Analyze our political situation and hopefully leave here with a better outlook for tomorrow. Sfwroo to have such a well of experience in this struggle is not the elders of our movement. Of our party. When i was asked to give a speech honoring our elders, i was fearful of being someone who would come up with some things of the past and give a tone of the passing archaic, unmoving, and gone. Basically i was afraid i would get up hire and give something of a eulogy. Thing is, this had is not a funeral. And the elders who are with us today in this room and with us in spirit and their local place of residency are still very much alive and fighting and wonderful resource of knowledge of things we are that things the party we need to know and be reminded of in order to be the best we can be and looking forward towards the future. Political activist jane baldwin once said children have never been very good at listening to their elders. They have never failed to imitate them. I think this holds true with the case of the party. Sometimes life is busy. The struggles of the day to day can get us down, and we get wrapped up in our own affairs that we can get tunnel vision. We think we can think this is the first time being done, a problem is arising or a battle is being fought. Thing is, the battle and struggle for the end of capitalist exploitations and for a society based on he equality has been a battle the communist party has been waging for 95 years. It is a battle. It is a battle that has taken on many forms as described as a culmination of issues, but if this is a battle that has gone on for some time and we have elders, people in this very room and around the country who have been fighting in it for decades and continue to fight in it. We can at least hope in some way to imitate their strengths and resilience, to be able to have the similar life lesson they had and to be able to help contribute to the rich legacy of the party as they had as well. Well, okay. Im going to okay. We have some of the greatest resources through our elders within the party. To learn from and be thankful for those that have come before us. Im reminded of a political activist, maran wright elderman noted of his elders. I feel very luck where i to have grown up having interaction with the adults who were megachange and were far from perfect beings. That feeling of not being paralyzed by your incredible inadequacy of a human being which i feel day to day is part of the legacy that i have gotten for so many of the adult elders. Elders may not be the best way to describe them. Im reminded of what author Elizabeth Kobler Ross broeld wrote when speaking of the older generations. The most Beautiful People we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen. Shes right. Beautiful people dont just happen. They are created, and blossom in the complexity of life and struggle. Thats who our elders are. Truly Beautiful People who we are so grateful to have still fighting by our side and being able to learn from their experience and lessons. Thank you. Hi. Executive vice chair of the party. I hope you feel as uplifted as i am right now. Wral look great. Let me tell you. I say to you good afternoon, and i say to you were going to have a Great Convention here. But i have a very specific task this evening. I want to talk to you about extending a welcome to our international guests. Coming from the most powerful nation in the world, our party has a long and courageous record of fearless solidarity. Workers of the world and oppressed people of the world unite has become more than a great slogan for our party for 95 years. We have fought this fought for all through those 95 years and for all that we have to translate the powerful words and to powerful movements of struggle. The founders of our party lifted the baber of internationalism and solidarity with the first socialist nation in the land that developed and the land. We carried it in defense of republican spain and against the fascist berlin, tokyo, rome. The banner protested baptista and the and it embraced cuban socialism. Today it reads in the embargo and free the cuban fire. Our banner was lifted in solidarity with the courageous people of vietnam and their valiant struggle against u. S. Impeer wralism. We are with the free people of vietnam today and are hopeful that a peaceful solution will be found to end the current most serious wlikt with the peoples republic of china thats going on right now. Our banner of antirace echl International Us was raised in solidarity with south africas fight for freedom. When we hail the founding of the new antiracist democratic republic of south africa, we continue to raise the banner in solidarity with the new prosocialist venezuela and all newt elected elected progressive governments in latin america. We stood with the people of iraq and occupation in the country and in their continued struggle for a just and lasting peace of selfdetermination, the banner of the cp usa forever will wave against u. S. Impeer wralism and in solidarity with the oppressed and ebbing metro detroited in the world. It is against austerity which is being spread by the most powerful economic forces around the world. Were for labor and peoples fight back all over the world. We stand with the people of iran, against the threats of war coming mainly from our ultra right, but not only from the ultra right. Also from the israeli ruling circles. We hold high our banners of antiimpeer wralism stand with the peoples of central and south america and the struggle for social justice and for economic and political independence. Independence from u. S. Corporate dominance. Workers and oppressed people of the world unite. In the ukraine, u. S. Policy is to join with those who wave the flag of nazism lug to some surprise the Confederate Flag was waived in kiev. These cool people who carry the Confederate Flag of u. S. Slavery, they are supposed to be our allies in the ukraine . Hell no. The world has not forgotten what nazism is. U. S. Imperialism does not represent the interest of the American People. We know that. Their goal is not peace on earth, but how big a piece of this earth they can dominate and exploit. It is the wasted treasure, of our nation squandered on war that we cannot afford. It is the blood of our working and middle class young men and women, many of whom were coerced, bullied into military service on behalf of u. S. Corporate impeer wralist interests, that same interest that exported our jobs in the first place. Scottsboro, Angela Herndon and so many who face the gallos. The whole fight to bring down the beastial slavery system gained worldwide political muscle because of international solidarity. It was a wealthy english during the civil war, the great carmikes land to fight to mobilize the workers to refuse to unload ships made from slave labor and antiracism, antiracist solidarity is basic to working class solidarity. Our party our party will never forget what communist and workers parties did in their fight to save angela davis. [ applause ] long Live International solidarity. Workers and oppressed people of the world unite. Our unity is our strength. Comrades, many parties have sent in wonderful greetings to our convention. We are especially delight to have our Many International guests who have joined us, many traveling thousands of miles to be with us. A number of other parties as john mentioned were blocked by the state department and the cubans sent in their application. They didnt say no. They just hit the visa. I dont know. Nothing came out of it, and they said they often do that. I thought we were irrelevant. I thought we were, you know what are they scared of . Our secretary of state, you know, come on. We had guest from all over the world. What is your problem, brother . You understand what im saying . I think its part of their whatever, wron what it is. Anyway, the South African delegation would be here. They always come. There was a problem of health. He could not make the trip. They send their best wishes. We say to those that are here, however, welcome being comrades. We are honored by your presence. I want to ask each one to stand as i call your partys name. Comrades, please try to hold your amruz until our wonderful International Comrades are all standing. Fat chance, i know. First of all, from the communist party of brazil, please stand. You can remain standing. The communist party of britain, please stand. Thats all the applause yall can do . Come on. Huh . I know. Im teasing you. The party of germany, please stand. The twoday party of iran. [ applause ] the communist party of iraq is here. The communist party of japan is here. And the communist party of vietnam. [ applause ] welcome. Please give them a rouzing hand. You all get a chance in the course of this weekend to hear much and meet them, so on, but long Live International solidarity. Im sorry thank you. Juan lopez, the organizer of the Northern California district. Thank you. Well, it is a great privilege and pleasure to introduce our National Chairman sam web. Sam has been a mentor and an inspiration to many of us, including myself. I am proud to say that sam and i at the ripe age of 69 share a common destiny. We are one were from entering the prime of our lives. [ applause ] as young men our baby boomer swrrgs was shaped by the movements of the 1960 civil rights and antivietnam war era to which the party just emerging from the mccarthy period made important contributions. At the time first as a College Student and then a worker, a shop steward, sam served as leader of the party in his native maine with distinction. In the 1970s at the partys urging, sam and his family moved to detroit when the Automobile Industry was still king. Under sams leadership, the party in michigan ably contributed to the fresh winds that were reenergizing and renewing the Labor Movement unleashing the process resulting in todays progressive trends. In the 1980s at party in new york sam went on to become secretary of the Partys National labor commission. During subsequent years he went to take National Assignments becoming an effective trouble shooter on major parties of the partys work. After the soviet union, the socialist xamp in Eastern Europe imploded, sam played a pivotal role in helping lead the party out of one of the most challenging periods bringing unity, stability, continuity, and renewal to the party. It was a united party that enthusiastically elected him as National Chairman in 2000. It is this threat, continuity, and renewal. Continuity and renewal that our National Chairman has told us to pass through the eye of a needle resulting in the sound policies in overlooking trajectory that characterizes our party today. In todays world, when the contradictions have never been greater in our lifetime between the 1 and the 99 , together sam leading with other highly capable comrades in the collective bodies, together with comrades at all levels, toget r together. Its where we fell short. With fresh minds together, this weekend we chart a course that will build on the Great Strides we have made since our last convention. Sam has brought outstanding qualities worth mentioning because of the impact they have on our party and through our party carry over into the mass arena. A deep understanding of the science and art we call marxism. Marxism not fixed in stone for all time, but one very much alive, masterfully applied to concrete circumstances and evolving with everchanging reality. A keen appreciation for the sensibilities and the aspirations of our nations working class of people, not least for members of our own party. A style of leadership, utterly collected with disarming humility at the same time, reality based bold initiative. Leadership by example as well as persuasion. Being aware that sam is not one for personal nevertheless, i felt obliged to bring these qualities out because they represent much of the best in our partys collective experience. So it is with our minds set on continuity and renewal that we set out as we said leaning to our National Convention not to perform some radical makeover or programs, policies, and party, but rather, to make some adjustments, do some finetuning, and discuss and agree on some exciting new initiatives. Without further ado, i present to you my dear friend and comrade sam web. [ applause ] thank you, juan, for your overly generous introduction, and i accept it. Thats how we try to function over the past 14 years, and by and large, i think weve done a pretty good job at it, but i accept it in a collective spirit. Its great to see all of you here, and special thank you to the Convention Organizing Committee who did yomans work, john, judith, lebarow, john, joelle, elaineaelainaa, hersche tony. Lets have a hand. Good afternoon, everybody, and a special good afternoon to our international guests. Thank you for coming so far to be with us. Seems like everybody is raring to go, so i hope i can get us off and running well. Every convention has its own particular mission. What is the mission of this 30th convention . In addition to catching up with old friends and meeting new ones, breaking bread together and just generally having a good time, our mission is to take a fresh and sober look at the days realities and challenges. This includes making adjustments of a strategic and tactical nature to new conditions. It entails taking better care of the future and the struggles of the presence. Over the next three days, well turn our attention to those social movements which are critical to recasting our countrys politics, economics and popular thinking. While we look ahead, we also keep in sight the immediate challenge of this falls elections. Of course, we give our attention to the many sided building of our party for the 21st century. Such a party should be modern, mature, militant en masse. In my world the much utilized and collective and penetrating voice in the peoples world. Far more effectively than it has done up until now. Im not going to turn my attention now im going to turn my attention to the main challenges that the leadership of the party would like you, you the delegates, to discuss, debate, and decide over the next three days. Ill present them one by one for the purposes of clarity, but real life each intermingles with the others in countless ways. Challenge one, people surge. Seems like every day somebody new is raising hell. Rattling the cages of the powers that be. One day its the dreamers. The next day its walmart and fast food workers, and then the moshl monday movement that the day after that. Then there are seemingly endless actions to increase the minimum wage. There are also initiatives to stop deportations and the militaryization of the border. To this we have to add the mobilizations against Voter Suppression along with ongoing campaigns to register the vote. Nor can we forget the struggles to stop mass incarceration and overhaul a judicial system that is full of racial and class bias. Of great significance are the efforts to protect Womens Health at abortion clinics which are under fierce attack. Then there are the inspiring student campaigns against Global Energy corporations, student debt, and the keystone pipeline. We shouldnt forget the flood of phone calls that nearly overwhelm the congress, switchboards of what look like imminent u. S. Military action in syria. Also great significance was a trance formative Convention Last fall. Still, another impressive example of the surgery was the landslide win of bill deblasio, of mayor of new york. He was a selfdescribed progressive. Then a few weeks ago across the might where i hudson, in another impressive victory was elected newarks mayor. Finally finally an aspects of this surge that is so inspiring it brings tears to my eyes and the pass passage of Marriage Equality legislation in state after state. These victories have become so common that it is ease where i to lose sight of the enormous change that represents that this represents and thanks go to the courage and tenacity of the lbgt movement. Letting everyones name tip our banner to the late harry hayes as well as as well as to the pioneering stonewall generation. That includes our own Jerry Donovan and eric gordon. Eric is with us. The stonewall the stonewall generation the battle they lost loved ones to the aid epidemic, and they never gave an inch to ignorance and hate. If i could sum up the surge in a few words, i might say i might say that things are breaking good, not breaking bad. Ill be the first to say that the surge of struggle doesnt have the capacity, resolve, the crisis of capitalism, and a consistently democratic and working class manner. But does it have transformative potential . Yes. I believe it contains the seeds if could if properly cared for could bring a new burst of freedom, economic security, and peace to our land. Of course, the dels advocate would quickly remind me of wrarz that make any kind of progress, let alone social transformation unlikely. You know what, the obstacles are formidable. The task is daunting. We should lower our sights or lose those gifts called hope and desire or give up on the American People. The present surge is real, and it can evolve into a movement of the majority in the interest of the immense majority. Its a lubbock as well as san francisco. Its in the south as well as the north. Its in the heartland as well as the coast. Its the red states as well as blue states. To put it differently, only a movement is one progressive analyst that includes the desperately poor. In the insecure middle class, has any chance of success. That is not exactly a marxist formulation, but framing it like that encourages big universe thinking and expansive tactics, both of which is something lacking on the left and in the party at times. It brings me to challenge two. An economy that works for working people. The 99 arent fairing too well. Are you . The economic recovery is anemic, and things dont look good going forward. In fact, the phrase economic stagnation has reentered the conversation of even mainstream economists after a long absence. Paul krugman, the Nobel Prize Winning economist and New York Times columnist wrote a while back, and i quote, but what if the world weve been living in for the past five years is the new normal . What if depressionlike conditions are on track to persist. Not for one year or two years, but for decades. Wow, thats big stuff. Present day capitalism, while being governed by the same underlying laws of motion and dynamics, theres little resemblance to u. S. Capitalism in the years stretching from the end of world war ii to the mid 1970s. During that era between 1945 and 1975, sometimes called capitalisms golden age, the economy grew steadily and dynamically, but this change in the mid 1970s when the conditions of sustained capitalism dynamic and near continuous expansion over a 25year period largely disappeared and gave way to what is called stagflation. That is high inflation, slow growth, and with this turn of events, many especially the decline in profits, the money bags of the corporate suites did two things. First, they declared war on labor. In this builter class when we know only too well goes on unabated. In the sfeer of material production and set to it, you are free. Go wherever you want. Multiply many times over and make me rich. Which is exactly what their foot loose and profit seeking money did. It nestled everywhere, settled everywhere, and established connections everywhere. But the main place it flowed was to the interfinancial markets and channels. In fact, the flow is so massive and sustained it became the main factor shaping the contour structure into relations and evolution of the national and Global Economy, but as we know only too well, this enormous flow of overwhelmingly speculative, parasitic and nonfinancial monies while pumping life into an underperforming economy was anything but an unmixed blessing. Sure, a few people on wall street or connected to wall street got rich. Rotten rich. Lived in a constable luxury and accumulated enormous power. Most of us got spanked and spanked hard. We lost job, income, and we piled up debts so we could get high. We did nothing but worry about our finances, families, and communities. When the feeding frenz where i finally unravelled and the whole economic came down in 2008, damn it if we didnt get spanked again. To think that not one, not even one of these thieves of high finance spent a dale . Jail. To make matters worse, five years later things are no better for us. Nearly all of the income gains, during this time have gone to the 1 . The prognosis for the economy is more of the same. Slow growth, stagnation and mounting contradictions. What gives to the stagnation pressures are the vast changes that have occurred in the Global Economy since 1980. You know on the one hand at the apex of the economy, a huge Multinational Corporation and banks. On the other hand, marxist reserve army of the unemployed, under employed, and informally employed has doubled in size during that time. This the scale of this sorp shon of workers and the wage exploitation has radically releveraged the relative positions of capital and labor in favor of the capitalist class. What is more the disparity of wealth and power at the core of the economy constitutes a new and powerful source of downward pressure on the u. S. And Global Economy. Now, this turn of events and reconstitution of capitalism could not have happened without a major assist from the government and the political class. A crucial importance with the collection of Ronald Reagan in 1908 and the ascent yancy of the right wing that followed. But to be fair, the democrats especially the Clinton Administration were not bystanders either. They also had a hand in transforming the economy to the advantage of the 1 . So the question before the house is how do we get out of this mess . Heres my two cents. Whats needed is nothing less than the restructuring of the economy in a consistently and deeply anticorporate and eventually socialist direction. First first the conversion of a fors ill fuel driven in militaryized economy and a sustainable one based on and developing Renewable Energy sources. Second, major Infrastructure Construction and renewal. Third youll like this a guaranteed and income for all and the reduction in the workweek with no cut in pay. Fourth, a major expansion of every aspect of the Public Sector education, housing recreation, culture, child care, retirement, security, health care, elder care, and so forth. Fifth, strengthening of workers rights and peoples rights swrenly. Six, turn too big to fail banks and the Energy Industry into public utilities. Seventh, measures to overcome longstanding inequalities and rebuild hard hit communities. Finally, controls on capitals ability to abandon communities and move around the world. Fourth, reforms are met with a refrain, there is no money. But that is perhaps the biggest of all lies. He had unearned wealth thats been amassed by the 1 . This could be transferred into public hands, our hands. And another. Another huge source of funds is the reordering of government priorities away from military spending and finally, taxing of the financial flows of transaction should get our radical Economic Program off and running. Let me add this. The purpose of such a Reform Program isnt the to level the Playing Field or to insure that everyone who plays by the rules and works hard gets a fair shot at the american dream. To the contrary. The purpose is to decisively change the rules and tilt the Playing Field in favor of the underpaid, the underemployed, the unemployed, the discriminated against, the struggling family, the indebted student, the underwater homeowner, the bankrupt city, the underfunded schools. Every victim of capitalist crisis. Where do we begin . My answer is that we begin where we are. That is the existing movement and struggles, and there are so many. Starting with the growing movement against economic inequality. The low wage economy and right wing extremists. One day president richard passionately speaking about the growth of inequality. The next day it is president obama making a speech on the same subject. The books of thomas tickerty and Elizabeth Warren both on the subject of glaring and unjustified inequality are in the New York Times best sells list . A progressive blocking Congress Stands firm behind economic justice. The minimum Wage Movement is really kicking up sand. The latest victory in seattle, city council to lift the minimum wage to 15 an hour. Meanwhile, around the world powerful movements, in some cases even governments are demanding economic justice, and before we move on, as a former altar boy, i got to bring the pope into the conversation. Who said and i have to quote you, while the earnings of the minority are growing exponentially, so too is separating the majority from the prosperity enjoyed by those happy few. The imbalance of the result of ideologies which defend the absolute autonomy of the marketplace and financial speculation. A new tyranny is thus born, invisible and often virtual. A new tyranny which, oops, which we impose as its own laws and rules. The thirst for power and possibilities knows no limits. In this system which tends to anything whatever is fragile, like the environment, is defenseless before the interest of the dietified market which becomes the only rule. End of quote. Powerful stuff. Like lebron james, the popes got game. One of the most compelling struggles against economic inequality, maybe the most compelling. Its the low wage work of organizing campaigns. Who are these workers . Well, they are us. Theyre young as well as old, black and brown as well as white, women and men, immigrant as well as native born, suburban and rural as well as urban, and im sure gay and straight. They also come from red states as well as blue states. In their corner are important sections of the Labor Movement. We and many, many others are supporters of this struggle, but at this convention, we should have upped the ante. Right now at this convention of the communist party to make the struggle a strategic focus. Can we agree to that . [ applause ] i thought you would agree. Which moves to challenge three. As an overriding strategic task. The Labor Movement is an essential cornerstone of transformative politics. No, not everyone on the left and Progressive Community is of this mind. Some have signed the Labor Movement no part of the process of change, some a big part, and still others include labor in a very long list of other political actors. Contrast on the left to occupy as compared to the recent conviction of he was gaga in one case and hohum in the other. This obviously is in our attitude. When organized, united, and equipped with a class and democratic vision, the working class in its organized sector possess transformative power. Of course, this isnt the case today. The latest membership is at its lowest level since world war ii. Its on the defensive and fractured, the left and labor while growing while still small in side and the barriers to reconstitute, a revitalized and growing Labor Movement are formidable. Now if this were the entire story, you would be a bummer. I would go on vacation and head to the pub by noon. But it labor is breaking out of its defensive shell. Opening up its arms to millions of new members. And taking new initiatives. So what should we do . We should do what sections of labor are doing. Acknowledging, embracing and doing something about this crisis. Now im not polly annish, even the best of circumstances, transformation of a Labor Movement wont be accomplished overnight. But as i said, the first steps of being taken, labor is beginning to dance with a new beat and rhythm. Labor should join the dance. Thats the question before the house. Before this convention is, are you ready to put on your dancing shoes and boogie to labors beat . Now i expected you would break out in applause because i know how many of you like to dance. Which takes me to challenge four. Elections on the struggle for political inded. Ents. And the challenge for anybody who cares about the future of our democracy, elections this fall, they probably wont shift the political terrain in a deep going way. But that doesnt take away from their importance. Whichever side wins will have to win over the next two years of the Obama Presidency and the leg up in the 2016 president ial race. If the republicans catch control of the senate, by retaining control of the house, they will claim that American People have unambiguously rejected the president in his politics that redistribute economics, government overreach and super sized state. Thon ground, you press the reactionnary agenda to the max. Block the president at every turn as well as ramp up efforts to portray him as incompetence tent, voicers of takers and free loaders and weakening in a global theater. Nothing new here, except that they were pursued this Smear Campaign with more vigor. This is all how the Republican Opposition goes beyond the normal give and taken a politics and heated partisanship. What it reveals is that a barely concealed and deeply felt racial animous toward a black president. An order that is white male and well to do. As fixated as they are on booba, they are equally on the tennis of millions to survive. Thus the stakes are tremendously high in this election. And it goes to stay that we should be in the battle. No one should sit on the bench. This is play off time. This wont be cake walk. Whoever said it would be easy or smooth. Who said it would be easy to elect the first africanamerican president. None of us, i bet. Most of the people shared our view. But life and struggle and a yes, we can attitude, combines to break new ground and make history. Can we surprise the pundits once again and give the republicans a good thrashing in november. We got the right spirit. But we and the larger Peoples Movement have to combine the spirit with two other things if we had a win in november. First, good talking points. We convince people that the vote counts and that the right wing can be defeated this fall. And the massive Voter Registration protects the vote, get out the vote campaign, beginning now. If this is done, and i think there can be lots of talking heads like the republican vistry will have to eat their words. Now, some on the left and Progressive Movement minimize the importance of this election, in part because they dont share our concern about the right danger, and in part because they feel that Democratic Party is no great shape either. Well, im mindful of the fact that Democratic Party has a class anchorage and it aint working class. Despite the broad range of people and organizations that comprise it, not everyone has an equal seat at the table. But im also mindful that any realistic strategy to defeat the right, thereby creating tupts to move through higher ground, necessarily includes the Democratic Party as part of a fwroeing peoples coalition. So, so how do we square the circle . Im not sure if i can do it completely but here are some brief thoughts. First of all, an independent laborbased party able to compete on the National Level with two main part eves capitalism doesnt exist now, nor is it on the horizon. And while there is a while there is this affection within the democrat ic party, nearly nobody is ready to say see you later. What they are ready to do is to fight with a Party Leaders and wall street over policy and political direction. So if a third party isnt on the agenda for now, what does the left do in the meantime . Hope the Democratic Party will do us right . Not at all. Two interrelated tasks come to mind. One, is to continue to build the broadest deepest grass roots coalition, including the demes, against the right in this falls elections and beyond. S, against the right in this falls elections and beyond. And the other is to give new imagination and emergency to extend and deepen the independent over and to the outside of the Democratic Party and press the democratic agenda. Now, will there be tension . Of course. How could there not be. Thats the nature of coalition. But we will learn the course of doing how do i move this whole thing forward. Which takes me to challenge five. Climate change and sustainability. The piling up of carbon and other Greenhouse Gases and reaching the point that james hansen, one of the worlds foremost climate scientists calls it a planetory emergency, what makes matters worse is that time is becoming our enemy. Our window to act is closing. Never before has such a challenge confronted the human supposies. And yet we sit on our hands. Cant say the same thing about the fossil fuel industry. Most of the republican party, right wing, well funded think tanks, and the rightly despised koch brothers. Can i hear a boo . Boo. This molly gang is making the rounds. Denying the science of Climate Change and resisting the smallest measures that might cut down on carbon emissions. While this crisis is plan tarian sculpt, it works the most on working classes, poor and especially on countries and peoples of the developing world. Despite this impending calamity, the response of the left in broader Democratic Movement hasnt been commensurate with the new danger. In this party in particular, we are going to be graded on our performance, my guess, is that we will get a d. And the only reason we wouldnt receive an f is due to the regular and outstanding coverage on Climate Change in the environment and the peoples world. We can and must do better. The clock is ticking. Im reminded of a quote from Martin Luther king, jr. In another context. And i quote, we are now faced with the fact that tomorrow is today. We are confronted with a fierce urgency of now. And this unfolding conundrum of life and history, theres such a thing as being too late. Procrastination is still the of time. End of quote. The eloquent words and Scientific Data dont woo you to be a better steward of this fragile planet, place we call earth and make it personal. Thats what i do. I think of my two daughters. Step daughter and stepsons. And i also think a lot about violet and pearl, my two granddaughters, 11 years old. Who will hopefully live long in this century. And are friendly to humans and other life forms. Whether that happens or not, however rests on what we and tens of millions of other people do in the next few years. But here is the good news. If i made you too gloomy. A movement is being born. And it includes young people in the trades union movement, too. Although they understand there are concerns of working people, not fear the weight of the necessary and absolutely necessary transition to a fossil full free economy. We should join this Movement Heart and soul. We should bring our energy and whole tool kit, including socialist perspective to it. And in the globalization of the United States demanding actions from leaders and government to and cloimate change, can we agree that we will join as well as mobilize friends and neighbors for this action. What do you think . A month or two ago, month or two ago, i signed up as our leadership to convince soviet obedient to start the keystone pipeline. How many of you will make that pledge today . New beginnings require a first step. And i think we have taken one. Bring in challenge number six, new racist order. The right wing the right wing attack against the inequality is sustained, coordinated and exceedingly dangerous. And the right wing and the right wing had a whole range of rights and social institutions, unions, churches, community organizations. Families, and kinship groups and so forth that sustain everyday life and empower tens of millions. But for sec sections of the ruling class and democracy and subsequent equality is at war. With their world view and zealous pursuit of dominance. This game of democracy and equality busters by temperament outlook practice you a authoritarian, massage any of the. They despise labor. I wish i could say this gang isnt yet at the gate, but they are. And in two years they hope to be inside and in charge of the castle. No joke. What do we do now . What do the people do . To concede no ground, go on the defense, expand on equality, interconnect the whole range of democratic struggles and give the right wing a spanking this fall and again in 2016. Of particular significance in this regard is racism and struggle against it. Both have left an indelible mark on every aspect of the democratic and struggle over the past 300 years. Today, and i dare say tomorrow, would be no different. As much as racism and the struggle against it, a timeless way to express themselves differently over time as conditions change. In fact, i would argue that the vast political and economic changes going back to the 19 60s, have within given rise in this century to a new racist order and to a new Antiracist Movement resisting that order. H century to a new racist order and to a new Antiracist Movement resisting that order. This makes the struggle against racist inequality at more difficult and more promising. Heres why. On the one hand, notable victories and struggle for equality led by people of color in the first place have been registered over the past few decades. Perhaps none more than the stunning election of president obama in 2008 and 12. Furthermore, Racial Attitudes and sections of the White Community have changed for the better. Of particular significance sections of labor and other movements engage in otherwise antiray sift struggle and take steps to make it reflective of their membership. Something that they didnt do years ago. Of their membership. Something that they didnt do years ago. Steps to make it refl their membership. Something that they didnt do years ago. Can anyone who grew up in the 60s, and there are lots of us here, president kirkland stomping the country and making it work to vote for an africanamerican president ial candidate . Dont think so. And of course, young people like to embrace some of of the old racist and other stereotypes of older generations. This is one side of the dialectic in which inform and even broader and deeper antiracial unit and antiracist understanding. But on the other side of the dialectic, new economic realities, which have taken shape the past 30 years and given tries a racist order making racism exploitation and discrimination much more difficult and durable to dislodge. And legitmize this structure which brings together new and old racist notion, including the notion that our nation enter need a post racial post civil rights color blind era. Dress that notion up as you will. But it is nothing but hog wash. So what do we do . Seems to me, reexpand in every way what we have been doing. That is struggling for jobs, housing, Adequate Funding of schools and education. For an end to racial profiling, stop and frisk on the war on drugs. For an overhaul on the criminal justice system, for political representation, for affirmative action, for the defeat of the right in the coming elections. I would add me, you and me, have to make the case more persuasively and vigorously that everyone who hopes that this country move in a democratic direction, let alone the people where people and nature trump corporate profits cannot afford to sit out the struggle. It is a challenge the new racist order could pull the country back to lays long gone by into a future that we long thought could never happen again. We have to argue that racism hurts. It crushes hope. Dreams of families. It tramples on dignity. It destroys flies. It denies jobs. It short changes education and housing. It profiles and sanctions violence. And it kills. Spsh lit young, sometimes on the street, sometimes in distant lands. Sometimes in prisons. And the victims of people of color. But racism also tempers, disciplines, brings wisdom. It gets courage. Provokes resistance. Inspires liberating and poetic visions. And gives rise to a freedom thus making people of color into long and front row marchs on freedoms road and a powerful voice for material and progressive and radical change generally. But i would add this. And this is a crucial point. After the end of the day, white people as well are morally and materially diminished in one way or another. Racist ideology and practice in quality and dignity to people of color in the first place. It also hides exploitation of all. It makes a society free of class racial and gender divisions a pipe dream. Can we overcome . And violence in a world of peace. We can barely turn in any direction without encountering violence of one kind or another. Violence is a pervasive presence in the world. It kills insent people and tears up the social fabric of our communities and societies. It can even numb our sense of outrage. And to the point of where we become accepting of its presence. But violence is a natural and eternal. Hate is an inhuman kind dna. War is a social constrict there are alternatives. Dr. King, was right when he appealed for a trans valuation of values. His majesty, human kind was nonviolence and love. But for him, pass appeals of peoples goodwill but categories of struggle. They rested on contesting the exploitation and oppression that other material ground for violence. He appealed to anyone that listened to eet elimination of poverty, and racism and the gateway to a nonviolent world. L poverty, and racism and the gateway to a nonviolent world. Were he here today, i couldnt help but think that he would tell us that our mission can be nothing less than to join with millions of others here and across our planet to insist on peace and end violence to study war, but to be concrete. Let me suggest to you what i think we should be on our agenda. First we should insist that our government makes a uturn in its foreign policy. Second [ applause ] second we should insist on the institution and we are nothing but staging grounds to project violence. Third. We should insist not only to the asia and pacific but to the common efforts resolve the poverty and equality and Climate Change. Four, we should insist on a just element of the palestinian and israeli conflict that includes at its core an independent viable robust palestinian state existing side by side, side by side, and in peace and equality with israel. And we should insist hands off, no war in iraq. [ applause ] a normal relation and freedom for the cubans and end to the hold [ applause ] and an end to the whole generalized sanctions regime. Six, we should insist that big powers, existing and rising, respect the rights of small states. Seven, we should insist on an end to the war on terror in the surveillance state. Terrorist actions against insent people cannot be justified and should be stopped. But the war on terror isnt the way to do it. It becomes easily the rational for wars or aggression abroad and cutting down of democratic rights and neglect of human needs at home. The discourage of terrorist actions can only be counted by the collective effort of the world kmupity. Community. Eight, we should insist on a peace budget, anwr budget. In the peace economy, an materialized one. The judicial system be overhauled, and justice be not punitive but redemptive and restorative. Ten, we should insist on an end to Capital Punishment in position of stricter gun laws and formation of power civilian review board in every city. 11, we should expand on the Health Care Clinics and have humane treatment to people. Young and old. Young and old who have mental problems, no shame in that. Right . 12, we should insist on the reconstruction plan of massive scale on a massive scale for the purpose of restoring and sustaining communities and cities, Rural Communities and reservations of native peoples. 13, and finally, we should insist on a just and humane immigration system. If we want to fight a war, we should once again declare a war on poverty, joblessness, adequate housing, malnutrition and the social ills that make life difficult for millions. Nor should we show intolerance towards racism and phobia or homophobia, all which can easily turn into acts of violence. And we know it all too well. Lennon once wrote, the peace among nations, cessation of pillaging and violence, such is our appeal. End quote. I would modify that. I would modify that in this way. The end of violence is our ideal but it must become our passion. It should not be a goal but better yet encoded into our emotional and political dna. And into everything we say and do. And the images banners and slogans that we create. If peace is to have a chance. We have to embrace and convince others to do the same. Finally, building the communist party. Im sure everyone would agree that taking care of the future struggle for the president includes the building, of the party and size capacity and influence. In other words, building a transformative party. So what is to be done . What will it take . And here im going to abbreviate my remarks in the interest of time and not exhausting your patience. But i will do is mention what stands out in my mind. If we are going to build a transformative party, including the couple of things that generated some lively discussion in our preconvention period. First of all, it will take confidence that the audience for ideas in our party is growing under the impact of changing objective and subjective conditions. And there is reason to think that this is the case. Both in size, capacity, mass relations and influence, were in a better place now than we were four years ago when we gathered. We are growing not by huge leaps and bounds but incrementally. For incremental growth can add up. Also to build transformative party, we have to pay systematic attention at every level of the party, to building the party. It can be the work of one or two or three comrades. It has to be the work of the entire collective. Also to build the transformative party, we have to find ways to further deep and extend the whole new pool of comrades. I think we are too thing in terms of the depth that level. So we have to change that. Also take more active and vibrant clubs, the ground floor of a transformative party. It is hard and not impossible to increase our political organizational capacity without a much larger organizational presence of the form are clubs at the local level. Just as union power, depends on local unions, power is in a Dense Network of clubs across the country. It should go without saying that the clubs who come in many different sizes and shapes, some will be statewide. Others city wide. And still others we hope will be located in a neighborhood or workplace. Building a transformative party will take social media and special the peoples world. We have made headway in this area but not enough. We still have a long ways to go. Also teak a special approach to the party among trade unionistes with people of color, women, youth and immigrants. Also take a range of forms including the Young Communist League to attract youth to our circle. And we have to do more complacency in our agency. And take more fullblooded and modern Educational Program that is equipped to reach new members and old members alike. This, i think, is a major responsibility task. Another requirement of the transform in a party is the deeper organizing culture. We have and the notion of practice of organizing and influence and actions of others. Yes, part of a action and movement. Foits a good fight but in too many cases we are only participants. Not movers and shakers. Not organizers and change agents. We make things happen and change the way people think. Also, taking a more compelling vision of socialism. It was modern in shape. National experiences. Traditions. Sensibilities. And challenges. A rear view mirror to construct the vision of socialism, and usa wont fill the bill. You wont meet the challenge of the new stature including massive economical challenge. Socialism, if it is going to be attractive to millions, cant simply speak in the language of structures relations, planning, growth rates, and the material tradition of goods. That wont do it. And tell a story. That expands the boundaries of human freedom and equality. Situates ordinary people in the sense of the transforming practice of creating a new society. Accents of full free and many sizes of development of the individual. And paint in many colors an hughs new arrangements of collective living and working. Socialism, i would saadd, be reduced to working class power either. Power in the application of power should be subordinated to vision and values. It has to be combined with justice and embedded in to and checked by, if need be, democratic policy, culture and institutions. Empower shouldnt be the property or constitutionality of any one party. Thus centralize it into the hand after single entity. If the 20th century taught us anything, it should have taught us that. In short, our vision of socialism should give new figure, if not recover. And the democratic i mans patory sentencesens of marks socialism. Building a transformative party, requires that we understand that our leadership role is an issue from our self declarations on all that we did yesterday. Rather the final analysis on how well we distinguish ourselves. At the level of ideas and practice in today and tomorrows struggles. We will be much better served if we situate ourselves as an equal aep dynamic part of the larger less financial movement. And on that ground make, in fact we are making, a vital, unique, political contributions to immediate and longer range struggles. Finally, building a transformative party will take a party that is guided by marksism. While we give pride a place to mark lennon, we embrace the whole body of marks thinking. As well as a nations radical and democratic conditions. We need to take more seriously lennons observation. I quote, we do not regard marks theory as something completed and invaluable. On the contrary, we are convinced that it has only laid the Foundation Stone of the science which socialists must develop in all directions that they wish to keep pace with life. End of quote. [ applause ] i understand that to mean that we have to act on the creative and Ongoing Development of marksism it is not a closed and completed system, but one that needs constant attention and elaboration. Our task isnt the reduced politics to cut and dry screams. To simplistic answers and formulas that are just the opposite. Our task is to breath movement, complexity, processies, contradictions and even contingency. I sometimes think that when it comes to theory and politics, our job is to complicate our own and other peoples understanding of class. Class struggle, roles of democracy and democratic struggles. Process of social change, racism, antiracism, gender impression and economy and so on. How theoretical and analytical will strongly argue is not what it should be. Falls far short of what is necessary to hope to evolve into a Major Political play in the politics of our country. Being in the fight is an absolutely necessary condition. If we add qualitative our role and influence in the successive stage of the struggle. But it is not enough. A modern militant mass, mature, 21st century communist party at the level of ideas as well as at the level of practice. Both are crucial. And for that matter, the quality depends on the quality of the other. And an ending. Finally. You know mischallenges are all around us. So enormous that one could easily wallow in despair but i know you wont do that. Because communists here and around the world, dont give up on the face of momentous challenges. It is not our style. It is not our heritage. It is not our dna. In fact, not in the style of heritage and dna of the American People. We made a conditions require back up for a moment. But we never back down. It is in our default position. Fighting harder and smarter is. And i dont doubt for a moment that we will do both in the years ahead. In this journey that began 95 years ago takes another step down freedom road. And let us resolve in this hall. This convention. On this day. In this great city. To step up the pace of our march. Our legs may be tired. But our spirit is strong. Our mission is just in our vision of a freed people. Living in harmony with each other in nature is ever more urgent. And while we capital exactly say when socialism will arrive on this journey, we remain as we march deeper into this new century, confident that one day it will. And on that day, the bells will ring. The people will rejoice. And the new burst of freedom will grace our land, transforming our nation into a more perfect union. [ applause ] and on that day, we will remember the songs of woody, paul, pete and odeta. We will hear dr. Kings words on the Washington Mall in august of 1963. Well recall farmworkers marching from delano to sacramento. We will shed a tear or two for the trail of tears, slavery, unrelenting exploitation and other crimes of now vanquished capitalism. And we will feel a renewed kinship with all of the Freedom Fighters who walked and rambled down freedom highway and whose foot steps remain forever etched in the sands of time. Also on that day, we will of ma angelo. You may trod me in the very dirt, but still like dust, ill rise. Who will win, who will overcome. Thank you. Thank you [ cheers and applause ] now more from the american communist partys 30th National Party in chicago. This is about 45 minutes. [ applause ] tonight, we will interview our panelists. There will be no speechifying. We will get their impressions as labor journalists, activists, and organizers of the movement for raising the minimum wage and for the rights of low wage workers. What impact will this struggle have for dignity and living wage on the future of the Labor Movement and local Sustainable Economic Development in our communities . It will be a little bit jimmy fallon, little bit Queen Latifah style interviewing. No wores, naquasia, it wont be like stephen colbert. But for one question, panelists, will this be a great panel or the greatest panel . Greatest greatest. Greatest greatest. All right. So i want to introduce our panel who are going to join naquasia, michael and rasheen. From peoples world homegrown here in chicago. Howard kling, secretary of the International LaborCommunications Association aflcio and editor of minnesota working. Elke redmond, org National Board members of jobs with justice. Ck Board Members of jobs with justice. E redmond, org nationald members of jobs with justice. Rg members of jobs with justice. G members of jobs with justice. N members of jobs with justice. Na members of jobs with justice. So panelists, kari and howard, this story is as old as dirt. Corporations making mega profits and paying the workers barely a living wage. And the labor press always covered thet