From Luxemburgnet
JOBS FOR ALL!
Ten months after the stimulus law passed, one in six Americans is unemployed or underemployed. Despite trillions of dollars in subsidies, the private sector is destroying jobs, not making them. Yet everywhere there is work that needs to be done—schools and hospitals are overcrowded and understaffed, housing and infrastructure is crumbling. Enough of this insanity! Today, there is only one way to create jobs—the government must hire workers directly at good pay to do the work that needs to be done, the way the CWA and WPA programs hired millions in the last Great Depression.
We Demand:
A Massive Public Works Program,
with direct government employment at prevailing wages to:--Cut class size in half in our schools--Provide low cost housing for all--Provide mass transit for all--Research, develop and build cheap, clean safe energy--and to do all the other work in our hospitals, on our roads and bridges, in our social services, in our factories and universities, that needs to be done. This program is to be paid for by ending the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and by taxing the rich and the corporations who created the crisis.
We will not be divided!
We will not fight against ourselves for the available jobs but will unite in one movement to win JOBS FOR ALL WHO LIVE HERE, immigrant and native-born. So to get Jobs For All,
We Demand:
Legalization for ALL
UNITED WE STAND, DIVIDED WE FALL,
REBUILD AMERICA, JOBS FOR ALL!
Rally Saturday, Dec. 19 12:00 Noon
Market and Broad Sts. Newark NJ
Monday, November 30, 2009
Saturday, October 31, 2009
The SPCT Calendar Listing: November, 2009
1. Peace/Economic Conversion Symposium: Nov. 14
“Symposium on Conversion to a Peace Economy in Connecticut”
Sat., November 14, 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM
Konover Auditorium, Dodd Research Center, UConn/Storrs
Continental Breakfast as of 8:15
Public invited free of charge.
Parking available in the South Garage at $1/hour within a short walk
to the Dodd Center. For handicapped access, use contacts below.
INFORMATION: mimbck@yahoo.com or 860-429-3107
2. Voices of A People’s History-By Howard Zinn: Nov. 14-15
Theatrical performance of great dissident voices from throughout American history. 8pm Nov 14th and 2pm Nov 15th at The Old Town Hall, 221 East St. Stafford Springs, CT. Tix available at: 860-684-9500
3. Two Presentations on two growing movements in Latin America,
followed by a meeting of Connecticut United for Peace: Nov. 15
-“Class Struggle and Colonialism” in Puerto Rico
-"Nobody Here Surrenders!" The Struggle in Honduras Continues
Sunday, November 15, 2:00pm at The Church of the Holy Trinity
381 Main Street, Middletown, CT
4. Cindy Sheehan speaks at CCSU: Nov. 16
2pm: Torp Theatre, Davidson Hall at CCSU in New Britain, CT
“Where Has The Antiwar Movement Gone?”
Panel discussion with Cindy Sheehan
7pm: Torp Theatre, Davidson Hall at CCSU in New Britain, CT
“What One Woman Can Do”
Lecture and discussion by Cindy Sheehan
Open and free to the public
5. Protest the Escalation of The War in Afghanistan: TBA
4:30 p.m. the day after any official announcement of troop escalations by the president. Rally at the federal buildings in Hartford or New Haven
6. Socialist Party of CT, December Meeting: TBA
Join the lively and growing movement here in CT!
contact: spcentralct@gmail.com www.socialistpartyct.org
Now on facebook, search: Ct Socialists
7. Call-In For The Kucinich State Single-Payer Amendment: TBA
When the house and senate go into committee to jive up their two bills we have to raise holy heck to have the Kucinich Amendment inserted into the final legislation; this would allow individual states to create their own single-payer systems if they so choose.
“Symposium on Conversion to a Peace Economy in Connecticut”
Sat., November 14, 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM
Konover Auditorium, Dodd Research Center, UConn/Storrs
Continental Breakfast as of 8:15
Public invited free of charge.
Parking available in the South Garage at $1/hour within a short walk
to the Dodd Center. For handicapped access, use contacts below.
INFORMATION: mimbck@yahoo.com or 860-429-3107
2. Voices of A People’s History-By Howard Zinn: Nov. 14-15
Theatrical performance of great dissident voices from throughout American history. 8pm Nov 14th and 2pm Nov 15th at The Old Town Hall, 221 East St. Stafford Springs, CT. Tix available at: 860-684-9500
3. Two Presentations on two growing movements in Latin America,
followed by a meeting of Connecticut United for Peace: Nov. 15
-“Class Struggle and Colonialism” in Puerto Rico
-"Nobody Here Surrenders!" The Struggle in Honduras Continues
Sunday, November 15, 2:00pm at The Church of the Holy Trinity
381 Main Street, Middletown, CT
4. Cindy Sheehan speaks at CCSU: Nov. 16
2pm: Torp Theatre, Davidson Hall at CCSU in New Britain, CT
“Where Has The Antiwar Movement Gone?”
Panel discussion with Cindy Sheehan
7pm: Torp Theatre, Davidson Hall at CCSU in New Britain, CT
“What One Woman Can Do”
Lecture and discussion by Cindy Sheehan
Open and free to the public
5. Protest the Escalation of The War in Afghanistan: TBA
4:30 p.m. the day after any official announcement of troop escalations by the president. Rally at the federal buildings in Hartford or New Haven
6. Socialist Party of CT, December Meeting: TBA
Join the lively and growing movement here in CT!
contact: spcentralct@gmail.com www.socialistpartyct.org
Now on facebook, search: Ct Socialists
7. Call-In For The Kucinich State Single-Payer Amendment: TBA
When the house and senate go into committee to jive up their two bills we have to raise holy heck to have the Kucinich Amendment inserted into the final legislation; this would allow individual states to create their own single-payer systems if they so choose.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
My Town Hall Experience
After waiting 90 minutes with my hand raised to speak, I was finally selected. The entire town hall meeting about healthcare had been unfolding just like all of the reports I'd been seeing and hearing in the media. Loud and disruptive naysayers overpowering any voice that proposed modifying our broken health system.
My heart and mind were racing. So many things that I'd like to say. So many falsehoods and misconceptions to counter. So many facts to share. As I waited behind two others for my turn I scratched some notes on piece of paper I dug from my pocket. Finally, the mic was to be handed to me, and...... "I'm sorry folks that's all we have time for, we have to leave the auditorium at 8pm sharp!" I couldn't believe my ears.
I had so much to say! So little had been accomplished! What a sham!
The whole ride home my father and I, who had attended with me, were simultaneously angered and disheartened by the experience. We discussed a myriad of ways in which the forum could have been better organized. We took turns saying things that we would have liked to have had the opportunity to say.
To paraphrase my own thoughts, (and possibly brush up the language) I would have liked to have said something like this:
"Thank you for taking my question. My name is Todd Vachon from Colchester and I'd like to start by saying that I have spent several years working as a teacher in that 'oh so socialist' institution known as public education. And if this were my classroom, the disruptive members would be on their last warning. But since the principal is not here, perhaps we could call on the uniformed folks standing in the back, who work for that other socialist institution-- the police department, to escort them to their cars. From there, they could drive home on those 'socialist' public roads, abiding by the 'socialist' traffic signals before crossing any 'socialist' bridges.
I think we should also thank the Stalinist 1st selectman and communist regime of Montville for allowing us to use this 'socialist' high school auditorium, free of charge; a beautiful and brand new one at that.
It is unfortunate however, that over 100 folks had to be turned away at the door. The maximum capacity has been reached and the 'socialists' from the fire department deemed it a matter of public safety.
But seriously, all sarcasm aside, what I'm getting at with these examples is that NOT ALL THINGS are handled best by the so-called 'free-market'. Imagine if we all had to subscribe to fire, police and medical service. Many folks would not be able to afford the premiums. What happens when your neighbor's house is on fire and they didn't pay their fire bill? Or better yet, the fire companies deny coverage to your home because it is too old or has a pre-existing condition. I know, it's ludicrous to consider, but what is so different about health services?
If you get in an accident today, the fire and police department respond as a public service. EMT's respond and start treating you on the scene, but as soon as you arrive at the ER the treatment now becomes a commodity that you must pay for.
Every other industrialized country spends considerably less per capita on healthcare; half to be exact. They provide it universally to all of their citizens; we leave 50 million without, and they have better service than we do; we rank 38th in the world.
So, my question is this: Can the naysayers suck it up, get past the ideological free-market dogma, and consider practical solutions to a real problem? Or are they too damned stubborn to ever admit that they are wrong? Thank you."
Well those are my two cents. A day late and a dollar short, but still here anyway.
You know, in retrospect, I think that merely organizing the two opposing factions on opposite ends of the parking lot and allowing them to yell back and forth at each other would have been equally as productive.
My heart and mind were racing. So many things that I'd like to say. So many falsehoods and misconceptions to counter. So many facts to share. As I waited behind two others for my turn I scratched some notes on piece of paper I dug from my pocket. Finally, the mic was to be handed to me, and...... "I'm sorry folks that's all we have time for, we have to leave the auditorium at 8pm sharp!" I couldn't believe my ears.
I had so much to say! So little had been accomplished! What a sham!
The whole ride home my father and I, who had attended with me, were simultaneously angered and disheartened by the experience. We discussed a myriad of ways in which the forum could have been better organized. We took turns saying things that we would have liked to have had the opportunity to say.
To paraphrase my own thoughts, (and possibly brush up the language) I would have liked to have said something like this:
"Thank you for taking my question. My name is Todd Vachon from Colchester and I'd like to start by saying that I have spent several years working as a teacher in that 'oh so socialist' institution known as public education. And if this were my classroom, the disruptive members would be on their last warning. But since the principal is not here, perhaps we could call on the uniformed folks standing in the back, who work for that other socialist institution-- the police department, to escort them to their cars. From there, they could drive home on those 'socialist' public roads, abiding by the 'socialist' traffic signals before crossing any 'socialist' bridges.
I think we should also thank the Stalinist 1st selectman and communist regime of Montville for allowing us to use this 'socialist' high school auditorium, free of charge; a beautiful and brand new one at that.
It is unfortunate however, that over 100 folks had to be turned away at the door. The maximum capacity has been reached and the 'socialists' from the fire department deemed it a matter of public safety.
But seriously, all sarcasm aside, what I'm getting at with these examples is that NOT ALL THINGS are handled best by the so-called 'free-market'. Imagine if we all had to subscribe to fire, police and medical service. Many folks would not be able to afford the premiums. What happens when your neighbor's house is on fire and they didn't pay their fire bill? Or better yet, the fire companies deny coverage to your home because it is too old or has a pre-existing condition. I know, it's ludicrous to consider, but what is so different about health services?
If you get in an accident today, the fire and police department respond as a public service. EMT's respond and start treating you on the scene, but as soon as you arrive at the ER the treatment now becomes a commodity that you must pay for.
Every other industrialized country spends considerably less per capita on healthcare; half to be exact. They provide it universally to all of their citizens; we leave 50 million without, and they have better service than we do; we rank 38th in the world.
So, my question is this: Can the naysayers suck it up, get past the ideological free-market dogma, and consider practical solutions to a real problem? Or are they too damned stubborn to ever admit that they are wrong? Thank you."
Well those are my two cents. A day late and a dollar short, but still here anyway.
You know, in retrospect, I think that merely organizing the two opposing factions on opposite ends of the parking lot and allowing them to yell back and forth at each other would have been equally as productive.
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