Social Democracy in America
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an attempt to organize a society of collective justice and individual freedom where everyone gets food, shelter, health care, education, and the ability to actualize his or herself. In other words, achieve a truly civil society. Social Democracy is a true American tradition dating back to the 1800's and Eugene V. Debs, and continuing through Rev. Norman Thomas and Max Shachtman. To learn more, click on the upper menu item "About SDUSA".
This report was written in December regarding the Occupy Buffalo movement. It was written by Michael Mottern the Chair of the Young Social Democrats.
Glenn
All across the nation police forces have been moving to shut down the various Occupy movements. In Buffalo, New York however this has not occurred and probably will not. One reason is that Occupy Buffalo because of its awesome legal team from the Western New York Civil Liberties Union has been able to cooperate successfully with Buffalo’s city hall. It has also built up good relations with the police department and officers. Beyond its willingness to obey laws it has also done this by sponsoring a Police Appreciation Day in which cookies and thank you cards were dropped up to the union president and the union members themselves.
We also have good relations with other public employees and unions. Instead of spraying us with fire hoses, we get kudos from the fire department. We had a Fire Fighters Appreciation Day. Unions like the Buffalo Teachers Federation, the SEIU, the Steel Workers, and others all have given donations in the form of fundraisers or writing checks to the movement. Now the hard hats are really with us! And with the economic crisis going on in the United States and echoing through out the world many more people will eventually jump on board.
Another reason the Occupy movement will succeed is that this movement is not like the 60′s as Bill Maher said on HBO a few weeks ago. “Now the hard hats are with us” Instead of burning the flag we fly it proudly! Instead of throwing Molotov cocktails we attend the common council of Buffalo meetings and other committee meetings as well. Instead of spiting on our veterans, they join us in uniform. Instead of hating private property ownership, entrepreneurship, and advances in science, we love these things.
In short the movement is not like the sixties. It is not as radical. Instead it is universal and populist just like the 99%. Its philosophy is not entirely red like at the turn of the last century but now is made up of a very mixed bag of philosophies. Because the Occupy Buffalo movement is all of these things. Because the Occupy movement represents the real needs of the 99% of the people who are not privileged in this country, I feel privileged by being able to participate in it. My work in it has been and is one of the most rewarding things I have done in my life.
Michael Mottern
When someone asks me what the Occupiers want, i.e., what are their demands, I say that, for the most part, they don’t have any. It is not their intention to post demands, or hold the occupied property for ransom. Their goal is to bring attention to the biggest issue of our time: the Wall Street ownership of our government. Corporate leaders who have crippled our economy have not even been charged with a single crime, let alone been punished. They are completely immune from the law and have a free hand to do as they please.
The Occupiers are doing their job. They are bringing this issue into the daylight and plopping it right down in front of our faces. The remaining question is not, “what will the Occupiers do next?”, but “when will the rest of the 99% get off the couch and take action to solve the problem?”
Occupy Pittsburgh Eviction Notice
Domestic Politics Economy by .
David McReynolds
A review of the film J. Edgar (directed by Clint Eastwood, with Leonardo DiCaprio, Judi Dench, Armie Hammer)
by David McReynolds
J. Edgar Hoover (1895-1972) who, depending on your politics, looked much like a toad… or a bulldog. . . was without question a monster of American political life. Since his life is now so distant to those younger than forty, the film has great value as an historical “look back” at the life and career of a deeply flawed, remarkably powerful man.
As a fan of the work of Clint Eastwood I wish I could give the film unqualified praise, but my praise, while real enough, is limited by two regrets. First, while I’d credit the actors with filling their roles, so that we soon enough forget Leonard DiCaprio was so recently the golden boy of youth, as he ages toward the stout, balding figure of Hoover; and that it takes some time to realize Hoover’s mother is played by that most accomplished of actors – Judi Dench; make-up and acting cannot always accomplish miracles. In the case of Armie Hammer, who plays Clyde Tolson, (Hammer played the double role of the Winklevoss twins in The Social Network), his acting skills do not make him believable as an elderly Tolson, crippled by a stroke. Sadly, the make-up leaves him looking as if he were headed for a Hallowe’en party.
Second, I quarrel with Clint Eastwood’s approach in which past and present shift throughout the film. But that was his decision and the film works despite my quibble.
There are some things which might have been covered in the film. Younger viewers will not know that Hoover persisted in denying the existence of the Mafia – so much so that it became a kind of joke (to which passing reference is made in one of the Hercule Poirot TV mysteries). There were suggestions that the Mafia might have had something on Hoover. It is just as likely that Hoover felt the Mafia too big a challenge.
On September 21, 2011 the National Committee of the Social Democrats
USA passed the following resolution “On a National Infrastructural Bank”
On a National Infrastructural Bank
Whereas in spite of the fact that the economic prosperity and sustainability
of the United States is endangered by its long term deficit problem, the current
economic crisis of ongoing joblessness, low levels of economic growth, and high
budget deficits at the federal and state and local levels is caused by an
ongoing lack of consumer demand caused by high levels of consumer debt and
unemployment.
Whereas this lack of consumer demand in the foreseeable future will continue
to reduce US economic growth and increase national levels of joblessness and
deficits.
Whereas the United States has since 1970 been under-investing by as much as
1% of its annual GDP in needed infrastructure in roads, mass transit, water and
sewage treatment plants, and other forms of national infrastructure.
Whereas at this time the infrastructural quality of the United States has
been ranked as a “D” according the the American Society of Civil Engineers.
Whereas The United States now has an infrastructural deficit of $2 trillion
dollars according to the same American Society of Civil Engineers and this
deficit will have to be made up if the United States is to continue to be an
economical advanced world power and stay competitive to Russia, China and other
developing societies.
Be it resolved that the Social Democrat USA will support the most effective
proposals for a National Infrastructural Bank particularly as presented by such
advocates as Felix Rohatyn, Bernard Schwartz and organizations such as the Third
Way. The Social Democrats USA sees the development of an effective and
politically independent National Infrastructure Bank as being at the center of
the solution to the nation’s current crisis of low economic growth, high rates
of joblessness, and deficits at both federal and state levels and of course this
nation’s currently weakened infrastructure. The National Investment Bank would
have the following powers, purposes and aspects to achieve its goals.
1) The purpose of the National Infrastructure Bank will be to invest in areas
of the nation’s infrastructure i.e. in roads, mass transit, water and waste
treatment plans, and other vital areas of national infrastructure. Such
investments will not replace private, state, and local investment in these areas
but they on the contrary will stimulate and encourage the investment of
governmental and private capital in these projects. According to Bernard
Schwartz an internationally important investment banker and a leader of the
Third Way, a centrist think tank, such investments by a National Investment Bank
should be able to leverage 5 to 6 times its investments in private and other
capital. Thus an investment by the NIB of $100 million should be able to
leverage perhaps $500 or $600 million dollars in private capital.
2) The investments to be made by the National Infrastructure Bank will be
financially sound. All investments will be expected to yield an adequate return
on the capital invested in interest or other incomes. The bank will operate on a
sound economic basis.
3) The National Investment Bank will prioritize its investments based on
criteria such as job creation, economic benefit to nation, region or state,
national energy Independence, environmental sustainability, and other socially
important criteria.
4) The National Investment Bank would be a stand alone organization. The
members of its executive board would be appointed by the President of the United
States and approved by the US Senate.This board would have full authority over
the policies and activities of the Bank subject to presidential and
congressional oversight.
Summery: While the issue of whether President Obama can afford politically to
invest his political capital in the push for a strong National Investment Bank
can be debated, what can not be denied is that citizens groups and organizations
committed to social justice for the people of this nation need to push for the
programs that will support the prosperity of this nation and justice for its
people. That is what a National Infrastructure Bank will do. That is the reason
the Social Democrats USA supports a National Infrastructure Bank.
Resolution passed by the Social Democrats USA on November 4, 2011
While the Occupy Wall Street movement started with little media attention and
public notice, it has now grown to such an extent that most Americans are aware
of it and moreover a majority of Americans approve of it. Currently the Occupy
Wall Street movement with active branches in over 200 American cities easily
dwarfs the conservative Tea Party movement in popularity.
The Occupy Wall Street movement with its attendant Occupy Buffalo, Occupy Los
Angelos, Occupy Columbus movements, etc., clearly is being supported by the
majority of the public because its slogan of “We are the 99%” representing the
people not enjoying the full benefits of the system as opposed to the 1% of Wall
Streeters, CEO’s who are enjoying the lion’s share of the system’s benefits
resonates with the beliefs of the majority of Americans at this time. The Wall
Street protests have given voice and a living face to this discontent.
Furthermore, the Occupy Wall Street movement is important because it is the
most significant rising of the Left in the decades since the Vietnam War. This
is not to dismiss major and significant progress made by certain advocacies of
the Left over the past forty years. The hard won gains by those advocating of
women’s and gay rights are some of the most prominent examples. And currently in
states such as Ohio, workers and unions are struggling to roll back anti-labor
legislation intended to cripple their future. However the emergence of Occupy
Wall Street movement seems to be something new. It seems to be the one
nationwide movement which offers the promise that the very politics and economic
life of this nation could be ultimately changed.
For this reason the Social Democrats USA fully embraces the broad
anti-corporate vision of the Occupy Wall Street movement and the positive
actions of the movement itself. The SDUSA endorses to work of its comrades who
already have immersed themselves in the struggle. The work of the Chair of the
Young Social Democrats, Michael Mottern is an example.
Of course, as in all of the causes which it supports, SD support will not be
uncritical. The SD knows that for the Occupy Wall Street movement to reach its
potential it must develop organizational forms that can reach out and can engage
people more directly in political struggles to support laws and legislation
which concretely can make an anti-corporate vision a political and economic
reality. Obviously it must proceed to turn its vision of freedom and community
into real political programs. In other words it must ultimately
institutionalize. If it doesn’t then all of its energy and potential will
ultimately dissipate.
Everything in its time and place. The Occupy Wall Street movement will learn
from its experiences and the Social Democrats USA will assist in whatever way it
can.
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