The following is based on a report to the CPUSA National Committee by John Bachtell, president of Long View Publishing.

I’m presenting this report to the CPUSA National Committee, who are avid supporters and readers of the People’s World, in my capacity as President of Long View Publishing. Thanks for the opportunity.

Long View has set a goal to raise $200,000 from People’s World readers and supporters in 2023, including $125,000 during the Fund Drive February 1 – May 1.

Raising $200,000 is an enormous challenge but an absolute must-do! The great news is CPUSA National Committee members pledged almost $20,000 to kick off the drive. Fantastic!! That was the easy part. The goal is larger than in past years and will take extraordinary efforts to achieve.

Reaching the goal ensures People’s World’s ability to:

reach, engage, mobilize, and ally with millions in this epic fight to defend constitutional democracy as the most immediate task;

engage in the battle of ideas against a highly concentrated corporate media and the extreme-right, fascist media and propaganda system that has brainwashed tens of millions of our fellow Americans;

continue the existence of our most effective relationship builder with activists, movements, organizations, and other pro-democracy media;

provide an information tool for party members, clubs and districts, and democratic movements (and congratulations to the many new grassroots writers for People’s World!); and

fulfill its mission as the voice of the CPUSA and socialism, democratic movements, and independent and pro-democracy media.

Let me say a few more words about the fierce battle of ideas. One of the biggest threats to democracy has been the purposeful construction over the last 30 years of the vast right-wing and fascist propaganda ecosystem—backed by billionaires—and its integration with the GOP. The acquisition of Twitter by Elon Musk, and the removal of all barriers to disinformation and hate content, will move Twitter into the fascist propaganda ecosystem.

This propaganda ecosystem pollutes the public sphere with lies, disinformation, hate, QAnon conspiracy theories, and fascist ideology. In the hands of the extreme right and fascists, modern mass communications technology enables them to influence tens of millions in a cult-like manner. It strengthens the mass MAGA base, seen in the 70 million votes won by Trump, including millions of primarily white working-class people.

Consequently, information bubbles produce starkly different perceived realities and fuel political polarization. Extreme right-wing and fascist movements around the globe have used social media to openly interfere in U.S. internal affairs on the side of MAGA fascism.

These developments underscore 200,000 reasons why achieving the People’s World fund drive goal is absolutely necessary!

Here are a few more:

People’s World‘s mission is to promote and assist the organization and mobilization of the pro-democracy and anti-MAGA majority and to build the pro-democracy media ecosystem and alliance.

Its mission is to help build the broad, pro-democracy majority alliance. That includes the Democratic party and Biden administration, to oust every MAGAt from office and position of power. Its mission is to deepen involvement in organized efforts to flip red state legislatures under MAGA autocratic rule and red areas of blue states.

People’s World’s mission is to assist in organizing multi-racial working-class communities, including engaging working-class voters swayed by MAGA ideas, and bringing a united working-class and people to the forefront of the mass pro-democracy movement.

Therefore, we must meet our goal of raising $200,000 from our readers and supporters!

To reach the goal, we will double the monthly recurring donors—or sustainers, who are a critical, stable source of revenues. Last year, 200 sustainers donated $40,000. This year, we aim to double sustainers to 400 and raise $75,000.

We’ll only succeed if the drive becomes the responsibility of our entire staff, every reader, every party member, every collective, and the YCL. District and collective goals and plans are essential.

A fund drive committee will oversee all aspects of the drive, including online events, phonations, outreach to organized labor, an online ad book, and weekly appeals, as well as covering the cost of daily production and other projects.

Together we can do it! ¡Si se puede!

Images: CPUSA and YCL at the Poor People’s Campaign rally in DC (CPUSA)

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