History was made and lessons were learned during this month. On the positive side, the fight for equality was advanced when the President added the weight of his opinion and office to the debate over same sex marriage. On the negative side the reactionary forces of finance-capital used the recall election in Wisconsin as a test case for their strategy of seizing the democratic process on behalf of the 1%. They spent giant sums on media ads to present phony claims that Gov Walker’s policies created jobs. They backed it up with false statistics, and sugar-coated language, naming union-busting practices as “reforms.” They pitted working people against one another. No doubt their self-described ‘divide and conquer’ strategy will be employed in many states in the elections to come. Consistent and persistent grass roots work to organize, educate and get-out-the-vote is the way to stop this extreme right-wing juggernaut and protect the historic gains of working people, including the very right to vote
This is what plutocracy looks like
In Wisconsin Tea-Party Governor Scott Walker emerged the victor in the recall contest after conducting one of the most deceptive campaigns in modern times that featured phony numbers regarding job growth and preposterous claims of budget balancing in the wake of his stripping 50 years of collective bargaining rights away from public workers. His 1% sponsors who provided him with over 70% of his campaign funds from outside the State of Wisconsin will now send the signal to both incumbents and candidates for Governor that it is open season on labor. What they didn’t count on is that thanks to the recall movement, activists in Wisconsin now have a list of over one million names, complete with contact information assembled and at their disposal. This struggle is far from over.
Not everyone need apply
With virtually no experience in foreign affairs Mitt Romney had to bring on a qualified advisor. It seemed he found one in fire-breathing right-winger Richard Grenell. But after only two weeks on the job Grenell was forced to part company with Team Romney.
Was it because he was unqualified? Hardly. Grenell had considerable experience in the field of foreign affairs honed in the Bush years. The problem was that Grenell is openly gay and quickly became a target for those radically inclined on so-called social issues. The extreme right gay-bashers now hold such sway in the GOP that any two bit yahoowith a microphone or a mailing list can now make the Party’s Presidential candidate submit to his bigotry. When Grenell was forced from the stage, extreme right crusader Bryan Fischer wasted no time in declaring it “a huge win”. Mr. Fischer heads up the ‘American Family Association’ which the Southern Poverty Law Center has identified as a ‘hate group’.
The Romney campaign isn’t the only one slamming doors in the face of the LGBT community. In Virginia, what appeared to be a routine appointment to the bench turned into a political donnybrook when the chosen candidate for the post turned out to be gay. The GOP bigots were having none of that.
Our daily bread
The extreme right has had some success recently in convincing people of faith that they share their values and stand in common cause in this election year. Ultra-Right politician Paul Ryan was in for a big surprise however when he tried to link his Catholic background to his slash and burn budget proposals.
When those who sincerely study the gospels examine the political landscape, they will find little in the ultra-right platform that reflects the maxim, ‘love thy neighbor’. The Ryan Budget is truly a nightmare.
The AFL-CIO has released a new 8-minute video on YouTube featuring Romney himself on the campaign trail called “Meet Mr. 1%.” It would be very effective at any showing from a union hall to a house meeting.
Profile in courage
In a history making step President Obama publicly announced his support of full marriage equality. No matter how the issue plays in the short term, the side of intolerance is on the losing side of history, and while the politicians and pundits of the extreme right will not go down without a fight it will become increasing unacceptable in future elections for candidates to align themselves on the side of intolerance. The announcement electrified equality supporters everywhere. Tearing long held prejudices from the fabric of American culture is no small task, but the President has pointed the way forward and mass organizations, key in the struggle, have begun to respond with their support. The wheels of history have begun to turn. The president’s historic stance has helped advance a new civil rights revolution that all Americans should be proud of.
Eyewitness to history
The GOP and the Tea-Party Ultra-Right has been on a nationwide campaign to suppress the vote as the historic 2012 elections approach. They have been rather successful, but they met their match on the floor of the House when they tried to slip one past Civil Rights veteran and Georgia Representative John Lewis. In a moment of brazen chutzpah the Republicans sought to eliminate funds that go to enforcing sections of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. Rep. Lewis, who bares the scars of the movement to gain the right to vote, took to the floor and won the day.
The voting rights battle is front and center in this year’s election.
To counter the GOP-led voter suppression laws sweeping many states Democrats introduced the Voter Empowerment Act.
Contact Congress – Voter Empowerment Act of 2012 HR 5799
The Voter Empowerment Act of 2012 HR 5799 is a comprehensive bill that strengthens all aspects of voting rights. The Act is extremely important this year when restrictive election laws have been passed in many states. A description of HR 5799 is available from the pubic policy organization, Demos.
Call and urge your member of Congress to co-sponsor HR 5799.
Handouts to share in your community
Save Our Nation – Tax Corporations – Tax the Rich (PDF)
¡Salvemos nuestra nación! – !Impuesto para las empresas! – ¡Impuesto para los ricos! (PDF)
“Why Vote?” flyer [English / Spanish] (PDF)
Reports from the recent National Members Conference April 21-22
Defeating the Rightwing on the Road to Socialism by Sam Webb
We Are the Real Uniters by Jarvis Tyner
2012: A United People’s Crusade for Truth, Workers’ Rights, Human Rights and Justice by Joelle Fishman
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Joelle Fishman chairs the Connecticut Communist Party USA. She is a Commissioner on the City of New Haven Peace Commission, serves on the executive board of the Alliance of Retired Americans in Connecticut and is an active member of many economic rights and social justice organizations. She was a candidate for Congress from 1973 to 1982, maintaining minor-party ballot status for the Communist Party in Connecticut's Third Congressional District. As chair of the CPUSA Political Action Commission, she has played an active role in the broad labor and people's alliance that defeated the ultra-right in the 2008 elections and continues to mobilize for health care, worker rights and peace.
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