councilor.org
| Source | Bruce Bentley |
| Date | 99/05/01/22:39 |
| /* Written 11:13 PM Dec 28, 1998 by jdoug@ix.netcom.com in igc:labr.all */ /* ---------- "dsa-doc: Prairie Power #1 - Internet" ---------- */ PRAIRIE POWER Chicago Cleveland Detroit Central Indiana Madison Central Ohio Twin Cities ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Midwest Regional DSA - #1 - January-March, 1999 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Editor's Note: When MwDSA convened at the DSA national convention one year ago in Columbus, Ohio, members agreed to maintain MwDSA as an organizational body. Its function is to maintain communications and be a resource network between locals. Due to the financial debt it was untenable for either MwDSA or the National Office to finance an organizer's salary. This newsletter is the last of the unfinished business agreed upon. I apologize for the delay, but I was out of the country for seven months. The purpose of this quarterly newsletter, Prairie Power, is to provide MwDSAers with information on the political activities of midwest locals. We need to be quasi organizers ourselves; hence our purpose is to maintain communications, camaraderie and seek sources for revenue. We are making progress since Central Ohio DSA (Columbus) recently had its second fund raising dinner event and Greater Detroit DSA is in the planning stage for their second as well (see below). Bruce Bentley Chicago DSA contact: Bruce Bentley (773) 384-0327; email: brucegb@keynet.net Organizationally, CDSA has a core active cadre of 25-30 members. Monthly executive meeting are held as well as three annual membership meetings. Currently the local is fiscally sound with a balance of $10,200. Political activism has been led thanks to the University of Chicago Youth Section with demonstrations in support of the Han Young workers and the Niketown Antisweatshop campaigns. Municipal elections in February '99 will be a focal point of activism. Political education centers around the bimonthly publication of New Ground. A fall discussion series on Economic Democracy at Roosevelt University drew 24- 36 participants per forum. On November 8, CDSA and the Illinois Committee of Correspondence held an election postmortem. Lastly, in regard to fund raising, plans have begun on the Debs-Thomas-Harrington Dinner for May 7, 1999. A recent direct fund raising appeal netted $455. B.B. Cleveland DSA contact: Bernadette Janes (216) 228-5790 The Organizing Committee has 12-15 members who regularly attend the bimonthly meetings which center around a series of educational forums. In November the forum was titled "Farms, Food and the Environment." Discussion focused on the consequences of food irradiation and corporatism in the production and processing of food. Upcoming forums include "Environmental Politics" with author of "Eco Beach," David Beach; "Tort Reform," "Globalism: Its Origin and Effects"; and "The Campaign for Universal Health Care." B.J. Greater Detroit DSA contact: David Green (248) 855-3169 GDDSA had an active year. We were effective participants in the living wage coalition of Detroit which recently became the first city to pass a living wage ordinance by ballot proposition. The ballot proposal passed by an 80% to 20% majority. Under this ordinance, all corporations receiving tax abatements or holding contracts with the City of Detroit of greater than $50,000/year are required to pay their employees a wage which would lift a family of four above the poverty level ($7.70/hr with health care benefits, $9.63/hr w/o health benefits). GDDSA was one of the founders of the Progressive Challenge Coalition which is an attempt to bring together disparate groups from the Left around a core set of principles called "The Fairness Agenda." TFA includes such items as support for a living wage, affirmative action, universal health care, public education, opposition to MAI etc. In the fall, the PCC held two separate public hearing in Ypsilanti, MI which included participants such as Representatives Lynn Rivers and John Conyers of the Progressive Caucus. Last May GDDSA held its first successful fund raising event, The Frederick Douglas/Eugene V. Debs Dinner. The keynote speaker was Elaine Bernard of Harvard University. Honorees included: David Elsila, retired editor of Solidarity Magazine, and Susan Watson, one of the locked-out Detroit Newspaper workers, who is now editor of the strikers' journal, The Detroit Sunday Journal. Currently we are making plans for a second dinner event in May '99. GDDSA continues to be active in MichUHCAN (The Michigan Universal Health Care Access Network), which is the coalition working on behalf of single payer health insurance in the state. D.G. Central Indiana DSA contact: Nanci Naan (317) 352-8261 Executive meetings are held monthly. CIDSA's political activity is primarily in coalition work with other left groups such as the Alliance for Democracy, the SP and peace groups such as the Peace and Justice Center and Pastors for Peace. Three coffee houses are in the planning stage which will entail panel discussions. Concerted action has focused on issues of the environment, mass transit, Mumia Abu-Jamal and assisting SEIU organizer, Gabriel Kramer, organize workers at the Claritian Health Group. Finally, CIDSA "tabled" at the annual Debs Foundation Dinner in Terre Haute, Indiana where the honorees were Howard Zinn and Noel Beasley of UNITE. N.N. Madison DSA contact: George & Terri Robson (608) 592-5437 Our local is small with six to ten DSA members who participate in our meetings. The Federal and State elections were our major thrust this fall. We helped send Russ Feingold, an active advocate for Campaign Finance Reform and universal healthcare, back to the U.S. Senate for a second term. Moreover, we helped elect Tammy Baldwin, an advocate for single payer universal health care and open lesbian to congress. One of our members worked full time as coordinator of volunteers in the Garvey campaign for governor who unfortunately lost. Hopefully, we have momentum toward building a stronger base on the left. We are exploring the possibility of working on issues of common concern with other area progressive groups. We are also trying to be an influence in the local Democratic Party organization. In May '99, leftist groups will have a Radfest at Upland Woods, Wisconsin Dells. Our executive board intends to take part. G.R. Central Ohio DSA contact: Reg Dyck (614) 251-0216); email: rdyck@capital.edu It was a good year for the Democratic Socialists of Central Ohio(DSCO). Our second Women's International Day Forum at Capital University, presented in conjunction with student groups, drew over 75 students and community participants. For our third annual May Day celebration, we hosted a house party for the Farm Labor Organizing Committee (FLOC) and raised over $300. At the 1998 Community Festival, we sponsored a raffle for the third consecutive year. We raised over $650 to support our ongoing activities and a local Teen Drop-in Center. In a joint effort with The Columbus Free Press this fall, we published the Red Issue of The Free Press, which contained articles relating to democratic socialism etc. On November 7, we hosted our 3rd Debs-Thomas-Harrington Awards Dinner in conjunction with the Free Press. This event brought community groups and activists together as we presented awards to local leaders in the struggle for social justice. The Awards Dinner was attended by over 100 members of the activist community and later broadcast on cable public access channel, ACTV 21. We also passed the hat for Hurricane Mitch aid and presented Pastors for Peace with $189 for Honduras and Nicaragua.We undertook these events and projects to increase the visibility of DSCO and do our part to help build the progressive community in Central Ohio. We have supported labor actions, participated in a rally for Leonard Peltier and Mumia Abu-Jamal, and spoke out against US policy toward Iraq. While we have been active and trying to increase our financial base, in August DSCO held a strategy and planning meeting. At that time, DSCO committed to focus its activism on supporting the FLOC in their effort to organize immigrant field workers related to Mt. Olive Pickle Company, the largest pickle company in the South. We also committed to work for a Living Wage ordinance for Columbus, which would guarantee that workers for the city and for companies that contract with the city earn a decent wage, free to join a union, and receive health care benefits. We have reached out to unions and community groups for support. In January, we are holding another strategy meeting. We are trying to develop a long-term strategy for building democratic socialism in Central Ohio. George Boas, Secretary Twin Cities DSA contact: Dan Frankot (612) 224-8262 There is an active cadre of 20 members. Executive meeting are held monthly. Recent political activism centered around the support of Hubert Humphrey III of the Democratic Farm-Labor Party for U.S. Senate who unfortunately lost. Activities on political education have focused around the work of two DSA professors: Stephan Peter and Mike Mitchell. They created the Center for European Experience which is designed to promote the ideas of social democracy. Forums have centered on programs such as National Health and Co-Determinism. Peter is a member of the German Social Democratic Party and Mitchell is a member of the Labour Party. D.F. National DSA Update National DSA is presently going through an organizational crisis. The primarily problem is financial. DSA is broke. Alan Charney resigned as National Director in mid year and present Director, Chris Riddiough, will resign effective 1-1-99. The NPC is taking action to remedy the situation and is in search of a new National Director. Moreover staff have been reduced to one Director, one Financial Coordinator, one Youth Organizer and one half time Membership Services Coordinator. Half of the office has been sublet to reduce costs. Many of us assume that DSA has money, but historically finances have been an on-going problem since the merger with NAM in 1982 when there was a $80,000 deficit. DSA was constantly saved by the fund raising skill of Michael Harrington. It was hoped that the direct mail campaign would replace the $200,000 endowment left after Mike's death. Although the direct mail increased membership from 7,000 to 11,000, it did not become an effective source of revenue. We will keep you informed of developments at the N.O. (information obtained via dsanet) B.B. Whatna Get Organized? If you interested in starting a DSA Organizing Committee (5 or more members are necessary) or Local (15 or more persons) contact the National Office for information and application to be chartered. To begin this organizing project, phone and mailing lists are available through the NO. DSAers from the Chicago Local are willing to assist in the process and travel to meet with your members in a kick off event and to discuss issues of organizing, fund raising etc. B.B. Next issue deadline for Prairie Power is February 1, 1999. Local reports should include the local's political activities and work plan in relation to its own unique local conditions as well as to the objectives of National DSA. Reports can be sent snail mail or email to: Bruce Bentley (brucegb@keynet.net) 432 1/2 S. Winfield Ave. Kankakee, IL 60901 #(815) 935-5725 |
Copyright (c) 1998, Joongpil Cho