Democratic Left - Volume 019 Number 06

16 Pages·1991·5.7 MB·English

PUBLISHED BY THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS OF AMERICA
Why America Needs
A Second Party
By Harold Meyerson
INSIDE DEMOCRATIC LEFT
DSAction ... 11
Why We Need a Second Party Jimmy Higgins Reports ... 16
by Harold Meyerson ... 3
Turning Rage Into Action:
Daring To Be Ambitious: New York City DSA Commentary on the Clarence Thomas Hearings
Organizes to Elect a Progressive City Council by Suzanne Crowell ... 13
by Miriam Bensman ... 6
Book Review: Guy Molyneux reviews E.J. Dionne's
Why Americans Hate Politics ... 14
On TheLefJ
Canadian Health Care Speakers Tour Report ... 8 Cover photo by Robert Fox/Impact Visuals
EDITORIAL
SOVI ET
West European social democracies. In bachev is correct to want those "inter
the Soviet Union, he'd like to see similar esting results" in democracy, economic
welfare state guarantees, active labor development, and human rights that
DREAMER market policies, and government in- are inspired by the socialist idea. In
tervention in the economy for both this respect, he's in tune with the
growth and equity. In his heart of citizens of his country since polls con
hearts, Gorby wants his country to sistently show widespread support
by Joanne Barkan look like Sweden in good times. among them for welfare state guaran-
Dream on -- James Baker would tees. If George Bush would stop ex
The coup in the Soviet Union fails. certainly respond. And democratic so- porting his models of misery, what's
The train of history is back on the cialists everywhere would have to admit worked best for the West Europeans
reform track -- for the moment. Re that the economic resources and insti- might --with time and aid --work for
+
publics of the former empire declare tutional mechanisms just don't exist the East.
their independence. Ethnic and na now in the Soviet Union to reproduce Joanne Barkan is a member of the
I
tional rivalries heat up. The prospect a strong social democratic model. But editorial boards of DEMOCRATIC LEFT
of complete economic collapse is tem that doesn't mean that Mexico is the and Dissent.
porarily overshadowed by the even answer.
more immediate threat of a winter Members of the Bush administra
without enough food. So what to do? tfon hope to curtail economic aid to the DEMOCRATIC LEFT
In his infinite wisdom, Secretary Soviet Union until a so-called free
Founding Editor
of State James Baker has proclaimed market economy (or economies) has
Michael Harrington (1928-1989)
Mexico to be a fine model for the recon been set up. They don't seem to grasp
struction of the republics of the Soviet the relevant facts here: if and when Managing Editor
Union. After an, the Mexican regime anyone figures out how to transform Michael Lighty
managed to privatize some industries the Soviet economy, the transition will
Production
and wring some inflation out of the be long; and in the meantime, eco
Ginny Coughlin
economy. What more can countries nomic deprivation will ignite a politi
in-a-mess aspire to? cal explosion. Editorial Committee
"Socialism," someone blurts out. Most West European governments Joanne Barkan, Mitch Horowitz
Hey, who said that? Some lunatic? understood early on the implications Sherri Levine, Neil McLaughlin
Well ... it was Mikhail S. Gorbachev. of this round of chaos in the East --it Maxine Phillips, Jan Rosenberg
On prime-time American television spills right over their borders. So they DEMOCRATIC LEFT (ISSN 016403207) is
no les.s. During the Yeltsin-Gorbachev argued for more rod to the Soviet Union published six times a year at 15 Dutch
interview, Gorbachev declared that all last winter and spring--only to be St s ·te 500 NY NY 10038
., Ul , , ,
the failure of the Soviet communist blocked by George Bush. Since the Subscriptions: $8 regular; $15
model "induces me to turn to the expe coup, the West Europeans have de- institutional. Postmaster: Send address
rience of other countries an the more cided to press harder and, if neces- changes to 15 Dutch St., Suite 500,
where a devotion to the socialist idea sary, to act without the U.S. govern- NY, NY 10038. DEMOCRATIC LEFT 1s
has led to very interesting results, I ment. published by the Democratic Socialists
both with regard to democracy and Democratic socialists in the United of America, 15 Dutch St., Suite 500,
the development of the economy, of States should agitate in whatever ways NY, NY 10038 [phone].
human rights." they can in favor of emergency aid to Signed articles express the opinions of
Gorbachev was referring, of course, the Soviet Union. But that's not enough. the authors and not necessarily these
of the organization.
as he has many other times, to the We should push the notion that Gor-L:;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;m;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;!.I
DEMOCRATIC LEFT 2 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 1991
Why We Need a Second Party
... and How We Should Get It
by Harold Meyerson
Republicans should be
nervous this election year, and
it's the Democrats' fault that
they're not.
The Gulf War notwithstand
ing, events are flowing in the
liberals' direction. Although ban
ished by economists, a deep re
cession refuses to disperse. Failed
banks and S&Ls --the wreckage
of deregulation --litter the land
scape. Abortion, particularly if
the Reagan-Bush Supreme Court
repeals Roe vs. Wade next sum
mer, threatens to snap the Re
publican coalition down the
middle.
The economy is moving into Presidential hopeful Tom Harkin is beseiged by supporters and media.
its nineteenth year of stagna-
tion: real wages continue their slow California -- the modern GOP's elec of the U.S.S.R.
decline that began in 1973. For the toral stronghold. With the Soviet Union The prevailing wisdom is that the
first time, the percentage of young gone, all that's left for the Republicans Gulf War is at the bottom of all this -
Americans attending college has are the politics of racial demagoguery the source ofG eorge Bush's presumed
shrunk, so unmanageable have costs and periodic forays against Robert Mair invincibility and the Democrats' re
become for middle-class families. The plethorpe --which is why Jesse Helms' newed marginality. Would that it were
Cold War has ended with the Soviets senatorial campaigns, for all the em only that.
the loser -- but with Germany and barrassment they may cause the GOP,
Japan the winners, as American liv remain the laboratory in which the Winning the Recession
ing standards trail behind them. In party tests its themes. "The Republicans have won the
June, a plurality of Americans (forty And yet, just five months before 1991 recession," a recent survey by
seven percent, with thirty-two per the Iowa caucuses, no nationally known Democratic pollsters Stanley Green
cent disagreeing) told a bipartisan Democrat is running for president. berg and Celinda Lake concludes.
team of pollsters that the nation was Richard Gephardt and Albert Gore "Voters cannot identify a Democratic
on the wrong track. have counted themselves out; Mario economic vision and have little confi
Cuomo and Jesse Jackson are unde dence in the Democrats' performance
Racial Demagoguery cided. The Democrats' three main can on economic issues." This is an un
For American conservatives, the didates -- Arkansas Governor BiH precedented development. A funda
dissolution of the Soviet Union poses Clinton, Iowa Senator Tom Harkin mental law ofA merican politics--that
a fundamental crisis. Anti-communism and Nebraska Senator Bob Kerrey - presidents are held responsible for the
was everything to the right: the glue are estimable figures, but all come condition of the economy --has been
that held its factions together, the from small states. None is known to repealed, courtesy of Democratic in
club with which Republicans beat more than ten percent of the public, eptitude.
Democrats. It was the political basis and none is considered sufficiently Consider what this means. George
for the defense-spending that propped versed in foreign policy that the press Bush has no domestic agenda. He can
up the economies of the South and sought their comments on the collapse hardly bear to stay in the country for
DEMOCRATIC LEIT 3 NoVEMRERIDECEMDER 1991
two weeks at a time. He has just pre '24 and '48, third-party movements mid-'50s, both the rates of unioniza
sided over one of the worst postwar conceived in weakness are one-shot tion and of working-class voting have
recessions. Each new poll and focus debacles. The task of the left must t.o been more than cut in half. What
group shows that the American public reconstruct the movements for social America lost was a politicized working
resents Bush's inattention t.o domestic justice. The question of a party of the class -- a class capable of keeping is
affairs more and more. But voters ]eft --t.o the degree that it can even be sues like hea]th care on the national
prefer what they know t.o be a rotten a question, given the American e]ec agenda, a class capab]e of maintain
status quo t.o the risk of Democratic t.oral system --must await that recon ing organizations that cou]d turn out
rule. The conservative agenda is ex struction. tens of millions of votes. It was union
hausted, but there's no credib1e Jiberal There is an analysis of the Demo membership, not Democratic machines,
one t.o replace it. crats' decline over the past quarter that racked up the Democrats' vote
Is there is a place the left can go century that points t.o the revival of t.otals: since the mid-'60s, union house
besides the Democrats? Outside the the Democrats and the left: it's not hold members have voted Democratic
electoral arena, the answer is, go all that they have oriented themselves in presidential elections at a rate twelve
United on the
sidelines -
one-time
Presidential
hopefuls Senator
Al Gore, Jesse
Jackson, and
Senator Paul
Simon. Gore and
Simon will not
run; Jackson is
still undecided.
over the place, and get thee there as too much around race and culture, but to thirteen percent higher than their
quickly as possible: labor is stiU that they haven't oriented themselves non-union counterparts.
hemmoraging, what's left of the civil enough around class. Thomas Edsall's The search for modern liberalism's
rights movement is tottering, the right: race and cultural policies have origina] sin must look at labor's de
environmentaHsts are in a do1drum. certainly pushed key constituencies cline -- at the failure of Operation
For precisely these reasons, however, away from the Democrats. But it's Dixie (labor's postwar attempt at un
there's even less of plausible alterna- hard to find Democratic economic ionizing the South) and the long, insu
tive to the Democrats than there's policies that would have pulled them lar and disastrous tenure of George
been in decades. The forces that in back. During the Democrats' quarter- Meany as AFL-CIO president. Meany
themselves could comprise such a party century in the wilderness, they have was indifferent, even contemptuous,
are weak, and because they're weak, watched passively as taxes descended towards labor's fai1ure to organize:
they're not likely to be in a bolting more heavily on the middle class, they had enough members, he insisted.
mood. To be sure, third party move- American industry closed its doors, Under Meany, labor politics became
ments have arisen in moments of industrial unionism fell apart, homes inside ball, a question of lobbying and
weakness as well as in moments of and college and health care became campaign contributions.
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strength -- labor's leap to the LaFo1- unaffordable, and working-class vot- The decline of unions has had three
I
lette progressives in 1924 and the left's ing dried up. i distinct, catastrophic effects on the
to the Henry Wallace version in 1948 A central explanation of the change Democratic Party, all of which would
J 1
come to mind --but, as was the case in in American politics is that since the : have swept over the Democrats had a
DEMOCRATIC LF.PT 4 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 1991
politics of racial and cultural liberal
The search for modern
ism never come along.
First, when unions decayed, there liberalism's original sin must
was no force capable of mobilizing the
troops unions had once placed into look at labor's decline.
campaigns. (To take one example, in
1944, there were 75,000 union volun
teers canvassing in Michigan alone.) rights than their non-union counter voters who have experienced govern
But politicians need to get their mes parts? There's a strong case that cul ment as something that works for them
sage out by wh~tever means possible, tural conservatism is irrelevant to --not just currently, with Social Secu
and when the bodies stopped coming, winning back white working-class rity and Medicare, but throughout
they began to rely more on mail, radio Democrats at all. There were three their lives, beginning with the job pro
and television --that is, on costly tech instances in the '88 campaign when grams of the New Deal, and then
nology and deep pockets. those votes swung over to Democratic through the GI college-loan program
Second, the Democrats' capacity candidates: first, to Richard Gephardt and federal mortgage assistance.
to reach out to new constituencies --a in the Iowa primary; second, to Albert Universal government programs may
task beyond the capacities of high Gore on "Super Tuesday" in the South; not make racists any less racist, or
tech campaigning -- dried up, too. In and third, in the last ten days of the affirmative action any less divisive,
the 1988 presidential elections, for general election, when Dukakis nar but they do build a bottom-up Demo
instance, surveys undertaken by the rowed George Bush's lead from thir cratic coalition.
Southwest Voter Registration and teen to eight points. In each instance, Democrats cannot wait for labor
Education Project showed Dukakis the conversions followed a dramatic to rebuild itself; that requires Demo
winning eighty-three percent of the shift in candidate rhetoric and theme crats to recapture state power to re
Latino vote in Texas, and seventy --not to cultural conservatism, but to legalize organizing. They cannot wait
four percent in California -- but an economic populism. for new universal programs to re-le-
other study by political scientist Ruy gitimate government; that requires
Teixeira concluded that only twenty Cultural Estrangement? I winning the White House, too. The
three percent of eligible Latinos both Besides, if gay rights, the ACLU weight of the evidence suggests that
ered to vote. That's a lot of non-swing and food stamps are the problem, how the Democrats must uncouple govern
votes the Democrats are forfeiting, do we explain the voting patterns of ment and liberalism from the percep
chiefly by failing to have any machin the elderly? For the Democrats strong- tion that they are intended to benefit
ery on the ground. est support among white voters when only select elements of the population.
Third, the declining number of considered by age comes from those Whites only support liberalism where
unionists began to cost the Democrats over sixty-five. Ift he Democrats' posi- liberalism means something other than
elections. Michael Dukakis would have tion on questions of race and culture programs for blacks. The liberal im
fought George Bush to a dead heat are all that matter, then we must age -- at least, the relative emphasis
had the 1988 election taken place in a believe that the oldest white voters the party places on cultural and racial
work force unionized at a rate ofthirty are the least racist, that their fears of issues over economic questions --must
five percent -- the movement's post crime and violence are less than those shift.
war high --rather than at 1988's sev- ~ of their younger counterparts', that
enteen percent. The difference between their cultural estrangement from the Ascendency of Business
union and non-union voters is greater new Democratic constituencies is less But it isn't cultural liberalism that
among whites than blacks, among men than their children's. Conversely, the indentures the Democrats to many of
than women. In the 1984 Reagan Democrats are weakest among white the same groups that influence the
Mondale election, the eighty-nine per voters aged eighteen to twenty-nine -- Republicans; it's the growing ascen
cent of Southern white males who do we think they are the most racist, dency of business and professional
weren't union members voted seventy the least sympathetic to cultural vari- America over the majority that lives
seven percent for Reagan over twenty ation? somewhere beneath the upper middle
three percent for Mondale. The eleven The answer is that young white class. The Democrats' dependence on
percent who were unionists voted fifty voters experience government as an corporatePACsandaffiuentcontribu
percent for Mondale over forty-nine agency that takes their tax money and tors constrains the party from moving
percent for Reagan. gives it to someone else -- while they forward on universal programs and
What does this do to the argument stniggle to find the bucks to get through l progressive taxation: in 1988, congres
that the Democrats need to practice a college, and give up on being able to I sional Democrats received $31 million
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politics that repudiates cultural liber buy a home. Worse than irrelevant, from business PACs and $24 million
alism? Do we really think that white government is seen as a menace by I from labor. And on no issue is this
male unionized Alabama postal work this generation. Those sixty-five and class imbalance more poisonous to the
ers are all that more liberal on women's over, meanwhile, are the only white continued on page 12
DEMOCRATIC LEFT 5 NovEMnr.RIDE<:f:;o,rn.:R 1991
Daring To Be Ambitious
New York City DSA Organizes To Elect
Progressive City Councilmembers
by Miriam Bensman isolated progressives on the council by Thus, our local newsletter pro
electing insurgents in the open dis vided information that was unavail
tricts -- and perhaps by challenging a able elsewhere. The newletter served
few incumbents. as a motivational tool for our member
The second thing we did right was ship and an excellent outreach ve
New York DSA embarked on its dare to be ambitious: We decided to hicle. At the Majority Coalition en
most ambitious electoral campaign consider making endorsements in a dorsement meeting, voting members
effort ever this year and succeeded dozen districts or more in the hope of overwhelmed by the thick sheafs of in
beyond ou~ expectations. More than defining who was progressive, inde formation available could be seen flip
100 local members were involved in pendent, and likely to challenge the ping through our newletters to bone
an endorsement and action program traditional power structure. We pub up on candidates.
that helped identify the progressives lished special issues ofo ur local news Similarly, the Meet-the-Candi
in a wide field of candidates, help letter to whip up enthusiasm; we held dates events each attracted about
make the crucial difference in several three Meet-the-Candidates events forty DSA members. Held in three
campaigns, and built our activist core. prior to our endorsement meeting; we neighborhoods where most of our
The effort also raised our visibility became very involved in the Majority members live, these events were
in and increased our links to the pro Coalition for a New New York, a pro models of civic involvement one sel
gressive political community, and gressive community and labor effort; dom sees.
particularly built ties to We made certain cru
progressive activists in cial decisions early on. The
communities of color. In Other locals can learn a decision to endorse a slate of
deed, I would argue that candidates arose in part
lot from what we did right
our electoral program, to from a new self-conscious
gether with our excellent ness about the role that
and what we didn't.
work in the Canadian New York DSA has often
Health Care tour, has played in city politics: Since
• brought the local to a new DSA doesn't seek or dis-
level of activism, effectiveness, so and we encouraged our members to pense patronage and doesn't have
phistication, and engagement in New participate, particularly in five races much to lose, our endorsements often
York City politics. where we could really have an impact. carry a certain moral authority that
New York DSA and our comrades It worked because, and despite, of few other multi-issue groups have.
in other locals can learn a lot from a surreal situation: The council elec Clearly, however, we couldn't
what we did right, and what we didn't. tions, held in an off-year with no top make endorsements in all fifty-one-
The first thing we did right was of-the ticket candidates, became a districts --just the research would be
seize the opportunity--and it was ex pitched battle among political activ overwhelming. We decided to endorse
traordinary. A Supreme Court ruling ists and professionals, to which the only in those districts where excellent
had forced New York City to revise its city's population was mostly oblivi progressives were running, while
charter; the new charter gave the City ous. The news media, overwhelmed making an extra effort to try to en
Council more power and added six with covering fifty-one districts and dorse in those districts where many of
I
teen new seats in an attempt to give 300 candidates, gave up trying. The our members live. •
people of color better representation. daily newspapers barely attempted to To find out who to consider, we
That meant that the local elections, cover most of the races, while the drew on one of our richest resources:
normally a dull parade ofi ncompetent television and radio stations did even our many members and friends in the
incumbents seeking re-election, were less (and then had the gall to wonder labor, feminist, gay and lesbian
suddenly an open battlefield. 1 why the turnout on primary day was I rights, and civil rights movements,
We perceived a reasonable chance only about fifteen percent of the regis and in reform politics. Indeed, one
to significantly bolster the handful of tered voters.) benefit is that we had a chance to ask
DEMOCRATIC LEFT 6 NOVEMRERIDECEMBER 1991
our friends in high places for some election day. Contrary to the predic community or our members.
thing other than money, and we found tions of the political pundits, he won In one case, we didn't have infor
them happy to oblige. the primary by a 300-vote margin. matfon we should have weighed --ei
While we generally wanted to A number of members played a ther because we might have made a
endorse candidates with progressive crucial role turning the tide in a cor different decision, or at least given our
positions on a broad range of issues, ner of the district for Una Clarke, aJa friends the sense that we took their
we were particularly interested in maican child care worker and union points of view seriously. In another,
their views on the city's budget crisis, activist who won the primary in her our members who lived in a district
health care, aRd housing problems, Brooklyn district by thirty-four votes. mostly favored the other candidate,
and rising racial tensions. Two other Of the thirteen people we en which severely hampered our ability
endoresement criteria were long-time dorsed, eight won the primary and to be effective.
community activism and the empow will probably win the general election. Our task now is to keep on fight
erment of women, people of color, and (Democratic primaries virtually guar ing in the general election --and then
lesbians and gays. antee election in most of New York to figure out how best to capitalize on
As a result, the thirteen faces pic City.) Four won open seats, two in our success to build our membership
tured in the endorsement issue of our cumbents won, two didn't face prima and our political engagement. In fact,
newsletter included seven women ries, and a fifth, surprisingly lost. All we are already talking about how to
and six men; six African Americans, of the challengers we backed --includ help um;eat U.S. Senator Alfonse
five whites, one Chinese and one ing Miller --lost, though several put in D'Amato. +
Latino; eight insurgents and five in good showings. Add it all up, and the
cumbents. That enhanced our credi Council will probably have ten to Miriam Bensman is a freelance writer
bility with many activists, although twelve fairly independent members. and a member of the New York City
as always in politics, our choices What could we have done better? DSA local.
sometimes angered our friends. We could have
In a hotly contested race in been quicker to
Greenwich Vil1age that divided many get started. Our
long-time allies in the progressive endorsement
community, we picked Tom Duane, a process was not
progressive white gay man with along completed until
history of community activism, over the end of the
Liz Abzug, a progressive white les crucial petition
bian. We judged her lack ofa ctivism in ing period, the
the community to be her fatal flaw. first hurdle for
Our endorsements behind us, we getting on the
turned to activism. We decided to ballot. We also
direct our firepower where it could should have been
most make a difference: principally in more systematic
the five new districts without incum in tapping our
bents --although we also devoted sig network for infor
nificant resources to helping a mation. There
DSA'er, Craig Miller, challenge a were a few really
long-time incumbent who had excellent candi
switched districts. We got on the dates we should
phones, calling members that had have endorsed
been to the endorsement meetings or but didn't hear
who had indicated interestearlier. We about until too
also sent postcards to almost all our late, which lost us
members just before the primary, re an opportunity to
minding them to vote for our candi make valuable
date. contacts for the
In the end, some twenty DSA future. We also
members were involved in the cam weren't always
paign of Guillermo Linares, a Domini aware just how
can school board president running in controversial
an open seat in Manhattan. Members some of our en
carried his petitions, coordinated vol dorsements
unteers, phonebanked, organized a would be within Tom Duane, soon to be New York's first
fundraising party, and worked on the progressive openly gay City Councilmember.
DEMOCRATIC LEFT 7 NovEMRERIDECEMBER 1991
DSA Canadian Health
Care Speakers Tour
by Harry Fleischman
Another question repeatedly is DSA's sister party and a mem
asked during the tour was, "How ber of the Socialist International.
do you pay for it all?" The answer "Now, no party--left or right
The question popped up over is simple. A universal, single-payer - can touch the health care sys
and over again, "How much do system, like that of Canada, will tem. That's how popular it is,"
you really pay when you go to the insure everyone and cost less than said MP Chris Axworthy at a public
doctor?" our current system. The bulk of meeting in New York.
Americans seem to find the that savings comes from eliminat "Even our Conservative fed
Canadian health care system dif ing insurance industry red tape eral minister of health admits that
ficult to believe: universal cover and profits. ninety percent of Canadians sup
age with no payment at the time of "The administration of your port our health system," said trade
service -- while costing less than system costs about five times as unionist Julie Davis at a labor
the U.S. system. It was only after much as ours does," Dr. Mimi breakfast in Washington, D.C.
hearing it from Canadian health Divinsky said in an interview with The Speakers Tour educated
professionals, trade unionists, and National Public Radio during the and inspired DSA'ers and other
members of parliament that people Speakers Tour. health care activists, giving them
really began to understand the The Canadian speakers ex invaluable organizing tools. The
benefits of the Canadian system. plained that their health care Speakers Tour was a tremedous
The DSA Health Care Speak system was the result of years of success, thanks to the expertise of
ers Tour featured twenty Canadi hard work by the New Democratic our Canadian speakers and to the
ans speaking in twenty-four U.S. Party (NOP), the labour move relentless organizing ofDSA local
cities to trade unionists, senior ac ment, and progressive doctors and Youth Section activists across
tivists, students, women'sgroups, organizations such as the Medical the country. Through the Tour,
health care providers, members of Reform Group of Ontario. The DSA added a significant voice to
Congress, and local legislators. NOP, ademocraticsocialistparty, the fight for universal, single-payer
health insurance - helping to push
it to the top of the agenda, both
locally and nationally. The fol
lowing is a wrap-up of the Tour:
In the keynote of the Tour,
Audrey McLaughlin, Leader of
the NOP, met with members of
Congress, trade unionists, and
media in Washington, D.C. DSA,
AFSCME, and the American Soli
darity Campaign organized a Con
gressional breakfast, press lunch
eon and labor reception for
McLaughlin. They also set up
meetings with House Majority
Whip David Bonior, Congressman
Marty Russo, UMw A President
Richard Trumka, and AFSCME
President Gerald McEntee.
Los Angeles DSA organized a
whirlwind of public events, media
interviews and receptions. Debo
Dr. Haresh Kirpalanl answers questions at a City Hall hearing in New York. rah McPherson, President of the
DEMOCRATIC LEFT 8 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 1991
TOUR SITES
East Coast
New York City, Hartford,
New Haven,
~altlmore
Princeton, New Brunswick,
Trenton, Washington, D.C.,
Philadelphia, Camden,
Atlanta
Midwest
Columbus, Cleveland,
Oberlin, Black Lake, MI,
Chicago, DeKalb, IL,
Lebanon, IL, Lafayette, IN,
St. Louis
West Coast
Sacramento, Los Angeles NOP Leader Audrey Mclaughlin and DSA National Director Michael
Area, San Francisco, Lighty meet with the press at a Washington, D.C. luncheon.
Bay Area, San Diego Columbia Health Sciences Asso Union Women while Wayne
For a list of speakers see page 10. ciation and Roberts spoke before Samuelson, Political Education
a standing-room-only crowd at a Director of the Ontario Federa
public forum in Oakland. In addi tion ofLabour, spoke to the Build
British Columbia Nurses' Asso tion, the speakers were interviewed ing Trades Council. The Oberlin
ciation, Ken Georgetti, President by the editorial boards of the San DSA chapter held a public meet
of the Britisch Columbia Federa Francisco Chronicle and the San ing with the speakers.
tion of Labour, and William Francisco Examiner. At the UAW Educational Re
Roberts, Member of Alberta's Sacramento DSA'ers organized treat Center in Black Lake, Michi
Legislative Assembly spoke at a legislative hearings which were gan, 300 trade union activists gave
forum attended by 175 people and broadcast on cable TV, press in a standing ovation to Dr. Gordon
a UCLA event attended by 150 terviews, a public forum at Sacra Guyatt of the Medical Reform
people. The speakers were inter mento State University, and a Group and Wasylycia-Leis.
viewed by the LA Weekly, Santa reception. San Diego DSA organ Chicago DSA held a labor
Monica TV, and radio host Phil ized a meeting with health care breakfast meeting, addressed by
Ansell, a DSA'er. workers and a public forum at San Don Aitken, President of the Al
"We made an important con Diego State University. berta Federation of Labour,
tribution to a front-page issue," Columbus DSA sponsored an Guyatt, and Wasylycia-Leis at
said Steve Tarzynski of LA DSA. event which was broadcast on AFSC:ME District 31. A DSA public
"The Tour inOuenced a lot of ac DSA'er Bob Fitrakis's cable TV event featured the Canadian speak
tivists, trade unionists and public show, "From the Democratic Left." ers as well as DSA'er and Physi
policy makers." In Cleveland, the speakers cians For a National Health Pro
In the East Bay, DSA'ers put were featured on several radio gram (PNHP) President, Dr.
together a wide range events, from talk shows. Kathleen Connors, Quentin Young.
a legislative hearing to a recep President of Canada's National Purdue University DSA or
Federation ofNurses' Unions and ganized a labor event. McKen
tion for doctors and medical school
Judy Wasylycia-Leis, Member of dree College DSA and Northern
students. Dr. Rosana Pellizzari of
Manitoba's Legislative Assembly, 111inois University DSA both or
the Medical Reform Group, Peter
addressed the Coalition of Labor ganized student forums.
Cameron, President of the British
DEMOCRATIC LEF1' 9 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 1991
AFSCME. Phi11y DSA'ers also
organized a health care activists
conference, a senior activists event
attended by U.S. Congressman Bob
Borski, a forum for health care
professionals co-sponsored by Phy
sicians For A National Health
Program, and labor events in
Camden and at the Rutgers Uni
versity Labor Education Center.
Central New Jersey DSA spon
sored a meeting at Princeton
University that was attended by
over 100 students and faculty and
by the president of the university.
Baltimore DSA held a meet
ing at Johns Hopkins University
and public event attended by over
100 people. The speakers met with
Trade unionist Dick Martin explains the history of Canadian health care.
the Baltimore City Council, Citi
St. Louis DSA organized pub "We helped to energize and zen Action, trade unionists and
lic forums at St. Louis University educate the health care activists community health professionals.
School of Community Health and in the city," said DSA'er Steve Ol DC/MD/NoV A DSA sponsored
Washington University. Don iver. "Because of the Tour several a labor breakfast with Julie Davis,
Aitken appeared on a cable TV public officials have announced Secretary-Treasurer of the On
show, "Labor Vision." Aitken was that single-payer health care re tario Federation of Labour. In
also interviewed by several radio form will be at the top of their addition they organized a series of
shows and the St.Louis Post-Dis agendas." events and meetings with the
patch. Dr. Haresh Kirpalani of the speakers and Congressman John
New York City DSA sponsored Medical Reform Group, Nancy Conyers, and the staff of Con
a series of events over a span of Riche, President of the New gressman Bernie Sanders.
five days. Events included a re Democratic Party, and MP Chris The grand finale of the DSA
ception for physicians and provid Ax.worthy spoke to a packed crowd Canadian Speakers Tour will be a
ers, a meeting with the general of trade unionists in Hartford, Con reception with Dr. Michael Rach
executive board of AC1WU, a labor necticut and met with students at lis, co-founder of the Medical Re
breakfast with Jobs With Justice, Yale University. form Group of Ontario, at the
and a City Han meeting with In Philadelphia, Barbara Bey American Public Health Associa
DSA'er Manhatt.an Borough Presi ers, President of the Saskatchewan tion National Meeting in Atlanta.
dent Ruth Messinger. The speak Federation of Labour and Guyatt (Wednesday, Nov. 13, 6-7:30 p.m.
ers met with the editorial boards spoke to 125 trade unionists at a American Hotel, International
of the New York Times and Busi labor luncheon hosted by Henry Boulevard, Carnegie Way and
+
ness Week. Nicholas, President of 1199- Spring Street.)
Canadian Speakers
DSA Health care Tour:
Don Aitken President Alberta Federation of Labour Canadian Union of Public Employees Richard Martin
Chris Ax.worthy, Federal MP. Saskatchewan Bar'bara Executive Vice-President, CanadlanLabourCongress
Beyers President. Saskatchewan Federation of Labour Audrey McLaughlin Leader, New Demoi::ratic Party
Peter Cameron President, Brttish Columbia Health Dr. Rosana Pellizzari Medical Reform Group of
Sciences Association Kathleen Connors President. Ontario Nancy Riche Executive Vice-President.
National Federation of Nurses' Unions Julie Davis IC anadian Labour Congress and 'President, New
Secretary-Treasurer. Ontario Federation of Labour Democratic Party William Roberts Member. Legislative
Dr. Mimi DivinskyMedical Reform Group of Ontario Assembly of Alberta Wayne Samuelson Political
Ken Georgetti President. BrlUsh Columbia Federation 1 Education Director, Ontario Federation of Labour
of Labour Dr. Gordon GuyattMedical Reform Group Judy Wasylycia-Leis Member, Legislative Assembly
of Ontario Dr. Haresh Kirpalani Medical Refom1 of Manitoba Dr. Don Woodside Medical Reform Group
Group ofOntarto Eugene Kostyra Regional Director. of Onlaiio
DEMOCRATIC LEF't' 10 NOVBMOEl!fDECEMBER 1991