Thursday, January 20, 2011

Reading Group This Sunday

This Sunday at 2:00pm in Baba Budan's (239 W. McMillan St.), we will be discussing Chapter 3, Why Capitalism Cannot Solve the Problem, of Ecology and Socialism by Chris Williams. Come by on a Sunday afternoon and express your opinion in a relaxed atmosphere.

The reading is available here: http://www.mediafire.com/?5w1mbm7x0c53zn6 (make sure you're getting Ecology and Socialism.zip and not something from one of the advertisers)

This is the only chapter we will put online.

We will take orders for the book to read for the next event, tentatively the 6th of February. The cost is $14, and purchasing the book is highly encouraged to continue with the group. We will attempt to find articles outside of the book to contribute to the reading, but they are no substitute for the book itself.

Monday, January 17, 2011

A cold reception for Kasich

COLUMBUS, Ohio--John Kasich became Ohio's new governor on January 10. But before he was even sworn in, he was met with resistance from the Defend Ohio Campaign, which held a protest outside the statehouse during a pre-inauguration celebration. Approximately 150 people from around the state participated in a march downtown.

It was around 20 degrees Fahrenheit outside, and protesters chanted, "I don't know but I've been told, Kasich's heart is mighty cold!" They were referring to the steep budget cuts he's proposed, including 20 percent or more from education, even though the state already does not fund public education to the level required by law.

Speakers included Jobs With Justice organizer Deb Steele, Rev. Eric Brown, former Green Party gubernatorial candidate Bob Fitrakis, Pat O'Connell of Free the Planet at Ohio State University, Bob Parks of the Ohio State Labor Party, environmental justice advocate Elisa Young, and community activist Ruben Castilla Herrera.

During a brief speech, Cincinnati teacher Dan LaBotz, who ran as a Socialist Party candidate for one of Ohio's U.S. Senate seats last November, summed up the situation: "How many people here like the public library? How many went to public schools? How many people use the public parks? Any of you drink the water from the public water works? Did you drive here on the public highway?"

Each question was answered with raised hands and affirmations. He continued, "They want to sell all of those things! They want to sell them off and get rid of the public employees, who are union members."

Kasich's attempt to blame public employees and funding of public services like education and Medicare for Ohio's budget deficit simply don't add up. Ohio's budget has to be viewed in the context of the national crisis, whether Kasich wants to or not. Unemployment and foreclosures mean less payroll and real estate taxes are being collected.

Kasich's refusal to accept federal aid and money to develop a passenger rail system between Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati--which would help create jobs--flies in the face of his goal to balance the budget.
What he's really after is using the recession to further a conservative agenda that cuts health care and education, guts unions, and bleeds the state dry. This is what it means to be more "business friendly."

If Saturday's protest is any indication, Kasich will be met with resistance every step of the way.

www.socialistworker.org