CORRECTIONS Gremlins were hard at work in our last issue. 1be last sentence on page 3 should have read Mtmdale's acuptalta speedt (ad to a lesser degru, CU1mW's lteynot.t) um a masterpieu ofconaaJed sdtizofJltmUa, Ott tJr.e one hand S<JWUling themes tJtat wm ConmaM­ ni.tarian, populist, anti-corporate; Oft tJr.e ollter hand a/fimring tJr.e limits of tJr.e welfan sta man t:ZfJliciJly tJran ils virlues. (''l'Mn an "" bKsiness taus tJtat weaken ""'«anomy, H said M tmdaJe oftJte platform, """ lau""1y lists tJtat nzid our TrtOSW'Y. '')Mondok ducJud ntlirtly tlt.t questjqn of wlral mmtnn" of supply-silk For Your Socialist Bookshelf «OM'Mics lie would ust to~ tJr.e «Ofl­ Otlf'j; tJtat tUball. was nkgated to Harl (wlto ABOUTDSA ~ /wilX1le sector~) ad WE'RE SOClALISTS AND WE'RE DEMOCRATS. FOR f odtstm (rclw ~ tJte public sector). THE SAME REASONS (one free with SASE) .02 On page 4. the sentence starting 13 WE ARE THE NEW SOCIALISTS (one free with SASE) .02 tines u:p from the bottom of the last paragraph WHERE WE STAND: A Position Statement of the Democratic Socia!ists ot ,.\meria should re2d TM ca:ucus mlbsiasticaJJy (one free with SASE) .02 passed a nsolution ofSllfllXJrl fur tJte M ondak­ LABOR IS A POWER IN THE LAND (Labor Conmssion brodaire. DO bulk cisaluc1) .05 FOR A MORE LIV ABLE WQRLD (Re5gion anc!Socialism brochire, DO bllJk disoount) .05 F m'm"O tickd. EqwzJJ, mlbsiasticaJJy, iJ al­ WHICH WAY AMERICk Plllitical Perspective of the DSA Youth Sectioo> .50 so passed a rr:solutimt frrmc M assodtusetts YOtml SECTION ORGANIZING MANUAL 2.00 StaU Legislakw' T°"' GaJla/Jlter ad uamded CENTRAL AMERICA ORGANIZING MANUAL 3. 00 by N~ Haven Cily C~ Marli1s PERSPECTIVES ON GAY AND LESBIAN LIBERATION A.'"m SOCIALISM 2.00 SOClALIST FORUM (DSA discussion bulletin. subscnpoon: 31$10) 10.00 Dunleavy calling on DSA to eo11vene a «111/er­ Back issues $3. 50 each 3. 50 ena of socialist ekcfld ojficiaJs frrmc annmd THIRD WORLD SOClALISTS (Subsaiption 2/$6) 6. oo tlu country in 1985. Back issues, Nos. 1 & 2, S3 each* 3. 00 We apologize to Fred Siegel for leaving Back issues of DEMOCRATIC LEFT .10 TOTAL out the identifying information in his column on Th£ Forty-Year War. Siegel is the author Sale Items of Troubkd Journey: From Pearl HarlJur to Ronald Reagan (Hill and Wang, 1984) from WOMEN OF COLOR* ,,,-:25'.J.<5() ·---· TOTAL which the colwnn was adapted. Unmask is 2327 Webster St, FROM THE INSTITUTE FOR DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISM Berkeley, CA 94705. We gave the wrong~. ALTERNATIVES: Proposals for America from the Democrabc Left. edited by Irving Howe. Essays by Irving Howe. Robert Lekachman. Michael Harrington. Frances Fox Piven, Barbara Ehrenreich, Gordon Adams, Df~RATICF"""""1 Nnnll#Jw of dte Bob Kuttner. 6.95 ~Ult alld Moe- POVERTY IN THE AMERICAN DREAM, by Barbara Ehrenreich and Holly Sklar 3. 75 E T THE TRANSITION FROM CAPITALISM TO SOClALISM. ilv°"- by John Stephens. Published at $12. 50 soft.cover. 6. 50 BAH.ARA EHRENUICH WOMEN IN THE GLOBAL FACTORY, by Annette Fuentes & Barbara Ehrenreich 4.00 MICHAEL HARRINGTON TOTAL Editors Sale Items MAxlNE PHIUIPS M"""lilvEditor EUROSOClALISM AND AMERICA*, edited by Nancy Lieber, with articles by Harrington, Palme, Brandt, Mitterrand. Pubhshed at $17. 95 S 3.~ DEMOCRATIC LEIT (ISSN 0164--3207) is publish­ THE BLACK CHURCH AND MARXISM, by James Cone .7.f'Jtll!J ed six times a year at 853 Broadway, Suite 801. PLANT CLOSINGS BULLETIN ,~ New York, N.Y. 10003. Second Class postage THE VAST MAJORITY: AJoumey to the World's Poor, paid at New York. N. Y. Sub!lctiption S8 regubr; by Michael Harrington. Published at $10. 95 s15 institutional TAX POLICY AND THE ECONOMY* (a debate between POSTMASTER: Send address changes to DEM· Michael Harrington and Jack Kemp) <>CRATIC LEFT, 853 Broadway, New York. N. Y. IMAGES OF LABOR (attractive softcover art book, published at $16.95) APARTHEID AND THE WORLD ECONOMIC ORDER, by M. Manley 10003. DEMOCRATIC LEFT is published by the Demo­ cratic Socialists of America at the above address. *Bulle orders: 10% off on 5-9 copies; 20% off on 10-14; 30% off on 15 or more copies. Make checks phone (212) 26().3270. Other offices: 1300 West payable to: DEMOCRATIC SOClALISTS OF AMERICA. Suite 801, 853 Broadway, New York. Belmont Ave.. ChicagoIL60657, (312)871-7700; N. Y. 10003. Add 10% for post.age and handling. 3202 Adeline, Berkeley CA 94703, (415) 423- 1354. Microti1m. Wisconsin State Historical Soci­ ety, 816 State St., Madison WI 53703. Indexed in YOUR NAME -----------­ the Alternative Press Index, P.O. Box 7229, B»­ ADDRESS. __ ---------- timore MD 21218. S;p.d arlicla atwas fill.,,_ CITY STATE ZIP ioru of tM aMllwn atul ""'of,.,.... $ DEMOCRATIC LEFT 2 SEPT.-Ocr. 1984 Elections Give Unions Chance to Rebuild Base by Harold Meyerson f it was accomplishing nothing else, by mid-September the Mondale cam­ paign was answering a question that PRESIDENT REAbAN'S in a better world would go unasked: IURINGAID how much do you have when you haveI the institutional support of every pro­ gressive constituency in the United States at a time when everything else is going against you? For, the one positive aspect of the Mon­ dale campaign two weeks after Labor Day is that the national movements on which the Democratic party has come increasingly to rely are attempting to do more for the Demo­ cratic nominee than they have ever done (in the case of the newer movements) or than they have done in decades (in the case of labor). For the Sierra Club and the National I K'fl Women's Political Caucus, this means a first time endorsement. For labor, this means the most extensive effort since the 1940s. With a few weeks to go before the close of voter registration, it is too early to assess 1980 Eurosocialism and America confer­ with members. Nor is there any guarantee labor's efforts, and too early to know wheth­ ence that directly inspired the Machinists' that a vibrant steward system will ensure a er Mondale can close the gap to the point On-The-Job-Canvass, in which stewards politicized steward system. Endorsement where labor's efforts make a difference. The conducted worksite surveys of their co­ and donation powers throughout labor belong numbers are fragmentary and inconclusive. workers on a range of issues. It wasn't the to unions' state and national bodies; at best, Though the Food and Commercial Workers Machinists, though, but the Communica­ locals execute but don't decide. [UFCW] can cite 60,000 new registrations tions Workers and the American Federation The decline of politics at the base, then, among their members, most internationals of State, County and Municipal Workers is hardly susceptible to reversal by executive cannot yet quote any figures at all. If a union­ [AFSCME] that first used the program to fiat, nor did anyone expect that would be the led registration effort in New York City has stump for Fritz Mondale last winter. By case. Indeed, it is no surprise that the two signed up 110,000 new Democrats, another April, the AFL-CIO was convinced that the internationals credited with doing the most in Los Angeles has pulled in only 10, 000. one-on-one program, as it had come to be to date on this fall's campaign are AFSCME But what distinguishes labor's presiden­ called, was a demonstrable success in a sea­ and the Machinists (IAM I. It is not only that tial campaign this fall is not the numbers­ son not otherwise noted for Mondale or labor these are two of the most politicized interna­ not yet, one hopes-but two qualitative de­ triumphs. Late this summer, the AFL-CIO tionals in the AFL-CIO, but also the two with partures. The first is an unprecedented de­ sent One-on-One kits to all internationals and the greatest expenence at bringing political gree of cooperation among the various through them to the locals. The intent was to action (AFSCME) and membership canvass­ movements along the campaign trail. Insofar put stewards to work, first registering un­ ing (the IAM) down to the stewards. as Fritz Mondale has a field campaign at this registered members at the worksite, then Indeed, the fall campaign is a tougher late moment, it consists largely of the "party interviewing workers and identifying them test of the steward system than anyone en­ within the party"-labor, feminists, minori­ by candidate preference. then doing a work­ visioned. for no one anticipated such wide­ ties, peace activists, environmentalists, fre­ site Get-Out-the-Vote drive on election day. spread antipathy to Mondale when the pro­ quently working together. The second de­ It has not been an easy program to imple­ gram was put in place this summer. In the parture is the recognition on the part of virtu­ ment. The AFL-CIO'S list of registered un­ National Education Association-an excep­ ally the entire labor movement of the need ionists is notoriously dated and fragmentary. tion among unions in that membership is uni­ for a bottom-up campaign that employs local More seriously, however, the steward sys­ formly voluntary-the first-time appearance stewards to carry the message to the mem­ tem has atrophied throughout the move­ of stewards talking politics has led to some bers. "We're finally catching up," says one ment. Ironically, the establishment of the Republican resignations. Even in the JAM internabonal's Western states political direc­ union shop, which relieved stewards of the and AFSCME.