Transcripts For CSPAN3 Politics Public Policy Today 20141023

We are doing the same thing in money and politics. Were doing it now. Please check us out. Were running a fake candidate against mcconnell and grimes in kentucky. Use your magic computer phone. Thank you so much. Are you having fun . I know, its cool. I just have to say one thing because i think when we have progressive victories they are very important to announce. When my friends are behind the progressive victories i really like to announce them. Shannon moore and jeanie devon have worked for years tirelessly to end the pebble mine in alaska. The pebble mine will not be built in alaska. I think it so important to give them a shout out. If you are work on issues that are hard having to do with water and climate, these women have made it so compelling and so interesting and they are tireless fighters and so i just want to give them a shout out because i love them. Alaska is a faraway place. Ive been to bristol bay and ive seen what this place is. To work this hard to preserve 17,000 jobs, to preserve fisheries and salmon and to preserve our environment, thank you shannon and jeanie. Thank you. Ladies and gentlemen, jessica morales. I just want to take a moment to have a moment of silence for eric gardner who was killed yesterday by the nypd via choke hold. In 1d in 1964 young people from around the country went to the south. They lived and worked and got arrested and some even died and they changed this country. They were willing to risk everything because they lived in an america that told them that their lives didnt matter. Those young people, those radical idealistic organizers became todays icons and their names are julie and bob and heather and hollis and mary king. 50 years later two young leaders, philip agnew and sophia compost fighting for undocumented immigrants were invited to speak at march on washington and they were not able to speak. Thats when we knew we had to our own kind of commemoration so we came together. In boston, in north carolina, and in a tiny island called st. Simons in georgia. We are black and brown and asian and queer and undocumented and adopted and southern and organizers and artists. We are all of those things at once. What side are we on. Are we on the side of an america that continues to incarcerate people at a higher rate than any other nation, that rips families apart by deportation. What side are we on . Are we on the side of an america that continues to allow black and brown youth to struggle for a quality education . What side are we on . Are we on the side of an america that fires and believes and even kills people because of who they love . Thats okay with them getting married but isnt okay with them having full federal equality under the law. Last week, our Freedom Fighters went to the National Governors Association Meeting in nashville, tennessee, to demand a meeting with our elected officials. And they were arrested while black. The charges were eventually dropped as having no probable cause. Those Freedom Fighters who were arrested, the nashville five, were calling for our demands. One, free, fully funded Public Education for all. Two, to stop deportation and keep our families together. To end the school imprison pipeline, equal access, opportunity and protection under the law, and free and Fair Elections and the right to vote. We know that another america is possible and we are building it. We dream of an america where we can be educated without crippling debt. We dream of an america where our families Stay Together regardless of their status. We dream of an america where are educational institutions build the school to power pipeline. We dream of a true democracy that represents us where we have the safety to pursue our dreams. Im on the freedom side. And we need to know, what side are you on. Its not enough to celebrate the 50th anniversary of freedom summer. We have to use the precious gift that they gave us at the ballot box to take the power away from those who are still trying to silence us. Im on the freedom side. What side are you on . We are in a fight for our lives and the very survival of our communities. For too long our government has denied people of color the basic freedoms that liberty and life that are at the very foundation of this country. Im on the freedom side, what side are you on. Half a century of after the brave men and women risked their body and their lives in freedom, america still holds little regard for black and brown youth. If youre ready to be on the freedom side, take the pledge to be with us this summer and beyond. We need you to join us in claiming that our voices matter, that our votes matter, that our lives matter. If youre ready, stand and repeat after me. This summer, i pledge undying hostility to any government restrictions on the basic rights and freedoms of marginalized youth. I will use the power of my vote to remove policymakers from office who support measures that harm people of color and replace them with people who care about us. And were going to ask you to join us in a chant that our brothers and sisters at byp 100 started. Was a Freedom Fighter and she taught us how to fight we going to fight all day and night until we get it right what side are you on my people what side are you on we are the freedom side Freedom Fighters taught us how to fight and we gonna fight all day and night until we get it right what side are you my people what side are you own on we on the freedom side what side are you on my people what side are you on we are the freedom side [ applause ] stand up for yourselves, you guys. Thank you so much. Thank you guys, all. Thank you, all. I just want to say this community is one that im very proud to be part ever. I love that you are here. I love that you care. I love that you oftentimes work way harder than the pay that it means to work for other people. And i love that you consider other voices and other perspectives. Please always do that when youre considering how you want to push things forward. I love you, thank you for having me up here, you guys. Lets go drink and have fun. Ampbl a couple of live events to tell you about. Treasury downtowns david cohen will tell you about the u. S. Strategy to undermine the financing of the militant isis group in the middle east. Thats at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace at 10 00 a. M. At noon eastern, the Cato Institute hosts a discussion looking into Police Misconduct and of new Technology Like body cameras can make Law Enforcement more accountable. Thats live also on cspan. In New Hampshire, incumbent senator jean shaheen is facing former senator scott brown. Mr. Brown served as a u. S. Senator in pass mass until he lost a reelection bid in 2012. Hes now running in New Hampshire. Senator shaheen and scott brown debated on wednesday. In some ways i approve and some things i dont approve. They dont have that check on the button. Like most questions that we deal with as policymakers, there arent simple answers, yes or no. Well, let me put it this way. Have you said that youre the candidate for the citizens of New Hampshire. Scott brown often says that you vote with president obama 99 of the time. Because obamas approval rate are at an alltime low in New Hampshire right now, 38 to 40 , how does your voting record sort of vibe with serving the citizens of New Hampshire . Now, i work for New Hampshire. And scott brown talks a lot about one survey and 99 of the time that i voted with the president. But the numbers im proudest of are the 359 259 people who are now work, at the berlin prison because i was able to get it open after it sat empty for two years. It is the 1,200 people being foreclosed on their homes that our office worked with to keep in their homes. It is the 1929,000 veterans who can now get care close to home because of the legislation we got into the veterans reform bill. What we need is a senator who is going to work for New Hampshire, whos going to make sure that we address the kens that we hear from our candidates, whos going to be willing to work with democrats, republicans and independents, anybody in washington who can help us get the job done for this state. Senator brown, you get 45 second. Well, she just described me. Because i was the most bipartisan senator in the United States senate. Every survey thats come out has senator shaheen as being one of the most partisan senators. She has in fact voted with the president over 99 of the time and what does that mean to people in New Hampshire . It means she was the deciding vote for obamacare. She did vote against every ability for us to keep our doctors, our hospitals, our care facilities that people trusted and loved. As a result, deductibles are going up traumatically. Costs are going up. Care and coverages are going down. Shes also voted to put in place a system where we have more and more gridlock by voting with her party over 99 of the time. Thats part of the problem right now. We need to have an end to that gridlock. New hampshire senator jean shaheen and her republican challenger scott brown. Watch entire debate at our website. Go to cspan. Org. With the 20 14 midterm elections just a week and a half away, our Campaign Debate coverage continues. Today at 7 00 p. M. Eastern on cspan, live coverage of the new york 23rd district debate with congressman tom reen and barbara robertson. At 9 00, the West Virginia 3rd district debate with congressman nick hahaul and edward jenkins. And mia love and doug owens. Nba sena at 9 00, the only debate in the Oregon Senate race. At 10 00, the louisiana 5th district debate between seven candidates. Cspan campaign 2014. More than 100 debates for the control of congress. The American Communist Party held its 30th National Convention in chicago in june. Well hear from the Party Chairman sam webb who talks about the midterm elections and the partys economic agenda. There is almost 90 minutes. Hello. My name is chauncey robinson. I am from oakland, california. But i with a born and raised in jersey. And im a member of the communist party and the ycl. Wh what i was asked to do was do a speech honoring o our elders. So im going to do that. We are gathered here this weekend for the 30th National Convention of the communist party usa. It is a party that has had 95 years of history of struggle, dedication, defeats, and victories. From each of those struggles that the party has been a part of, we have been able to learn from those experiences in order to go forth and analyze the everchanging political climate. Here in the year 2014, we deal with a nation and a world in a state of unrest. Where the working class continues to struggle, fight, and, most of all, survive. In a capitalist society hellbent on our exploitation and demoralization. This weekend we are coming together to share our experiences, learn from one another, analyze our current political situations, and hopefully leave here with a better outlook for tomorrow. The key word i think of when thinking about what were doing here this weekend is experience. For i think experience greatly connects to how we go about talking about our Current Situation and how we go about our future. There have been things learned from our history that we stand on today, that enriches how we think on and decide on what to do going forward. And who is to have such a wealth of experience in this struggle, if 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 the tone of the past being archaic, unmoving and gone. Basically i was afraid id get up here and give something of a eulogy. Thing is, this is not a funeral. And the elders who are with us today in this room and with us in spirit in 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 in looking forward towards the future. Political activist James Baldwin once said, children have never been very good at listening to their elders. But 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 or we get wrapped up in our own affairs that he we can get tunnel vision. We think we can think this is the first time something is being done, a problem is arising, or a battle is being fought. Thing is, the battle and struggle for the end of capitalist exploitation and for a society based on equality has been a battle the communist party have been waging for 95 years. It is a battle that has taken on many forms, described, at best, as a culmination of issues. But 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 ways to imitate their strength and resilience. To be able to have the similar life lessons they had and to be able to help contribute to the rich legacy of the party as they have as well. All right, im going to sum this up. Okay. We have some of the greatest resources through our elders within the party. To learn from and be thankful for those who have come before us, im reminded of what political activist Marion Wright elderman noted of her elders. I feel very lucky to have grown up having interaction with adults who were making change, but who were far from perfect human beings. That feeling of not being paralyzed by your incredible inadequacy as a human being which i feel day to day is part of the legacy that ive gotten for so many of the adult elders. But elder may not be the best way to describe they will. Im reminded of what author Elizabeth Ross spoke the most Beautiful People we have known have known defeat, known suffering, known defeat, known struggle and loss and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have a 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. And 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 sides and being able to learn from their experience and lessons. Thank you. Hi, everybody. Jarvis tiner, executive vice chair of the party. I hope youre feeling as uplifted as i am right now. You all 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 for this evening. I want to talk to you about extending a welcome to our international guest. Coming from the most powerful and fearless nation in the world, our party has a long and courageous record of antiimperialist 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 fight all through those 95 years with all that we have to translate those powerful words into powerful movements of struggle. The founders of our party lifted the banner of internationalism and solidarity with the first socialist nation in the lan that developed in the land of lenin. Weve carried it in defense of republic spain, fascist berlin, tokyo berlin, tokyo, rome thank you axis. The banner protested batista and embraced cuban socialism. Today it reads end the embargo and free the cuban five. Our banner was lifted in solidarity with the courageous people of vietnam in their value ya valiant struggle against u. S. Imperialism. And we are with the people of vietnam today and are hopeful that a peaceful solution will be found to end the current most serious conflict with the peoples rup liepublic of china thats going on right now. Our banner of antiracism and internationalism was raised high in solidarity with south africas fight for freedom. Whether we found the new antiracist republic of south africa we continue to raise the banner of solidarity with the new prosocialism of venezuela and all the elected governments of latin america. We stood with the people of iraq against u. S. Invasion and occupation in their country and in their continued struggling for a just and lasting peace and selfdetermination. The banner of the cp usa forever will wave against u. S. Imperialism and in solidarity with the oppressed and exploited 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 fightback 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 banner of antiimperialism, stand with the peoples of central and south america in their 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 fla flag of naziism, including, to some surprise, the Confederate Flag was waved in kiev. These cruel people who carried the flag of u. S. Slavery. They are supposed to be our allies in the ukraine . Hell no. The world has not forgotten what naziism is. U. S. Imperialism does not represent the interests 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 and deceived into military service on behalf of u. S. Corporate imperialist interests. That same interest that exported our jobs in the first place. So we have to die for their profits after they took our jobs. That, comrades, that problem is the greatest danger to our nation. Peace is patriotic therefore. Thats why our party banner of solidarity must never be lowered until peace and justice prevails for all people. The fight for peace is where u. S. Peoples basic interests lie. It is where we as a people make our greatest contribution to the future of humanity. We are in chicago and we know, comrades, it was the International Solidarity with the hay market martyrs that established mayday as a worldwide workers holiday and helped win the eighthour day. Internationalism saves scottsboro, Angela Herndon and so many who faced the gallows. The whole fight to bring down the bestial system of u. S. Slavery gained worldwide political muscle because of International Solidarity. It was a wealthy english woman abolitionist who put up the money that purchased the freedom of Frederick Douglas who was a fugitive slave up to then. During the civil war, the great karl marx led the fight to mobilize the english dockworker who refused to unload ships made from slave labor. Antiracist solidarity is basic to working class solidarity. Been a long time. Our party will never forget what communist and workers parties around the world did in the fight to save angela davis. Long live International Solidarity. Workers and oppressed people of the world unite. Y our unity is our strength. Comrades, lmany parties have set wonderful greetings to our convention. We are especially delighted 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, the cubans sent in the application for visa. 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 conventions before. We have guests from all over the world. With a is your problem, brother . You understand what im saying . And i think it is part of their whatever. I dont know what it is. Not even going to try. The South African delegates would be here. They always come but there was a problem of health. He could not make the trip. They send their best wishes. We say to those who are here, however, welcome, 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 applause until our wonderful International Comrades are all standing. Fat chance, i know. But first of all, from the communist party of brazil, please stand. Remain standing because i want everybody to stand. The communist party of britain, please stand. Thats all yall can get . Thats all the applause yall can do . Come on. Im teasing. The party from germany, please stand. The twoday party of iran. The communist party of iraq is here. The communist party of japan is here. And, the communist party of vietn vietnam. Welcome. Please give them a rousing hand. You will get a chance in the course of this weekend to hear much from me, but long live International Solidarity. Im sorry i got emotional. 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 webb. 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 year from entering the prime of our lives. As young men, our baby boomer generation was shaped by the movements of the 1960 civil rights and antivietnam war era to which the party just emerging from the mac mccarthy period ma important contributions. At the time, first as a college student, then as a worker, shop steward, sam served as leader of the party if his native maine with distinction. So 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 of michigan ably contributed to the fresh wins that were reenergize the Labor Movement resulting in the process of todays progressive trends. In the 1980, out of the National Party center in new york, sam went on to become secretary of the Partys National labor commission. During subsequent years sam went on to take National Assignments becoming a very effective troubleshooter on major fronts of the partys work. After the soviet union and the socialist camp 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. And it is this thread, continuity and renewal. Continuity and renewal that our National Chairman has taught us to pass through the eye of the needle resulting in the sound policies and forwardlooking trajectory that characterizes our party today. In todays world, when the contradictions have never been greater in our life time, between the 1 and the 99 , together, sam leading with other highly capable comrades in the leadership collective bodies, together with comrades at all levels, together with our close coalition partners, we are molding a modern 21st century communist party. Through the course of the next three days, we will have the opportunity to review our partys considerable accomplishments. Both where we excel and where we fell short. With fresh minds together, this weekend we chart a course that will build on the Great Strides weve 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. A marxism not fixed in stone for all time, but one very much alive, masterfully applied to concrete circumstances and evolving with ever changing reality. A keen appreciation for the sensibilities and the aspirati n aspirations of our nations working class of people, not least wr for mfor members of ou party. A style of leadership utterly collected, imbued with disarming humility, at the same time realitybased bold initiative. Leadership by example, as well as persuasion. Being aware that sam is not one for personal agrandizement, nevertheless, i fell obliged to bring these qualities out because they represent much of the best in our partys collective experience. And so it is with our minds set on continuity and renewal that we set out, as weve said, leading to our National Convention not to perform some radical makeover of our programs, policies and party, but rather to make some adjustments, do some fine tuning and discuss and agree on some exciting new initiatives. Without further ado, i present to you by dear friend and comrade, sam webb. Thank you, juan, for your overly generous introduction and i accept it in a collective spirit. 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 a special thank you to the Convention Organizing Committee who did yeomans work, john, judith, rosanna, elena, herschel and 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 this get us off and running well. Every convention has its own particular mission. So 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 present. 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 will look ahead, we also keep in sight the immediate challenge of this falls elections. Of course, well give our attention to the manysided building of a party for the 21st century. Such a party should be modern, mature, militant en masse. Or in my world, a 4m party. They must utilize a collective and penetrating voice of the peoples world, far are more effectively than it has done up to now. 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, decide over the next three days. Ill present them one by one for purposes of clarity, but in real life, each intermingles with the other 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 moms at walmart and fast food workers. And then the moral monday movement the day after that. Then there are seemingly endless actions to increase the minimum wage. There are also initiatives to stop deportations and the militarization of the border. To this add mobilizations of 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 thats punitive and ridden with racial and class bias. Of great significance are the efforts to protect Womans Health and abortion clinics which are under a fierce attack. Then there are the inspiring student campaigns against Global Energy corporations, student debt, and the keystone pipeline. That we shouldnt forget the flood of phone calls that nearly overwhelmed the congress, to protest what looked like imminent u. S. Military action in syria. Also of great significance was the transformative aflcio Convention Last fall. Still another impress irv example of this surge was the landslide win of bill deblasio as mayor of new york, a progressive. Another impressive victory, newarks mayor. Finally, an aspect of this surge thats so inspiring it brings tears to my eyes has been the passage of Marriage Equality legislation in state after state. These victories have become so common that it is easy to lose sight of the enormous change that represent that this represents. And thanks go to the courage and tenacity of the lbgt movement. From this podium, let us tip our banner to the late harry hay, as well as to the pioneering stone wall generation. That includes our own gary donovan and eric gordon. Eric is with us. Maybe you can stand up. The stonewall generation came out when it was very difficult to do so. They battled and lost loved ones to the aids 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 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 that could. If properly cared for, sprout a new burst of freedom, Economic Security and peace to our land. Of course, the devils advocate would quickly remind me of the barriers that make any kind of progress, let alone social transformation, unlikely. And you know what . The obstacles are formidable. The task is daunting. But we shouldnt lower our sights or lose those personal gifts call hope and desire or give up on the American People. The present surge is real and it can evolve into a movement of the immense majority in the interest of the immense majority. Which means that it reaches into small towns and suburbs, as well as cities. Into lubbock, as well as san francisco. Into the south, as well as the north. Into the heartland, as well as the coast. And into red states, as well as blue states. But to put it differently only a movement as one progressive analyst wrote that includes the desperately poor. And 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 are some things lacking on the left in the party at times. Which brings me to challenge two. An economy that works for working people. The 99 arent beari in ing too. Are you . The economic recovery is anemic and things dont look good going forward. The phrase economic stagnation has entered the conversation of mainstream economists after a long absence. Paul krugman, Nobel Prize Winning columnist wrote a while back, but what if the world we have 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. Presentday capitalism while being governed by the same underlying laws of motion and dynamics bears little resemblance from u. S. Capitalism in the u. S. From world war ii to the mid 70s. During that era between 1945 and 1975, sometimes called capital im golden age, the economy grew steadily and dynamically. But this change in the mid 1970s when the conditions that sustained capital im dynamic 57 continuous expansion largely disappeared giving way to stagnation, slow growth and a sharp slowdown in profitability. Especially the decline in profits, the money bags of the corporate suites did two things. First, they declared war on labor. This it goes on unabated. They said in the spirit of production, you are free. Go wherever you want. Multiple many times over and make me rich. Which is exactly what their footloose and profitseeking money did. It nestled everywhere, settled everywhere, established connections everywhere. But the main place it flowed was to the into the Financial Markets and chance. In fact, the flow was so massive and sustained that it became the main factor shaping the contours, structure, interrelations and evolution of the national and Global Economy. But as we know only too well, this enormous flow of overwhelmingly speculative, par sitic and nonproductive money to the financials field, while pumping life in an underperforming economy was anything but a mixed blessing. Sure, a few people on wall street or connected to wall street got rich. Rotten rich. Lived in unconscionable luxury and accumulated enormous power. But most of us got spanked, and spanked hard. We lost jobs, income and homes. Piled up debts so we could get by. It did nothing but worry about the future for our families and communities. When the financial feeding frenzy finally unraveled, and the whole economic edifice came down in 2008, damn it if we didnt get spanked again. And to think that not one, not even one of these these highpaid financials spent a day in jail. Five years later things are no better for us. Nearly all of the income gains during this time have gone to the 1 . And the prognosis for the economy is prognosis for the ecs more of the same, slow growth, stagnation and mounting contradictions. What gets added for us are vast changes that have occurred in the Global Economy since 1980. On the one hand at the a pex of the economy, a huge multinational corporations and banks. On the other hand, reserve army of the unemployed, underemployed and informally employed has doubled in size during that time. This scale of absorgs of exploitation has releveraged capital and favor in the capital class. Wealth and power at core of the economy constitution substitutes new and powerful source of downward pressure on the u. S. And Global Economy. Now this turn of events in reconstitution of capitalism could not have happened without major assist from the government and class. Importance of election of Ronald Reagan in 1980 and descend ensay of the right wing that followed. To be fair, the democrats and Clinton Administration were not bystanders either. They had the hand of 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 and consistently and deeply anticorporate and eventually socialist direction. [ applause ] first the conversion of fossil fill driven in mill ter xized economy based on developing Renewable Energy sources. Second reconstruction and renewal. Guaranteed and livable income for all for a workweek with no cut in pay. [ applause ] fourth, a major expansion of every aspect of the public sector. Education, housing, education, retirement, retirement, security, health care, elder care, and so forth. Fifth, strengthening of workers rights and peoples rights generally. Sixth, turn to big to field banks and the Energy Industry into public utilities. [ applause ] seventh, measures to over come land standing inequalities in hard hit communities. Finally, controls on capitals ability to abandoned communities and move around the world. Of course such reforms are met with refrain. There is no money. That is perhaps the biggest of all lies. In the past few decades, trillions of of unearned wealth is massed be by 1 . This should be transferred to public hands, our hands. And another huge source of funds is the reordering of government priorities away from military spending. Finally, taxing of the financial flows and transactions should get our radical Economic Program off and running. Let me add this. The purpose of such a Reform Program isnt 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 unpaid, underemployed, unemployed, discriminated against, struggling family, indebted student, underwater homeowner, bankrupt city, underfunded school. Every victim of capitalism crisis. [ applause ] so where do we begin . My answer is that we begin where we are. That is with the existing movements and struggles. There are so many. Starting with the growing movements against economic inequality. The low wage economy and right wing extremism. One day it is ceo president 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 Pickety and Elizabeth Warren on subject of unjustified equality are on the New York Times best sellers list. A block in Congress Stands behind economic justice. The minimum Wage Movement is really kicking up. The latest victory vote by the Seattle City Council to lift the minimum wage to 15 an hour. [ applause ]. Meanwhile, around the world, powerful movements. In some cases governments demand economic justice. 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 him. While the earnings of minority are growing exponentially so too is the gap separating the majority from prosperity enjoyed by happy few. The imbalance is result of ideologies that defend the absolute autonomy of the marketplace and financial speculation. A new tyranny is thus born and often virtual. A new tyranny which imposes its own laws and rules. At the time thirst for possibilities and power knows no limits. In this system tends to devour everything that stanlds in the way of increased projects, whatever is in the interest of the market which becomes the the only rule. End of quote. Powerful stuff. [ applause ] like lebron james, the popes got game. One of the most compelling struggles against economic inequality, maybe the most compelling is the low wage work of organizing campaign. 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 in a at this born. Suburban and rural as well as urban and im sure gay and straight. They come from red states as well as blue states. In their corner are important sections of the u. S. Labor movement. We and many others are supporters of this struggle. At this convention, we should agree to up the ante. I say lets agree now to make the struggle a strategic focus. Can we agree to that . I thought youd agree. Which moves to challenge three. Assisting labors growth and revitalization of an overriding strategic task. The Labor Movement is corner stone of transformative politics. Not everyone in the left and Progressive Community is of this mind. Some assign the label movement no part in the process of change, some of part and still others include labor in a long list of other political actors. Contrast and reception on the left to occupy compared to recent convention of acl. It was gaga on one case and ho hum in the other. This obviously isnt our attitude. When organized, united, and equipped with the class and democratic vision, the working class in its organized sector possessed transformative power. Of course this isnt the case today. Latest membership is at the lowest level since world war ii. Its on the defensive and fraction. Left and label while growing is still small in size and the barriers to reconstitute and revitalize growing Labor Movement are formidable. If this were the entire story, it would be a bummer. Id go on vacation and head to the pub by noon. But it isnt. Labor is breaking out of the defensive shell, opening 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. Im not polly annish. Even the best of circumstances, transformation of the Labor Movement wont be accomplished overnight. As i said, the first steps are labor is beginning to dance with a new beat and rhythm. Labor allies and left should join the dance. Thus the question before the house, before this convention is, are you ready to put on your dancing shoes and boogy to labors beat . [ applause ] 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. Struggles of independent independence. A challenge for anyone that cares about the future of our democracy, elections this fall. Their outcome probably wont shift the political terrain in a deep going way. That doesnt take away from their importance. Whichever side wins will have the wind in its sail over the next two years of obama diplomacy and a leg up on the 2016 president ial race. If the republicans capture control of the senate by retaining control of the house, they will claim the American People have unambiguously rejected the president in his politics of redistributive economics, government overreach and super sized nanny state. On this ground, they will press their reactionary gender to the max. They will ramp up efforts to portray him as incompetent, voice of takers and free loaders in the global theater. Nothing new here except they will but except they will pursue this mere campaign with more vigor. The Republican Opposition goes beyond the normal give and take, rank of politics and heated partisan ship. What it reveals is barely concealed and deeply felt animous toward a president. It reveals the old order. White, male, well to do. As fixated as they are on obama, they are equal measure indifferent to plight of tens of millions struggling to survive. Thus the stakes are tremendously high in this election. It goes without saying that we should be in this battle. No one should sit on the bench. This is playoff time. Now granted, it wont be a cake walk. Whoever said the road to freedom would be easy or smooth . Whoever said for example that it would be easy to elect the first africanamerican president . None of us i bet. Most of the people share that view. Life and struggle and yes i can attitude break new ground to make history. [ applause ] can we surprise the pun ebts once again and give a good thrashing in november . Weve got the right spirit. We in the larger Peoples Movement have to combine the spirit with two other things if we are to win in november. First, good talking points. Convince people their vote counts and right wing can be defeated this fall. In too, a massive voter administration, protect the vote b get out the Vote Campaign beginning now. If this is done, and i think it can be, lots of talking heads who predicted republican victory will have to eat their words. Some on the left in Progressive Movement minimized the importance of this election in part because they dont share our concern about the right danger. In part because they feel the Democratic Party is no great shakes either. Well, im mindful of the fact the Democratic Party has a class anchorage. It aint working class. Despite the broad range of people and organizations that comprise it, not everyone has an equal seat at the table. Im also mindful that any realistic strategy to defeat the right thereby creating opportunities to move to Higher Ground necessarily includes the Democratic Party as part of a growing peoples coalition. So, how do we square the circle . Im not sure if i can do it completely, but here are brief thoughts. First of all, in independent labor based party able to compete on a National Level with the two main parties of capitalism doesnt exist now. Nor is it on the horizon. While there is disaffection within the party, nearly nobody is ready to say see you later. What theyre ready to do is to fight with Party Leaders and wall street with a 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 deepest grass Roots Coalition including the dems against the right in this follows elections and beyond. The other is to give new imagination and you aurgency to extending and deepening the independence inside and outside the Democratic Party and press the progressive agenda. [ applause ] there are contentions of course. How could there not be . Thats nature of coalitions. Well learn the course of doing how to unravel to move this whole thing forward. It takes me to challenge five, Climate Change and planetary sustain blt. The piling up of carbons in our atmosphere has reached the plan planetory emergency. Time is becoming our enemy. A window to act is closing. Never before has such a challenge confronted the human species. Yet, we sit on our hands. Cant say the same thing about the economy. Most of the republican party, right wing, well funded think tanks, and the right leaders hope brothers. Can i hear a boo . [ crowd boos ] this gang is making the rounds resisting the smallest measures that might cut down on carbon emissions. This crisis is planetary in scope. The worst consequences will weigh heavily on working class, racially oppressed and poor and especially on countries and peoples of the developing world. Despite this calamity, response of left in broader Democratic Movement hasnt been commensurate with the new danger. If our party in particular is going to be graded on our performance, my guess is we would get a d. The only reason we wouldnt receive an f is due to the outstanding coverage on Climate Change and environment and peoples world. We can and must do better. The clock is ticking. Im reminded of a quote from Martin Luther king in another context. And i quote. We are now faced with a fact that tomorrow is today. We are confronted with our fears, urgency and now. This unfolding ka numb zrum of life and history, theres a thing as being too late. Procrastination is still the thief of time. End of quote. If kings eloquent words and Scientific Data wont woo you to be a better steward of this fragile planet, the place we call earth, then make it personal. Thats what i do. I think of my two daughters, step daughter and stepsons. I also think a lot about violet and pearl, my granddaughters two and four years old who will hopefully live long in the century. Whether that happens or not however rests on what we and tens of people do in the next years. Heres the good news if ive made you too gloomy. A movement is being born. It includes young people and the trade Union Movement too. Although ether understandably concerned working people not be bare the weight of a fossil fuel free economy. We should join this movement, heart and soul. We should bring our energy and hold to kit bringing socialist perspective to it. In the fall, mass mobilizations are scheduled at the United Nations to demand action from both leaders and governments no mitigate Climate Change. Can we agree well join as well as mobile lies friends and neighbors for this action . What do you think . [ applause ] a month or two ago, i signed up as did others in the leadership to provide civil obedience to stop the keystone pipeline. It requires a first step. I think we have taken one. Bringing leader challenge number six. The right wing attack against democracy and inequality is sustained, coordinated and exceedingly dangerous. The right wing bulls eye is the whole range of rights and social institution, unions, churches, community organizations, families, kinship groups and so forth that sustain everyday life and empower tens of millions. For sections of the ruling class, their right wing pipers and the right wing media and robust democracy in subsequent equality is at war with their world view and zealous per suit for full spectrum political dominance. This gang of democracy busters by temperament outlaw practice, racist, seven phobic. They despise labor. I wish i could say this gang isnt yet at the gate, but they are. In two years they hope to be inside and in charge of the castle. No joke. What do we do now . What do the American People do . To expand democracy and equality and interconnect the struggles and give the right wing a spanking this fall and again in 2016 . A particular significance in this regard is racism and the struggle against it. Both have left a mark on every aspect of the democratic and class struggle over past 300 years. Today and ideas say tomorrow will be no different. Racism and the struggle against it, timeless they express themselves differently over time as conditions change. In fact i would argue the vast political economic, social and democratic changes going back to 1960s have given rise in the opening years of this century to a new racist order into a new Antiracist Movement resisting that order. This dialect makes the struggle against racism and equality once more difficult and more promising. Heres why. On the one hand, notable victories and the struggle for inequality 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. Further more, Racial Attitudes in sections of the White Community have changed for the better. A particular significant sections of labor and other social movements engage in organized antiracism struggle and make leadership reflective of their membership. Something they didnt do years ago. Can anyone who grew up in the 60s there are a bunch of us here imagine the ceo, president kirkland stomping the country making the case to kwhiet white workers to vote for an africanamerican president ial candidate . Dont think so. Young people are far less likely to embrace the old rayicist and stereo types of older generations. This is one side of the i did elect to reform and inform broader antiracist understanding. On the other side of the dialect, its given rise to a new making order making exploitation, oppression and discrimination more durable and difficult to dislodge. In this new racist order is idea logical structure that draws together old and new racist notions including the notion that our nation has entered a post racial, post civil rights color blind era. Addre dress that notion up as you will, but its nothing but hogwash. What do we do . Seems to me we expand in every way what weve been doing, struggling for jobs, housing, Adequate Funding for schools and education, end to social profiling, end war on drugs. Overhaul the criminal justice system, mass incarceration center, political representation, affirmative action and not least the defeat of right of the coming election. I add we, you and me, have to make the case more persuasive and vigorously everyone that hope this is country move in a democratic direction let alone a few people where people and i nature trump corporal profits cannot afford to sit out the struggle. If left unchallenged, this racist order could throw the country to days long gone by or enter the future we long thought could never happen again. We have to argue that racism hurts. It crushes hopes, dreams, fam y families. It tramples dignity, destroys lives, denies jobs, shortchanges education and housing, profiles and sanctions violence, and it kills. Especially young sometimes on the streets, sometimes in distant lands, sometimes in prisons. The victims of people of color. It brings wisdom, gets courage, provokes resistance, gives rise to people of color long and front row marchers on freedoms road on powerful voice and material force for progressive and radical change generally. [ applause ] i add this. This is a crucial point. At the end of the day, white people as well are morally and materially scarred and diminished in one way or another. Our racist ideology and practice shows inequality to people of color in the first place. It makes a society free of class, racial and gender divisions a pipe dream. Can we overcome . Which leads to my challenge seven. End to violence in a world of peace. We can barely turn in any direction without encounters violence of one kind or another. Violence is a pervasive presence in the world. It kills innocent people and tears up the social fabric of our communities and societies. It can even numb our sense of outrage to the point where we become accepting of its presence. But violence isnt natural and internal. Hate is in human kind dna. War is a social constrict. There are alternatives. Dr. King was right when he appealed for values. His message to human kind was non violence and love. For him, neither were passive appeals to peoples good will but categories of struggle. They rested on contesting the structure of exploitation and oppression that other material ground for violence. He appealed to anyone who would listen that the elimination of poverty, racism and militarism were the gate way to a beloved community and non violent world. I cant help but think if alive today he would despair only for a moment. Then my guess is he would tell us our mission can be nothing less than to join with millions of others here across our planet to assist on peace and end violence to study war no more. But to be concrete, let me suggest to you what i think we should be on our peace agenda. First, we should insist that our government make a youtube in the foreign policy. [ applause ]. Second second we should assist on the dismantlement of alliance of institutions nothing but staging grounds to project violence. [ applause ] third, we should insist not on pivot to asia pacific but urge on efforts of poverty, inequality, Climate Change. [ applause ]. Four, we should insist on a just settlement of the palestinian and israeli conflict that includes at its core independent, viable, robust palestinian state existing side by side in peace and equality with israel [ applause ] five, we should insist on hands off venezuela. No war with iraq. [ applause ] a normalization of relations with cuba and freedom for cuban five and end to the whole [ applause ] thats the spirit. In an end to the whole generalized sanctions regime. Six, we should insist that big powers existing and rising respect the rights of small states. [ applause ] seven, we should end insist on end to war on terror in the surveillance state. Terrorists actions against innocent people cannot be justified and should be stopped. [ applause ] but the war on terror isnt the way to do it. It becomes easily the rational for wars or aggression abroad and cutting down on democratic rights and neglect of human needs at home. The terrorists actions can be countered by the collective effort of the world community. Eight, we should insist on a peace budget, not a war budget. A peace economy, not a military xized one. Mine, suggest the judicial system be overhauled, mass incarceration be abolished. Ten, we should insist on end of capital punishment, strict gun control laws and review boards in every city. [ applause ] eleven, insist on Health Care Clinics and school staff to provide humane and nurturing treatment to people young and old. Young and old that have mental problems. No shame in that, right . 12, insist on the reconstruction plan of massive scale for the purpose of restoering hard hit communities and cities and ruralizations of native peoples. 1 1 13, finally, insist on a just and humane system. If we want to fight a war, we should once again declare a war on poverty, joblessness, funding underfunded schools, adequate housing and social ills that make life difficult for millions. Nor should we show tolerance toward racism, homophobia. All which can turn to acts of violence. We know that too well. Lennon once wrote, end of war, peace among nation, sus sags of pillage and violence such is our ideal. 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 coded into our emotional and political dna. Enter everything we say and do, enter banners and slogans 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 taking care of the future, struggles of the president including the building of party and size, capacity, influence. In other words, building a transformative party. So what is to be done . What will it take . Hereby im going to abbreviate remarks in the interest of time and not exhausting your patience. I will mention what stand out in my mind. If our party is if were going to to build a transformative party including a couple of things that generated lively discussion at our preconvention period. First of all, it would take confidence that the audience for ideas in our party is growing under the impact of changing subjective conditions. There is reason to think that this is the case. Both in size, capacity, influence. Were at a better place now than we were four years ago when we gathered. We are growing not by huge leaps and bounds but incrementally. Incremental growth can add up. Also to build a transformative party, we have to pay systematic attention at every level of the party to building the party. It cant be the work of one, or two or three cocomrades. Has to be the work of the entire collective. Also to build the transformative party, we have to address ways to further deep and extend the whole new pool of comrades. I think were too thin in terms of political debt at that level. We have to change that. Youll also take more active and vibrant clubs which is the ground floor of transformative party. Its hard if not impossible to qualitatively increase our organizational capacity without a much larger organizational presence in the former clubs at the local level. Just as union power depends on local unions, party power is grounded 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. Still others we hope will be located in the neighborhood or work place. Building a transformative party will take a more robust utilization of social media especially the peoples world. We have made head way but not enough. We have a long ways to go. Youll also take a special approach to building the party among trade unionist, people of color, youth, immigrants. Also take a range of forms including Young Communist League to attract to our circle. We have to do more field work in places with parties and infancy. In addition, well take a more full blooded and modern Educational Program equipped to reach new members and old members alike. This i think is a major responsibility and task. Another requirement of a transformative party is a dee r er organizing culture. We arent steep enough in the practice and influencing thinking and actions of others. Yes, we are part of the mix. We take part in mass organizations, activities and movements. We fight the good fight. Too many cases we are only participants, not movers and shakers, not organizers and change agents. We arent the people who make things happen and change the way people think. Also building a transformative party will take a more compelling vision of socialism. A view of socialism which is modern in shape by our national experience, realities, traditions, sensibilities and challenges. A Rearview Mirror to construct a vision of socialism usa a wont feel the bill. It wont meet the challenge of the new century including the mass ecological challenge and deep yearnings for real democracy. Socialism if going to be attractive to millions cant simply speak in the language of structures, relations, planning, growth rates, material provision of goods. That wont do it. It must possess a vision or tell a story that expands boundaries of human freedom and equality. Situates ordinary people in the sense of the transforming practice of creating a new society. Accents the full, free and many sided development of the individual. Paints in many colors, hues, new arrangements of collective living and working. Nor should socialism, i would add, be reduced to working class power either. Power in the application of power should be sub board nated to vision and values. It has to be combined with justice and embedded in and checked by if need be democratic policy and institutions. In power shouldnt be the property constitutionally or otherwise of any one party. Socialism should diffuse power not centralize pit into the hands of a single entity. If the 20th century taught us anything, it should have taught us that. Insure our vision of socialism should give new vigor if not recover the democratic, peoples senate essence of socialism. Building a transformative party requires that we understand that our leadership role doesnt issue from our selfdeclarations on what we did yesterday. Rather it pivots how well we ex titinguish ourselves on the level of ideas and practice of todays struggles. We would be better served if we position as an equal and dynamic part of a progressive less movement. On that ground make. In fact we are making a vital unique and necessary political and practical contributions to immediate and longer range struggles. Finally, building a transformative party will take a party thats guided by marksism. We embrace also the whole body of markis as well as our nations democratic traditions. We need to take more seriously lenn lennons observation. We do not remark theory as completed and inviable. On the contrary, we are convinced it has only laid the Foundation Stone of the science which socialist must develop in all directions if they wish to keep pace with life. End of quote. [ applause ] i understand that to mean that we have to accent the creative and on Going Development of mark schism. Its not a closed and completed system but one that needs constant attention and elaboration. Our task isnt to reduce theory and politics to cut and dry schemes, simplistic answers and formulas, but just the opposite. Our task is to breathe movement, complexity, processes, contradictions and contingency to our politics. I think when it comes to theory and politics, our job the complicate our own and other peoples understanding of class struggle, democracy, democratic struggle. The process of social change, racisms and antiracisms, gender repression, economy and so on. Our theoretical and analytical work would strongly argue is not what it should be. It falls far short of what is necessary if we hope to evolve into a Major Political player of politics in our country. Being in the fight is an absolutely necessary condition if we are qualitatively chin up our role and influence at this and at successive stages of struggle. It is not enough and never will be. A modern militant mass, mature, 21st century communist party has to extinguish itself at the level of ideas as well as practice. One depends on the quality of the other. In ending, finally youre thinking. Enormous challenges are all around us. So enormous one could easily wallow and despair. I know you wont do that. Because communists here and around the world dont give up in the face of month month men tommous challenges. Its not our style, not in our dna. Its not the style or heritage of the dna of American People. We may have conditions require back up for a moment but we never back down. It isnt our default position. Fighting harder and smarter is. I dont doubt for a moment well do both in the years ahead. As this journey that began 95 years ago takes another step down freedom road, let us resolve in this. At this convention on this day in this great city to step up the pace of our march. Our legs may be tired. Our spirit is strong. Our determination is unshakable. Our mission is just and our vision of a free People Living in harmony with each other in nature is ever more urgent. While we cant 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. On that day, the bells will ring. The people will rejoice. A new burst of freedom will grace our land transforming our nation into a more perfect union. [ applause ] on that day, on that day we will remember the songs of woody, paul, pete and odetta. Well hear the echos of doctor kings words on the Washington Mall august 1963. We will recall the memory of farm work from marching to sacramento. We will shed a tear or two for the trail of tears, slavery, unrelenting exploitation and other crimes of now vanquished capitalism. We will feel a new kinship, a renewed kinship with all the Freedom Fighters who walked and rambled down free comes highway and whos footsteps remain forever etched ma eed in the sa time. Also on that day, we will sing the prophetic words of my angelou. You may write me down in history with your bitter, twisted lies. You may trod me in the very dirt, but still in the dust ill rise. Who will win . [ applause ] who will overcome . Thank you. Thank you. [ applause ] now more from the American Communist Party. This looks at workers in the fast food industry. This is about 45 minutes. [ applause ] chicanos. [ applause ] tonight we will interview our panelists. There will be no speech. 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, a little bit Queen Latifah style interviewing. Month worries. It wont be like steven kobare. For one question, panelists, will this be a great panel or the greatest panel . Greatest. Greatest. All right. Greatest. So, i want to introduce our panel who are going to join necaneca tr nec neca necatia and michael. Home grown here in chicago. Howard cling, secretary of the International Labor Communications Association aflcio. And the editor of minnesota working. [ applause ] elsie redmond, author of south coalitioning and National Board member of jobs with justice. An member of jobs with justice. So panelists, terry and howard, this story is as old as dirt. Corporations making mega profits and paying the workers barely a living wage. The left and labor press has always covered the struggles for better life of working people. Tell us, one story that you have written about concerning low wage workers, the struggle of fast food workers, and what those stories show about the uniqueness of these struggles today. Im at the university of minnesota labor education service. Im actually the project director at work day minnesota. It was my idea or whatever. Right mayor . Whatever. We have been covering a lot of working minnesota is the first online labor in the United States we think. It was founded in 2001. Weve been covering labor news the minnesota since then to give people an idea. So we have been covering the organizing of low wage workers and the minimum wage fight in minnesota you know, as its been going on a number of years now. Ill tell you one story that just happened. Monday, i had the privilege i do video. I contribute half the video to our site and do a bunch of videos every week i had the privilege monday. It is to go to a trailer park in the suburb of minneapolis and interview Alicia Flores who is a building cleaner for the target corporation, subcontracting. Actually works for a firm that subcontracts for target. Sat in her kitchen and had her tell me about the recent victory that they just had. She is a member of center for workers united. Im language challenged. Any way. Workers center based in twin cities of minnesota that has been operating for about three and a half four years, organizing building cleaners who work for various companies that are subcontractors with target and cofoods, sears, home depot and stuff like that. So their biggest has been with target corporation. Monday they announced actually tuesday, they announced they reached an agreement with target corporation. The three pieces of the agreement is unprecedented for Workers Center and certainly the agreement includes it protects and insures workers rights to collectively bargain with their employers with non interference. [ applause ] two it insures workers have the right to to form safety committees in the work place made up of at least 50 of worker who is are designated elected by coworkers. [ applause ] and three this is the one she talked about most. Insures workers are not forced to work seven days a week. [ applause ] so, alicia talked about how this felt, right, and the time away from her family. The people that told her it wasnt going to work and all the doubts that she had had and finally she had something to tell her kids about why she had been gone in the evenings after a long day of work or whatever. The thing that really struck me is she said, before this happened we were going back and forth, back and forth. My heart was so tight and closed, and now its opened up and its blossomed. You know well, okay, so im running the camera now and little tears are streaming. Whatever. So this is a remarkable achievement. Its a Workers Center on its way to probably unionize. Theyre going to do a car drive. They work closely with Service Employees International Union 26. I could tell you way more, but any way thank you. [ applause ] terry . First of all, i want to say hashtag awesome. How about it . The music, the panel. I say that because my story is about the Global Strike and there was a protest here in front of mcdonalds. A lot of mcdonalds workers were there including somebody from rockford who came in and told her story about how she started working at mcdonalds when she was 16 and made 3 an hour. Shes still working for mcdonalds as a crew chief but making because in illinois its 8. 25 minimum wage but still cant stay alive on 8. 25 but making but making that. And this woman devoted her life to this mega billion Dollar Corporation and, you know, put her heart and soul into, you know, she talked about training the people because she is a crew chief now, training people to keep to the standards of mickey ds, that they want and all of that. And was unbelievably, you know, thrilled like the other mcdonalds workers there and the other workers like walmart workers and some, you know, car wash workers and et cetera, who are struggling were thrilled about that there was 150 cities and, you know, people tweeting their pictures from around the world. Brazil and japan, et cetera. And that they people arent alone. And that was the message. And we have already heard a lot of that. So when i went to interview another mcdonalds worker, i said, you know, what do you think about all this . And she said, well win if we all stick together. Because thats what a union does. And when you think about it, i dont know, 30 years ago, you know, when i was younger, we talked about, wow, you know, all these Young People Working at fastfood. We should be organizing in the fastfood. It was, like, impossible. You know, thats going to be impossible to do that. And now look at whats happening. You know, fastfood workers, walmart workers, organizing, doing this. And you know, earlier today we stood up when roberta asked who is in a union and a lot of people stood up. I was, like, really impressed with the union members. But then i realized, why didnt everybody stand up . Because of the Labor Movement has opened its doors all wide and can say, join working america, and join fastfood forward, and join the fight for 15, join our walmart. And everybody could be part of the Labor Movement, be part of the Union Movement. And so anyway, you dont just have a card that said, you know, whatever, part of the communication workers of america you can be part of that Labor Movement. But still, thats terrie. Elce . The causes and solutions to the crisis of growing joblessness and Rising Economic and equality are very complicated, but polls show, they continue to show that an overwhelming majority support a hike in the minimum wage. Seattle, of course, is leading the way. With the recent decision to raise the minimum wage to 15 by 2020. As a Community Organizer and labor activist, what do you think is driving the growing support for raising the minimum wage . What is the opposition . And how can it be counted . Especially in the u. S. Senate. Okay. Good. Good evening, comrades. My name is elce redmond. Im absolutely glad to be here. I wanted to answer that question with a brief story. My grandfather was in the brotherhood of sleeping porters union. And he [ applause ] and he spent 12 years trying to organize a union there. And one of these is, when i was young, he would tell stories about the massive dehumanization that was happening within that industry itself. And three things that they were fighting for. They were fighting for living wages. They were fighting for dignity. They were fighting for respect. During that early part of the 20th century, you had sort of the big moguls. You had pullman, you had jpmorgan, you had the vanderbilts, the carnegies, you had the rockefellers, you had the kennedys. Now you see in the 21st century you dont have those individuals but we have these multinational corporations. So, you know, jpmorgan is replaced by walmart. The carnegies have been replaced by yum brands. Rockefellers replaced by amazon. And the kennedys, bastards, have been like excuse me have been replaced by disney. So you have these multinational corporations who are doing the same thing that these sort of robber barons did in the earlier part of 20th century. They dont want to give living wages. They dont want to give workers any dignity. They dont want to give workers respect. And they dont want to recognize union. What we need to do now in 21st century is what our brothers and sisters from the fight for 15, the fight for moving forward, fight for our walmart is doing, which is mobile lizing not only on a local but a national and International Scale and looking at the issues of inequality and how the 1 are controlling 99 of our economy. And with all of this thats going on, you see that people are rising up. Workers from all over the world are rising up against this massive inequality. So our organizing that were doing right now is making a difference and its effecting the congress and senate. And what we need to do is we need to mobilize even more to attack these issues and issues of inequality, poverty and racism and dehumanization that is happening within these work forces have all been exposed. Now what we need to do is mobilize the workers, the community, labor, and the Faith Community to really mobilize on a much more larger scale. And one of the most unfortunately one of the worst issues is the massive unemployment that exists within our country itself and how it effects africanamericans and latinos in our society. And, you know, were fighting for wages, but we also need to be fighting for jobs and we need to be pushing for a National Jobs program that puts people back to work right now rebuilding this country. [ applause ] naquasia, rasheen, michael, and terrie. On may 15th, the struggle for the rights of fastfood workers went global with the day of action from the uk to brazil to india to germany to japan. They took it to the streets. You got love facebook, right . I have friends in tokyo who were posting mass pictures going to streets and protesting outside of mcdonalds. So what is the significance of going global . And what do you think will be the outcome of fastfood workers connecting globally . What will be the outcome . What do you think is going to happen . Well, let me just say, i have the opportunity to actually meet workers from other countries. And i dont know if you know but workers in denmark are making workers in denmark at mcdonalds, guess how much they making . Can anybody guess . Just throw a number out there. [ inaudible ] dollars an hour. Yeah, no. Yeah, no. Facebook. Facebook. The power of facebook. So denmark is making 21 an hour at mcdonalds and also have a union. So pretty much yeah. [ applause ] so by us going global, it is showing that the workers in america are sick and tired of being sick and tired. And the workers on the other side of the world is like what in the world is going on. Like, how do you have these workers working for this amount of money and dont and dont, you know, give them no type of benefits, dont give us nothing and so, the workers on the other side of the world are concerned. They wanted to it is only right of them to stand up and help us when this victory because all of it all of us are in it together. So this one about global show the corporations that we not giving up and we going to keep getting bigger and bigger. And its only been two years and we are already global. Whats next . And everybody just need to shut it down. Just got to shut it down. So pretty much thats what we prove, that we not going to stop until we get what we deserve and what we demand. So. [ applause ] well, basically, the struggle, there is a global movement, like the whole Labor Movement, because i mean, labor has to be international because capital is international. And, i mean, if capital can move from one country to another, labor has to also have, like, solidarity from one country to another. [