My draft SDA August newsletter
Dear Comrades,
We need to start recruiting members to run for Democratic county committee positions. If you know anyone, please have them check out the Social Democrats of America website at https://www.socialists.us.
If you are in Chicago at the Socialism 2023 convention, text me at (202) 455-0510.
The content of this newsletter
- The next national Zoom meeting is September 6th at 9 pm East / 6 pm West.
- SDF — Social Democratic Forum monthly conference
- Committee of the Second Socialist International
- Socialism 2023 in Chicago
- SDA is about removing money from the political system
- “Draft AOC 2024” or Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for President
- AOC tour of Latin America
- The 2023 DSA Convention
- The French Socialist Yearly Summer School
The next national Zoom meeting is September 6th at 9 pm East / 6 pm West.
SDF — Social Democratic Forum monthly conference
Kevin McGuire from Texas organizes a monthly series on “Social Democratic Thoughts.”
His team is still working on the format, and it will have distinguished panelists from all over the world, elected Socialists at the European Parliament, distinguished American Social Democratic professors, and Social Democratic foundations speakers.
The latest conference by the SDF was on Artificial Intelligence by the University of Massachusetts Boston Associate Provost, James “J” Hughes.
If a topic interests you, don’t hesitate to contact Kevin McGuire with your suggestions at kevintmcguire@yahoo.com.
Committee of the Second Socialist International
For the last four years, each time I explained Socialism, I would get bogged down in endless historical facts, including Lenin, Trotsky, the first Socialist Congress in France in 1879, and the Socialist Ben Franklyn Circle.
These are fascinating stories but do not explain that Socialism is not the public ownership of the means of production.
I would go back to the roots of the Internationals and start dividing Socialism into five groups and explaining to people that we are “Type 2 Socialists.” Everyone would end up with a headache.
To make it simple, what do “Type 2 Socialists” believe?
Free Education, Universal Health Care, Anti-Death Penalty, Pro-Abortion, Universal Basic Income, the Right to Unionize, the sanctity of the Separation of Church and State, and the belief that the Government should make life bearable for all and ensure citizens’ Liberties.
Type 1 are the Anarchists, Type 3 are the Communists, Type 4 are the Trotskists, and Type 5 are the Chavezians.
As “Type 2 Socialists”, we have a very long list of results that even Donald Trump, in 20202, reminded that it was Socialist International member Juan Guaidó, the true leader of Venezuela.
I couldn’t agree more with Donald Trump.
Socialism 2023 in Chicago
I will be at the Socialist 2023 conference in Chicago, and I will be testing the reception of presenting the 5 Socialists type to our Comrades.
When I meet a comrade, I usually ask them what Socialist Type they are.
The Communists and the Trosktists usually know their number type, and I give them mine and my business card for those who don’t.
This method seems the best to “Agree to Disagree” with comrades. They are 4; we are 2 — end of discussion.
Type 2 are the Warren Democrats, the Andrew Yang followers because of UBI, and Bernie Sanders. Warren Democrats are closeted Type 2, and Bernie represents all types.
Since SDA is a Faction of the Democratic Party, the purpose of participating at the Socialism 2023 conference will be to recruit all the Type 2 Socialists.
SDA is about removing money from the political system
As you know, SDA is not about numbers but about results and removing money from the political system. As you realize, we do not ask you to pledge money.
We want people to stop donating money to politicians, but instead, you donate your time to get politicians elected. Rep My Block was built to offer any candidate the opportunity to recruit volunteers without first raising money.
Several SDA comrades did it. Paperboy Love Prince showed it was possible to mount a progressive campaign against Nydia Velázquez in NY-7 or Michael Hano against Adriano Espaillat in NY-13.
“Draft AOC 2024” or Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for President
As a faction inside the Democratic Party, to be credible, we need to present socialist candidates. Drafting AOC for president seeks to get Socialist delegates to the DNC convention in Chicago.
I talked to her treasurer on the phone for an hour, presenting the various SDA projects and the importance of having a Socialist candidate. I briefly spoke to the director of the Progressive Democrats of America, and we’ll be meeting in person when he comes to New York on the 17.
AOC tour of Latin America
The Spanish newspaper El Pais reported on a trip organized by the Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) in Washington, DC. I wrote to all our comrades in South America to get an idea of the schedule, to no avail.
AOC and the Congressional delegation met with Socialist International Vice President and Chilean Senator Isabel Allende Bussi.
The American delegation promised to push legislation to declassify the remainder of the CIA documents, as explained in this article of the nation.
As the Socialist faction inside the Democratic party, we could propose to our different Democratic clubs that the documents be completely classified.
The 2023 DSA Convention
The DSA Convention moved to the left, and Andy Sernatinger believes it went to the right.
DSA is moving in the correct direction by electing a board to represent the organization.
Unfortunately, it will be impossible to bring the left, which includes the five types of Socialism and the Green Party, under a single tent outside the Democratic Party for the foreseeable future.
Without controlling the Chairmanship of the local county Democratic or Republican parties, the Board of Elections will always be governed by the duopoly. A Board of Election controlled by liberals will use any means necessary to ensure that Socialist ideas do not get a fair chance at the ballot boxes.
The French Socialist Yearly Summer School
Every year, the French Socialist Party organizes a summer school where Socialist elected mingle with regular socialist activists.
NGOs are also part of the event, and this year, the human rights organization SOS Racisme organized a very well-done series of posters on Martin Luther King.
The last poster included a picture of the Black Lives Matter on Times Square.
You can check out the pictures of the event taken by Mathieu Delmestre, a professional photographer and an elected Socialist deputy mayor of Paris.
I was there as an individual member of the French Socialist, but I did some lobbying to ensure that one day we would be accepted into the Socialist International.
I hope we can one day organize such an event, bringing together Social Democrats elected and Social Democrats activists from every county to appraise our successes and failures.
In solidarity,
Hasta la victoria, ¡siempre!
