Picket demands “Tax the rich”

St. Paul, MN – Members of the Welfare Rights Committee and the Minnesota Coalition for a People’s Bailout gathered in the state capitol building, Dec. 2, outside the room where Minnesota Management and Budget department heads presented the ‘November Forecast,’ projecting a $1.2 billion deficit.

Minneapolis, MN – Friends, neighbors and supporters of Leslie Parks, a longtime resident of south Minneapolis who is facing foreclosure, gathered in front of her home Nov. 19, to demand that her mortgage holder – IndyMac – come to the table and reach an agreement that allows Parks to remain in her home.

Chapel Hill, NC – Twenty students picketed the Board of Trustees meeting, Nov. 18, as the trustees voted to increase out-of-state tuition by $1162 for the coming year at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. The protest was called by Students Against Budget Cuts and Tuition Hikes.

Los Angeles, CA – As of Nov. 18, dozens of tents are cropping up on UCLA’s quad as over 100 students begin a tent city, part of an all-night protest against the budget cuts, layoffs and tuition hikes in the University of California (UC) system. The students are waiting for buses filled with trade unionists and students from across the UC system to arrive in the early morning hours, in time for massive protests on Nov. 19 and 20.

Minneapolis, MN – Over 50 people gathered at the home of Leslie Parks, Nov. 13, to declare solidarity for Leslie Parks and her mother as they fight foreclosure and eviction.

San José, CA – On Friday, Nov. 6, the Labor Department reported that the official unemployment rate for October rose to 10.2%, from 9.8% in September. This is the first time since 1983 that the unemployment rate has topped 10%. A survey of businesses showed that 190,000 more jobs were lost in October, bringing the total number of jobs lost since the recession began in December 2007 to 7.3 million. These figures were worse than what mainstream economists expected and confirmed the fact that there is no recovery for working people.

Chicago, IL – The American Bankers Association met here the week of Oct. 26, in luxury hotels, spending millions for their comfort. Outside, 2500 working people marched and chanted, “You got bailed out, we got sold out!”

Minneapolis, MN – More than 50 people gathered here, for an Oct. 28 mass community meeting to demand a moratorium on foreclosures and for protections for renters in foreclosed properties. Organized by the Minnesota Coalition for a People's Bailout, the meeting brought together people facing foreclosures, trade unionists, welfare rights activists and concerned members of the community.

Activists from the welfare rights, labor, immigrant rights and anti-war movements filled May Day books store here, for a forum called 'Capitalism in crisis; fighting back in hard times,' Oct. 25. Speakers included Steff Yorek of Freedom Road Socialist Organization and Linden Gawboy of the Welfare Rights Committee and the Minnesota Coalition for a People's Bailout, along with labor and student activists.

Since the near collapse of the banking system, Americans have paid billions to banks that are now making record profits. Meanwhile, students, workers and homeowners are facing unforgivable unemployment, homelessness and debt. In spite of this, the Obama administration continues to escalate the occupation of Afghanistan and maintain troops in Iraq, adding trillions to this country's deficit and financial crisis. It is the working people who will pay for these wars, just as we are paying for bailouts to greedy banks.

Michael Moore has done it again, only this time he's coming out strong against the most pervasive evil in the United States: capitalism. Moore serves to moviegoers a searing critique of capitalism that is well needed during the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.

On Oct. 3, the Department of Labor reported that 263,000 jobs were lost in September, an increase of 50,000 over the jobs lost in August. So far more than 7 million jobs have been lost since the recession began in December of 2007. The official unemployment rate rose to 9.8% in September, from 9.7% in August, double the 4.9% unemployment rate when the recession began. This is the highest level of unemployment since 1983. These facts show that despite the talk of a ‘recovery’ in the corporate media, there is not recovery for working people.

Pittsburgh, PA – A powerful march for jobs filled the streets here, Sept. 20, in the first major protest before the G-20 summit. Organizers estimate more than 1000 people joined the demonstration, which marched from the Hill district, the historic center of the city’s African American community, to Freedom Corner.

Milwaukee, WI – 100 students came to the Student Speak Out rally Sept. 14, an event created by Milwaukee Students for a Democratic Society to raise awareness of how the economic crisis is affecting students, faculty and staff at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Minneapolis, MN – The University of Minnesota Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) chapter infiltrated the ‘Welcome Week’ convocation to drop banners, Sept. 3. Convocation at the University of Minnesota has historically been an event to welcome thousands of new students to the university and sing the praises of the university administration. ‘Welcome Week’ is increasingly closed off to any issue that runs counter to the administration’s message.

Stock Market Cheers Rising Profits

San José, CA – Layoffs continued to hammer workers and their communities in July and August. Job losses are leading to more and more home foreclosures. State and local governments are losing tax revenues and making more cuts to education and social services. At the same time the stock market has been on a tear, as the profits of big businesses have benefited from layoffs, furloughs, wage cuts and benefit cuts.

In the midst of the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, leaders and organizers across the country are gearing up for the “They Say Cut Back, We Say Fight Back!” national conference planned for Oct. 3 in Chicago, Illinois. From California to New York, people who for the past years have been fighting back against cuts to programs that serve our communities, against home foreclosures and evictions and against plant closures will come together to share experiences and make plans to work together in the coming years.

Minneapolis, MN - “Stop foreclosures and evictions” was the rallying call here August 15, as more that 100 protesters marched on Wells Fargo bank.

Chicago, IL – “La seguridad nacional nos arresta porque estamos luchando para quedarnos en nuestros hogares. Les dijimos que ‘¡La vivienda es un derecho humano y no nos vamos, seguiremos luchando!’” dijo el inquilino de Grove Parc y organizador de Lado Sureño Organizando por el Poder (STOP) Lonnie Richardson entre gritos de inquilinos y otros congregados en apoyo en un día heladísimo de noviembre fuera de las oficinas del Departamento de Vivienda y Desarrollo Urbano de los Estados Unidos (HUD) en el centro de Chicago.

Los norteamericanos están celebrando la derrota del hombre rico y bélico John McCain. Votaron por un cambio – un fin a la guerra, las mentiras y la corrupción. Muchos vieron que McCain era la continuación de las políticas fracasadas de Bush, y lo castigaron con el voto. Es seguro que la respuesta insuficiente de McCain a la crisis económica y su apoyo para los ricos aseguró su derrota. Los votantes de la clase trabajadora y la clase media están preocupados por la economía, se oponen al “rescate” de $700 mil millones y buscan un líder que “compartiría la riqueza”.