PUBLISHED BY THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS OF AMERICA
JANUARY 1983 VOL XI, NO. 1 T $1
MARGULIE~ ROTH CO
What Price National Security? Ron Dellums on Defense Spending 3
Downhill Dealignment 6 Neighborhood ~olitics s that Soviet nuclear anns are "no threat" is of course that the West disarm unilaterally .... Against this I would say that the Soviets are LETTERS not noted historically for their kindness and consideration of weak and defenseless na tions. New Design Scrap Higgins Cartoon DSA has clearly stated its position of supporting a bilateral nuclear freeze. The We've come a long way in design, from To the Editcr: roughly equal and verified reduction of nucle the days when THE NEWSLETIER OF THE On the cover of th.e Unity Issue (Sept - ar arsenals on both sides seems a relatively DEMOCRATIC LEFT was a one-color, two-col Oct.] was a photograph of an unemployed safe and expeditious way to end the anns umn,\no photograph, eight-page communica auto worker. A good photo, moving. It com race. A nuclear freeze proposal, if and when tion to this latest design. Thanks to Sandy municated a message, a real and severe adopted by the US government would of Cate, who, we believe, has brought together message. course also require approval by the Soviets. the best of DEMOCRATIC LEFT and MOVING Yet on the back cover ever present as Helmut Wenkarl ON to create a new look for the publication of part of "Jimmy Higgins Reports," I see a New Ylri, N.Y. a new organization. Along with the new de caricature of working people: the little, mus sign will come an increased emphasis on tachioed guy with a broom and cap. It seems news from within the organization. We look to me a mocking figure of the real thing on the Get Your Hands Dirty! forward to hearing from you, about what you cover. I have never really appreciated that To the Editor: want to see in your publication, about what graphic. It is idyllic and misrepresents what a you're doing. worker really is.... I am a socialist from the old country and I do have a nutmeg to grind with you, my TM Editors I encourage the graphics editor to search for an alternative graphic and ap American comrades. All this debate about proach Jimmy Higgins, if that is the process, how, just HOW we are going to work in the Old Mistake and get his o.k. to switch. Democratic party reminds me of Huck and Mike Fogelberg Tom in that barn. All the while they were As a result of a proofreading error, a line MadisonDSA figuring out intricate plans on how to escape, was dropped from Joe Holland's article on the door was open. All they had to do was to Latin America in the November-December Ed. twle: See the explanation of the Higgins walk out. All we have to do is to go to the figure that appears at the end of the column. issue that completely changed the meaning next meeting of our local Democratic Com of the sentence. We are red-faced. The sec mittee, get to work and get our hands dirty. tion should have read (dropped portion in Threat to West There is no other way. italics): Dwight Eisenhower sent the CIA To the Editor: EvaOlkn into Guatemala. fl) overthrow the democrati Frank Scott, in a letter to DEMOCRATIC Rochester, N. Y. cally ekcted government of Jacobo Ar LEFT takes issue with Pat Lacefield's asser benz; Lyndon Johnson sent the marines into tion that Soviet nuclear weapons pose a the Dominican Republic to overthrow the threat to the West. Scott feels there is no Thank You in 1982 democratically elected president Juan such threat, but neglects to present argu Bosch. ments of any kind to back up his claim.. .. The Labor Day-Unity issue carried The logical thrust of those who argue names of friends and members who con tnbuted to our Socialist Unity Drive and EDITORIAL BoAID sent greetings tQ DEMOCRATIC LEIT. We were afraid that we might have left Leo Casey Gordon Haskell some names out because of our book F~ld Dirrctqr Polilical Director keeping problems and we were right Maxine Phillips Listed below are names of those we Organir.alional Dinctor know we missed. We appreciate their F""""'1y Newsldter of tM Democratic Left and support. If we missed you, we apologize Moving On. ADVISORY BoARD again. If you missed us, we hope you'll Joanne Barkan David Bensman send greetings next Labor Day. MICHAEL HARRINGTON Jim Chapin Jack: Clark Editor Gretchen Donart Kate Ellis Founding Sponsor Founding Pioneers Patrick Lacefield Ricardo Otheguy Quin Shea David and Eva Gil MAXINE PHILLIPS Jan Rosenberg Bernard Stephens Founder M (J1l(J{fing Editqr Peter Steinfels Guy Molyneux Susan Palmer DEMOCRATIC LEFT is published nine times a year (monthly except July, August and October) by Greetings Democratic Socialists of America, formerly DSOC/NAM. The editorial office is located at 853 Ruth Jordan Paul Garver Broadway, Suite 801, New York, N. Y. 10003, Telephone (212) 260-3270. Other national offices are located at 1300 West Behnont Ave., Chicago, ll. 60657, (312) 871-7700 and at 29 29th Street, San Helmut Wenkart Francisco, CA 94110, (415) 550-1849. Subsaiptions: $15 sustaining and institutional; $8 regular. For my sons Israel and Joshua, in the Signed articles express the opinions of the authors and not of the organization. ISSN 0164-3207. hope that their future is ~ ofpeace and Microfilm, Wisconsin State Historical Society, 816 State St., Madison, WI 53703. Indtxed in the Alternative Press Index, P. 0. Box 7229, Baltimore, MD 21218. Second Class Pennit paid at New justice. York, N.Y. Richard W. Smith
DEMOCRATIC LEFT 2 IANUARY 1983 DEFENSE UNCONSCIONABLE COSTS by RONALD V. DEUUMS
ince 1945, American foreign and ent growth/inflation rates, we may well be sile, the Trident II (D-5) Missile, and military policies have been predi spending $422 billion a year on the military by ground-, sea- and air-launched Cruise mis cated on a series of hypotheses, 1987. siles ushers us into a new era of the nuclear revolving around the basic theme The dimensions of disaster being plot arms race, one that drastically reduces the of preserving the "national secur ted by the Reagan administration almost defy prospects for a meaningful nuclear arms Sity" of the United States. Eight successive any rational analysis, as Robert Scheer dis freeze and subsequent mutual-balanced presidents have contended that the corner covered when researching and interviewing force reductions of both nuclear and conven stone of this policy must be an unrelenting for his excellent new book; With Enougls tional weapons. response at all levels to the alleged Com Sltovtls: Rt.ogan, Busls and Nuclmr War. It was in this context that, in January of munist crusade for "global hegemony" and The Reagan administration has consciously 1982, I mounted a comprehensive legislative the defense and maintenance of the "Free and debberately moved beyond the strategy challenge to the policy assumptions and World" Thus, with the passage of time, the of deterrence to one that proposes to fight, spending priorities of the Pentagon and the purported "vital" "national security" inter survive and "win" a nuclear war. White House. Two days after the Presi ests of the United Stated have assumed glob When he was Secretary of Defense in dent's State of the Union message, I formally al dimensions. Both Democratic and Repub the Kennedy administration, Robert Strange petitioned Representative Mel Price of Illi lican administrations have repeatedly McNamara defined deterrence as the capac nois, the Chair of the House Armed Services sought, through covert or overt interven ity to destroy 30 percent of the Soviet soci Committee, to expand the Committee's tion, military solutions to international prob ety's population and 70 percent of its eco hearings on the military budget in order to lems that are essentially political, economic, nomic infrastructure. He felt this objective examine a broader spectrum of policy issues social or cultural in origin. could be achieved through the use of approxi and economic f:actors relating to the military This "national security" psychosis has mately 400 strategic nuclear warheads. In budget The Committee informed me that it made possible the evolution of a permanent 1983, the U.S. possesses more than 10,000 had deadlines to meet, and could not afford war economy that has made the United strategic warheads in its nuclear arsenal, the time. States, because of its superior technology, plus 15, 000 more of intermediate range for the principal force in global anns escalation, theater nuclear use. At present, it IS estima n response, I decided to convene the both nuclear and conventional. It was a Dem ted that there are approximately 886 cities Special Congressional Ad Hoc Hear ocratic administration, headed by President and towns in the U.S.S.R. with a population ings on the Full Implications of the Harry S. Truman, that tri/Jkd the military of 25, 000 or more people. How much is Military Budget After raising the budget in 1950. It was a Democratic adminis enough? necessary funds from various peace tration, headed by John F. Kennedy, that The Reagan administration is commit I first proclaimed a missile gap with the Soviet ted to developing nuclear weapons that go Union when it knew the opposite was true, beyond our capacity to verify or control In and then brought the planet to the verge of a past years the necessity for verifiability and nuclear holocaust during the Cuban Missile control have been integral elements of all Crisis in 1962. previous arms control agreements and nego It was a Democratic administration, tiations. The development of first-strike nu headed by Jimmy Carter, that prepared and clear weapons such as the MX Missile (cyni began to implement the notorious Presiden cally christened the "Peacekeeper" by the tial Directive 59, which opened the way to Great Communicator), the Pershing II Mi~ discussion of a first-strike strategy. In 1977, when the Carter administration assumed office with a pledge. to reduce mili tary spending by $5-$7 billion in its first year, the total military budget was slightly less than $100 billion. Four years later it was A", $173 billion, but Carter left office asking for a 'V · further increase to $194 billion. The Reagan administration immediately raised that figure to $226.3 billion, as part of a five year-mili tary spending projection of $1.6 trillion. Be cause of cost-overruns and projected supple mental appropriations, that figure has al ready been raised to $2.3 trillion for the same period A recent study by the Congres sional Budget Office indicated that, at pres-
DEMOCRATIC LEn 3 JANUARY 1983 ar superiority in favor of nuclear sufficiency. I Next Steps THE CONTROLLABLES proposed the total elimination of all crisis destabilizing nuclear weapons systems, such THE ROI. ~S Al'Cl BUTIER C£8ATE Where do we go from here? We in the as the MX Missile, the Pershing Il Missile, progressive community need to develop a l£ll.TH.st:t..f EOOCAT I ON, all sea-and ground-launched Cruise missiles, ,-Al.I. Dna coherent, cohesive strategy and program for 10'?- \ 127. the Trident Il (D-5) Missile, and neutron challenging the military budget in 1983. l:NVIROIH:NT •7. ---.. ----=- weapons. I also proposed the elimination of One of the more disturbing realities of chemical warfare weapons, and such obso American political life is that most of its politi lete or useless conventional weapons sys cal l~aders, regardless of ideology or geo tems as the B-1 Bomber, the XM-1 tank, the graphical origin, function most comfortably in two nuclear carriers proposed in the Defense an atmosphere of ambiguity, one in which Department authorization bill. the Aegis pragmatism takes precedence over prin Missile Cruiser program, and the retrofitted ciple. The "hberal" and "moderate" will tem battleships. porize, saying that change must proceed Few people are aware that the re slowly, so we must consider transferring PAST fNl search, development, production and de L.. fUTURE: lf'IR$ funds from nuclear to conventional forces. 70Y. ployment of our current and proposed nucle When pushed, they will vote for a Nuclear ar arsenal constitute only 21 percent of the Freeze Resolution (H.R. 521), and even to overall military budget The remainder is for defer funding for an MX basing mode. But groups, which also ensured the hearings be conventional forces, maintenance overhead they will not vote for a comprehensive al ing broadcast on the Pacifica Radio Network, and personnel costs. Accordingly, I pro ternative military budget (H. R. 6696), or to my staff and I invited more than forty expert posed an initial 5 percent reduction in all U.S. terminate all funds for the MX Missile, be witnesses to testify. military personnel as a first step toward mu cause such proposals are considered "too For six days during March and April, a tual troop reductions. To reduce further the radical. " Thus the Freeze resolution could number of concerned congressional collea possibility of U.S. intervention in the Third garner 202 votes of congressional concern, gues and I conducted an indepth examination World, I also proposed the total elimination but the alternative military budget received of the military budget from the perspectives of the Rapid Deployment Force and the in only 55 votes. The latest proposal to defer of foreign policy and national security impli cremental reduction of the U.S. Navy fleet to funds because of the failure to develop a cations, escalation v. disarmament, econom approximately 400 vessels (the administra basing mode for the MX Missile secured 245 ic implications, moral implications, citizen re tion has proposed that the surface fleet be votes, but repeated attempts to delete all sponsibilities in challenging the military bud increased to 640 vessels). funds for the MX Missile program have nev get, and the impact of gtobal arms sales. nus alternative proposal would have er obtained more than 96 votes in the House. The witness list ranged from J. William reduced the Pentagon's budget authority by Why? Because these proposals are "too Fulbright, Chairman of the Senate Foreign more than $50 billion in the first year alone. radical"? On the contrary, I would argue that Relations Committee during the Indochina More important, it set the stage for con "radical" politics is the truly progressive pos War era to social policy analyst Frances Fox tinued cuts in nuclear and conventional weap ition. The progressive platform must be that Piven to Catholic Bishops Walter Sullivan of ons systems and in personne~ while estab which proposes new alternatives that mini Richmond and John Quinn of San Francisco. lishing stringent oversight / controls for mize the risk of nuclear war by advocating Several witnesses were DSA members. waste, fraud and abuse. Within three years, policies of peace that mean not only the ab After studying more than l, 800 pages of such cuts and controls could reduce the an sence of war, but the absence of conditions in nual federal deficit by more than 60 percent transcript testimony, my staff a00 I met with the world which create international hostility defense analysts and budget experts to draft Even though it was defeated, its oppo and confrontation. That is why we must go nents treated it as a serious challenge to the a comprehensive alternative military budget. beyond the concept of a Nuclear Freeze to an After Congressional Budget Office verifica status quo. Many of those who opposed it did all-out sustained challenge to the administra tion of the accuracy of our doDar figures and so in statements of rebuttal drafted with the tion's military budget and the policy assump program projections, I introduced H.R. direct assistance of the Pentagon and the tions that are used to justify it. Armed Services Committee staff. They 6696. The peace community, in and out of We need an orchestrated national effort the Congress, was surprised when, in an know that they have not seen the last of it. As at every facet of the community level to mo unprecedented ruling, H. R. 6696 was desig I said on the House Floor after the formal bilize, energize and organize citizens around the nated by the House Rules Committee as the debate: "We will be back next year and the economic, political, and biological dan year after that and the year after that until we official substitute for the House Armed Ser gers they face because of this unre vices Committee bill (H. R. 6030). right the wrongs in this madness. strained military budget Thus, on Tuesday, July 20, 1982, for As progressives we have a special re the first time in the history of the Cold War, sponsibility to our fellow citizens at this criti the U.S. Congress debated a comprehensive The National Executive Com cal moment in history. to do so, we must legislative alternative to the Pentagon-in mittee of DSA has adopted a re reach out to every segment of our society to spired madness that has persistently pre solution supporting H.R. 6696, build this coalition of peaceful challenge and vailed. During the course of the extended which will be re-introduced in change. Nuclear weapons are equal oppor debate I formally proposed a military budget Congress. Proposals will be tunity destroyers-we must become equal based on the policies of nonintervention, nu made at the February board opportunity coalition builders. • clear and conventional arms reductions, a meeting for actions that locals mutual reduction of forces by both super can take to support the bill DSA member Ronald V. Dellums is a np powers and their NATO and Warsaw Pact resentative ofCongnss from ~8th District in allies, and a rejection of the doctrine of nude- Caiifomia.
DEMOCRATIC LEFT 4 JANUARY 1983 PROFILE
people who shared that gay anger and that Out of the Gay Ghetto very deep desire to relate to each other out side the traditional patterns." Then came by MAXINE PHILUPS Harvey Milk and the experience of power. Britt delights in telling of Milk's chutzpah, the way he would appear before downtown real estate speculators and say, "fm the hen San Francisco Supervi· head queen in San Francisco. What are you sor Harry Britt steps into his going to do about it?" Milk's courage and City Hall office, he is waD
DEMOCRATIC LEFT 5 JANUARY 1913 ANALYSIS PENDULUM POLITICS by]IM CHAPIN
rystal ball gazing is always risky, money did in fact play a crucial role in the 1964 by 1966, 1972 by 1974, and now 1980 but starting a new year prompts results. Consider the Senate races. There by 1982. We may believe that the American reflection and prediction. · After were six contests in which the spread be crisis can only be solved by making an ideo the 1980 elections, it was widely tween the winner and the loser was less than logical choice; but it is obvious that the speculated that the long-eroding five percent of the total vote. Republicans American public and its leaders do not want CNew Deal system had finally met its end: won five o( those races; the only Democratic to make that choice. Reagan's victory and the sweeping Republi winner was Frank Lautenberg of New Jer The shape of 1984 is probably clear by can congressional gains meant that the re sey, wfio spent millions of his own money on now, if one bars a massive collapse of the alignment in American politics had occurred his campaign. As one Republican suggested world economy (still a measurable possibil and that conservatives would control the before the results were in: "Money can't buy ity). Coupling the 1982 results with the with new political system. Jack Clark and I cau ten percent, but it can buy two percent" drawal of Ted Kennedy, it appears that tioned in these pages at the time that this The other reason was ideological: the American economic and social policy for the would happen only if Reagan's policies people have a healthy doubt that the Demo next few years will be shaped by a bipartisan worked The 1982 elections ended specula crats have any solution to the very real crisis consensus rather similar to that which ran tion about realignment. It is now more popu of the international economic solution. In the country from the 1954 elections to those lar to speak of the continuing dealignment of deed, under the leadership of Charles Man of1960. the American party structure. att (who makes his living lobbying for Ameri Changes in the world economy, of ca's great corporations) and with the full sup course, are far more important The cheerful portof the AFL-CIO leadership, the Del1l<> growth and unmatched American power that "Coupling the 1982 results crats seem to take pride in their unwilling made the fifties seem a benevolent high noon ness (or more likely, inability) to offer any are now replaced by the twilight shadows of with the withdrawal ofTed positive program to cure our economic ills. the eighties. Bipartisan compromise was Kennedy, it appears that By force of will, and by the fact that a easy then; difficult today. Nonetheless, it is bad idea is better than no idea, the Reagan clear that most of the powerful forces in American economic and ites were able in the last two years to push society want it, and the odds are that they social policy for the nextfew their program further than one might have will get it But unless the compromises thought posSJble. Despite their best efforts, (probably some form of "Rohatynism") suc years will be shaped by a however, they have been able to roll the ceed, the public will not go along. The non bipartisan consensus." clock back not to 1929, but perhaps only to ideological public simply wants policies that 1977. In fact, the 1982 elections marked •a work. Many ideologues· of the center trans victory for the same center-right establish late "nonideological" into "centrist," but the two words do not mean the same thing. The Although the Democratic gains of 1982 ment that has run the United States since the were not as impressive as might have been 1937 recession destroyed the New Deal con public was willing to accept the "radicalism" expected, particularly given the condition of gressional majority. Since then, the Ameri of a Franklin Roosevelt until his policies led the the national economy, the campaign itself can electorate has been Wlwilling to make a to recession in 1937; their tolerance of demonstrated that the mandate of the Rea· decisive and pennanent shift in the balance of "radicalism" of Reagan was shorter, since its gan administration for a rerun of the Coolidge power in the society. Every time it appears failure was more apparent and more quick. administration, if there had ever been such a that the "war of position" in our society is mandate, had run its course. In the primar about to be replaced by a ''war of maneuver," What About Us? ies, left Democrats generally defeated cen the electorate has canceled the previous What of the prospects for the democrat ter Democrats, while moderate Republicans election's "mandate." Thus, 1936 was fol ic left? In the short run, they remain dismal. defeated those further to their right. In the lowed by 1938, 1946 by 1948, 1952 by 1954, Our effect on policies will be limited to the general election, victorious Republicans had ability to veto some detrimental changes, but to run to their left, just as victorious Demo the major shaping of tM political economy crats in 1980 had to go to their right. The will continue, as it has since 1969, and more lessons that almost all politicians derived particularly since 1978, without much partici from the election campaign, even before the pation from the forces of the left. There are results were in, was that unadulterated Rea some good tidings, too. The political pendu ganism was political death. lum rarely stays in the center for long: if one The Republicans avoided a far greater side is not gaining in strength, then its enemy defeat for two reasons. One was financial soon will be. After the great Republican tri Despite all the talk after the elections that umph of 1952, the pendulum began to swing, the power of money had been overrated, at first slowly, and then with increasing
DEMOCRATIC LEFT 6 JANUARY 1983 speed, towards the left. After the 1965 ses sion of Congress (which coincided with the escalation in Vietnam and the race riots), the pendulum began to swing, at first slowly, and then with increasing speed. towards the
right That 16-year swing climaxed in last ··~-· · --·- lllr .... ,...._.. ~~...... i:...... ,.. -~ ...... -.. "__- ·~ ...... __.... ~...... _ ., year's congressional session. This year's de feat of the New Right is equivalent to the -~~IA9 ...... defeat of Joe McCarthy in the Senate of 1954. The balance in the Republican party is EUROSOCIALISM shifting back to the center, even though the AND AMERICA center is further right than that of the fifties. There is much evidence that the balance of ...... the Democratic party may be shifting to the FROM THE INSTITUTE FOR DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISM Quantity Total left. Apartheid & the World Economic Order, by Michael Manley $ .25 In the short run, Ted Kennedy's with A Path for America: Proposals from the Democratic Le~ drawal from the presidential race is bad for (Dissent Pamphlets 4), by Michael Hanington $ 1.25 the democratic left. In the long run, it may The Black Church & M~sm: What Do They Have To Say To Each Other? by James Cone $ 1.50 have its advantages. As long as Kennedy was Democracy and Dictatorship in Latin America, Voices and in the race, locking up the 33-40 percent of opinions of writers from Latin America $ 5.00 the party that belongs to the left, other candi El Salvador. Central America In the New Cold War, edited dates such as Mondale had to concentrate by Gettelman, Lacefield, Aadosh, et al. $ 6.95 their efforts on winning the other 60 percent El Salvador: No Middle Ground, edited by Rid< Kunnes $ 1.50 EurosoclaHsm and America: Polltica/ Economy for the of the party early enough to emerge as Ken 1980s, edited by Nancy Lieber, with articles by Willy nedy's chief ch.aDenger. Now the left is up for Brandt, Michael Harrington, Francois Mittemlnd, Joop grabs, as well. and those who inunediately den Uyt, Olof Palme $10.00 suggested that Kennedy's withdrawal would Images of Labor, with Introduction by Irving Howe $10.00 Reaganomics: Rhetoric vs. Reality, by Frank Acke!TTlan give the left less bargaining power may well $ 7.50 Socialist Review, No. 61 (Special Issue: Do We Need a be proven wrong. Forty percent carmot be Defense Polley?) $ 2.00 ignored, especially when it is the "core" of Tax Polley & the Economy, a debate between Michael the party. Harrington & Jade Kemp $ 1.00 More important, the failure of Reagan The Vast Majority: A Joumey to the World's Poor, by Mi chael Harrington $ 3.00 ism means that the Democrats cannot for What Reagan Is Doing To Us, Gartner, Greer, and Riess Jong sell themselves as the party of "Reagan man, eds. $ 3.50 ism with a hwnan face. " Senators Baker and Dole are already taking that position, and can Make checks payable to IDS. TOTAL do so with more credibility than the Demo FROM DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS OF AMERICA crats. As I have argued for some time, the nineties are likely to be a left decade, and our DSA Constitution & By-laws, and DSOC/NAM Merger task is to develop the "infrastructure" (to use Agreement $ 1.00 Democratizing Education: Socialist Strategies for Cam a now popular buzzword) of activists and puses $ .75 even more, of ideas, to be ready for our Health Activists Digest: Nursing issue ($10 for yearly sub- opportwrity. In many ways, the possible op scription) $ 2.50 portunities for us in the nineties are better The Inflation Puzzle $ .75 Plant Closings Bulletin $ 1.00 those the thirties than of our predecessors in Socialist Forum # 1: Electoral Politics and DSA $ 1.00 and sixties. For one thing, DSA itself has Which Way America? The Political Perspective of the DSA done better in the "lean years" than our radi Youth Section $ .30 cal predecessors in the twenties and fifties. Women Organizing: Women & Labor $ .75 How different might have been the situation Feminist Perspectives on the Family $ 1.50 Why We Are Socialists (The pOints of political unity between in the thirties if there had been a single social the Democratic Socialist Organizing Committee and ist organization of 20, 000 members in 1929, the New American Movement) $ .25 instead of two such organizations that Youth Section Organizing Manual $ 2.00 reached that size only in 1934; how different Make checks payable to DSA All prioes include postage. TOTAL might the sixties have been if any socialist Discounts: 5-9 copies of one title, 20%; 1o or more of one organization had had more than 3, 000 mem title, 30%. Send bulk orders to: DSA, 1300 W. Belmont bers or any credibility at all in 1960? How Ave., Chicago, IL 60657. much impact can we have on the nineties if we enter them with 20, 000 members, and with ideas appropriate to the crises that af NAME ------
flict the international economy? Those are ADDRESS ______~ our tasks for the immediate future. • ) im Clrapin is a historian who writes on politi cal issues. Ht is a past national dindor ofIM Amount: IDS DSA Tot-a•~--- Mail to Suite 801, 853 Broadway, New Yori(, N.Y. 10003 De1IWCTtllic Socialist~ C""'1flilt«.
DfMocRATIC LfFT 7 )ANUAIY 1983 COMMUNITY
neighborhoods and workers. In the new book, WJaat Reagan Is Doing To Us, S.M. Put the Community Miller and Donald Tomaskovic-Devey speci fy bow a "progressive conununitarianism" would differ from both Reaganism and the Into Organizing traditional hberal-left program. They point out that "merely restoring Reaganite cuts" is byHARRYC. BOYTE unlikely to have much appeal There certain ly is an important federal role in setting some overall principles, such as defense of human n the midst of collapsing public sup These diverse developments still lack a rights and rough equity in resource alloca port for Reaganomics and the retreat comprehensive ideology that weaves local tion. But within such a context, a communi by mainstream Democratic party initiatives into a broader vision of social and tarianism "whose general principle... is em leaders to calls for a "new partnership economic change. Without such a vision, powerment" might well win broad support. with business," stirrings of what there is a strong tendency to try to "fit" Such an approach would mean that "those Imight be called a communitarian politics have community fennent into pre-existing political who use a service should play a major role in become visible. For instance: categories, with damaging consequences. controlling and running it" • Community and citizen organizations Yet in fact, it is possible to articulate a com The idiom of the traditional liberal-left were active in the 1982 elections on a new munitarian ideology. -including coalitions like the Democratic scale, with often striking results. The State Around the turn of the century, English Agenda-has tended toward criticism on the and Local Leadership Project initiated by the socialists like William Morris, Hilaire Belloc, one hand (the left is "agajnst" big business, Midwest Academy provided training and and A.J. Penty brought forth a communita racism, sexism, etc.) and economism on the technical assistance for hundreds of candi rian critique of traditional statist approaches other, appealing to diverse groups in their dates. In the traditionally Republican 17th on the left They envisioned, as the program roles as mainly economic claimants on the Congressional District of Illinois, CANPAC, of the Guild Socialists put it, "establishment state. The problem, as Michael Walzer a political action committee begun by the of self-government in industry.. . in conjunc pointed out in Beyond Ille Weifan StaU, is community-labor Illinois Public Action Coun tion with other democratic functional organi that through such a process vital social cil, used themes and strategies drawn from zations in the community, " with the stress movements become interest group lobby citizen organizing to help elect Democrat on community as the organizing premise for ists: "public life ceases to engage the minds Lane Evans. social renewal. and emotions of their members; local activity • The Executive Committee of the North American socialist and popular drops off; popular participation declines AFL-CIO has officially endorsed and helped leaders-from Eugene Debs and Tommy sharply." fund the Religion and Labor Coalition begun Douglas to Jane Addams and W. E. B. Dubois Recent social historical work, however, several years ago by Joe Holland at the Cen -often spoke in a strikingly similar way, suggests a very different language of change ter of Concern. The Coalition board includes emphasizing themes of cooperative com than detached criticism or narrow appeals to such labor leaders as Thomas Donahue, Wil monwealth and community self-help. self-interests. Movements with passion, vi- liam Wmpisinger: Joyce Miller and William Konyha and religious spokespersons such as ommy Douglas, the great leader Monseigneur George Higgins of Catholic of the Cooperative Common "Great democratic move University. Moreover, new local religion and wealth Federation in Canada ments in American history labor projects begin to give life to fonnal (predecessor of the NDP of to coalitions. For instance, the San Francisco day), distinguished communitari represented far more than a Organizing Project and the Fresno Organiz an, or "commonwealth, " socialism from oth demand for change in social ing Project this year brought together syna er variants ("scientific, n "statist") through a gogues, churches, neighborhood associa stress on local control and conununity initia structure and public policy. tions, and unions in promising new groupings tive, old North American traditions he be They formed alternative c DEMOCRATIC LEFT 8 JANUARY 1983 rians have drawn attention to the communal cultures of resistance. Through such a proc of social change, including most socialist the roots of labor protests, and to the ways in ess, the very nature of relationships ory, give slight attention to these processes which unions lose vitality when leaders be changes. I vividly remember the dramatic of communal renewal and culture. Indeed, come culturally and institutionally detached decline in crime rates, drug use, prostitu focused on a universalizing state, looking at from rank-and-file communal networks. tion, and other social pathologies in small local communities as "brakes" on abstract southern towns ignited by the civil rights cosmopolitanism, the liberal-left has often ' new colllIIllIDitarian approach, movement tended to undermine the communal founda then, would change the idiom Democratic cultures are not transito tions of movement and to marginalize new of change in major ways. It ry or superficial phenomena. They devel cultural media. would draw its vocabulary from op their own ~labor education de For DSA a communitarian approach the rich panicuJariJy of peo partments, women's presses, "freedom would mean a new terrain. Our work would Aples, cultures, and communities, from Cath- schools"-which form alternatives to those not only be directed toward educating about olic parishes and women's self-belp groups, of the dominant society. They build struc "socialism" as a general or abstract program. from union meeting places and gay cultures. tures linking different communities. They It would also be designed to build the media, It would affirm the values, traditions, and express broader movement goals in terms spread the symbols, values, and themes of that challenge the values and premises of the democratic culture, from the labor press to larger society. the neighborhood newspaper, from feminist The greatest democratic leaders of our publications to religious peace magazines. In time have spoken of the tmdertying values of sum, it would seek to increase the under democratic culture and the broader sense of standing of the "interrelatedness of commu moral interdependence growing from them. nities," in King's tenns. to deepen and enrich For instance, Martin Luther King, Jr.ar our vision of the American commonwealth. e gued that the most important result of the Birmingham bus boycott was the "new sense Htmy B~ serwd as .field saretary for tJse of dignity" gained by ordinary people. The Soullstm Christian Leade1ship Confmnce civil rights movement was "a great schooling and was a fqunding member of~ New in democracy'' that spread skills of public life American MOtJe#fml and smJed on tJse board and cooperative values. The movement's fi of die DmwcroJic Socialist Organizing Com nal objective was recognition of the moral mitt« from 1975 tJsrougls 1980. He is tJse "interrelatedness of all communities and avtJuw o/The Backyard Revolution: Under heritages of diverse groups, from the black states," the realization that "an injustice any standing the New Citizen Movement and church to the Mexican-American barrio, where is a threat to justice everywhere." American Renewal: A Nation of Communi from the Polish-American polka to the Y-!d The problem is that dominant theories ties, /orlltcomingfrom Harper & Row. dish theater, and feminist music. The notion of empowering communities is at the heart of recent successful organiz ing. It can be found in campaigns against Change the USA redlining, struggles against plant shutdowns, or in the town meetings, churches, and syna gogues that form the base of the nuclear freeze movement But there is no simple or Join the DSA instant translation of such a theme into a Members of the Democratic Socialists of America, formerly broader political force. In America today, different groups are often bitterly divided DSOC/NAM, work in every day-to-day struggle for social justice. Oppressive and corrupt ideologies such as We bring a strategy for building alliances among all the move racism, sexism, homophobia. individualistic ments for social change. And we bring a vision of a society that can hedonism, religious and antireligious bigotry satisfy the demands for dignity and justice-a socialist society. rend bonds that exist, especially in a worsen Join the people working to bring together all the movements ing economic climate. Thus, the final, key for social change ... and to bring together day-to-day battles and element in a communitarian approach must long-term strategies and visions. be self-consciousness about forming the Join DSA. democratic culture that is central to any 0 Send me more information about democratic socialism. process of change. 0 I'd like to join DSA. Enclosed find my dues (0 $50 sustaining; 0 $30 Great democratic movements in Ameri regular; 0 $15 limited income. _Dues inclµde $8 for DEMOCRATIC LEFT.) can history, such as populism, the organizing O I would like to subscribe to DEMOCRATIC LEFT: 0 $15 sustaining; 0 $8 campaigns of the CIO, civil rights, feminism, regular. and antiwar movements, represented far 0 I would like to subscribe to the discussion bulletin, Socialist Forum, $10. more than a demand for change in social Send to: Democratic Socialists of America, 853 Broadway, Suite 801, New structure and public policy. Such movements York, N.Y. 10003. Tel.: (212) 260-3270. formed alternative conceptions of reality, Name------ drawing together threads of resistance-re AddresL------~ ligious values, ethnic traditions, heritages City/Stat.e------iP------associated with place or gender. And they Phon.e------Union, School, Other Affiliatio.,______wove such elements into new democratic DEMOCRATIC LEFT 9 )ANUAIY 1981 ORGANIZER'S DIARY Michael Ha'Trington on Tour these are, in the words of that vener uglier in this recession-depression than in the sixties, but the fact Fo R DSA able cliche from Charles Dickens, the remains that there were, and are, victories that came out of the ------best of times and the worst of times. great struggles of the sixties. Our members and friends are by now excruciatingly aware of the Ballimort, October 22: The Baltimore DSA, working with other "worst"- a financial crisis in the form of a massive DSOC debt and left groups, has participated in buying an abandoned library in a poor an incredible nm of fiscal bad luck. I wiD not rehearse those problems neighborhood. It will provide offices for DSA and other organiza again here. Rather, I would like to roncentrate on the best of times tions. It already houses a day care center and alternative press by relating a few details from some of my travP.ls in the fall of 1982. hbrary. This is the euphoric night of the dedication ceremony. City To anticipate the conclusion: there is a greater opportunity for counal members cut a red ribbon. I speak to a packed and en democratic socialism in America today than at any time in the past thusiastic house. The only negative note: a sympathetic article in the half century. Baltimore Sun calls me the "grand old man" of American socialism. Texas A and M, Sept,ember 14: legendary for Texas conserva Actually, I am a closet youth. tism. DSA members and friends on the faculty meet me and my debate with Howard Phillips, organizer of the Conservative Caucus (and the man Nixon assigned to the destruction of the Offire of BASEL, SWITZERLAND Economic Opportwrity) goes well. It seems to nie that I more than break even with the four or five hundred people in the audience. A N<>Omlbn' 3-5: The Bureau of the Socialist International (SI) is straw in the wind for 1984: Phillips attacks Reagan as a liberal in meeting in this historic-and incredibly aftluent--city. In 1912 the cahoots with the Bush wing of the Republican party and corporations Basel Cathedral was the site of a famous special antiwar Congress of soft on communism. The president, he says, should have balanced the Second International We meet in the same church to commemo the budget the moment he was inaugurated rate the event. Lydie Schmit, president of the Socialist Women's Laingtqn, Kmtucky, October 6: Here, in the midst of Air International, emphasizes the feminist role in peace and social strug palachia, is one of the fastest growing DSA chapters. There is a gles; the eloquence of Lionel Jospin of the French Socialist Party rigorous schedule of meetings with activists-a Jesuit working on brings a hush to the church Oean Jaures spoke here in 1912); and land problems with poor communities in the region, some union Hector AcqueDi of the Salvadoran MNR talks of those who must militants (carpenters, the local teachers' leadership), Democratic literally fight for peace. party activists. The meeting at the university on a socialist perspec There had been rumors that this SI Bureau meeting would see tive for America draws about 500 students to the astonishment of some attempt to expel the Israeli Labor party, but they proved everyone there. groundless. 1bere was a vigorous discussion of the Middle East but 10 no final resolution on the question because of differing estimates of SAN FRANCISCO~ !- ~ the politics and role of the Palestinian Liberation Organization. At ...... _meetmg of a- the same time, the SI support to the Salvadoran struggle was bout 35 "democratic economists," policy analysts and experts who reiterated without a single dissenting vote. It was decided, at the agree that corporate power must be challenged ifthe nation is to find request of the Sandinistas, to send a new delegation to Nicaragua, a way out of its crisis. This conference grew out of discussions in Los and the Bureau voted its approval of Puerto Rican independence Angeles at the April Democratic Agenda Conference and was within the framework of self-determination. In short, the historic sparked by The California Project and Democratic Agenda. But the attempt, begun by Brandt and the SI in 1976, to break democratic extraordinary range of the participants-including three union econ . socialism out of the European-and whit~ghetto proceeds apace. omists-goes far beyond those two organizations. A negative note: Novmrbw 1211s: Another foray into everyone agrees that "democratic economics" is not yet on the ATLANTA the South, which is a top priority serious political agenda, that the debate in the Democratic party, and for DSA. I speak at three campus even the labor movement, stretches from A to C, from neoliberalism es-Agnes Scott, Mercer, and Georgia Tech-and, what is particu to Felix Rohatyn technocracy. Still, there is a wiD to keep on working larly gratifying to me, at a DSA meeting held in the social room of the together, to try to make specific our general principles and to take Ebenezer Baptist Church, Martin Luther King, Jr. 's church. A those specifics into.the mainstream. number of the DSAers there are veterans of the-brown lung cam Mississippi State, October 21: Every time I fly into Jackson, I paign in the South; about a quarter of the audience is black; and after remember my week-Jong tour of the state that began there in 1964. the meeting we talk about the plans for DSA's southern conference, Three civil rights workers had been killed not long before, and my which will be held in Atlanta next year. heart was in my mouth the entire time while I met with activists from Harl/ord, Novmrbw 17: At hmch I speak for the Cormecticut SNCC and CORE in what seemed to me to be ahnost an under Association for Human Services, an umbrella organization of com grotmd movement This time, the State University pays my way and munity and social service workers. There are perhaps a dozen state I speak to an integrated audience. Mississippi State is one of the legislators in the audience and there is an enthusiastic response. most integrated schools in the cowrtry! Structural racism is even Early in the evening, Leo Casey, our Field Director, and I are DEMOCRATIC LEFT 10 JANUARY 1983 ORGANIZER'S DIARY part of a meeting to present the charter to the Hartford DSA. Ed tucky, Mississippi, Maryland, and Albany and Atlant8-resistance is Vargas, the head of the Hartford AFL-CIO and a leader of the DSA stirring. I do not want to suggest some simpleminded theory that Hispanjc Commission, played a key role in bringing the meeting Ronald Reagan is going to organize the democratic left or that all ooe together. Most of the members are trade unionists; all have been has to do is to be against Reagan without giving a thought to the deeply involved in the Connecticut political campaigns. I finish a brief · alternatives. Indeed, it is clear that some people will, because of the talk and am driven to New Britain to join a picket line sponsored by hard times, become conservative, seek to save themselves and the Connecticut Citizens Action group led by our friend Miles Rap their families and to ignore any responsibility to their sisters and paport, DSA member Rich F erlato, who is on staff, is there, too. It is brothers. But there are new possibilites, and DSA has somewhere a citizens campaign against the local utility that is seeking higher between half and three-quarters of a good idea about what to do, rates to finance a nuclear plant (remember when capitalists risked which is ten times more than most people. 1bere is a feeling of their own capital?). momentum, even though every time I call back to the New York 'The next morning I drive out to UAW Region 9A to talk to Ted office it is for one more discussion about how to raise money. Barrett, the regional director. Barrett is setting up storefront cen-... ters to aid the unemployed, to give them information on benefits and NEW YORK~~:!:~~~ programs, and to provide food at cost for the most desperate. The ------• where Harry Fleisdunan has program will be financed from vohmtary contributions equal to one organized a marvelous reunion of activists to mark the fiftieth an- hour's pay on the part of working women and men. The symbol is a niversary of Thomas's 1932 campaign for the presidency. I con white clock with one hour shaded. We talk about the social miseries cluded there, as I conclude here, with a saying that Harry always that come with joblessness: the alcoholism and the child abuse, the quotes: Nomian Titomas was not the champion of lost causes; be temble way in which unemployment turns people against them was the champion of causes not yet won. The portents of the last selves and those they love. several months might just prove that true. In any case, there is no And yet, here in Connecticut-and in Texas, Indiana, Ken- alternative to struggling to see that it is. e experiences to gain power, he sees little remind me." He savors the thought of Dan Britt hope for change. White's knowing that his old office is now a In the office in which Harvey Milk died, power base for everything he wanted to de Continued from page 5. Harry Britt has hung photographs of gay men stroy, and he repeats, "Politics, whether it's and lesbians at marches and at election vic gay politics, women's politics, the politics of tory celebrations. "I need those pictures be economic justice, must never get far from as being a socialist hurt him? '1 cause there's nothing in my background or in that sense of anger when a bully attacks spent too much of my life in the the background of gays to know what to do someone who doesn't have the power to deal closet to be in the closet about with political power. I need those pictures to with it." • that .• Besides, if you're doing . anything worthwhile they're Hgoing to redbait you anyway." He believes that his progressive politics combined with solid constituent serv1ce-"personal poli CLASSlflED tics"-have enabled him to build strong sup port. In his first election bid after being ap pointed to Milk's seat, he was the only in ALTERNATIVE JOB & INTERNSJllP OPPOR SOCIALIST SCHOLARS CONFERENCE: TUNITIES! The envirorunent, foreign affairs, WHAT IS LEFT? cumbent to win re-election. In November women's rights, media, health, education, com A lOOth Year Memorial for Karl Marx the Milk club contnbuted significantly to the muruty organizing, and more. Send $3.00 for lat April 1-2, 1983 re-election of Representative Philip Burton. est nationwide listing. COMMUNITY JOBS, Box Sponsored by the CUNY Faculty DSA Club, IDS, Not all gays in San Francisco support 507, 1520 16th St. , NW, Washington, DC 20036. and Cooper Union Forum. For infonnation, write Harry Britt or his leftwing politics, but he to Bogdan Denitch, Sociology Dept., Rm. 901, CUNY, 3.1 W. 42nd St., N. Y., N. Y. 10036. bridles when questioners imply that gays are POLITICAL JUNKIE. Cartoonist Lee Marrs' hi more conservative than other alienated larious POLITICAL JUNKIE T-SHIRT is politi groups because of their economic interests. cally correct attire for caucuses, conventions and RELIGIOUS SOCIALIST WEEKEND "The predominant experience of gay per intense political discussions. Comic figure and April 15-17, 1983, Warwick, N. Y. "Political Junkie" silkscreened in rich colors on "Making Connections" sons is homophobia, and when gays stop 1~% yeUow cotton. $8 per shirt plus $1.00 ship Partial list of speakers: Rosemary Ruether, Har being invisible and start dealing with that pmg; Calif. residents add sales tax. Specify S, M, vey Cox, Peter Stem/els, Dorothee Solle, Joe homophobia, their politics tend to be pro L, XL Satisfaction guaranteed. FREE BONUS: HoUand, Jim Washington, Eileen Egan, Arthur gressive." "How to Wm Votes and lntluence People in Your Waskow. Political Junkie T-Shirt." Letter Perfect Produc Cost: $60, includes two nights lodging, meals, and Organizing around homophobia, or soci tions, Box 1282, Dept. P-4, Berkeley CA 94701. registration. Send $25 deposit to Institute for ety's inability to deal with intimacy between Democratic Socialism, Room 801, 853 Broadway, people of the same sex is, he believes, cru New York, N. Y. 10003. Or send self-addressed, MAGAZINE SAMPLES stamped envelope for more information. cial to bringing the gay movement together . Free listing of over 150 magazines with the women's movement He looks to offering a sample copy - $. 50 a sample the women's movement for leadership in this Send stamped self-addressed # 10 envelope to: C lassijied rates are $2 per line (40 characters per period. However, unless all the groups, in PUBLISHERS EXCHANGE line), $50 per column inch. Payment in advanct; 20 P. 0. Box 220, Dept. 261 percent discount if tht ad nms two or more times. We cluding the left, can break out of their own DuneUen, NJ 08812 reserve the nght to re1ect ads. ghettoes and use the anger drawn from their l>EMoCIATIC LEFT 11 JANUARY 1983 Key: C=C()fttoct; CH=c/tapter. Washington, DC, Area. Stu Gay, 3002 Q. St., NW, Washington, DC 20007, 202-338-7199 ALABAMA GEORGIA U. of Southern Alabama - CH, Gina Barret-KristJ, 418 Dutch Rd, Mobile Atlanta University - C, Vmce Eagan, 428 Flat Shoals Ave., SE, Atlanta 36008, 205-46().Q86 30316, 404-378-8403 ARIZONA IDAHO U. of Arizona-Tucson - C, Roberta Schute, 1201 East Drachman, #101, U. ofldaho-PocateDo - C, Becky Black, 545 South Gadield, Pocatello 83201, Tucson 85719, 602-62 COLORADO MAINE U. of Colorado-Boulder - CH, Stuart Steers, 1124 Lincoln Pl, Boulder Bowdoin College - C, John Rensenbrink, Dept of Govt, Bowdoin College, 80302, 30J-.4.44-3358 Brunswick 04011 U. of Colorado-Ft. Collins - C, Dan Teska, 3024 Ross Dr., #4, Fort Collins U. of Maine-Orono - C, William Tebreake, 11 Centµry St, Brewer 04412, 80526, 303-482-9641 207-989-6678 CONNECTICtrr MARYLAND Wesleyan - C, Tom Hentoff, Box 630, Wesleyan Station, Middletown Goucher College - C, Marc Levine, Pol Sci. Dept., Goucher College, 06457, 203-347-0448 Towson 21204, 301-337-6000 Yale - CH, Mark Wright, 1458 Yale Station, New Haven 06520, 203-432- U. of Maryland - C, Mike Esserman, 43-13 Knox Rd., College Park 207 40, 0848 301-277-6582 DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA MASSACHUSETTS Georgetown - CH, Louise Marcoux, 1223 34th St, NW, Washington, DC Boston College -C, Lisa Glassman, 100 Kilsyth Rd, #IA, Brookline 02146, 20007, 202-338-4580 617-566-3987 DEMOCRATIC LEFT 12 JANUARY 1913 Boston University- C, Bill Comer, 270 Babcock Street, Boston 02215 Vassar College· C, Eric Bove, Box 1213, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie Hampshire College - C, Michael Current, Hampshire College, Amherst 12601, 914-473-6903 01002, 413-549-4600 NORTH CAROLINA Harvard/Radcliffe - CH, Guy Molyneux. Hl6 Oxford St, Cambridge 02138, UNC-Chapel HiD - CH, Michael Kennedy, 309 Northampton Terrace, Cha~ 617-87~8931 el HiD 27514, 919-942-8694 Holy Cross College - CH, Paul Cwmeen, Box 356, Holy Cross College, Worcester01610, 617-793-2011 OHIO Simons Rock College - C, Bill Scannell, Simons Rock College, Great Bar· Denison College - CH, Toni Montague, Slayter Box 1430, Denison CoDege, rington 01230. 413-528--0771 Granville 43023, 614-587--0190 Smith College - C:Peri Hall, 231 Elm St, Northampton 01060, 413-584- Oberlin - CH, Joseph Slater, Wilder Box 46, Oberlin College, Obertin44074, 8816 21~774-7366 Tufts University- C, Peter Dreier, Dept. of Soc., Tufts U., Medford 02155 Ohio State-Columbus - CH, David Fonfa, 1900 Cannon Dr., 412 Ross House, OSU, Columbus 43201, 614-424-3152 Wtlliams College - CH, Rob Parenteau, SU Box 1906, Williams College, Williamstown 02167, 413-597-3131 Ohi& State-Kent - C, Steve Thulin, P.O. Box 453, Kent 44240, 21~78- 5626 . MICHIGAN Ohio Wesleyan · C, Jamie Tovar, 30 Williams' Dr., Delaware 43015, 614- U. of Michigan-Ann Arbor - CH, Terri Stangl, P.O. Box 7221, Ann Arbor 369-4431/X.199, X.699 48107, 313-761-8178 U. of Cincinnati - C, Ralph Magnotti, 2516 RaVUle St, Cincinnati 45219, Wayne State· CH. Bob Fitrakis, 12749 Kilbourne, Detroit 48213, 313-372- 513-751-1355 4532 OREGON Western Michigan U. ·CH, Mary Blaney, 105 North Kendall, #lN, Kalama zoo 49007. 616-488-9140 Oregon State U. - CH, Lauren Mack, 327 SW 9th. Corvallis 97333, 503-754- 6326 MINNESOTA U. of Oregon-Eugene - C, John Farley, 744 East 21st Ave., Eugene 97405, Carlton College - CH, Ted Kinnaman, Carlton College, Northfield 55057, 503-683-6123 507~/X.4563 PENNSYLVANIA MISSOURI Bucknell U. · C, Dana Bennett, C-2135, Bucknell U., Lewisburg 17837, 717-523-1271 U. of Missouri·Columbia · CH, Brenda Wyss, 1616 Anthony, Columbia 65201,314-443-2849 Edinboro State· C, fun Yowig. 12221 Skyview Dr. Rd., Edinboro 16412, 814-734-5467 Washington U. - CH. Rose Feurer, 3323 Magnolia St., St. Louis 63118, 314-773-0605 Indiana U. - C, Gabe Peterson, 1121 Boyd Ave., Johnstown 15905, 814- 539-7326 NEBRASKA Swarthmore - C, Tricia Craig, 423 Yale Ave., Swarthmore 19081, 215-323- U. of Nebraska-Omaha - C, Frank Duntze, 4013 Lafayette St, Omaha 6749 68131, 402-558-6835 U. of Pennsylvania - CH, David Dormant, 218 South 43rd St, Philadelphia 19104,215-662--0823 NEW HAMPSHIRE West Chester State - C, Prof. David Eldredge, West Chester State College, Dartmouth - C, Bill Spencer, Hirunan Box 3005, Dartmouth College, Han West Chester 19380, 215-436-1000 over 03755. 603-646-2009 RHODE ISLAND NEW JERSEY Brown U. - CH, Stan Chesler, 16 Catalpo Rd., Providence 02906, 401-751- 9862 Princeton· C, Rachel Dewey, 50 Homer Lane, Princeton ()85.t(), 609-924· 6192 U. of Rhode Island · CH, Dan Szumilo, P.O. Box 83, Kingston 02881, 401-792-2365 Rutgers-New Bnmswick ·CH, Shelley Herochik, 49 Lincoln Ave., Highland Parl< 08904, 201-247~768 (h); 201-932-7520 (w) TEXAS Rutgers-Newarl< C, Frank Scofi, 154 Mill St., Belleville 07109 U. ofTexas-Austin - C, Hal Wylie, 904 E. 43rd St, Austin 78751, 512-453- Stockton State · C, Bill Sensiba, 11 East Church St, Absecon 08201, 2556 609~1-3466 (h); 659-1776/X.240 (w) U. of Texas-Houston - CH, Kyle Norman, 4314~ Bell, Houston 77023, 713-921-3479 NEW YORK VERMONT Brooklyn College· C, Allen Hershkowitz, 1412 Madison Ave., New York 10029 Castleton College - C, Don Grimes, P.O. Box 362, Castleton 05735, Columbia U. - C, Sara Ricks, 304 Plimpton, Columbia U., New York 10027 802-468-5611 Cornell - CH, Matt Birnbaum, 114 Stewart Ave., Ithaca 14850, fJJ7-272- VIRGINIA 0110 Virginia Commonwealth U. - C, Kevin 1.etena, 609-B North Tilden. Rich CW Post· CH, John Kraljic, Hillwood Commons, Box 58, CW Post College, mond 23221, 804-355--0946 Greenvale 11548, 51~299-2228 ' Hobart College - C, Mike Paris, 95 Villa St, Rochester 14606, 71~254- WASHINGTON 7560 Evergreen College - C, Beth Hartman. 2361 Crestline, Olympia 98502, ~ew York U. • C, Jim Steiker, 33 Washington Sq. West, New York 10011, 206-754-7718 212-505-0230 U. of Washington-Seattle - C, Bill Yates, 7021 Sandpoint Way NE, #307, SUNY·Bingharnton - C, Mitchell Harkavy, 237 Front St., Binghamton Seattle 98115, ~523-7848 13905, 607-722-2566 WISCONSIN SUNY-Oswego - C, Bill Scheuennann, Box 195, Minetto 13115, 315-343- Ripon College - C, Brett Abrams, Ripon College, Marshall Scott Hall. Room 5372 233, Ripon 54971, 414-748-8316 SUNY-Stonybrook - CH, Hugh Cleland, 528 Pond Path, Setauket 11733, U. of Wisconsin-Madison· CH, Bob Rubinyi, 1322 Chandler St., Madison 51~751--0340 53715, 608-251-5972 DEMOCRATIC UFT 13 JANUARY 1983 lian Bond reelected to the Georgia state NATIONAL ROUNDUP senate. In Michigan, Perry Bullard of Ann Arbor has been reelected as a state rep Alabama resentative, while city council members in The Rosa Parks DSA local in Mobile, Ala clude Lowell Peterson in Ann Arbor, Mary bama has now been joined by a student ann Mahaffey in Detroit and Pete Murdock branch at the University of South Alabama. in Ypsilanti. Zoltan Ferency remains as a .,.______by HARRY FLEISCHMAN _. Washtenaw county commissioner. The local was active in the fight to support black ex-mayor Eddie James Carthan of In 1912, the Socialist Party had 118, 000 In Wisconsin, Dismus Becker was elected Tchula, Mississippi, who was acquitted of a dues-paying members and had elected to the state assembly from Milwaukee, Bil murder charge in November, but who re in this more than a thousand mayors, city council ly Feitilenger to the Madison city council, mains jail on other charges as of members, state legislators and other offi and Stuart Levitan, Lynn Haanen and Kath writing. (Contributions for legal costs may cials. Unfortunately, the party was wreck leen Nichols to the Dane Cowity board be sent to the National Campaign to Free ed by repression during and after World Ben Levy was elected a justice in Houston, Mayor Eddie Carthan, P. 0 . Box 29, Tchu War I and the split with the Communists. Texas, and Michael Paymar to the Duluth, la, Miss. 39169.) Now, for the first time since pre-World Minn. city council. CaJifqmia War I days and the early thirties, the ranks of socialist officeholders are growing rapid Although DSA still has far too small a black Irving Howe, Dissent editor and DSA na ly. More than thirty DSA members have membership, black elected officials include tional executive committee member, the been elected or reelected to state legisla Ron Dellums, Julian Bond, Denny Farrell, spoke at Los Angeles Socialist Com tures, city councils and even Congress. In District of Columbia city council member munity School last month on "Israel's Inner most cases they ran as Democrats, in some Hilda Mason, and Gus Newport. Crisis. " The School and DSA also presen cases, they were on nonpartisan ballots. ted a preview of "Zora, "a play based on the Not one DSA officeholder running for re life of Zora Neale Hurston, nationally election lost. By contrast, as the Albany known as a novelist and Afro-American Anvil notes, third parties-when so identi folklorist ... Jim McRitchie spoke on plant fied-apparently failed to win a single race. clo~ings at the December meeting of Sac READING THE RETURNS The Citizens Party put up 82 nominees. Its ramento DSA. NEC member Stanley A partiai roundup of socialist elected offi only victory was a Denver transportation Aronowitz speaks at the Sacramento local council member in a nonpartisan race. The cials after the November election includes and the University of California at Davis on Fairbanks homesteader Niilo Koponen, socialist weekly In Tlrese T~. reporting Thursday, Jan. 20. ... DSA chair Mike Har on "Left Results in '82 Races," gave 22 rington speaks in San Francisco on Friday, who took 61 per cent of the vote to oust a column inches to Citizens Party failures and Jan 28 at the Herbst Theatre on "American Libertarian party member from the Alaska six inches to DSA successes. Political Currents" .... DSA's Western Re- state legislature; Harlan Bak.er, reelected to the Maine legislature from Portland; Ken Jacobson of Seattle, elected to the Washington legislature; and Tom Gallagher reelected to the Massachusetts legisla ture. David Sullivan remains on the Cam bridge city council and Scudder Parker stays in the Vermont state senate. In California, Ron Dellums was reelected to Congress despite vicious redba.iting; Harry Britt remains a San Francisco city supervi sor; Mayor Gus Newport of Berkeley and other DSAers in the Bay Area hoJd office; Bruce Van Allen succeeds fellow DSAer Michael Rotkin as mayor of Santa Cruz, where John Laird also sits on the council. In New York, DSA state assembly mem bers now include Eileen Dugan, Denny , Farrell and Jerry Nadler. Ed Wallace re mains on the New York City council as an J.im Chapin, right, accompanied a Sociali8t International fact-finding m.ia at-large member, while ~uth Messinger s1on to ~entral America December 3-7. The group, which included rep was reelected to the council. resentativee .of member partiee in Venezuela, Canada, Chile, France, Ger many, Jamaica, and Sweden, visited Nicaragua and Coeta Rica. Here the Wally Priestly and Dick Springer have been group prepares to board a helicopter to go to the Honduran-Nicaraguan elected to the Oregon legislature, and Ju- border. DEMOCRATIC lEn 14 JANUARY t983 ON THE LEFT giom; ~Conference will be beld in ted to the Erie County Democratic Com NEW PUBLICATIONS AND the Bay Area oo Saturday, January 29 witlJ' · mittee.... The Long Island Progressive MEDIA RESOURCES DSA irx:e chair Manning Marable and Coalition and many DSAers played an im Duane OmipbeD among the speakers.... portant role in helping progressive Bob The San Diego local held a meeting last Mrazek defeat reactionary John LeBoutil ~ Disamtament Catalogue, edited by month on ~L the Palestinians and the lier for Congress and to elect Barbara Pat Murray Polner (Pilgrim Press, $12. 95), is a Middle East. .. ton, the first black assemblywoman ever powerful call to action against nuclear mad from Nassau County.... Henrietta Backer llliMis ness: a comprehensive compilation of re and Harry F1eischman spoke about DSA on sources for peace. The ODcago DSA local has hired David Adelphi University's radio station on Dec. Hatch as a halftime staff person. . . . 1be Fear at wom: Job B/aclmtail, Labor and tJw 27..•• C. W. Post Democratic Socialists are Environmml, written by Richard Kazis local now has eight branches: Women. La carrying on a series of film forums .... New and Socialism, and Richard Grossman of Environmental bor, Peace, Religion Gay York City DSA heard Mikhail Ostrovsky, of and Lesbian, Health, Southside, and West ists for Full Employment (Pilgrim Press, the independent Moscow peace group re $10. 95), docwnents that hundreds of thou Suburban. ... It also publishes an attractive pressed by the Soviet government, and bimonthly, Chicago Socialist. Champaign sands of new jobs have been created by Cathy Fitzpatrick of the U.S. Helsinki environmental laws; that many businesses Urbana DSA publishes ~ Left. Watch Committee, at the December mem and jobs have been saved: that economic which features an article on the demise of bership meeting. the Projectionists Union in Champaign, benefits from clean air and water bills have Rochester DSA showed the film "Rosie the plus two stories on the current fight of been in the billions of dollars every year. Riveter'' last month, followed by a forum furniture workers against union busting.... The authors show how employers and poli addressed by Carol Barona of the Coalition ticians use the promise of jobs and the Maine of Labor Union Women and Beth Ayer of threat of unemployment for job blackmail Burt Hatten spoke on "Socialism and Public District 1199, Hospital Workers. against workers and communities. Education" at the Down East DSA local in The current issue of Canada Today, tftw. Orono on December 15 .... Russ Christen IN MEMORIMt j01'rd'hui, deals with Manitoba and its capi sen polled 20,858 votes for Penobscot tal city, Wmnipeg. The magazine explains County Judge, but his Republican opponent Joseph Glass, labor lawyer and a Manitoban politics, its New Democratic won with 28,407. frequent Socialist party candidate, party Premier Howard Pawley and the died in September at 80 years of age. forerunner of the NDP, the Cooperative Massaclrusetts As a lawyer, he represented the bar Commonwealth Federation (CCF). For a Mike Schippani of the Amalgamated Cloth bers and seafarers unions, as well as free copy, write to the Canadian Embassy, ing and Textile Workers Union and Steve the organized physicians, dentists 1771 N St, N. W., Room300, Washington, Early of the Corrununications Workers and veterinarians of New York City's D.C. 20036. helped organize a major conference on "Or Departments of Health and Correc ]ellybt.an Bl~ - S<>ngs of Reag DEMOCRATIC LEFT 15 JANUARY 1983 JIMMY HIG_GINS R.EPORTS And now a word fmn a millionaire-ascetic-In a SOUSA convention in Washington, D. C., one hundred labor officials recent New Ytri Tilwes rooodtable on investor opportunities, one gathered in San Francisco at the California AFL-CIO's International investment guru got caught up in the spirit of 1982 as the 800th Affairs cOnterence. According to several correspondents, official anniversary of the birth of St. Francis of Assisi Discussing the AFL-CIO foreign policy spokespeople were treated to, at best, a inflation psychology and whether it has ebbed, Laurence A. TJSCb cool reception. Local and central labor council officials pressured for identified the key questions: "Have we changed the style of the a change of positions on questions like South Africa and the nuclear country? Are we less things-oriented than we were in the 1970s? freeze, but most especially El Salvador. The one AFL-CIO stance to Does the family need three cars, a second home, a third televi.sioo win sympathy was support for Poland's Solidamosc. set?" Tisch, chairman and chief executive officer of the Loews Corporation, has a personal fortune estimated at $300 million. Clos Own a piece of the topsoil-Prudential er to our grubby "things-oriented" existence, TM P"'11ic E"""'1Jm Insurance used to run ads featuring Gibraltar that urged you to take a Press, publication of AFSCME-OC37, reported that a moderate policy with Prudential and "own a piece of the rock." Well, rocks family budget for a family of four in New York City came to $31, 000 a compare unfavorably to other investments apparently~pecially year by the end of 1982. The federal government used to calculate to investments like prime farmland. Prudential, a Newark, NJ. such budgets for hypothetical families; no more, thanks to the based company, recently led the fight to ensure its rights to buy up slashing of Stockman and Reagan. Using the previous federal aite as much prime Nebraska farmland as it wanted. Inswcmce com ria, the Community Council of Greater New Yorlt figured out this panies like Metropolitan (New York City) and Travelers joined in the budget. It includes such frills as an overcoat every five years for the fight, too, and together the advocates of corporate-absentee farming main wage earner. Somehow, the second home, third car and third spent upwards of $500, 000 to defeat Initiative 300 on the November television don't fit in. Incident.any, the average amruaI salary in New ballot. Prudential alone threw $225,000 into the fray, but the invest York City comes to $17, 000 for aD wage and salary earners. ment proved imprudent. A coalition sparked by the Farmers' Union of Nebraska that included the state AFL-CIO and Education Associ Skirmishes over military spending and ation as weD as women's groups and Catholic activists joined forces foreign policy issues will be dividing the Democrats and bedeviling to prohibit any future corporate-absentee farming in the state. the labor-oriented left between now and the 1984 Democratic con Initiative 300 changes the state constitution to forbid the purchase of vention. American Federation of Teachers President Albert Shank fannland or operation of a farm or ranch by any non-family corpora er sounded a pubJic clarion for the coming battle in bis December 19 tion or limited partnership. Outspent more than fifteen to one, the New Ytri Times colwnn. Taking off on Herbert Stein's provocative family f.arm advocates carried the state 57 percent to 43 percent and Wall Stmt]oumal essay, "How Wortd War ID Was Lost," Shanker won more than 70 percent of the vote in 16 of the state's 93 counties. argues that Reagan has placed too low a priority on a needed military buildup by putting tax giveaways to the rich first. Worse, by counter "Jimmy Higgins Reports" has been a part of DEMO. posing military spending to government spending for human needs, CRATIC LEIT since its founding, but Jimmy's origins Reagan has shattered the consensus for increased defense monies. go bade much further. He's the archetypical socialist Reporting in the December 15-21111 nae TO..S, JobnJudis noted a and trade union rank-and-filer, first named by Ben determination coming from the convention ofSocial Democrats USA Hanford, Eugene Debs's running mate, in 1904. He's to make the C9ld War the center of Democratic politics. Shanker the one who does the behind the scenes worl< neces~ spoke to that gathering of a smaD organization with an influential sary to build a movement. Last year we added Janie network. He contrasted the good neoconservative and social demo Higgins to update the symbol Archetypes and im cratic "ideological anti-Communists" with the business-oriented >-'"11-...... _ ages change, but the work done by the H.igginses of pragmatists within the Reagan camp. At about the same time as the this world remains crucial to our eventual success. SECOND CLASS POSTAGE PAID AT NEW YORK, NEW YORK 853 BROADWAY, SUITE 801 NEWYORK,N.Y.10003 ~412