, 12:30 PM
CDSA Executive Committee
Meeting
Chicago DSA office, 1608 N. Milwaukee
Ave, Room 403, Chicago
All DSA members are welcome.
Saturday, May 12, 2 PM
The Occuprint Collection
Uri-Eichen Gallery, 2101 S. Halsted,
Chicago
Pilsen artist Roy Villalobos leads a talk about the Occuprint
poster exhibit and the power of the image in protest movements.
MORE INFORMATION.
Saturday, May 12, 5 PM to 9 PM
Unsettled: Excavating History
at the Hull House
Jane Addams Hull-House Museum, 800
S. Halsted, Chicago
Art & History exhibition opening. MORE
INFORMATION.
Monday, May 14, 3 PM
Money for Education Not War
Dyett High School, 555 E. 51st St,
Chicago
Rally in support of increased education funding & more. MORE
INFORMATION.
Monday, May 14, 7 PM to 8:30 PM
IVAW Right to Heal Tour
Jane Addams Hull-House Museum, 800
S. Halsted, Chicago
Veterans will share their experiences in the military and lead
a teach-in on the military's mental health crises and related
suicide epidemic. MORE
INFORMATION.
Monday, May 14, 7 PM
Drone Warfare
Heartland Cafe, 7000 N. Glenwood, Chicago
Medea Benjamin and Rafia Zakaria about remote control warfare.
MORE
INFORMATION.
Tuesday, May 15, 8 AM to 11 AM
Global Landscape for Cleantech
and Climate Change
Baldwin/Hughes Auditorium, 303 E. Superior,
Chicago
Climate Change & Global Security; Global Policies Driving
Cleaner Energy Development. RSVP Required. MORE
INFORMATION.
Tuesday, May 15, 11 AM
Vigil for Family Unity
Immigration Court Building 525 W. Van
Buren, Chicago
In defense of immigrant rights. MORE
INFORMATION and STILL
MORE.
Tuesday, May 15, 7 PM
Warehouse Workers for Justice
Lombard Mennonite Church, 528 E. Madison
St, Lombard.
About the campaign. MORE
INFORMATION.
Wednesday, May 16, 10 AM to NOON
Moratorium on Foreclosures
and Evictions
LaSalle & Jackson, Chicago
Demanding a 1 year moratorium. MORE
INFORMATION.
Wednesday, May 16, 1 PM to 2 PM
Occupying Mental Health Clinics
Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington,
1 Garland, Chicago
Joseph Gibson leads discussion. MORE
INFORMATION.
Wednesday, May 16, 5:30 PM
Studs Terkel Centennial Celebration
Newberry Library, 60 W. Walton, Chicago
Birthday party for Studs and his fans. MORE
INFORMATION.
Wednesday, May 16, 6:30 PM
100 Years of Studs Terkel
Chicago History Museum, 1601 N. Clark,
Chicago
WFMT Critic-at-Large Andrew Patner explores Studs's life, legacy,
and contributions to history through radio and TV clips. $15.
MORE
INFORMATION.
Wednesday, May 16, 7:30 PM
"Bound for Glory"
Portage Theater, 4050 N. Milwaukee
Ave, Chicago
1976 bio-pic of Woody Guthrie. $5. MORE
INFORMATION.
Thursday, May 17
Minimum Wage Lobby Day
Springfield, IL
Lobby for SB 1545. MORE
INFORMATION.
Thursday, May 17, 2 PM
The Planet Over Profit &
War
LaSalle & Jackson, Chicago
Bike rally protesting tar sands mining, starting @ above onward
to Canadian Consulate. MORE
INFORMATION.
Thursday, May 17, 6 PM
Teach-In on Afghanistan and
NATO
Reba Place Church, 620 Madison St,
Evanston
Includes Medea Benjamin. MORE
INFORMATION.
Thursday, May 17, 7 PM to 9 PM
Know Your Rights
Grace Place, 637 S. Dearborn, Chicago
National Lawyers Guild training. MORE
INFORMATION.
Friday, May 18 through Saturday, May
19
Counter-Summit for Peace
& Economic Justice
People's Church, 941 W Lawrence, Chicago
Peace & justice alternative to the NATO and G8 summits. $50.
MORE
INFORMATION.
Friday, May 18, NOON
Protest the Global 1%
Daley Plaza, Dearborn & Washington,
Chicago
For a Financial Transactions Tax and an end to austerity. MORE
INFORMATION.
Friday, May 18, 6:30 PM
Press Coverage of NATO
Rosa's Lounge, 3420 W. Armitage, Chicago
Journalists discuss coverage, Q&A. $10. MORE
INFORMATION.
Friday, May 18, 7 PM to 10 PM
Unite! Inspire! Resist!
St Luke's Lutheran Church of Logan
Square, 2649 N. Francisco, Chicago
An evening of arts to oppose NATO. MORE
INFORMATION.
Friday, May 18, 7 PM
Arab Spring, Libyan Winter
High Concept Labs, 1401 W. Wabansia,
Chicago
Vijay Prashad on his latest book. MORE
INFORMATION.
Friday, May 18, 8 PM
"Soundtrack to a Revolution"
Chicago Filmmakers, 5243 N. Clark St,
Chicago
Documentary on the Civil Rights Movement through song. $7. MORE INFORMATION.
Saturday, May 19, 5 PM
Student Movements Confront
the 1%
Jane Addams Hull-House Museum, 800
S. Halsted, Chicago
Panel with students from Chicago, Canada, Chile, UK. MORE
INFORMATION.
Saturday, May 19, 6:30 PM
"Rising Waters"
1447 W. Superior, Chicago
Showing of documentary on global warming and the Pacific islands.
MORE
INFORMATON.
Saturday, May 19, 7 PM to 9 PM
Lifting the Shadow of War
Wellington Avenue United Church of
Christ, 615 W. Wellington, Chicago
Speech and discussion by David Swanson. MORE
INFORMATION.
Saturday, May 19, 8 PM
This Land Is Our Land!
Metro, 3730 N. Clark St, Chicago
Concert in celebration of Woody Guthrie. $26. MORE
INFORMATION.
Sunday, May 20, 1 PM
NATO Shadow Summit for Afghan
Women's Rights
Swissotel Hotel Lucerne Ballroom, 323
E. Wacker Dr, Chicago
Afghan women's voices re: human rights in Afghanistan. MORE
INFORMATION.
Sunday, May 20, 10 AM
March for Justice and Reconciliation
Petrillo Music Shell, Jackson &
Columbus, Chicago
IVAW returns their medals & thousands protest NATO. MORE
INFORMATION & STILL MORE.
Monday, May 21, Midnight apparently
Shut It Down
Boeing, 100 N. Riverside Plaza, Chicago
Beyond kicking Boeing to the curb. MORE
INFORMATION.
Monday, May 21, 7 PM
"Will the Circle Be
Unbroken"
Steppenwolf Theatre, 1650 N. Halsted,
Chicago
Reading of stage adaptation of Studs Terkel's book. Reservation
required. MORE
INFORMATION.
Wednesday, May 23, 4:30 PM
Mass Rally to Take Back Chicago
Daley Plaza, Dearborn & Washington,
Chicago
Protest corporate welfare, especially CME Group. MORE
INFORMATION.
Thursday, May 24, 6:30 PM to 9 PM
"Rokkosho Rhapsody"
Multi-Kulti Center, 1000 N. Milwaukee
Ave 4th Floor, Chicago
Showing of documentary re: Rokkasho nuclear reprocessing facility.
MORE INFORMATION.
Thursday, May 24, 7 PM to 11 PM
Food Not NATO
Wellington Avenue United Church of
Christ, 615 W. Wellington Ave, Chicago
Food Not Bombs co-founder Keith McHenry on the 32nd anniversary
of FnB. MORE
INFORMATION.
Saturday, May 26, 10 AM
Memorial Day Massacre Commemoration
George Washington High School, 3535
E. 114th St, Chicago
Commemorating the 75th anniversary of the massacre at Republic
Steel. MORE
INFORMATION.
Wednesday, May 30, 7:30 PM
"Wild River"
Portage Theater, 4050 N. Milwaukee
Ave, Chicago
Showing of Elia Kazan's movie drama about the TVA. $5. MORE
INFORMATION.
Saturday, June 2, 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM
Studs on Film
Chicago History Museum, 1601 N. Clark
St, Chicago
Episodes of Stud's Place, Studs on a Soapbox, and other documentaries.
MORE
INFORMATION.
|