DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS
OF AMERICA
 
 
April 5, 2010
 

NEWS FROM DSA 
A REPORT FROM DSA'S NATIONAL OFFICE.


IN THIS
ISSUE
Wall St. Actions
Good Jobs Now
 
 

 

 
 
 


 

 

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Take Action to Demand:
Good Jobs Now! Make Wall St. Pay!

In March, 162,000 more Americans were employed than the month before (almost 50,000 of them employed by the U.S. Census).  But, 25 million people remain unemployed, underemployed, no longer searching for work, or working far fewer hours than they desire.  Just restoring the 10 million jobs lost since the Great Recession started in the fall of 2007 would take the creation of 350,000 jobs per month for the next four years!

Democratic socialists know that the deficit hysteria in Washington, D.C. is a deliberate attempt to cover up the costs of our government's wars abroad, the "socialism for the rich" bank bailouts and deregulation. Reversing 30 years of massive neoliberal tax cuts for corporations and the rich would more than cover the costs for paying for needed social programs. And supporting working people?s unions instead of attacking them would go a long way toward restoring working and middle class people's income security.

Just sending emails to Congress will not be enough to turn the tide.  We need large-scale public action, people in the streets demanding that our government respond to our suffering -- and socialists have always had an important role in organizing such protests.DSA strongly supports the campaign of the labor movement and their community allies to get Congress to tax Wall Street to pay for a massive federal jobs bill and re-regulate the banks and stock markets.  The primary demands to the banks are:  
  • Pay your fair share to create the millions of jobs America needs.
  • Stop fighting financial reform.
  • Lend to your communities, small businesses and others starved for credit.
Unless massive numbers of jobs are created, there is little chance of restoring purchasing power to the millions of un- or underemployed workers.  Moreover, the fiscal crises facing state and local governments threaten a massive new wave of layoffs that could lead to a second economic contraction.

DSA urges all of our locals to participate in street actions and/or organize your own.  Nothing is too small - people are angry about the bank bailouts and the jobless numbers - we need to create visible dissent.  Below is information on locating an event, and where to find organizing resources to create your own.

Picket your local bank or post office on

Tax Day, April 15th, or

May Day, May 1st

Because The Good Jobs Now -- Make Wall Street Pay program recognizes how critical and how inter-related are these issues, it is calling for heavy taxes on Big Bank bonuses and transactions by Wall Street speculators. It's program reads:

To Make Wall Street Pay, we support taxing Big Bank bonuses and transactions by big Wall Street speculators, the people who created the current economic crisis. A tax on financial speculation can discourage unhealthy financial trading while raising money to create jobs and reduce the deficit.

Wall Street must pay:
 
  • For a major jobs plan to extend unemployment insurance benefits, food assistance and health benefits.
  • To rebuild our crumbling infrastructure.
  • For aid to state and local governments to save critical services and jobs.
  • To increase funding for neglected communities to match people who need jobs with work that needs to be done.

Wall Street must also use TARP money to get credit flowing to small businesses for job creation.

Go to the Jobs with Justice "Tax Wall Street Day of Action" Website for ideas and to find or submit local actions to their database.

DSA has also created a special flyer for you to use on Tax Day or May Day. You may view or download the flyer by clicking here.

Finally, for some background on the fiscal crisis in the states, check out videos of James Parrott of the Fiscal Policy Institute and DSAer Mike Hirsch, speaking at a DSA-sponsored panel at the Left Forum at the beginning of March. There is also a video of New York State Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton also advocating raising taxes on the rich!

Don't forget to notify the DSA national office of your action, and send us pictures as soon as you can. We will distribute the most engaging photos.
 
In solidarity,
                                                          
Frank Llewellyn
National Director 
Paid for by the Democratic Socialists of America ,  75 Maiden Lane, Suite 505, New York, NY 10038.