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I. Online NC Registration Form
II. In The News: Rising To Occasion
III. Mass Action: Organize for Obama's Budget
IV. Sign-up your SLAP Action
V. Annual Plans
I. Online NC Registration Form
Register for the YCL National Council meeting online. Fill out the form
by April 3rd to register for the NC meeting happening in Chicago, IL
April 25th and 26th
II. In The News: Rising To The Occasion
The
Nation is collecting articles on re-imagining socialism and a
socialist response to the economic crisis. The forum has articles from
Tariq Ali, Vijay Prashad, Doug Henwood, Christian Parenti and others.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Tariq
Ali points out that in the opening to the forum authors Barbara
Ehrenreich and Bill Fletcher, Jr. say that in the past Marxist
economists have been too quick to proclaim the end of capitalism, yet
are saying that capitalism may not recover now. Do you think that the
current economic crisis is the death of capitalism?
2. Rebecca Solnit takes
on the assumption of revolution and what it means for socialism. Solnet
says the revolution is taking place right now- by people across the
globe working locally to circumvent the state by creating "guerilla
agriculture", childcare co-ops and bicycle lanes. Do you think that
Solnit's model of social transformation is able to solve the crisis we
are facing?
3. Robert Pollin
writes that "neoliberal capitalism- whose defining features were Wall
Street greed and big business domination of government policy- is
dead." Do you think that "Wall Street greed and big business domination
of government policy" are gone forever? Are they part of capitalism in
general or just part of "neoliberal capitalism"?
4.
Doug Henwood lays out "opportunities to advance the socialist
cause" such as having banks who are bailed out using public money set
up publicly owned financial institutions to fund development in working
class neighborhoods and looking at different home ownership models.
What are some other opportunities to advance the socailist cause in the
course of the recovery?
III. Mass Action: Organize for Obama's Budget
Obama submitted a budget to Congress that moves our
country in a direction that puts the needs of working people first.
Youth and students can't let Republicans and the right-wing derail the
budget like they did with Obama's stimulus bill. Watch
Obama's announcement about his budget and take action by calling
your Representative and Senators today and joining a neighborhood
canvass this weekeend to support Obama's budget.
IV. Sign-up your SLAP Action
The Student
Labor Week of Action is just around the corner. Youth and students
are holding actions and events all across the country. Make sure that
your event is signed up! Go to the SLAP page to sign up your event and
check for events happening in your area.
V. Annual Plan
Each year we ask our local clubs to fill out an annual
club plan form. The Chicago YCL club went through that process by
holding a meeting exclusively to create an action plan. They met on a
Saturday and came prepared with pizza! At this meeting they
collectively worked to create a timeline and budget, as well as work
groups and a break down of responsibilities. What is in store for the
Chicago club? Struggles with workers' rights and the Employee Free
Choice Act (EFCA), working with the Venceremos Brigade, organizing in
local elections and more! To get the Annual Plan template or to ask
questions about creating an annual plan, email Ursula at
Urs...@yclusa.org
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