Connecticut budget cuts
2016Ernie Gotta 2016-02Read it in the scan (PDF at ETOL), page 5 →
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Public workers in Connecticut are facing a major attack by Democratic Governor Dan Malloy. The so-called “friend of labor” is look ing to slash the state budget by over $500 mil lion and he is being applauded by both Demo crats and Republicans. Close to 2000 state jobs will be slashed. Cuts of 5.75% will be made to social services, including health care for the poorest children in the state, decreased fund ing for cremation of indigent people, and loss of funding for children in need of dental care. Governor Malloy is also asking SEBAC (State Employees Bargaining Agent Coalition) to reopen a benefits contract negotiated in 2011 and not open again until 2022. The 2011 contract was already filled with givebacks from state employee wages, health care, pen sions and benefits. Malloy’s announcement to reopen negotiations seeks to deepen the cuts to pensions and health care.
Statements were released by SEBAC-mem ber unions asking why state workers must shoulder the burden of budget cuts. Xavier Gordon, a career development specialist for the Department of Labor, was quoted in the Connecticut Mirror as stating, “Political wis dom says politicians won’t have the guts to ask the rich to pay their taxes during an election year.”
Lori Pelletier, president of the Connecticut AFL-CIO, said, “We cannot capitulate to those who would balance this budget on the backs of nurses, paraprofessionals, correctional of ficers, and teachers.” Although Connecticut is one of the richest states, the top 1% ($3 mil lion+ income) skate by paying a disproportion ately low amount in taxes.
In a state with the largest income gap, war spending (over $18 million in Connecticut taxpayer dollars) and corporate tax subsidies have created a false crisis that Democrats and Republicans say need to be solved collectively. For example, collective solutions have in cluded pushing state universities toward a cor porate model where tenure and basic guaran tees of academic freedom will be eliminated. Students and Professors at Central Connecti cut State University have organized meetings, forums, and protests to raise awareness, but ultimately it will rely on the union leadership to release a strong statement in opposition to these proposed draconian measures. n ... LABOR be closed. overhaul the district.”
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Socialist Action sponsors presidential election debates Two Socialist Action-sponsored public forums entitled “Debating the 2016 Presidential Election and the Key Issues of our Time” attracted a total of 250 Bay Area political activists in Oakland and San Francisco over the weekend of Feb. 4-5.
Bernie Sanders’ campaign in the Democratic Party presidential primaries has seized the atten tion of radicalizing youth across the country as well as that of working people who hold the Wall Street capitalist establishment in contempt. Sand ers’ claim that he is a “socialist” has proved to be no serious impediment to capturing the imagina tion of millions who believe in social equality and despise the government’s ceaseless pandering to the banks and corporate plunderers.
Sanders’ victory over Hillary Clinton in the New Hampshire primary (60% to 38%), as well as his virtual tie in Iowa, reflect the hope of many Ameri cans that he is capable of standing up to the forces of capitalist austerity.
The two Socialist Action debates provided a unique opportunity for speakers and their parties to present their views on the Democratic Party and on working-class alternatives to capitalist politics, including the Sanders campaign.
Black Agenda Report Executive Editor Glen Ford joined the panel. His remarks appear here in full. The debaters representing the Bernie Sand ers campaign were Tom Gallagher, San Francisco president of Progressive Democrats of America and former member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, and Peter Olney, retired ILWU organizing director and leader of the Labor for Bernie campaign.
Marsha Feinland, vice chair of the Californiabased Peace and Freedom Party and four-time candidate for the U.S. Senate, spoke for her ballotcertified party. Laura Wells represented the Green Party’s Jill Stein for President campaign. Gloria La Riva, an organizer of the ANSWER Coalition and the presidential candidate for the Party for Social ism and Liberation, also participated.
Jeff Mackler, National Secretary of Socialist Ac tion moderated the debate and was a debate par ticipant, stressing opposition to all capitalist par ties and the need for labor-based independent Photos for this story: Nick Brannon / Socialist Action working-class politics as well as the necessity of united-front-type mass mobilizations to advance the cause of the oppressed and exploited.
On these pages we print excerpts or extended remarks of most of the above speakers. Techni cal difficulties, time, and space limitations com pelled Socialist Action to in some cases provide only brief excerpts from some of them. In some instances, written texts were simply unavailable. Wherever possible we have provided links to the full remarks of all speakers or their websites.
Sixteen different organizations set up literature tables during the two debates. Socialist Action’s popular literature table sold several hundred dollars of its popular pamphlet series as well as 16 subscriptions to this newspaper. Three activ ists asked to join Socialist Action and two dozen signed up for future Socialist Action forums and classes.
(Top photo) Gloria La Riva, presidential candidate of the Party for Socialism and Liberation, speaks in Oakland on Feb. 4. Seated at left is Jeff Mackler, National Secretary of Socialist Action.