From: Peter Dreier
[mailto:dreier@oxy.edu]
[mailto:dreier@oxy.edu]
Friends and Colleagues:
The battle of ideas and politics is heating up. The conservatives three-decades domination of
the political agenda ie, government is the problem, deregulation and lower taxes are the answer -- is eroding. Polls show that the Tea Party is losing support, as Kate Zernike reported in her article, Support for Tea Party Falls in Strongholds, Polls Show (NY Times, Nov. 29, 2011) http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/30/us/politics/tea-party-support-falls-even-in-strongholds-survey-finds.html
the political agenda ie, government is the problem, deregulation and lower taxes are the answer -- is eroding. Polls show that the Tea Party is losing support, as Kate Zernike reported in her article, Support for Tea Party Falls in Strongholds, Polls Show (NY Times, Nov. 29, 2011) http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/30/us/politics/tea-party-support-falls-even-in-strongholds-survey-finds.html
And the Republican Party candidates keep fumbling and mumbling. The fact that Newt Gingrich
is a serious candidate for the GOP nomination is a sign of the party's desperation. Gingrich whose family values make John Edwards look like a saint is a money-grubbing huckster of his many ghost-written books with fifth-rate ideas, a lobbyist who shills for his corporate clients, as the NY Times reported yesterday. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/30/us/politics/gingrich-gave-push-to-clients-not-just-ideas.html?_r=2&pagewanted=1
is a serious candidate for the GOP nomination is a sign of the party's desperation. Gingrich whose family values make John Edwards look like a saint is a money-grubbing huckster of his many ghost-written books with fifth-rate ideas, a lobbyist who shills for his corporate clients, as the NY Times reported yesterday. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/30/us/politics/gingrich-gave-push-to-clients-not-just-ideas.html?_r=2&pagewanted=1
We now know that Herman Cain has a long track record of mistreating women, but why is he
harassing Margaret Sanger who has been dead for 45 years? It is part of the Republicans misguided attack on Planned Parenthood. (Sanger, who coined the term birth control, was is founder). I discuss this in my article, The GOP's attacks on Margaret Sanger and Planned Parenthood, on DISSENT magazine's website: http://dissentmagazine.org/online.php?id=565
harassing Margaret Sanger who has been dead for 45 years? It is part of the Republicans misguided attack on Planned Parenthood. (Sanger, who coined the term birth control, was is founder). I discuss this in my article, The GOP's attacks on Margaret Sanger and Planned Parenthood, on DISSENT magazine's website: http://dissentmagazine.org/online.php?id=565
Give corporate America and their Republican allies credit, though. They are relentless in their
efforts to destroy workers rights and unions, the major bulwark against widening inequality and injustice. As Donald Cohen and I report in our article for Huffington Post, the Chamber of Commerce and other business groups are even suing the National Labor Relations Board for requiring employers to put up a poster summarizing workers basic rights. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/peter-dreier/gop-and-chamber-of-commer_b_1107499.html
efforts to destroy workers rights and unions, the major bulwark against widening inequality and injustice. As Donald Cohen and I report in our article for Huffington Post, the Chamber of Commerce and other business groups are even suing the National Labor Relations Board for requiring employers to put up a poster summarizing workers basic rights. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/peter-dreier/gop-and-chamber-of-commer_b_1107499.html
Meanwhile, the ideas espoused by Occupy Wall Street the concern over widening inequality and
the corruption of politics by corporate America and the super-rich-- have been resonating with Americans.
the corruption of politics by corporate America and the super-rich-- have been resonating with Americans.
As cities have been shutting down the various Occupy encampments, the Occupiers slogan that you can t evict an idea rings partly true. See the cartoon
The Occupy Wall Street movement helped change the nation s conversation, but whether it
helps change our politics depends on what we do to mobilize people around both
direct action and the upcoming elections. The turnout and voting trends earlier
this month in Ohio, Mississippi, Maine, and elsewhere were good signs that
the tide is turning, but it will take a lot more resources, energy, and focus to
turn the country around.
helps change our politics depends on what we do to mobilize people around both
direct action and the upcoming elections. The turnout and voting trends earlier
this month in Ohio, Mississippi, Maine, and elsewhere were good signs that
the tide is turning, but it will take a lot more resources, energy, and focus to
turn the country around.
This week, as Los Angeles cops evicted the Occupy LAers from the park outside City Hall, the
Occupy LA leaders indicated that they would regroup and mobilize supporters to
engage in direct action and civil disobedience at bank buildings and at houses
where banks and sheriffs are threatening to evict homes from their homes.
They ve called for a moratorium on foreclosures and evictions. This is something
that the Refund California coalition has been working on for several months; hopefully the Occupy movement will bring addition energy to this strategy.
Occupy LA leaders indicated that they would regroup and mobilize supporters to
engage in direct action and civil disobedience at bank buildings and at houses
where banks and sheriffs are threatening to evict homes from their homes.
They ve called for a moratorium on foreclosures and evictions. This is something
that the Refund California coalition has been working on for several months; hopefully the Occupy movement will bring addition energy to this strategy.
One important battleground in the struggle over the nation s future is the U.S. Senate race in
Massachusetts. Polls show that Elizabeth Warren, the brilliant and progressive fighter for financial reform, has pulled ahead of Senator Scott Brown. http://news.bostonherald.com/news/politics/view/20111201umass_poll_shows_elizabeth_warren_ahead_of_scott_brown_among_independents/ One next step that Occupy activists can take is to mobilize support for Warren s campaign.
Massachusetts. Polls show that Elizabeth Warren, the brilliant and progressive fighter for financial reform, has pulled ahead of Senator Scott Brown. http://news.bostonherald.com/news/politics/view/20111201umass_poll_shows_elizabeth_warren_ahead_of_scott_brown_among_independents/ One next step that Occupy activists can take is to mobilize support for Warren s campaign.
Here are some articles from diverse sources that provide food-for-thought about what s needed in the next year, leading up to the 2012 elections.
7 Stephen Lerner, A
New Insurgency Can Only Arise Outside the Progressive and Labor Establishment
(New Labor Forum, Fall 2011)
New Insurgency Can Only Arise Outside the Progressive and Labor Establishment
(New Labor Forum, Fall 2011)
7 Mark Engler,
Measuring the Impact of Mass Movements (Dissent, November 28, 2011) http://dissentmagazine.org/atw.php?id=625
Measuring the Impact of Mass Movements (Dissent, November 28, 2011) http://dissentmagazine.org/atw.php?id=625
7 Michael Moore,
Where Does Occupy Wall Street Go From Here? (Nov. 22,
2011)
Where Does Occupy Wall Street Go From Here? (Nov. 22,
2011)
7 Jake Blumgart,
Five Things Frances Fox Piven Says Occupiers Need to Do (Campus Progress, Nov.
9, 2011) http://campusprogress.org/articles/five_things_frances_fox_piven_says_the_occupiers_need_to_do/
Five Things Frances Fox Piven Says Occupiers Need to Do (Campus Progress, Nov.
9, 2011) http://campusprogress.org/articles/five_things_frances_fox_piven_says_the_occupiers_need_to_do/
7 Frances Fox
Piven, The War Against the Poor (The Nation, Nov. 7, 2011) http://www.thenation.com/article/164434/war-against-poor
Piven, The War Against the Poor (The Nation, Nov. 7, 2011) http://www.thenation.com/article/164434/war-against-poor
7 Gloria Goodale,
Occupy Wall Street: Time to become more overtly political? (Christian Science
Monitor, Nov. 16, 2011) http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2011/1116/Occupy-Wall-Street-Time-to-become-more-overtly-political
Occupy Wall Street: Time to become more overtly political? (Christian Science
Monitor, Nov. 16, 2011) http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2011/1116/Occupy-Wall-Street-Time-to-become-more-overtly-political
7 Jane Mayer, Taking
it to the Streets (New Yorker, Nov. 28, 2011) an interesting article comparing Occupy Wall Street and the
environmentalists battle against the Keystone pipeline. http://www.newyorker.com/talk/comment/2011/11/28/111128taco_talk_mayer
it to the Streets (New Yorker, Nov. 28, 2011) an interesting article comparing Occupy Wall Street and the
environmentalists battle against the Keystone pipeline. http://www.newyorker.com/talk/comment/2011/11/28/111128taco_talk_mayer
7 Kate Zernike, Wall
St. Protest Isn t Like Ours, Tea Party Says (NY Times, Oct. 21, 2011) http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/22/us/politics/wall-st-protest-isnt-like-ours-tea-party-says.html?ref=katezernike&pagewanted=all
St. Protest Isn t Like Ours, Tea Party Says (NY Times, Oct. 21, 2011) http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/22/us/politics/wall-st-protest-isnt-like-ours-tea-party-says.html?ref=katezernike&pagewanted=all
7 Rinku Sen, Forget
Diversity, It s About Occupying Racial Inequity. (The Nation. November 1,
2011)
Diversity, It s About Occupying Racial Inequity. (The Nation. November 1,
2011)
7 Peter Dreier,
Victory! Transforming Occupy Wall Street from a Moment to a Movement
(Huffington Post, October 7, 2011) http://www.huffingtonpost.com/peter-dreier/rose-gudiel-_b_999514.html
Victory! Transforming Occupy Wall Street from a Moment to a Movement
(Huffington Post, October 7, 2011) http://www.huffingtonpost.com/peter-dreier/rose-gudiel-_b_999514.html
7 Ruy Teixeira and
John Halpin, "The Path to 270: Demographics versus Economics in the 2012
Presidential Election" http://www.americanprogress.org//issues/2011/11/pdf/path_to_270.pdf
John Halpin, "The Path to 270: Demographics versus Economics in the 2012
Presidential Election" http://www.americanprogress.org//issues/2011/11/pdf/path_to_270.pdf
7 As always, one of
the most interesting sites in the new blog, The Frying Pan: Hot Ideas for a Cold
Economy (http://fryingpannews.org). Its
articles on politics, economics, culture, and other topics are
provocative.
the most interesting sites in the new blog, The Frying Pan: Hot Ideas for a Cold
Economy (http://fryingpannews.org). Its
articles on politics, economics, culture, and other topics are
provocative.
7 The Flying Pan is
sponsored by the Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy, one of the most
innovative organizing, advocacy, and policy groups in the country. One of
its current campaigns, Don t Waste LA a remarkable coalition of community,
environmental, faith and labor organizations is a plan that will create clean
air, green jobs and recycling for all Angelenos through region-wide standards
and accountability in the commercial and multifamily waste and recycling system.
Read about it here: http://www.dontwastela.org/#
sponsored by the Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy, one of the most
innovative organizing, advocacy, and policy groups in the country. One of
its current campaigns, Don t Waste LA a remarkable coalition of community,
environmental, faith and labor organizations is a plan that will create clean
air, green jobs and recycling for all Angelenos through region-wide standards
and accountability in the commercial and multifamily waste and recycling system.
Read about it here: http://www.dontwastela.org/#
7
Always on the
look-out for corporate lies about the impact of government regulations, the Cry
Wolf Project (http://crywolfproject.org) is part
of the effort to remind folks that when big business and their political friends
warn that higher taxes, stronger protections for workers, consumers and the
environment, and labor unions will kill jobs, they are lying. The Cry Wolf
Project website is full of reports, quotes, and analyses on a wide variety of
issues. Take a look.
------------------------------------------------------------------
Peter Dreier
Dr. E.P. Clapp Distinguished Professor
of Politics
Chair, Urban & Environmental Policy Department
Occidental
College
1600 Campus Road
Los Angeles, CA 90041
Phone: (323)
259-2913
FAX: (323) 259-2734
Website: http://employees.oxy.edu/dreier
"The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who in times of great moral crises
maintain their neutrality" - Dante
Dr. E.P. Clapp Distinguished Professor
of Politics
Chair, Urban & Environmental Policy Department
Occidental
College
1600 Campus Road
Los Angeles, CA 90041
Phone: (323)
259-2913
FAX: (323) 259-2734
Website: http://employees.oxy.edu/dreier
"The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who in times of great moral crises
maintain their neutrality" - Dante