www.peoplesworld.org May 28, 2010

Communist Party convention opens in New York

By Teresa Albano

ust blocks north of Wall Street here, the people of color, but also from the white majority site of the biggest crime spree in history, and white workers” it can be stopped. Communist Party Chairman Sam Webb “My guess,” said Webb, “is that the Repub- J said executives who planned, aided and lican Party, which has turned into an instrument abetted the theft of wealth and sent the economy of unabashed racism ... will not be successful” in into a tailspin deserve to “be in prison.” Webb 2010 or in 2012. opened the 29th Convention of the Communist Webb called on the delegates to step up their Party USA, May 21. involvement in the fights for jobs, anti-racism and Anger at corporations and “bosses,” who con- grassroots election work. stantly take, take, take from workers, communi- Webb also expanded on a vision for . ties and taxpayers leaving financial crises, jobless- ness, foreclosures and environmental disasters in t h i s w e e k : their wake, was apparent at this gathering of a few hundred delegates and guests. Anger was also di- • Communist Party convention opens in New York rected at the use of racism and immigrant-bashing • Editorial: ’s racism to further their pro-Wall Street agenda. • Calif. governor proposes budget cuts But there wasn’t just anger in the keynote and • En NYC se solidarizaron con los estudiantes de la UPR delegate speeches. There was also optimism, com- passion and readiness to organize a fightback on • 2010 primaries jobs and in the mid-term elections. read more news and opinion daily at www.peoplesworld.org Saying the far-right political forces in the have launched a “new racist coun- teroffensive” in order to “strip away popular sup- Calling it a “work in progress” Webb spent time port for the first African American president,” on developing a vision for socialism based on U.S. Webb said, “if unchallenged” it could lead to a culture, history, democracy and traditions. And “much uglier version of the Bush-Cheney adminis- that socialism has to be sustainable - environmen- tration.” But if the “racist barrage runs into a pow- tally/economically - and given the huge dangers of erful anti-racist response coming not only from global warming, socialism is a necessity.

Page 1 , CPUSA executive vice chair- nix hailed the boycott of Arizona, which has taken man, welcomed the convention along with CPUSA on a “life of its own” with so many organizations, organizer Rossana Cambron who spoke in Span- businesses and government bodies refusing to Anger was also ish. bring their tourism or other business to the state. directed at the “Socialism is getting popular. The right wing Young people, their future bleak with sky- use of racism and has no solutions to this economic crisis, except cut rocketing jobless rates, education cuts and the immigrant-bashing taxes for Wall Street. The Communist Party sees promotion of violence also were addressed by to further their there is a way to come out of this crisis by uplift- many delegates. pro-Wall Street ing all working people, not the Dow Jones,” Tyner The convention sets the main political strat- agenda. said in a statement. egy for the next four years and elects a collective Secretary-Treasurer Roberta Wood says, leadership body called the national committee. “When just about every working-class family in The CPUSA received international greetings this country has somebody out of work, while Wall from communist and workers parties from around Street profits haven’t missed a beat, you know the world. isn’t working. The American people Founded in 1919, the Communist Party USA can do better and we’re here to talk about how. has been on the U.S. political scene for more than And we’re serious.” 90 years. For more information go to, www.cpusa. Numerous delegates took the floor and spoke org. about the new Arizona law, SB 1070, which em- powers state law enforcement to stop anybody suspected of being “illegal.” A delegate from Phoe- Teresa Albano writes for the People’s World.

Rand Paul’s racism

By PW Editorial Board eral laws that put those sources out of reach. But he dictionary definition of racism says one of the great setbacks of the discourse over any programs or practices of discrimi- equality and justice since the passage of the Civil nation and segregation that uphold the Rights Law is the success those who benefit from T political or economic domination of one racist “programs or practices” have had in rede- Racist “programs race over another. fining racism as some kind of subjective state of or practices”, first Considering recent comments of Rand Paul, mind. and foremost, are is he a racist? Some — even those who should know better No matter how he may try to twist out of it, — speak of “black racism,” as if the African-Amer- sources of power yes, he is. His statements in opposition to Fed- ican community has ever been in any position to and profit. eral laws that protect African Americans against institute any “program or practice” that would “programs or practices that uphold political or lead to any level of “political or economic domina- economic domination of one race over another or tion” of the white population. others” brand him. Those like Rand Paul, lurk under the man- Racist Jim Crow laws and culture - “program tle of respectability while planning the return or practice” - existed throughout the country be- of “programs or practices of discrimination and fore the passage of the Civil Rights Law, amount- segregation that uphold the political or economic ing to uninterrupted “economic or political” dom- domination of one race over another or others.” ination over African Americans, going back to the Rand Paul is a racist. We as a nation trying to earliest days of our nation. move forward risk much if we shy from the chal- Racist “programs or practices”, first and fore- lenge his ilk presents. We must toss him onto his- most, are sources of power and profit - “political tory’s trash heap as we pass it in November! or economic” - and those who support them are the most ardent and consistent opponents of Fed-

www.peoplesworld.org Page 2 Calif. governor proposes ‘scorched earth’ budget cuts

By Marilyn Bechtel

nce again, Californians most needing their government’s help are being told they must bear the brunt of a $19 bil- O lion budget gap. Declaring that no more “low-hanging fruits” remain to be plucked from the budget tree, Re- publican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger May 14 revealed his “May Revise” proposals for the coming fiscal year. Overall, the “May Revise” calls for $12.4 bil- lion in further cuts. The MediCal health care program (Califor- nia’s Medicaid) and In-Home Supportive Services for the elderly and disabled would be slashed. Cuts to the Healthy Families program serving children revenue.” of low-income parents would mean monthly pre- Said state Senator Leland Yee, D-San Fran- miums would rise to $42 per child. A 60 percent cisco, “I have opposed and will continue to oppose cut in state funds for county mental health pro- all budgets that are balanced on the backs of our grams would force already struggling counties to students, elderly and working poor ... Democrats absorb hundreds of millions in additional costs. need to stand strong and say draconian cuts to The proposed The proposed health care cuts would “limit education and other critical services will not be health care cuts and place financial barriers on medically neces- tolerated.” would “limit and sary care for 8 million Californians,” California Labor Federation head Art Pulaski place financial Though the budget proposals don’t include said the May proposals accelerate the governor’s barriers on further cuts to the University of California or Cali- “slash-and-burn cuts to vital services into an all- medically fornia State University systems, California Teach- out scorched earth campaign,” adding that under necessary care ers Association president David Sanchez pointed conditions of continuing joblessness and reces- for 8 million out that public school funding would be cut by $3 sion, the cuts “would choke off any hope of eco- Californians.” billion, on top of billions in cuts in previous years. nomic recovery.” State workers again face cuts including a California is the only state requiring a two- mandatory unpaid “personal day” each month, a thirds legislative majority to pass budgets and 5 percent pay cut and an increase in pension con- to raise taxes. Though Democrats lead both the tributions. Assembly and Senate, their majority falls short Democrats in the legislature came out swing- of that level, and virtually all Republican legisla- ing. “We will not pass a budget that eliminates tors have signed a “no new taxes” pledge. Legisla- CalWORKS, outright,” said state Senate presi- tive efforts and ballot initiatives are underway to dent pro tem Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento. change that requirement. “We will not be party to devastating children and families. We need revenue, and we will fight for

www.peoplesworld.org Page 3 local news L o c a l c o n t a c t En NYC se solidarizaron con los [email protected] estudiantes de la UPR

Especial para Mundo Popular 2010 Kentucky

primaries egresada de la UPR que contaba con as imágenes del estado del becas deportivas. By Derek Souleotes caos que vive Puerto Rico Un representante del Partido In- corren el Mundo y en la tarde dependentista Puertorriqueño en NY, n May 18, the U.S. Senate L de 18 de mayo cientos se di- Eric Ramos denunció, “vivimos en primary elections took place eron cita en la oficina del Puerto Rico tiempos de crisis económicas pero en in Kentucky. There was a Federal Affairs Administration (PR- la colonia de vez de imponer impues- reported “low turnout” for FAA) en Manhattan, respondiendo al tos a corporaciones foráneas prefieren O llamado de grupos políticos, estudi- eliminar servicios al pueblo”. Según both the Republican or Democratic par- ties. antiles y comunitarios neoyorquinos. Ramos, esto empeora cuando “las au- Out of the Republican candidates, Con la intensión de manifestarse en toridades prefieren estilos evasivos Trey Grayson, Rand Paul, Jon Scribner, contra de los recortes presupuestarios y punitivos de vez del dialogo”. Para John Stephenson, Gurley Martin, and a la educación pública universitaria y la representante del Latino & Latin Bill Johnson (who dropped out of the a los despidos masivos que sufren los American Students Organization, Ma- race before the primary, but was still on trabajadores puertorriqueños. La gran rissel Hernández, “los estudiantes the ballot), it had become a simple race cantidad de personas solidarias y de cuentan con unas posturas precisas y between Rand Paul and Trey Grayson. manifestantes egresados de la Uni- democráticas en cambio el gobierno Rand Paul supports the extreme versidad de Puerto Rico demostró que recurre a la intimidación”. Mientras capitalist values of the GOP, such as a la UPR es el centro universitario más reprochaba la activación de la fuerza “free market” solution to health care. productivo del país que contribuye al de choque, el desalojo de las residen- Trey Grayson (Kentucky Secretary desarrollo social, científico y económi- cias universitarias y negarle alimentos of State) supports the more “traditional” co de la sociedad puertorriqueña y en y agua al estudiantado que permanece values of the GOP. He is “pro-life,” seek- los Estados Unidos. en el Recinto. ing to ban abortions under any circum- La educadora Norma Pérez, ex- Los manifestantes repartieron in- stance. presó “la decisión del gobierno de Luís formación a la prensa y a los ciudada- The Democratic candidates, in sim- Fortuño de continuar su plan de despi- nos del área que salían de sus traba- ilar fashion to the Republican race, had dos masivos y de recortes presupues- jos que es la sede de las oficinas de la 5 candidates, with two of them having tarios a la educación pública constituye PRFAA. Esta red de apoyo en NYC le the best chance of winning. una barbaridad social y económica que peticionó al gobierno que se regrese al Daniel Mongiardo, lieutenant gov- sólo servirá para agudizar la crisis, dialogo para poner fin a este conflicto ernor of Kentucky and son of Italian im- incrementando los procesos de priva- mediante acuerdos que satisfagan a la migrants, supports further healthcare tización de servicios básicos”. Son los UPR como la primera institución aca- reform. estudiantes del país “quienes llevan démica del país. , who is the current at- la peor parte al pretender eliminar las Al final de día, “la UPR sigue dan- torney general, has a plan to create jobs exenciones de matrícula para atletas, do la cara por Puerto Rico, hasta en el by proposing a 20% tax credit to busi- artistas, entre otros estudiantes de alto extranjero”, concluyó Norma Pérez. nesses who expand their payroll and rendimiento académico” sentenció la hire more workers, but doesn’t apply to government workers. For working class families, Mon- giardo seemed to be the best candidate. Most progressive groups supported him. n a t i o n a l c o n t a c t In the end, Jack Conway won the Editorial: (773) 446-9920 Business: (212) 924-2523 Democratic Primary, beating Mongiardo Email: [email protected] by 1%. As for the Republican Party, the tea party backed candidate, Rand Paul, won by a wide margin. www.peoplesworld.org Page 4