'Health-Care Reform' Aims to Cut Social Wage

· AUSTRALIA $1.50 · canada $1.25 · france 1.00 euro · new zealand $1.50 · sweden kr10 · uk £.50 · u.s. $1.00 INSIDE Venezuela Int’l Book Fair spreads access to culture — PAGE 7

A SOCIALIST NEWSWEEKLY PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF WORKING PEOPLE vol. 73/no. 46 November 30, 2009 Foreclosures ‘Health-care reform’ Washington mount as aims to cut social wage prepares capitalist Bill imposes fines for those without plans new moves crisis deepens against Iran BY brian williams by cindy jaquith Despite government programs at- November 16—As relations be- tempting to stem the crisis in the tween Washington and Tehran de- capitalist housing market, foreclo- teriorate, the Iranian government is sures continue to rise. The number shifting its tone on President Barack hit a record high in the third quarter Obama, whose election it welcomed. with more than 937,000 filings. So far Moscow, meanwhile, has signaled its this year 3.8 million notices of default willingness to back further actions have been filed, according to Moody’s against Iran if it continues to enrich Economy.com. uranium for its nuclear program. The crisis goes far beyond those Washington and the imperialist who have taken out subprime mort- powers in Europe have demanded gage loans, which require no money Tehran cease enriching uranium, down but have interest rate payments charging it is doing so to build an that increase. Millions who had signed atomic bomb. Tehran denies this, say- up for adjustable rate mortgages AP Photo/Paul Beaty ing it will use the uranium as fuel for (ARM) are facing similar prospects Crowded emergency room at Stroger Hospital in Chicago July 30. Stroger is a “safety net” hos- peaceful nuclear energy purposes. of foreclosure. pital, providing minimal care to Medicaid and uninsured low-income patients. Such programs Negotiators for the Iranian gov- are targeted for cuts as part of “health-care reform” bill being hashed out by Congress. About 10 percent of all mortgages ernment met in Geneva in October in the United States are scheduled BY seth galinsky Orleans, voted for it. To become law with representatives of the United to “adjust” in the next few years, The health-care reform bill passed the Senate must approve a bill, and States, United Kingdom, Germany, with the numbers peaking in the sec- by the U.S. House of Representatives, the two versions would have to be rec- France, Russia, China, and the UN’s ond half of 2011, according to First like its counterpart in the Senate, con- onciled and voted on again. International Atomic Energy Agency American CoreLogic. Those loans tains new attacks on the rights and so- The keystone of the nearly 2,000-page (IAEA). Tehran was presented with a are worth about $1 trillion. Nearly 20 cial wage of working people. bill is the health-care “mandate,” which demand that it ship about 70 percent percent of the borrowers who have The House version narrowly passed requires all U.S. citizens and legal resi- of its enriched uranium to Russia and them are already seriously behind November 7 by a vote of 220 to 215. dents to have health insurance. Those France for further enrichment and Continued on page 8 One Republican, Anh Cao from New who can’t afford to buy insurance at the processing. The remaining 30 per- going rate would be eligible for govern- cent of the uranium Iran would have ment subsidies Anyone still without in- on hand would not be enough to make White House stalls on troop surance would be forced to pay a fine. a nuclear bomb. Under the proposed law a “Health On November 12, with a month decision for Afghanistan war Continued on page 3 Continued on page 8 BY Ben Joyce White House that it was considering As President Barack Obama con- sending up to 40,000 troops, Obama’s ‘Militant’ subscription drive tinues to stall on a decision about ambassador to Afghanistan said that how many additional troops, if any, to he had reservations about the wisdom send to the U.S.-led war in Afghani- of that course. success: wins 2,008 readers stan, debate within his administration The debate on troop deployment By Norton Sandler ers in the plant became readers of the sharpens. comes as Washington is rethinking and tom baumann socialist newsweekly over the course of After days of media leaks from the Continued on page 6 November 18—Juan, a meat packer the eight-week subscription campaign. who works below the kill floor at Da- Supporters of the Militant in cities kota Premium Foods in St. Paul, Min- around the world made an extra push N.Y.: Court upholds conviction of Lynne Stewart nesota, got his subscription to the Mili- to ensure that the goal of 2,000 read- tant today at the union meeting, reports ers was met. With the campaign short Frank Forrestal. With that subscription of the goal early today by seven, in on the final day of the drive, 30 work- the final hours 15 subscriptions were gotten for a total of 2,008. Two teams of Militant supporters in Party-building Continued on page 3 fund bursts over top at $100,000 Also Inside: BY JAMES HARRIS Bay Area hotel workers Congratulations to the supporters strike for new contract 2 of the party-building fund for the So- cialist Workers Party. With $100,169 Nearly 50 million lack contributed the fund has exceeded its adequate food in U.S. 2 $95,000 goal. The purpose of the fund is to aid the Five Guantánamo inmates to Socialist Workers Party in reaching be tried in N.Y. for 9/11 4 AP Photo/Mary Altaffer out to workers, farmers, and young Lynne Stewart, center, with supporters across street from federal courthouse in Manhattan N.Y. campus press covers November 17 after appeals court upheld her conviction on frame-up “conspiracy” charges people. Workers worldwide are living and ordered judge to consider longer sentence. Stewart had been lawyer for Sheik Omar through the initial stages of a great socialist’s bid for office 5 Abdel-Rahman, convicted in 1996 for “seditious conspiracy.” See article on page 4. Continued on page 4 Bay Area hotel workers strike for new contract By BETSEY STONE margin to authorize strikes against 31 SAN FRANCISCO—Chants of of the city’s hotels. The union’s 125- “No contract, no peace” echoed member bargaining committee was through the downtown area here No- given authority to call strikes. vember 13. Hundreds of hotel workers Among the pickets at the Palace Ho- and their supporters picketed outside tel was Adrian Henriquez, a bartend- the Palace Hotel, where a lavish re- er at the Holiday Inn. “The hotels are ception celebrating its 100th anniver- trying to take back what they failed sary was taking place. to get in 2004,” he said. Henriquez The Palace Hotel is owned by Star- was referring to the union’s fight be- wood Corporation. According to an tween 2004 and 2006 that turned information flyer from UNITE HERE, back employer demands for increased the union that represents the workers, health-care premiums and a two-tier Starwood registered $1.9 billion in system of health benefits. At that time profits from 2006 to 2008. In the first the union negotiated with owners of nine months of this year the company the downtown hotels as a group. This has raked in $180 million in profits and time UNITE HERE is bargaining its stock price has risen 85 percent. with the hotel chains separately. The picket action came on the heels “The hotel owners are crying that of a three-day walkout by Palace Ho- they are not making enough money,” tel workers, who are fighting demands said Esther Dominguez, who has by San Francisco hotel owners for in- worked 33 years as a housekeeper. creased workloads through combin- “Yes, the economy is bad today. But ing jobs and that workers pay higher the hotels are making money. We can- amounts for health care. The union is not afford these extra payments for asking for a 1.5 percent pay increase in Militant/Betsey Stone medical care. They can. They should Hotel workers picket Palace Hotel in San Francisco November 12 as part of three-day walkout to order to cover health-care and pension pay.” protest bosses’ demands that they pay more for health care and take on increased workloads. costs. Kaiser Permanente, which covers most UNITE HERE Local 2 members, estimates that costs for health- Nearly 50 million lack adequate food in U.S. care coverage will rise by 30 percent BY brian williams The report, which is based on Census unemployment figures increasing from over the next three years, reported the More than 49 million working people Bureau surveys conducted in Decem- 7.2 percent last December to 10.2 per- New York Times. in the United States lacked access to ad- ber 2008, said that nearly 17 million cent today. The Post reported that “other The strike was one of a number of re- equate food last year, the largest number children—more than one in five—were recent research by the agency [USDA] cent actions by members of the union, since the government started keeping living in households that lacked enough has found that most families in which whose contract ran out in August. track of “food insecurity” 14 years ago. food. food is scarce contain at least one adult On October 22, with hotel owners This is an increase of 4 percent from the The number of children who some- with a full-time job, suggesting that the refusing to budge from their take- previous year, according to a report is- times were “outright hungry” rose from problem lies at least partly in wages.” back demands, more than 3,000 Lo- sued by the U.S. Department of Agricul- nearly 700,000 to almost 1.1 million in Those described as facing “very low cal 2 members voted by a 92 percent ture (USDA). one year, reported the Washington Post. food security,” about 17.3 million peo- Nearly 15 percent of people of all ages ple, had to skip meals, cut portions, or did not consistently have adequate food forgo food for a few days seven or eight last year, compared with about 11 per- months out of the year, according to the cent in 2007. The Post called this “the USDA. greatest deterioration in access to food Many have depended on visits to food during a single year in the history of the banks, soup kitchens, and food stamps. report.” More than 36 million people received Defend workers’ rights More than one in three single mothers food stamps in August, the eighth month raising children faced food shortages, in a row that enrollment set a record, ac- From coal miners on the report notes. It also said that Blacks cording to Reuters. strike in New Zealand, and Latinos were more than twice as President Barack Obama, who has to postal workers fight- likely as whites to face food scarcity promised to end childhood hunger by sometime during the year. 2015, released a statement while travel- ing layoffs in the United Levels of hunger have undoubtedly ing in Asia, saying the report’s findings Kingdom, to hotel work- risen further through 2009, with official are “particularly troubling.” ers striking for health care in San Francisco, address. the ‘Militant’ covers these The Militant Africa, Asia, and the Middle East: For Vol. 73/No. 46 one year send $85 drawn on a U.S. bank to fights. Don’t miss a single Militant/Mike Fitzsimmons above address. Nursing home workers march for contract Closing news date: November 18, 2009 Canada: For one year send Canadian $45 issue! in Jersey City, New Jersey, October 17. Editor: Sam Manuel to the Militant, 7107 St. Denis #204, Mon- Managing Editor: Martín Koppel treal, Quebec H2S 2S5. Business Manager: Angel Lariscy United Kingdom: Send £26 for one year Editorial volunteers: Tom Baumann, by check or international money order SUBSCRIBE TODAY! Róger Calero, Seth Galinsky, Cindy Jaquith, made out to CL London, First Floor, 120 Ben Joyce, Omari Musa, Doug Nelson, Bethnal Green (Entrance in Brick Lane), Jacob Perasso London, E2 6DG, England. NEW READERS NAME Published weekly except for one week in Republic of Ireland and Continental January and one week in July. Europe: Send £75 for one year by check or The Militant (ISSN 0026-3885), 306 W. international money order made out to CL .$5 for 12 issues ADDRESS 37th Street, 10th floor, New York, NY London at above address. 10018. Telephone: (212) 244-4899 France: Send 76 euros for one year to Fax: (212) 244-4947 CITY STATE ZIP Diffusion du Militant, P.O. Box 175, 23 rue RENEWAL E-mail: [email protected] Lecourbe, 75015 Paris. Website: www.themilitant.com Sweden, Finland, Norway, Denmark: .$10 for 12 weeks PHONE e-mail Correspondence concerning subscriptions Send 400 Swedish kronor for one year to or changes of address should be addressed Bildhuggarvägen 17, 12144 Johanneshov, to the Militant, 306 W. 37th Street, 10th UNION/SCHOOL/ORGANIZATION Stockholm, Sweden. .$20 for 6 months floor, New York, NY 10018. New Zealand: Send NZ$50 for one year to Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY. P.O. Box 3025, Auckland, New Zealand. Clip and mail to the militant, POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Australia: Send A$50 for one year to P.O. .$35 for 1 year 306 W. 37th st., 10th Floor new york, ny 10018. the Militant, 306 W. 37th Street, 10th floor, Box 164 Campsie, NSW 2194, Australia. New York, NY 10018. Pacific Islands: Send NZ$50 for one year 12 weeks of the Militant outside the U.S.: Australia and the Pacific, A$8 • United SUBSCRIPTIONS: United States: For to P.O. Box 3025, Auckland, New Zealand. Kingdom, £3 • Canada, Can$6 • Caribbean and Latin America, US$10 • Continental one year send $35 to above address. Signed articles by contributors do not Europe, £18 • France, 12 Euros • New Zealand, NZ$7 • Sweden, Kr60 • All other areas, Latin America, Caribbean: For one year necessarily represent the Militant’s views. US$16 (Send payment to addresses listed in business information box) send $85, drawn on a U.S. bank, to above These are expressed in editorials.

2 The Militant November 30, 2009 Appeals court upholds Coal miners strike in New Zealand Lynne Stewart conviction BY cindy jaquith prison, officials had imposed draco- NEW YORK, November 17—A nian restrictions on Abdel-Rahman’s federal court of appeals here today up- ability to communicate, give inter- held the conviction of civil liberties at- views, or even call his family. torney Lynne Stewart and ordered the Stewart put out the press release in judge who sentenced her to consider 2000. It was not until 2002—on the imposing a longer prison term. heels of the 9/11 attack on the World Stewart was convicted four years Trade Center—that then attorney gen- ago for “conspiracy to provide mate- eral John Ashcroft announced the in- rial aid to terrorist activity” and “de- dictment of Stewart. She, her Arabic frauding” the government. She has translator Mohammed Yousry, and been out on bail awaiting the outcome Ahmed Abdel Sattar, a paralegal for of appeals. As of this writing she re- Abdel-Rahman, were tried in 2005. mains free, but Pat Levasseur of the Much of the evidence was based on Free Lynne Stewart Committee said wiretaps of conversations between the judge could send her to prison at Stewart and Abdel-Rahman and vid- Militant/Mike Tucker HUNTLY, New Zealand—“We are here for the long haul,” Bruce Berry- any time to begin serving her original eotapes of their meetings in prison, man told the Militant on the picket line at the Rotowaro mine here Novem- sentence. a blatant violation of attorney-client ber 16. Almost 1,000 coal miners, members of the Engineering, Printing & Speaking to supporters and the press privilege. Manufacturing Union, are taking strike action for a new national contract. outside the federal courthouse here in The government asked for a 30- The 160 workers at Rotowaro were locked out October 27. Miners at lower Manhattan, Stewart said she year sentence for Stewart. Judge John three other coal mines responded to the lockout by going on strike. had done nothing illegal. The Court of Koeltl sentenced her to 28 months. The four mines, two here in Huntly and two on the West Coast of the Appeals decision “sends a warning to Yousry was sentenced to 20 months, South Island, are run by the state-owned coal company Solid Energy or lawyers” to not represent defendants and Abdel Sattar, who faced additional companies it contracts to. “We’ve been negotiating for seven months,” Ber- accused by the U.S. government of charges, to 24 years. ryman said. “It’s about conditions and the cost of living.” “terrorism,” she said. The ruling came The U.S. Court of Appeals for the —Mike Tucker four days after Attorney General Eric Second Circuit upheld the convictions Holder announced that five 9/11 sus- of all three. By a 2-1 majority that pects imprisoned at Guantánamo will court ordered Judge Koeltl to consider Judge John Walker dissented from the term Stewart got “breathtakingly low.” be brought to New York for trial in fed- a higher sentence for Stewart, particu- majority ruling, saying it did not go far Judge Koeltl has scheduled a consul- eral court. larly if it was determined she commit- enough in imposing a higher sentence tation on the resentencing of Stewart Stewart was convicted for distribut- ted perjury at trial. on Stewart. Walker called the 28-month for December 2. ing a press release from an imprisoned client, Sheik Omar Abdel-Rahman. He had been sentenced in 1996 to life in prison plus 65 years, framed up Health-care bill aims to cut social wage on charges of “seditious conspiracy” Continued from front page ple, many through expanding Med- health-care reform bill, “I’m prepar- based on alleged links to the bombing Benefits Advisory Council” would icaid coverage to those earning up ing for life without health insurance.” of the World Trade Center in 1993. In propose a minimum plan everyone to 150 percent of the official federal He notes that he currently cannot must have and that large companies poverty level. afford even the least expensive HMO would have to offer. Nothing in the As part of financing the project, plan, about $13,000 a year for an in- bill would require insurance compa- proponents of the bill estimate col- dividual. So instead he has opted for Subscriptions nies to provide that minimum level lecting $33 billion in fines from those a hospitalization plan—also known Continued from front page at a price that working people can af- who don’t obtain insurance in the first as catastrophic insurance because it Seattle brought home four subscrip- ford. 10 years of the program. pays for almost nothing except a ma- tions tonight, reports Mary Martin. Supporters of the reform say that it The fines would be collected by the jor medical emergency. Heinze’s plan “Two were sold to previous subscrib- will insure 30 million additional peo- Internal Revenue Service, which has covers only hospital expenses, not ers. The other two were from the power to charge those who don’t doctors’ fees. people in the neighborhood of pay up with a misdemeanor. Penalties Heinze argues that if he has to pay a our campaign hall who had ‘Militant’ Subscription Drive could include up to a year in jail. fine for not buying the required plan, told us to call back.” Sept. 12 – Nov. 17, 2009 The Senate version of the bill steep- he might not even be able to afford the Discussing with potential Final Results ly taxes so-called Cadillac health in- bare bones catastrophe insurance. subscribers the Militant’s spe- Country Quota Sold % surance plans, that is, plans offered cial Spanish-language supple- UNITED STATES by some companies, often as a result What will ‘minimum’ plans cover? ment containing the introduc- Seattle** 100 111 111% of union contract negotiations, that Exactly what medical services the tion to the forthcoming Path- Philadelphia 75 80 107% provide more substantial benefits and minimum required plan would in- finder book Malcolm X, Black Des Moines, IA 110 116 105% medical care. clude, and how large a deductible Liberation, and the Road New York 230 242 105% The House and Senate bills promise workers may have to pay before the to Workers Power, by Jack Twin Cities, MN* 145 152 105% to extract billions of dollars in savings insurance kicks in, won’t be set un- from Medicare and Medicaid by cutting til after the bill becomes law. Some Barnes, national secretary of Washington, D.C. 100 104 104% the Socialist Workers Party, costs, discouraging many medical treat- plans currently offered by companies Chicago* 115 118 103% has been a boost in the final ments and procedures, slashing fees large and small, exclude coverage for Newark, NJ* 80 82 103% week. In several areas across paid to health-care providers, and mak- routine medical checkups, mammo- Los Angeles* 105 107 102% the United States distributors ing health-care workers increase “programs, physical therapy, and mental Miami 110 112 102% sold more than 20 subscrip- ductivity,” a code word for speedup. health. tions this past week. Atlanta 130 132 102% A November 13 report by the Cen- The debate over a “public option,” Highlights from the final Boston* 65 65 100% ters for Medicare and Medicaid Ser- a government-owned and run insur- week include a report from Houston 90 85 94% vices, an agency similar to the Con- ance, received widespread publicity Dave Ferguson in Atlanta San Francisco 150 126 84% gressional Budget Office, notes that after it was included at the last minute where supporters of the Mili- Other 5 if payments are reduced, some hospi- in the House bill. The text says that tant sold 20 subscriptions— TOTAL 1605 1624 101% tals and doctors will refuse to accept premiums would be set to “fully fi- 14 of them in trailer parks UNITED KINGDOM Medicare patients. nance” the cost of medical treatment in nearby Mableton, an area Edinburgh 35 40 114% under the plan. where many Mexican-born London** 90 97 108% Obama: ‘Take painkillers’ Under the main versions of the workers live. TOTAL 125 137 110% Answering charges in June that the bills currently in Congress, insur- In Philadelphia 21 subscrip- reform would mean some treatments ance companies will still be allowed tions were sold over the last Canada 100 85 85% would not be available, President to charge higher fees to smokers and weekend, the big majority in New Zealand 65 67 103% Barack Obama said, “Maybe you’re the elderly. working-class areas. better off not having the surgery, but Whether some version of health- Emily Paul reports that 38 Australia 50 50 100% taking the painkiller.” care reform is passed or not, capitalist subscriptions were sold dur- Sweden* 30 32 107% A November 12 column in the Wall corporations will continue to rake in Street Journal by Andrew Heinze, profits. Already in the last year, phar- ing the three-day Miami In- Total 1975 2008 100% ternational Book Fair. A range who describes himself as a writer and maceutical companies have jacked up Should be 2000 2000 100% of Pathfinder books were sold “registered Democrat living in New the prices of brand-name prescription Continued on page 7 *increased quota **increased quota twice York City,” said that after seeing the drugs by more than 9 percent.

The Militant November 30, 2009 3 5 Guantánamo inmates to be tried in N.Y. for 9/11 by cindy jaquith ited the U.S. government around the The announcement November 13 world, leading the majority of U.S. by Attorney General Eric Holder that rulers to conclude the camp was a five 9/11 suspects will be tried in a political liability. President Barack civilian court in New York City has Obama pledged he would close the provoked sharp debate among capital- prison within a year of taking office. ist politicians. Democrats have argued that in or- Holder said the Justice Depart- der to more effectively fight terrorism, ment intends to try five men accused measures carried out under President of “conspiring to commit the 9/11 at- George W. Bush—many considered tacks” in a federal court “just blocks to be torture—should be scaled back. from where the twin towers stood.” Obama suspended the military tribunals They are Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, set up under Bush that allow hearsay and Walid Bin Attash, Ramzi Bin al-Shibh, evidence obtained from torture, as well Ali Abdul-Aziz Ali, and Mustafa Ah- as the withholding of evidence from the mad al-Hawsawi. defendant. Five others in Guantánamo, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four During interrogations while in de- however, will be tried in military tribu- other defendants accused of conspiracy to commit 9/11 attacks will be brought to New York for trial in federal court. The five are imprisoned at U.S. Navy base at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. tention, Mohammed was subjected nals, Holder said. to waterboarding 183 times. Water- Republican Rudolph Giuliani, who Giuliani said he also disagreed with ingly incompetent,” he said. boarding involves pouring water over was mayor of New York City at the time the Obama administration’s refusal to New York City mayor Michael the prisoner’s face, which is covered of the attack on the World Trade Cen- describe the shooting of 13 soldiers at Bloomberg, on the other hand, said, “It with some sort of cloth or cellophane, ter, sharply disagreed with holding the Ft. Hood November 5 as an “Islamic is fitting that 9/11 suspects face justice while the prisoner is bound to an in- trial in a New York federal court. “This terrorist attack.” “Why this admin- near the World Trade Center site where clined board. The practice is meant to was an act of war,” he said on Fox News istration has trouble figuring that out so many New Yorkers were murdered.” simulate drowning. That method of November 13. The defendants should when the man yelled out, ‘Allahu ak- Former attorney general Michael torture and other examples of abuse be “treated as war criminals,” and pros- bar’ when he was murdering people, Mukasey said Holder’s plan “seems to of prisoners at Guantánamo discred- ecuted by a military tribunal. as a former prosecutor I find frighten- abandon the view that we are involved in a war.” He said trying the men in a civilian court risks disclosure of intelli- Party-building fund goes over top at $100,000 gence secrets and would give al-Qaeda a platform to expound its views. Continued from front page got more contributions from cowork- quota of $2,800, based on what we While most of those speaking out economic depression marked by rap- ers on the job than in the past. We also had done in the past few fund drives. against the trial in New York are Re- idly increasing unemployment. Those saw an increase in participation from Then we raised it to $3,200 after see- publicans, New York governor David who do have jobs are working fewer people who had been contributors but ing the response the fund was getting. hours, facing speedup and deteriorat- had not participated in the last several And then in the final days we ‘had’ to Paterson, a Democrat, said, “We’re still ing, unsafe working conditions. fund drives. The new political situa- raise it again, to $3,600, as the pledg- having trouble getting over” the World Workers are being confronted with tion has brought them back around,” es and payments kept coming. By the Trade Center attack. “We have still been the consequences of the dictatorship of stated Hazlewood. end we went over that quota, collect- unable to rebuild that site, and having the capital and its drive to defend the inter- Joel Britton, the fund organizer in ing $3,703. In going over the records, terrorists tried so close to the attack is ests of the wealthy bondholders, bank- San Francisco, reports that $13,506 this is the largest amount raised in going to be an encumbrance on all New ers, and industrialists. The Socialist was raised for the fund there. “We had Boston in two years.” Yorkers.” Paterson was flatly told by Workers Party explains that working 80 contributors this time. This enabled “I think the response to the fund Obama some months ago he is not wel- people need to confront the dictator- us to raise our goal $500 above the one drive shows the confidence that peo- come on the Democratic ticket in 2010. ship of capital with a revolutionary we had originally set,” he said. A high- ple attracted to the party have as we Secretary of State Hillary Clinton movement that explains that workers light of the drive is that fund support- respond to the growing economic and supported the civilian trial, but without must take political power out of the ers in San Francisco were able to be on political crisis of imperialism,” con- enthusiasm. “I’m not going to second hands of the capitalist class to organize schedule every week. “The number of tinued Dwire. “They see the need to guess the attorney general,” she told a socialist society that functions in the contributors is a real sign of the times support the proletarian party as we ABC News November 15. interests of the vast majority. and what is possible,” Britton stated. use all our tools from the distribution Obama told NBC and CNN Novem- More and more workers are looking Over the course of the drive seven of the Militant, to books by Pathfind- ber 18 that those offended by a civilian for answers to the roots of the econom- areas raised their quotas above the er, to our election campaigns to put trial for Mohammed won’t think it’s of- ic depression they are living through. ones they had originally set. Kevin forward the need for working people fensive “when he’s convicted and when That has broadened the appeal of the Dwire wrote, “We started out with a to take political power.” the death penalty is applied to him.” fund, noted Dean Hazlewood, fund organizer in Los Angeles, where $9,242 was raised. if you like this paper, look us up “We had 57 people contribute to the fund here. The participation in the Where to find distributors of the Mili- E. Lake St. Zip: 55407. Tel: (612) 729-1205. CANADA tant, New International, and a full dis- E-mail: [email protected] QUEBEC: Montreal: 7107 St. Denis drive was broader this time than in play of Pathfinder books. previous years. Fund supporters also NEW JERSEY: Newark: 45 Academy #204 H2S 2S5. Tel: (514) 272-5840. E-mail: [email protected] UNITED STATES St., Suite 309. Zip: 07102. Tel: (973) 273- 0075. E-mail: [email protected] CALIFORNIA: Los Angeles: FRANCE Party-building fund 2826 S. Vermont Ave. #9. Zip: 90011. NEW YORK: Manhattan: 306 W. 37th Paris: P.O. 175, 23 rue Lecourbe. 2009 s Final results Mailing address: PMB #267, 3175 S. St., 10th Floor. Zip: 10018. Tel: (212) 629- Fall Postal code: 75015. Tel: (01) 40-10-28-37. City Quota Paid % Hoover St. Zip: 90007. Tel: (323) 737- 6649. E-mail: [email protected] 2191. E-mail: [email protected] San E-mail: [email protected] Twin Cities, MN $6,600 $7,370 112% Francisco: 5482 Mission St. Zip: 94112- PENNSYLVANIA: Philadelphia: 188 Seattle* $7,800 $8,509 109% 1015. Tel: (415) 584-2135. E-mail: swpsf W. Wyoming Ave. Zip: 19140. Tel: (215) 455-2682. E-mail: [email protected] NEW ZEALAND Des Moines, IA $2,400 $2,610 109% @sbcglobal.net Auckland: Suite 3, 7 Mason Ave., Houston $2,700 $2,858 106% FLORIDA: Miami: 719 NE 79th St. TEXAS: Houston: 4800 W. 34th St., Otahuhu. Postal address: P.O. Box 3025. Tel: (9) 276-8885. E-mail: clauck@xtra. Miami* $3,300 $3,491 106% Zip: 33138. Tel: (305) 757-8869. E-mail: Suite C-51A. Zip: 77092. Tel: (713) 688- [email protected] 4919. E-mail: [email protected] co.nz Washington, D.C.* $6,500 $6,850 105% Boston** $3,600 $3,703 103% GEORGIA: Atlanta: 465 Boulevard WASHINGTON, D.C.: 143 SWEDEN SE Suite 201A. Zip: 30312. Tel: (404) 627- Kennedy St. NW Suite 15. Zip: Atlanta* $8,500 $8,701 102% 3704. E-mail: [email protected] 20011. Tel: (202) 536-5080. E-mail: Stockholm: Bildhuggarvägen 17, 12144 Newark, NJ $3,000 $3,065 102% [email protected] Johanneshov. Tel: (08) 31 69 33. E-mail: ILLINOIS: Chicago: 3557 S. Archer [email protected] New York $16,000 $16,131 101% Ave. Zip: 60609. Tel: (773) 890-1190. E- WASHINGTON: Seattle: 5418 Rainier Los Angeles $9,200 $9,242 100% mail: [email protected] Ave. South. Zip: 98118-2439. Tel: (206) 323- UNITED KINGDOM Chicago $9,500 $9,528 100% IOWA: Des Moines: 3707 Douglas Ave. 1755. E-mail: [email protected] ENGLAND: London: First Floor, 120 Philadelphia** $4,000 $4,005 100% Zip: 50310. Tel: (515) 255-1707. E-mail: Bethnal Green (Entrance in Brick Lane). [email protected] San Francisco* $13,500 $13,506 100% AUSTRALIA Postal code: E2 6DG. Tel: 020-7613-2466. Other $600 MASSACHUSETTS: Boston: 13 E-mail: [email protected] 1st Flr, 3/281-287 Beamish Bennington St., 2nd Floor, East Bos- Sydney: St., Campsie, NSW 2194. Mailing Second TOTAL $96,600 $100,169 105% ton. Zip: 02128. Tel: (617) 569-9169. SCOTLAND: Edinburgh: address: P.O. Box 164, Campsie, NSW 2194. Floor, 105 Hanover St. Postal code: E-mail: [email protected] SHOULD BE $95,000 $95,000 100% Tel: (02) 9718 9698. E-mail: cl_australia@ EH2 1DJ. Tel: 0131-226-2756. E-mail: *raised quota ** raised quota twice MINNESOTA: Minneapolis: 1311 1/2 optusnet.com.au [email protected] 4 The Militant November 30, 2009 N.Y. campus press covers socialist’s bid for office The following article on the elec- “My campaign was a victory and I tion campaign of Tom Baumann, the celebrate it,” Baumann said. “Tens of Socialist Workers Party candidate for thousands took campaign literature, Manhattan borough president, ap- hundreds bought copies of our cam- peared in the November 11–24 issue paign newspaper, and scores were of the Envoy, a newspaper at Hunter interested enough to purchase sub- College in New York. The article, titled scriptions to our press.” In addition, “From Hunter College to the Streets Baumann stressed that his final vote of New York: Hunter College Student count represents a small but signifi- Places Third in Race for Manhattan cant following, and is a “good base to Borough President,” was written by work from.” the paper’s managing editor. The election is over, but the campaign is not. “The fact remains,” Bau- BY Tracy Neiman mann emphasized, “that the only way Tom Baumann, Hunter undergrad to solve the economic crisis is for the and president of the College’s Young working class to take political pow- Socialists club, has taken politics be- er.” yond the campus. He stressed, “I will continue fight- Over the past months, Baumann ing along working people to advance November 11–24 issue of Envoy features article on Tom Baumann, Socialist Workers Party candidate for Manhattan borough president in recent elections. successfully secured the Socialist their struggles.” Workers Party nomination to run for Though the election is over, Bau- teed employment compensation, free for students to hear firsthand from Manhattan Borough President, col- mann still plans to address the plat- education, and abortion rights, as be- their peers in Cuba—a country that lecting over 2,000 signatures from forms he ran on over the past months. ing at the core of his continued cam- the U.S. government will not let you Hunter College students and staff to “The main issue we address is the fact paign. travel to,” Baumann said. Interested ensure his place on the ballot. On Nov. that we live under the dictatorship of In addition, now that the election is students may contact Baumann at 3, this past Election Day, his campaign capital,” Baumann said. “My cam- over, he will be turning his focus to [email protected]. culminated in 3,789 votes, represent- paign placed immediate demands on instituting a Cuban student academic This project reflects the heart of ing 1.7 percent of the electorate, with the capitalist class to protect working exchange in the Spring 2010 semes- Baumann’s ongoing campaign, which over 80 percent of the vote going to people from the devastation in store ter, in which two Cuban students will cites the Cuban Revolution as an incumbent Scott Stringer. Baumann for us. be invited to tour the United States example on which to base our own placed third in the race behind Re- Baumann cites government-guar- and speak at universities across the working class revolution. Education publican David Casavis. anteed universal healthcare, guaran- country. “It will be an opportunity and healthcare, Baumann emphasized, are both free for all living in Cuba. “There is not much wealth,” he said, “but there is no class that lives Missouri: UAW, Ford settle during strike vote off the exploitation of others.” BY DAVID ROSENFELD “I voted yes to authorize a strike for against workers in the weeks leading He stressed, “There has never been DES MOINES, Iowa, November us,” union member Moses Key told Fox up to the vote on the concessions. a greater need for a revolutionary par- 15—Workers at Ford Motor Compa- 4 News. “I think the company is not Company and UAW officials had ty to join these issues and explain how ny’s Kansas City, Missouri, Assembly treating us fairly and so it’s time. I think touted the concessions as necessary only with a socialist revolution in the Plant were in the midst of voting to we’ve given up enough concessions.” to keep Ford competitive with Gen- United States could working people authorize a strike when company of- The strike authorization vote came eral Motors and Chrysler. The con- use state power to reorganize society ficials announced they had reached an less that two weeks after Ford workers cessions rejected included a wage from top to bottom, to meet the needs agreement with officials of the United nationally rejected a concessions con- freeze for new hires, a ban on strikes of the vast majority. Auto Workers (UAW) union. tract by a wide margin. Seventy percent over wages and benefits until 2015, “The campaign has put me in con- Preliminary results showed over- of production workers and 75 percent of job combinations, and more leeway tact with workers and young people whelming support for the authori- those in skilled trades voted no. Ninety- for management to move workers who want to organize along these zation to call a strike at the facility, two percent of workers at the Kansas around. Workers would have received lines,” he said. which employs 3,500 workers. No de- City plant voted the concessions down. a $1,000 bonus in March 2010. “The campaign has made me a tails of the settlement were available. According to UAW Local 249 pres- As voting on the contract was fin- more effective candidate and if asked, The strike authorization vote came in ident Jeff Wright, the company filed ishing up, Ford posted a third quarter I would happily accept the nomina- response to rising anger and frustration more than 200 disciplinary reports profit of $997 million. tion to run again.” with speedup and unsafe working conditions in the plant. Ford management had recently implemented what they euphe- 25, 50, and 75 years ago mistically called a “rebalancing” of the workforce to improve plant efficiency. Plant worker Mike Gorski told KMBC News just what that meant. “They’re cutting jobs out on the line and wanting that work [to be done] by November 30, 1984 November 30, 1959 December 8, 1934 other people . . . and you’re just non- WASHINGTON—Terrorist oppo- Shouting “Yankees, go home,” The first mass meeting held by the stop running. You don’t have time, nents of women’s rights struck again hooting and jeering at its “disclo- Workers Party drew twelve hundred like I said, you don’t have time to get when bombs ripped through a wom- sures,” the Puerto Rican people gave workers as, winding up a week of con- a drink of water or scratch your nose. en’s medical center and a Planned the House Un-American Activities ventions, the Party made its first public You’re just constantly running.” Parenthood office near here early on Committee the hottest reception appearance at Germania Hall Sunday the morning of November 19. of its infamous history. In fact, the night. For further reading... At 6:15 a.m. a powerful bomb ex- witch-hunters concluded the hear- Addressing the largest group of work- ploded at the back door of the Metro- ings abruptly with four witnesses yet ers brought together by a political pro- The Changing Face of politan Medical and Women’s Center to go. gram in recent years outside the reform- U.S. Politics in Wheaton, Maryland. The center pro- “The Committee’s effort to produce ist and Stalinist ranks, representative by Jack Barnes vides women’s medical care and abor- sensations met with laughter on the leaders reflected in their appearance and A handbook for those seeking the tions. The back of the clinic was blown part of the crowded hearing,” reports addresses a cross section of the proletar- road toward effective action to apart, and windows in the front of the the Emergency Civil Liberties Com- ian foundations of the Workers Party. overturn the exploitative system of building were shattered by the force of mittee in a Nov. 20 release. Vincent R. Dunne, one of the three capitalism and join in the blast. The two-alarm fire triggered “Pickets marched and chanted brothers all of whom were leaders of the reconstructing the by the bomb destroyed the clinic. Police outside. Forty outstanding citizens Minneapolis drivers in their victorious world on new, so- estimated the damage at $350,000. signed a protest which was carried strikes earlier this year, told of the ris- cialist foundations. Five minutes later a second bomb as an advertisement in papers. Sixty- ing progressive movement in the labor Also available in exploded at the back door of the Ran- nine members of the faculty of the unions throughout the Minnesota dis- French, Greek, Span- dolph Medical Center a mile away in University of Puerto Rico issued a trict. The need to include in the ranks of ish, and Swedish. $24 Rockville, Maryland. Planned Parent- concurring statement, joining the the revolutionary working class move- Pathfinder hood has an office on the third floor of protest, and political demonstrations ment the decisive sections of the twelve the building and provides contracep- against the Committee’s intrusion million Negro masses was brought to the Press.com tive information and counseling there. were held throughout the island.” fore by three leading Negro delegates.

The Militant November 30, 2009 5 Book by Chinese-Cuban generals discussed in UK Explains Cuban Revolution’s blow against racism

BY ÖGMUNDUR JÓNSSON driving ahead. In doing so, they opened LONDON—Some 30 people, most the socialist revolution in the western of them students, attended a discus- hemisphere.” sion on the Cuban Revolution Octo- Silberman pointed to how today’s ber 19 at Goodenough College. The economic crisis and spreading wars are meeting featured presentations on the affecting the living standards, rights, Pathfinder book Our History Is Still and health and safety of working people Being Written: The Story of Three the world over. “The clearer it becomes Chinese-Cuban Generals in the Cu- that this global crisis has barely begun, ban Revolution. that this is the world that we’re going to Militant/Ólöf Andra Proppé The book tells the stories of Armando be confronting for decades, the more October 19 meeting at Goodenough College on Our History Is Still Being Written: The Story of Choy, Gustavo Chui, and Moisés Sío working people and youth become in- Three Chinese-Cuban Generals in the Cuban Revolution. Panelists, from left, Jonathan Silberman Wong, who joined in the Cuban revo- terested in Cuba’s revolutionary alterna- of Pathfinder Books, and Stephen Fay, graduate student at University of Nottingham. lutionary struggle as teenagers in the tive,” he said. of the revolutionary struggle Chinese- Until recently, this history was virtu- 1950s and carry central leadership re- A lively discussion period followed Cuban workers had organized the José ally unknown in Cuba, but in 2007 the sponsibilities to this day. the presentations. Questions included Wong brigade, which helped to bring Communist Party set up a commission On the panel initiating the discussion whether there had been immigration of an end to gambling and prostitution in charged with reviving it. were Stephen Fay, a graduate student in Chinese to Cuba in recent decades, what Chinatown. “As Sío Wong says in the book, the Latin American studies at the Univer- challenges were involved in producing “Do the generals describe themselves revolution transformed the lives of sity of Nottingham, and Jonathan Sil- an “oral history” book such as Our His- as Chinese-Cubans, Cuban-Chinese, or Blacks and Chinese-Cubans, but many berman, director of Pathfinder Books in tory, and how it’s distributed in Cuba. just Cubans ?” Silberman was asked. challenges remain. The revolution is the London. In response to a question on whether For many years, Silberman said, es- most powerful instrument working peo- “From the beginning Cuba’s island there was a Chinatown in Havana, Fay pecially in the 1970s, there was little ple have to confront these challenges,” character was of second order,” Fay said that in recent years there has been discussion on the heritage of Chinese or Silberman said. said. “It was never insular in that sense. a rejuvenation of Havana’s Chinatown, Blacks in Cuba. As an example he men- “Today people are encouraged to be There was a constant in- and outflow of partly in relation to tourism. He noted tioned the Independent Party of Color, proud of their Chinese ancestry,” said migrants.” He pointed out that Native that a layer of Chinese had left Cuba fol- formed in 1908 by Afro-Cubans who Silberman. “For example, Sío Wong Americans from Florida, the Orinoco lowing the 1959 revolution. Silberman had fought in the independence wars. says he’s a Matancero [a Cuban from Delta, and other Caribbean islands orig- pointed out that the response to the rev- The party was wiped out in a mas- Matanzas] made from Chinese raw inally settled Cuba. olution had been class-divided. As part sacre of 3,000 of its members in 1912. materials.” After 1492, European settlers came mostly from a Spain that was “still in formation” and included many nation- alities. Slaves were brought from differ- White House stalls on Afghan war decision ent parts of Africa. “Each group made a Continued from front page ramps are,” one official with knowledge large and rapid surge of U.S. forces.” contribution to Cuban identity, without its strategy in the increasingly diffi- of the meeting told the New York Times. Supporters of McChrystal’s request giving up their own particular heritage,” cult war in Central Asia, which has Eikenberry was selected by Obama for additional troops often compare it to he said. now lasted more than eight years. In as ambassador to Afghanistan in Janu- the “surge” of troops in Iraq under the Following Fay’s presentation a clip late August, Stanley McChrystal, the ary. He served as the top U.S. com- George Bush administration in 2007. As was shown from the award-winning top U.S. general in Afghanistan, sub- mander there from 2005 to 2007, as well a result Washington has made substan- documentary Ancestors in the Americas: mitted a report outlining his proposed as heading the building and training of tial progress towards its goal of setting Coolies, Sailors and Settlers, by Loni counterinsurgency strategy. The re- the Afghan security forces from 2002 to up a stable regime in Iraq that will serve Ding. The film portrays the inhuman port says that while U.S. forces face 2003. He is among many in Washington as a regional ally, at least in the short conditions faced by Chinese indentured “enormous challenges,” a new ap- who have expressed concern over the term. Compared to Afghanistan today, laborers, also called “coolies,” who were proach, including deploying 40,000 reliability of the Karzai government, es- the military policy under the Bush ad- taken from China to the Americas, as additional troops, is the only way to pecially after recent elections marked by ministration is seen by more and more well as their resistance and unblemished win the war. charges of fraud and corruption. as a success for the ruling class. record in the Cuban wars of indepen- The war has accelerated rapidly this The Times reports that the White The paralysis of the Obama admin- dence against Spain in the 19th century. year with more military and civilian House is considering sending only istration in deciding on a course in Silberman explained that hundreds of deaths than any previous year. So far 10,000 to 15,000 troops—far short of Afghanistan makes it more difficult to thousands of Cubans identify with the 290 U.S. troops have been killed in 2009 what McChrystal says is needed. The get Washington’s imperialist allies in story told in Our History Is Still Being compared to 155 in all of last year. With bulk of the additional forces would go Europe to make further commitments Written. As teenagers, the three gener- increased use of aerial drone strikes by to training the Afghan army, with a to the war. Despite U.S. government als “were members of that generation of U.S.-led NATO forces, civilian deaths smaller number focused on combat with efforts to get Germany to deploy ad- Cubans who stood up to the tyranny and have mounted. According to a UN re- insurgents. ditional troops, Berlin recently decided oppression of the imperialist-backed dic- port, more than 1,000 civilians died in General McChrystal’s plan for Af- that only 120 more would be sent. There tatorship led by Gen. Fulgencio Batista. the first six months of the year and many ghanistan has garnered support within are currently 4,200 German troops in “Working people in Cuba didn’t start speculate the pace has increased in sub- some sections of the ruling class. U.S. Afghanistan. They’re based in the more out to organize a revolution,” he said, sequent months. senators Dianne Feinstein, a Democrat, secure northern province of Kundus. “but with each new challenge they kept Currently there are 65,000 U.S. troops and Republican John McCain have both The extra infantry company will arrive in Afghanistan and that level is set to expressed support for a rapid increase in in mid-January. Our History Is Still reach 68,000 by the end of the year. troops. With about 124,000 troops in Iraq, the An editorial appeared Being Written combined force is at an all-time high. in the November 11 The Story of Three Chinese- Some administration officials are not Weekly Standard by Cuban Generals in the Cu- convinced that the United States should Frederick Kagan of the ban Revolution send more troops to the front. Earlier American Enterprise Through the stories of these this month U.S. ambassador to Afghan- Institute and Kimberly three generals, we see how istan Karl Eikenberry communicated Kagan of the Institute millions of ordinary men and to Washington that he is dubious about for the Study of War, women like them sending additional troops given the in- two Washington think changed the course stability and lack of credibility of the tanks, titled “The Cost of history, becoming Afghan government headed by Presi- of Dithering.” The au- different human be- dent Hamid Karzai. thors call on the Obama ings in the process. In a meeting in the White House $20 administration to meet Situation Room November 11, Obama McChrystal’s recom- Available from pressed Eikenberry and others in the mendations on troop re- president’s war council as to how long it PathfinderPress.com inforcements as well as would take to see results and withdraw. preparing Afghanistan’s U.S. Marine Corps/Sgt. Christopher R. Rye “He wants to know where the off- infrastructure for “a U.S. Marines operate howitzer in southern Afghanistan

6 The Militant November 30, 2009 Venezuela Int’l Book Fair spreads access to culture

BY RÓGER CALERO and a half years some 18 million cop- CARACAS, Venezuela—The fifth ies of 2,600 titles have been published annual Venezuela International Book in Venezuela, contrasting that to the Fair opened here in this capital city No- 374 titles published in the second half vember 13. Since September 30 the book of the 1990s, under the previous gov- fair has traveled to 200 municipalities in ernment. the 24 states of the country. Chávez said that the main question More than 200 exhibitors from 14 is not just the production of books, but countries, including more than 100 “to what end are we reading?” Para- Venezuelan publishers, are participat- phrasing Venezuelan historical fig- ing in this year’s fair. It is taking place ures, he said that reading was part of in the centrally located Luis Mariano the long process of obtaining a politi- Rivera-Los Caobos Park. The pro- cal understanding of society. gram includes more than 420 activi- The Venezuelan president called at- ties—forums, book presentations, tention to Washington’s moves to have conferences, concerts, movies, and greater use of military bases in neigh- educational activities for the thou- boring Colombia as an attempt to use sands of children expected to visit. that country as a launching pad for This year the fair’s honored country military operations in the region. Ear- is Bolivia. Visitors can enjoy a large ly in November, in response to these exhibit about that Andean country’s moves, the Venezuelan government music, dance, literature, and cultural ordered the mobilization of additional traditions. The fair is also honoring troops to towns bordering Colombia. the 50th anniversary of the publishing The Colombian government claims house Casa de las Américas of Cuba, that the increased U.S. military pres- created in the opening years of the Militant/Maggie Trowe ence is aimed at fighting drug traffick- Cuban Revolution. Pavilion of the National Book Platform of Venezuela. Fifth annual Venezuela International Book Fair opened in Caracas November 13. Fair has more than 200 exhibitors from 14 countries. ing and guerrilla groups, and denies it Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez is a military threat to Venezuela. was the featured speaker at the fair’s Briceño Guerrero, the honored Ven- institutions to expand the population’s The same day the fair opened thou- opening ceremony, along with Héctor ezuelan writer of this year’s fair; and access to literature. sands marched in the streets of Cara- Soto, the Venezuelan minister of cul- Rosa Angela Orozco, representing “What is important for us is stimu- cas to denounce Washington’s threats. ture; María Estela Vargas, Bolivia’s the “Revolutionary Reading Plan,” lating reading, not selling books,” said Participants at the opening ceremony vice minister of culture; José Luis an effort by Venezuelan government Soto. He noted that in the last three joined in chanting slogans against the use of the bases as the march passed near by the Los Caobos Park during Iran: Pathfinder book explains class society Chávez’s presentation. A reader in New York City has sent and the Marxist Movement by Mary- source of the big difference—some- Pathfinder Press has participated in us the following letter he received this Alice Waters. thing he had always felt but could not Venezuela book fairs for the last six month from a friend in Iran. The friend understand where it came from—be- years, offering an array of revolution- v reports the response of a worker he tween the intellectuals who admire ary books and pamphlets. The Marx- knows there who has recently read the November 14, 2009 Pathfinder literature and agree with ist magazine New International, with Farsi translation of The Working Class Dear Farhad, its content and other intellectuals; how articles explaining the worldwide and the Transformation of Learn- I recently talked with Javid about the they have a very humble and equal re- capitalist economic crisis and working by Jack Barnes, one of some 35 content of Pathfinder books available lationship with workers. Because of his ing-class resistance in the United Pathfinder Press books and pamphlets in Farsi. Javid doesn’t read English. He job, Javid said, he knows many authors States to attacks by the bosses and now available in Farsi in Iran from a told me one of his favorites is the Farsi and translators, but they never treat their government, has found a recep- number of publishers. More than 1,200 translation of The Working Class and him as an equal in their personal and tive audience among fair participants, copies of The Working Class and the the Transformation of Learning by intellectual relations with him. He said as have similar Pathfinder titles. Transformation of Learning in Farsi Jack Barnes. how outstanding it has been for him to In the first four days of the fair more have been sold in Iran since its publi- He said reading that booklet clari- experience the unwavering relation- than 150 copies of New International cation in 2003. fied for him, for the first time, how ship of equals he has had with those were purchased, as well as 97 copies Since the rise of demonstrations and capitalism uses university diplomas as who work with Pathfinder literature. of the Spanish edition of Is Social- other protests against the fraudulent a basis to build the structure of class The important part for him is that ist Revolution in the U.S. Possible? June 12 elections in Iran earlier this society—how this is used as a tool to those who work with Pathfinder not a booklet based on talks by Social- year, 3,800 Pathfinder books produced convince workers to accept our low only identify with its literature but act ist Workers Party leader Mary-Alice by one of the Farsi-language publishers living standards and submit to the false on it as well. Waters at the 2007 and 2008 Caracas have been bought by working people, idea that we ourselves are to blame for Best wishes, book fairs. Fourteen fair goers picked youth, and others there. The top three those conditions. To try to get us to ac- Soheil Farrokhi up Capitalism’s World Disorder. sellers are Capitalism’s Long Hot Win- cept that workers are responsible for ter Has Begun by Jack Barnes; The our low standard of life. For further reading . . . Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx Javid also emphasized that through and Frederick Engels; and Feminism reading the booklet, he recognized the Is Socialist Revolution Subscription drive success in the U.S. Possible? Continued from page 3 Minnesota. Seven subscriptions were by Mary-Alice Waters along with subscriptions. Pathfinder sold to students at Iowa State Uni- Waters explains why revolutionary struggles by book sales totaled more than $800. versity in Ames by a team from Des working people are inevitable, initiated not by the Supporters of the paper in Des Moines that spent a day on campus toilers, but forced upon us by the employing class’s Moines, Iowa, and Twin Cities, Min- recently. nesota, teamed up to sell 14 subscrip- A consistent highlight of this drive crisis-driven assaults on our living standards and tions in Worthington, Minnesota, an has been subscriptions sold to indus- job conditions—on our very humanity. —$7 area where many Latino packing- trial workers. In addition to the 30 new house workers live. Twin Cites sup- readers of the Militant who are mem- The Working Class and porters added another eight subscrip- bers of United Food and Commercial tions going door-to-door in St. James, Workers Local 789, 24 workers at the the Transformation of Learning American Apparel garment plant and The Fraud of Education Reform under Capitalism Visit us online! the Farmer John meatpacking plant by Jack Barnes in Los Angeles subscribed during the drive. At the JBS Swift meatpacking Until society is reorganized so that education is a hu- plant in Marshalltown, Iowa 17 new man activity from the time we are very young until the TheMilitant.com readers have signed up to receive the time we die, there will be no education worthy of work- paper. ing, creating humanity. —$3 www.PathfinderPress.com The Militant November 30, 2009 7 Editorial Moves against Iran Continued from front page Drop charges against Stewart! having passed without Tehran accepting the Gene- va proposal, Obama signed an order renewing U.S. Working people should join those who demand Stewart and the others comes as the Obama admin- sanctions against Iran for another year. The same that the convictions and sentences against civil lib- istration is planning to try five people accused of day the U.S. government filed a federal complaint erties attorney Lynne Stewart and her codefendants “conspiring to commit the 9/11 attacks.” Capital- in preparation for seizing the land where mosques be overturned. The ongoing attempt by the federal ist media outlets in New York and nationwide have in four U.S. states are located and the 36-story government to jail them with draconian sentences been on a drive to use the controversial trial as a Piaget Building in New York City, all of which are represents a serious attack on democratic rights. way to rationalize the U.S. rulers’ course against owned by the Alavi Foundation. Washington ac- Stewart, translator Mohammed Yousry, and legal the democratic rights of working people. cuses the foundation of having financial dealings aid Ahmed Abdel Sattar were tried in 2005. Stew- As Stewart has said, these convictions and sen- with Tehran. art was convicted of “conspiracy to provide mate- tences send a clear warning to attorneys, legal aids, Condemning both moves, Ali Larijani, the speaker rial aid to terrorist activity” for distributing a press translators, or anyone considering defending those of the Iranian parliament, said, “After a year of empty release from an imprisoned client, Sheik Omar Ab- accused of “terrorism”: You could be next! speeches and slogans, the behavior and conduct of this del-Rahman, who had been framed up on charges Wiretapping and other police surveillance and vi- president in practice is no better than the actions of his of “seditious conspiracy” to bomb the World Trade olations of attorney-client privileges are not aimed predecessor.” Larijani rejected the idea of enriching Center in 1993 and other city buildings. primarily at lawyers, but at working people. Many Iran’s uranium in another country, calling the proposal Their trials were characterized by gross viola- of the 7.3 million people in U.S. jails, prisons, or on “unimportant” and “irrational.” tions of their rights. Much of the evidence was parole or probation know how these attacks make it When Obama was elected, Iranian president Mah- based on wiretaps and video recordings of Stewart’s harder for workers and others to defend themselves moud Ahmadinejad sent him a letter of congratula- meetings with Abdel-Rahman in prison, trampling from government prosecution. tions. It was the first such letter sent by an Iranian head on the constitutional right to meaningful access to Working people should join in demanding an of state to a U.S. president since Washington broke legal counsel and freedom of speech. end to these attacks on our rights. Drop the charges relations with Tehran in 1980. Obama, promising to The moves by the federal government against against Lynne Stewart and her codefendants! open a dialogue, then sent video greetings in March to the Iranian people on the occasion of their New Year, which were broadcast on Iran’s state-run media. But in a speech in Istanbul November 10 Ahma- Foreclosures rise as crisis deepens dinejad declared Obama now had to choose between Continued from front page The proportion of the container fleet remaining idle Israel and Iran. “The support of both Israel and Iran on their monthly payments, reported the Washing- could rise up to 20 percent over the next year, accord- can’t go hand in hand,” he said. ton Post. Many will owe more than their homes are ing to Glen Lodden, a shipping analyst for DnB Nor, The most powerful political figure in Iran, Ayatol- worth. a Norwegian investment bank. lah Ali Khamenei, said earlier in November that when The Federal Housing Administration (FHA), the Banks in Europe, which have made more than $350 Obama was elected “the Islamic Republic of Iran de- government agency that insured $360 billion of sin- billion in loans to the shipping industry, face the pros- cided . . . not to prejudge and to instead consider the gle-family mortgages in the United States last year, pect of having to write them off as “toxic assets.” slogan of ‘change.’ But what we have witnessed in announced November 12 that its insurance reserves practice during this period of time has been in con- had fallen below its congressionally mandated thresh- U.S. bank failures tradiction” to Obama’s promises, Iran’s Press TV re- old to their lowest level ever. So far this year, 120 U.S. banks have failed, vir- ported. As of the end of September, the FHA’s capital re- tually depleting the funds the Federal Deposit Insur- In another development, Tehran announced No- serve fund fell to $3.6 billion, down 72 percent from a ance Company (FDIC) has on hand to reimburse de- vember 9 that three U.S. citizens arrested in Iran in year earlier and just 0.53 percent of the $685 billion in positors at failed banks. As of the end of the second July when they crossed the border from Iraq have been loans the agency insures. Congress has mandated that quarter, the fund, which insures $4.8 trillion in U.S. charged with espionage. The death penalty can be ap- the FHA’s funds-to-loans ratio must go no lower than bank deposits, had just over $10 billion on hand, a plied in cases of espionage. Families of the three said 2 percent. The ratio was 6.4 percent in 2007. 0.22 percent reserve ratio. they were hiking and crossed the border by accident. The FHA and the government-sponsored housing At a banking conference in New York November agencies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac provide about 10, FDIC chairperson Sheila Bair said the economy Debate in Iran 90 percent of all new mortgages on housing in the would decline further without increased access to Inside Iran debate continues over what kind of rela- United States. Fannie Mae in early November an- credit, reported Associated Press. She said the agen- tionship to seek with Washington and other imperial- nounced its ninth consecutive quarterly loss—$19.8 cy’s upcoming quarterly report will show that the big- ist powers. At Tehran University Friday prayers No- billion—and for the fourth time requested federal gest banks aren’t doing much lending. Instead, they’re vember 13, Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati said, “The flag funds to remain solvent. Both Fannie Mae and Fred- taking advantage of near-zero interest rates to borrow of the struggle against America should always stay die Mac were given a $200 billion government bail- dollars cheaply and buy higher yielding assets like hoisted.” out in September 2008. stocks or commodities. “It used to be you take depos- Fars News Agency quoted Alaeddin Boroujerdi, its and you lend out money. We’d like to see more of head of the parliament’s National Security and For- Crisis in shipping industry that,” she said. eign Policy Commission, saying, “Iran is not to give The contraction of capitalist production and the Meanwhile, with official unemployment levels at any of its 1,200 kilograms of fuel to the other party.” resulting decline in world trade are having a big im- 10.2 percent, President Barack Obama announced Iranian armed forces chief of staff Gen. Hassan Fir- pact on workers employed in the shipping industry, plans to hold a “jobs summit” in December. Those ouzabadi, on the other hand, argued, “We won’t suffer where a number of companies face bankruptcy and invited will be business executives, economists, fi- from an exchange of fuel,” reported Mehr News. He foreclosure. After Eastwind Maritime went bankrupt nancial experts, and union officials, the president sits on Iran’s National Security Council. this summer, the company’s ships, which are a main said. Obama did admit that not much will be ac- The IAEA has now made a new proposal, that Teh- mover of Chiquita Brands fruits and vegetables, were complished there. It is “important we don’t make ran ship its uranium to Turkey for about 15 months, left stranded in open water and in one case no funds any ill-considered decisions even with the best of while Russia produces more enriched uranium to fuel were provided for food and water for the crew, ac- intentions, particularly at a time when our resourc- a reactor in Tehran. An aide to Ahmadinejad said No- cording to the New York Times. es are so limited,” he stated. vember 14 the president had made no decision yet. With Russian president Dimitry Medvedev at his side during a November 15 news conference in Singa- letters pore during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, Obama declared, “We are now running out ‘Get the ‘Militant’ inside’ in July. Peace. very pleased. Thank you. I under- of time.” He said, “Iran appears to have been unable to I was reincarcerated two months A prisoner stand there is a one-time three- say yes to what everyone acknowledges is a creative ago. An inmate brother slipped me Pennsylvania month complimentary subscrip- and constructive approach.” Medvedev added that this flyer [SWP campaign flyer]. I tion offer. In three months time while he still hopes Tehran decides to send its uranium Complimentary issues know brother Osborne. We were I will have put aside enough for to Russia for enrichment, “other options remain on the together on an agency job. He said I’ve received the two most re- either a 6- or 12-month subscrip- table,” a reference to his earlier statement supporting he was standing for office. Showed cent issues of the Militant, along tion. more sanctions against Iran. me the Militant paper. Your paper with the special supplement. I was Sincerely and in great apprecia- Ahmadinejad’s response came the next day, when gets passed in the library. When tion, he told the Iranian parliament, “Iran is a great world we have supper, some Muslim A prisoner power whose strength is unlimited and on whom no ‘Militant’ Prisoners’ Fund brothers and Puerto Rican broth- Florida other state would dare impose sanctions.” The Prisoners’ Fund makes ers get it. The letters column is an open In a further signal to Iran to retreat, Sergei Shmat- it possible to send prisoners When my sister came for visita- forum for all viewpoints on ko, Russia’s energy minister, announced November 16 reduced rate subscriptions. To tion today I said put some money subjects of interest to working that the nuclear plant being built with Russian aid in donate, send a check or money with the flyer to get your paper to people. Please keep your letters the southern Iranian city of Bushehr will not open this order payable to the Militant brief. Where necessary they will year, as had been planned. Completion of the plant, brothers inside. and earmarked “Prisoners’ be abridged. Please indicate if slated for 1999 originally, has been repeatedly post- If you see brother Osborne, I Fund” to 306 W. 37th St., 10th you prefer that your initials be poned by Moscow as part of pressuring Tehran on its will check him when I get back Floor, New York, NY 10018. outside. I have parole evaluation used rather than your full name. nuclear program.

8 The Militant November 30, 2009