from The Nation
The call for a general strike on May 1 should not be solely about work, argues Marina Sitrin, a postdoctoral fellow at CUNY specializing in global mass movements. Instead, it should reshape our ideas about how society is built, as Sitrin explains in this video, by asking hard questions about class, consumption, work and society.
Part two of an interview from Democracy Now!
DemocracyNow.org – In part two of our interview with Tavis Smiley and Prof. Cornel West they discuss growing up in working-class households. “I saw so much poverty growing up,” says Smiley, who lived with 13 family members in a three-bedroom trailer and learned that even when he was not optimistic, he could be hopeful. “Hope needs help,” Smiley notes. West recalls how he worked with the Black Panthers to organize a general strike while growing up in Sacramento, California, in order to push for African-American studies programs in local high schools. Looking at current events, Smiley and West cite Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s comment that “war is the enemy of the poor.” They compare the amount of money spent on the war in Iraq, and the 2012 presidential campaign, to funding for programs that assist the one in two Americans who are now poor.
The first part of this discussion can be seen here.
from The Nation
The idea of a general strike might seem a little outdated for today’s global economy, but general strikes nevertheless demonstrate not just the power but also the necessity of coordinated action for social and economic justice. In this video, John Nichols, who grew up in a factory town, offers a brief overview of the history of unionization and the general strike and the impact of both on workers’ rights.
from the Center for American Progress
from Democracy NOw!
DemocracyNow.org – The latest census data shows nearly one in two Americans, or 150 million people, have fallen into poverty — or could be classified as low income. We’re joined by Dr. Cornel West and Tavis Smiley, who continue their efforts to spark a national dialogue on the poverty crisis with the new book, “The Rich and the Rest of Us: A Poverty Manifesto.” Smiley, an award-winning TV and radio broadcaster, says President Obama has failed to properly tackle poverty. “There seems to be a bipartisan consensus in Washington that the poor just don’t matter. President Obama is a part of that,” Smiley says. “I take nothing away from his push on healthcare, but jobs for every American should have been priority number one.” West, a professor of religion and African American studies at Princeton University, says that after the historic U.S. struggles against monarchy, slavery and institutionalized racism, “the issue today is oligarchy. Poverty is the new slavery, oligarchs are the new kings — the new heads of this structure of domination.”
The second part of this discussion can be seen here.
from 350.org
“Over the past five years, grassroots leaders throughout the country (and the world) have led the charge for a clean energy economy with 350.org. We’ve organized more than 15,000 actions together, helped stop a tar sands pipeline, and generated momentum to solve the climate crisis. Join us http://350.org“
from the Center for American Progress
Over the last year, green jobs have become a political punching bag. But in many states throughout the country the industry is gaining traction. In Massachusetts, more than 64,000 engineers, construction workers and entrepreneurs have found jobs in the sector. The Center for American Progress came here to learn how they’re doing it, and to tell the real story about the clean energy economy.
Progressive Congress teamed up with the Congressional Progressive Caucus and the Service Employees International Union to take the CPC’s Budget for All directly to the people of Paul Ryan’s district. Representative Jesse Jackson Jr. helped host the rally where we highlighted the negative impact of the Ryan Republican Budget for the 1% and the positive alternatives of the Budget for All.
Find out more at BudgetforAll.org
from PDA-IL
“Tim Bell of the Chicago Workers Collaborative speaks to PDA IL members about the exploitation of temp workers and how the progressive community can reach out and support these workers in their fight for labor equality, justice and access to health care. Visit http://chicagoworkerscollaborative.org/“
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