Tidbits – July 25 – Reader Comments: Passing the Torch; Calling All Students Going Off to College-Get Your Absentee Ballots; Bernice Johnson Reagon; Ending Taxes on Tips?; March To End Climate Destruction-July 27; Cartoons; More

Reader Comments: Passing the Torch; Calling All Students Going Off to College -- Get Your Absentee Ballots Now; Bernice Johnson Reagon; Ending Taxes On Tips; Record Breaking Corporate Profits - Not Inflation; March To End Climate Destruction-July 27

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Tidbits - Reader Comments, Resources, Announcements, AND cartoons - July 25, 2024,Portside

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Passing the Torch  --  Cartoon

 

Calling All Students Going Off to College --  Get Your Absentee Ballots Now

 

 

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Sleepy Joe Calls Dirty Don: ‘Can you ear me now?’  --  Cartoon by Lalo Alcaraz

 

Lalo Alcaraz
July 22, 2024
https://www.pocho.com/

 

Re: Believe Your Own Eyes
 

And we are asked by the center right to believe that any one of a number of untested right wing dems (never mention Bernie Sanders or Elizabeth Warren or our CA senators, or hey, how about Cory Booker? (Too far to the left I guess). They Center Right peddles the same arguments that destroyed the Hillary Clinton campaign. The left and minorities have no where else to go and all of us being more desperate to beat Trump than to elect a progressive, will line up and follow the center right's orders, and if we don't, hey they have ready made scapegoats. Sheesh. Biden endorsing rent control was probably the kiss of death for him.

Charles Patrick Lynch
Posted on Portside's Facebook page

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Mainstream media seems to always imply that nothing happens until they start to report on it:

For instance, Biden wasn't showing signs of dementia until the press reported signs of it at the "Presidential Debate" OR Israel had not been committing slow genocide in Palestine for 75 years, but the press didn't report on it, so it wasn't happening, until some Palestinians decided to fight back in October of 2023.

Biden had been showing signs of dementia back when he said he "negotiated" a debt ceiling (over a year ago) without ever mentioning income and asset and tax inequities; he only debated which cuts for the poor would be considered

How about talking about drawing lines where we cut off the weapons used for genocide, but then claiming what we were funding wasn't genocide. What about all his other contradictions?

"Facts" happen when they happen and people should learn to pay attention to them whether the press finally decides that reporting on them at the present time will be financially profitable.

Arlene Halfon

 

Running Mate  --  Cartoon by Rob Rogers

 

Rob Rogers
July 18, 2024
robrogers.com

 

Re: A Party of Precarious Manhood, Led by a Blithering Idiot
 

This article, while it might seem a little wild or over the top, is specifically relevant to Peyton Jr.'s theory. I urge you to read it, even though I disagree with the bit about Biden dropping out.

It shows the appeal of an idee fixe among these white male working class voters despite facts to the contrary. (As an aside, Nessa is a perfect example of someone who's absolutely devoted to her idees fixe/sp? despite irrefutable evidence to the contrary.)

Their grievances might have been relevant in 2016, but they're not relevant today, at least as far as Trump goes. He promised them a lot and did nothing. Worse than nothing. Biden demonstrably did more than just something, including standing by unions and creating a huge number of jobs. That interferes with their closed belief system, though, so they ignore it.

Black male working class voters, by the way, who presumably have it worse off than their white counterparts, do NOT have the same grievances, and voted overwhelmingly for Biden, even if a few peeled off to Trump. And Black working class women, who presumably have it worse off than anyone else except maybe undocumented immigrants, saved Biden's bacon!

So, imo, the time has come for Dems to stop catering to aggrieved white men, who apparently love Trump because he expresses their grievances -- nothing more -- and to turn to supporting those constituents who support them by large percentages -- Women (who support Biden over Trump by a staggering 14%, though you'd never know it from the mainstream press, unless you read deep into some of the polling articles, because they bury what should be the lede), working class people of color, and progressives.

Personally, I have zero interest in figuring out what white (working class) men really want or where the Dems went wrong. Look at the harm they've done...

Anne-Miriam Hart

 

There is No Plan B  --  Cartoon by Dr. James MacLeod

 

Dr. James MacLeod
July 21, 2024
MacLeodCartoons

 

Re: TRANSCRIPT: Rep. AOC Delivers Major Floor Speech on Articles of Impeachment Against Justices Thomas and Alito
 

Portside, fb's putin AI is removing shares from you, as "spam". Removed from 3 labor groups, & my own page, immediately after sharing. Requested review, as did the groups' admin.

This is election interference, by fb again.

Chay Allen
Posted on Portside's Facebook page

 

Re: Bernice Johnson Reagon, a Founder of the Freedom Singers and Sweet Honey in the Rock, Has Died
 

Live like her!

David S. Fine
Posted on Portside's Facebook page

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Aside from sadness at the death of another great fighter and wonderful singer, I am also reminded  that Bernice was invited and came to East Berlin in April 1968 to join in ceremonies marking the 70th birthday of Paul Robeson, who was greatly loved in the (East) German Democratic Republic. (At the time I was director of a Paul and Eslanda Robeson Archive at the GDR's Academy of Arts.) Bernice had not yet gained later, greater recognition with her Sweet Honey in the Rock group and was hardly known abroad. But of course she sang beautifully at the main ceremony in the State Opera House, then also in the Maxim Gorky Theater at a special concert for and with young people. She also gave an extra solo concert in the Deutsches Theater.  

But there was an amusing side-line incident during her brief visit. For the coming Summer Olympics of 1968 in Mexico City the GDR was permitted, for the first time, to have a team of its own. Until then GDR teams had been junior partners in all-German Olympic teams, but remained barred from almost all international sport events, which partly explains the use in later years, to compensate for such exclusion, of pharmaceutical "assistance" in some sports, not as first or only sinnner, but as one of the most successful in terms of medals.)

In April, with the decision definite, GDR citizens were already burning in enthusiastic anticipation of how well their team would show in this, its first participation. In a live TV interview with Bernice the GDR journalist, after talking about Robeson and other questions, asked her what she thought of this first (political) Olympic victory, surely expecting a word or two, of congratulations and standard wishes to do well in Mexico.

But that was the year when many Black American athletes and their supporters were considering a boycott of the Olympics. Most of them later decided to take part; that was the year of the black-gloved fists of  Tommie Smith and John Carlos, But this was far from clear in April - and Bernice spoke up sharply against the Olympics, clearly contradicting TV expectations and taboo and bringing the interviewer into an almost visible sweat as he tried to reconcile two very different positions and sharply disagree but politely. He changed the subject as quickly as he could and was relieved when the interview soon was ended. But many, like me, got some laughs at his unhappy writings. That's known by the German word Schadenfreude!

Victor Grossman

 

Re: The Constitution and the American Left
 

We need a constitutional convention that results in 4-5 new amendments like we did after the Civil War. Healthcare as a human right. End citizens united and move to all government funded elections. Better language on firearms (I don't know that we need to repeal the 2nd but more clarity that it doesn't say anyone can have any gun anywhere at any time). Set of binding judicial ethics rules. Without that we are just dying a death by a thousand cuts.

Ben Cupp
Posted on Portside's Facebook page

Re: Donald, You’re No Teddy Roosevelt

He's just as racist

Bill Doar

 

Re: How the Potato Changed the Course of World History 

(posting on Portside Culture)
 

I'm disappointed that this article doesn't mention that the British colonial rule over Ireland forced many Irish to starve to death when the potato crop got diseased, (due to monoculture cultivation), and brutality inflicted on the poor. These events caused millions of my Irish ancestors to emigrate to safer lands. 

BTW, the Incan people cultivated many varieties of potato across their thousands of feet of elevation. The imperial powers did not understand that the biodiversity of Andean potatoes could have prevented a tragic loss of potato crop and enormous loss of human lives.

Bruce O'Brien

 

Short Changed: Ending Income Taxes On Tips Will Not Make Subminimum Wages Livable  (One Fair Wage)

 

 

Yesterday we released an important report that was covered in Axios, the Prospect and Common Dreams, analyzing the recent proposal by former President Trump and Senator Ted Cruz that has gained significant attention recently to eliminate income taxes on tips. Our report, Short Changed: Ending Income Taxes On Tips Will Not Make Subminimum Wages Livable showed that 66% of tipped workers in the United States would not benefit from this proposal because they earn too little to pay income taxes. 

Former President Trump has clearly seen the polling showing that the economy and cost of living are top of mind for working people this election cycle, and it's also clear that candidates who want to win this year should focus on raising wages as the only real solution: paying tipped workers a full, livable minimum wage with tips on top.  

As we see it, regardless of who will be on the ticket, any candidate who wants to win this cycle must address the needs of working people. This must include increasing the minimum wage and eliminating subminimum wages for all working people, including tipped workers. Let's not forget that during Trump's presidency, he attempted to make tips the property of owners instead of workers, and we organized 400,000 people to push back - and won. Those are not the actions of a true champion of the working class. 

To mobilize millions of low-wage workers, including youth and people of color who are all critical voting blocs, candidates will need to be loud and clear with the following message: It is time to raise the minimum wage and end the subminimum wage for tipped workers.

In the midst of a post-pandemic affordability crisis, the minimum wage in general and the subminimum wage for tipped workers in particular — and campaigns to end it — have been gaining attention in recent months. So much so, that the Republican nominee for president of the United States has proposed ending income taxes on tips as a way to increase service workers’ incomes. In response, U.S. Senator Ted Cruz drafted the ‘No Tax on Tips Act’ which would end income taxes on tipped income, but would not end payroll taxes on tips.

Read the Report - Click here (PDF) 

One Fair Wage  
393 Canal Street Suite #103
New York, NY 10013

 

Power to Win: Report on Progressive Power and Organizing  (The Action Lab)

 

https://www.actionlabny.org/power-to-win-report

In 2023, The Action Lab convened the Power Working Group, a cadre of seasoned and brilliant organizers, along with our partners at The Forge organizing journal and NYU’s Initiative for Community Power, to begin a process of reflecting on how to close the gap between the degree of power Left progressive organizations hold and the scale of our ambitions. The Power Working Group designed and executed a research project to give organizers a platform to share their insights about how we, the big we, can correct course and evolve our work.

As a part of the project, we conducted 100 in-depth interviews and we collected 184 comprehensive surveys from progressive organizers across the country. Participants in the research included experienced leaders in social justice organizations, organizers with at least 3 years of experience, academics who have studied the movement, funders who support base-building work, and other practitioners in the field. Their insights and honesty shaped this report.

The findings highlight some tough realities. They also elevate widespread alignment on a range of high value and high impact adjustments that will strengthen our work and help us to build the power to win. Our research also showcases the incredible dedication and creativity of progressive leaders who continue to push forward despite challenges. We hope this report will help us all understand how to better organize and utilize our collective resources to achieve our common goals.

Across the country, progressive organizers are pouring tremendous energy and ingenuity into campaigns to win policies that will make our communities stronger. 

They are building relationships with residents, welcoming new members into their organizations and supporting these new members to take on increasing leadership in local, state and federal fights. They are making heroic efforts to gather resources needed to support this work on an ongoing basis. And they are pushing back against a relentless onslaught of Right-wing attacks on the populations and communities to which they are so deeply committed. Still, it is not enough. 

In recent years—troubled by the Left’s inability to amass sufficient power as well as the ascendancy of Right-wing forces—an increasing number of progressive organizers have begun to register higher and higher levels of alarm. They have argued that the transformation in service of racial, economic and climate justice that progressives seek will not happen unless we change our approach. The “Power to Win” report constitutes an effort to learn from these organizers—not only about what we lack—but also what shifts might bolster our collective power.

READ THE REPORT

The Action Lab

info@actionlabny.org
(914) 941-0411
688 Woodward Ave, Ridgewood, NY 11385

23 Barnes Road, Ossining, NY 10562

 

How Many Republicans Does It Take? - Poster of the Week  (Center for the Study of Political Graphics)

 


 

How Many Republicans Does It Take To Screw The U.S.?
Women's Action Coalition (WAC)
Act Up (issuing agency)
Silkscreen, 1996
Los Angeles, CA
33286

The question on CSPG’s 28-year-old Poster of the Week could have been asked today. In 1996, the Republican slate was Bob Dole and Jack Kemp—far more reasonable than the current Republican ticket. They lost to Bill Clinton and Al Gore—the team that brought us NAFTA and cut welfare benefits.

The current Republican ticket is even more frightening. Trump already announced his “dictator for a day” intention, and we will be living with the damage caused by his three disastrous Supreme Court appointments for generations. His running mate is J.D. Vance, a venture capitalist, climate-denying, anti-abortion, anti-Queer conservative.

Republicans didn't win the presidency when this poster was made in 1996, but they did win Congress—let's not let this happen in 2024! Register to Vote. Get your friends and family to register. And then vote!

AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power (ACT UP) was founded in New York in 1987 to combat discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS, expand medical research, and provide healthcare services for all. The Los Angeles chapter was founded that same year.

The Women’s Action Coalition (WAC) formed in New York in 1992, following the rage engendered by the appointment of Clarence Thomas to the U.S. Supreme Court, despite Anita Hill’s testimony that he had sexually harassed her.

Both ACT UP and WAC used direct action, including protests, sit-ins, and civil

disobedience—and of course posters—to promote their demands. We should do the same. Democracy is worth it.

Center for the Study of Political Graphics  
3916 Sepulveda Blvd, Suite 103
Culver City, CA 90230

 

Record Breaking Corporate Profits  -  Not Inflation
 

For more information see:

Fossil Fuel Companies Make Billions in Profit as We Suffer Billions in Losses: 2024 Edition
April 17, 2024
Union of Concerned Scientists

NVIDIA Announces Financial Results for First Quarter Fiscal 2025
May 22, 2024

 

CEO Shutdown: March To End Climate Destruction  - July 27 - New York  (Summer of Heat)

 

Saturday, July 27th at 11am

Citi’s HQ, 388 Greenwich St, New York, 10013

The world is on fire. It’s so hot people are literally dying. Ecosystems are collapsing. Hundreds of thousands are being displaced from their homes. And Wall Street is to blame. 

Join us on Saturday, July 27th for the CEO Shutdown: March to End Climate Destruction. 

It’s Wall Street’s billions that enable Big Oil to keep building its new pipelines, gas terminals and coal mines. Without the support of Wall Street, Big Oil will fail. And so we will make Wall Street’s financing of fossil fuels untenable.

We will rally at Citibank’s global headquarters. From there, we will march to the Citi CEOs home where we will stage a raucous noise protest (whistles, vuvuzelas, and noise makers will be provided) and occupy the street outside. We anticipate that the police will arrest many of us for this action.

We know it’s an extraordinary step to take our campaign to someone’s home. And it’s not one that we’re taking lightly. We have asked Citibank to end its support for fossil fuels for years. We have sent petitions, written letters, published reports, mobilized customers, and supported shareholder resolutions. In September, we shut down their global headquarters. In April, we did it twice. Since June 10th, we have done it twelve times.

And still, Citi is one of the world’s largest funders of fossil fuel expansion.

So we’re taking our demands to the doorstep of the person with the most power to end Citi’s financing for fossil fuels, the CEO. Whether you’re ready to take civil disobedience with us, or you only want to participate in the family-friendly march, there is a role for everyone in this action.

RSVP for more details and to get invited to trainings, legal briefings, and prep calls ahead of the action.

The clock is ticking. That’s why during the Summer of Heat, we're taking joyful, relentless nonviolent direct action to end fossil fuel financing. 

Wall Street is bankrolling the coal, oil and gas companies that are polluting our communities and killing our planet. But we're going to stop them.

We’re going hard all summer long. Week after week. Month after month. We're taking the party to the streets and we won't stop. 

Summer of Heat brings together a multiracial, multigenerational, cross-class movement for a campaign of sustained nonviolent direct action that demands that Wall Street stop investing in, financing, and insuring fossil fuels. Our work together is guided by these principles:

PRINCIPLES

  • We are unwavering in our goal to end fossil fuels.
  • We fight to protect the people and places we love and we honor each other's fights.
  • We fight to end all forms of oppression.
  • We build people power.
  • We are here to win.
  • We target elites.
  • We are committed to nonviolent direct action.
  • We bring joy and humor in our work.
  • We are here for the long haul.
  • We take care of ourselves and each other.

Summer of Heat  
info@summerofheat.org

 

"Ensuring Democracy's Future: Block & Build Strategy for 2024 and Beyond"  -  New York  -  September 6  (Convergence Magazine and CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies - Civic Engagement and Leadership Development at the Murphy Institute)

 

Registration now open -- space is limited!

ENSURING DEMOCRACY'S FUTURE

Block & Build Strategy for 2024 and Beyond

Friday, September 6, 2024

10am - 5pm

CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies

25 West 43rd Street, 18th floor, New York, NY 10036 (map)

Register to join us *in-person* in Midtown Manhattan.

INFO / REGISTER:

https://slucuny.swoogo.com/6September2024

***

Join us for this in-person, interactive gathering to reflect on the Block & Build organizing strategy and identify our needs for 2024 and beyond. For an introduction to Block & Build, watch this webinar and read this article. Syllabus for reading groups available here. 

Free and open to all.  Lunch will be provided. 

Space is limited.  Register today!  

Help us spread the word to your members, stakeholders, and networks!

***

Speakers:

    Fahd Ahmed            Margie del Castillo          Max Elbaum  

         DRUM            State Power Caucus            Convergence

    Jasmine Gripper            Alethia Jones           Stephanie Luce   

    Working Families Party        CUNY SLU                CUNY SLU          

 Brandon Mancilla           Waleed Shahid           Maria Stephan  

UAW Region 9A             Political Strategist          SURJ-NY   

Sponsors: 

Convergence Magazine: convergencemag.com

CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies --  Civic Engagement and Leadership Development at the Murphy Institute  slu.cuny.edu/civicleadership

Co-Sponsors:

Historians for Peace and Democracy; Movement Law Lab; Seed the Vote; State Power Caucus; SURJ NY