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Our club, Alert Seniors, includes members of the Communist Party in New Haven who are at a point where it is more practical to meet in the daytime with others of similar age that have a longterm perspective. One of our members joined in the 1940’s, the others in the 1990’s. The club keeps us alert, gives us a lift. We recognize that people continue to learn and grow no matter what age group they are in. We see the different aspects of people’s lives and how we can influence younger people growing up.

We read the main discussion documents for the convention and discussed the sections on the role of the Party and the assessment of the Obama administration.

We agree that “criticisms of President Obama should be done in a unifying and constructive way.” (p. 23)

The media is playing a negative role, expecting change overnight. President Obama has been in office for one year. Change has to happen in steps, goals have to be set, they can’t be reached in one day. Immediately after the State of the Union address, the media started criticizing President Obama’s plans, saying they can’t work, they won’t work, they cost too much. This is not constructive. It is the role of the media and the impatience of people influenced by the media that warrants criticism.

The question is raised, how will the health care bill be paid for? It has an important feature which increases the taxes on the portion of income above $250,000. This is the greatest transfer of wealth, from the very top back to the people who created it, in many decades.

Connecticut is the richest state with four of the country’s poorest cities. We are proud that 20 years ago in New Haven the Communist Party helped establish a third party called Tax The Rich. A candidate ran for State Representative, and received a good vote. Two years later, three candidates ran on the Tax the Rich line including a current member of our Alert Seniors Club. They did not get elected, but generated support and a lot of good wishes including from liberal Democrats.

Ten years ago the Communist Party in Connecticut helped form the Coalition to End Child Poverty composed of labor and community organizations which called for a tax on the portion of income above $250,000 to meet the needs of children. After numerous attempts, this idea was passed by the State Legislature, but vetoed by the Republican Governor. Last year the Legislature finally had enough votes to over-ride the veto and a small millionaires tax became law.

It is exciting that this same idea is part of the national health care bill. The super rich should be taxed. They have the money. We should continue to use that slogan, Tax the Rich.

We need to expose the rise of fascist-like elements in the media including Sara Palin and Glen Beck. We remember when the big lie was effective in Germany, where in the early years  people did not believe what Hitler could do. We must appreciate what we’re up against. Our unity and coalition building approach is very important.

In senior assisted living people come from all backgrounds. Some come from wealth and others have had to work hard all their lives. They are all worried. There is a section that is strong in support of President Obama. There are others who are afraid to support him and believe he will not be successful. We have to counter the right-wing media, which is their main source of information, and help make local alternative media and the People’s World available to the people there

We agree with the convention documents that “in this new period, our party can play an indispensable role in helping build a broad movement, involving the core forces of the people’s movement with labor at the center, to support the Obama administration’s positive steps, defeat the far right and militarism that still maintains enormous power, build a counterweight to any tendencies to capitulate to the right, and help the Obama administration move to end Cold War policies and build multilateral international cooperation to meet the needs of the workers and ordinary people of the world.” (p. 45)

We have to give thought and attention to developing working relations with people and developing an understanding of Marxism so those who are committed to make change will see joining the Communist Party as the most effective way.

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