Fall 2007 Regional Meeting
From SP Boston
The Fall 2007 New England regional meeting of the Socialist Party was held Saturday, 22 September 2007, at the East Hartford, Connecticut public library, from 10 am to 2:30 pm. It was followed by a public forum on Why We Need a Socialist Party.
Among other matters, we prepared for the National Convention and discussed several of the issues likely to be raised there. For more information, see the full minutes below.
Agenda
- Bagels, socializing, introductions and agenda approval (10:00-11:00)
- Preparing for the National Convention (11:00-1:00)
- Presidential ticket
- Candidates
- Ballot access in New England
- Proposed resolutions regarding democratic centralism
- Proposed resolutions regarding other organizations (Solidarity, the Peace and Freedom Party, and the Democratic Party)
-
Immigration issues - Proposed resolutions on Iran
- Rights and responsibilities of state and local organizations
- Presidential ticket
- Break for lunch and socializing (1:00-1:30)
- Activist campaigns (1:30-2:15)
- Brief local reports -- Connecticut, Vermont, Tom Mooney, Boston; reports from unorganized areas such as Worcester, RI, NH?
- Campaign for Socialized Health Care
- Anti-war actions
-
Digital socialism commission in formation?
- Other business (2:15-2:30)
- Kick off the Socialist Party Sustainers Club fundraising drive
- Shameless (but short) plug for donations to the Campaign Clearinghouse
-
Other 2008 candidates -
Planning a YPSL New England Regional in December or January - Next regional meeting
- Public forum: Why We Need a Socialist Party, featuring
- Matt Andrews, Union Organizer, IU460 -- IWW Foodstuffs and Allied Workers
- Susan Dorazio, Convenor, Women's Commission, SP-USA; Organizer, Connecticut Valley Coalition for Women's Lives
- Todd Vachon, National Commitee, SP-USA; Independent Media Activist, C.R.E.A.M.
Minutes
- Introductions and agenda approval
- The regional meeting was attended by Tim M. and Todd V. from Connecticut; Matt A. and David S. from Boston; Eric C., Susan D. and Ed M. from western Massachusetts; and Peter D., Doris L. and Jerry L. from Vermont. Several others showed up in the half-hour preceding the public forum and observed the end of business.
- National Secretary Greg P. observed and reported from New Jersey.
- Susan chaired in the morning, Jerry in the afternoon.
- David took notes.
- Preparing for the National Convention
- Review of delegates and convention logistical information.
- Many delegate spots not filled in time; many will need to go through the credentials committee.
- Delegates email list for logistics (not discussion!) newly set up.
- No people on the ground to help with logistics; all being done remotely by National Secretary and Convention Planning Committee.
- Need co-chairs, timekeepers, parliamentarians, etc.
- Get hotel room and arrange transportation ASAP! Hotel number is 314/421-4000.
- Presidential Candidates at the Convention
- We will vote early Saturday morning on whether or not to even run a candidate. This needs 2/3 support to pass.
- Peter proposed that all candidates have an opportunity to answer each question posed in the Q&A period at the Convention, instead of each candidate being asked separate questions.
- Greg encouraged delegates to prepare and write down questions well ahead of time. Some questions brainstormed by the group:
- If you recently joined the party, why? Have your views changed, etc.?
- What other left organizations have you been a member of over the years? What other organizations, if any, are you currently part of?
- Have you ever supported or been a candidate of the Democratic or Republican parties? Do you believe that there are times when socialists should support Democrats?
- Do you agree with the Statement of Principles and the Platform? If not, what differences do you have, and will you agree to run on the Statement of Principles and the Platform?
- Have you been a socialist candidate before?
- How much can you travel around the country, if at all?
- Will you participate in the Peace and Freedom Party primary?
- Add informal forum Friday night for Presidential candidates?
- David to start organizing Monday night -- contact presidential candidates to see which would be interested.
- David to start organizing Monday night -- contact presidential candidates to see which would be interested.
- Jerry moves that the regional meeting endorses the Eric Chester and Mal Herbert ticket. Seconded by Doris
- Rationale: These are experienced, strong candidates.
- Concerns: Not an official body -- what precedent are we setting?
- Would it imply all the locals would endorse or all the delegates have to support Chester?
- Nonbinding guidance to delegates; locals do it, so why not the regional?
- Get individual endorsements instead? Page for individual endorsers to sign was circulated.
- Amended motion from Susan: "Those attending the New England Regional Meeting encourage all delegates to support the candidacies of Eric Chester and Mal Herbert." Taken as friendly.
- Motion passed as amended -- none opposed, one abstention (David), and one not voting (Greg).
- Some presidential candidates are asking for delegates' contact information. Greg asked for informal advice on how to handle that.
- Todd suggested asking for delegates' permission to share their contact information.
- David and Peter suggested changing from opt-in to opt-out procedure (i.e., respond if you do NOT want your contact information shared).
- Related issue: should we make delegate names public?
- Matt recommended leaving it up to the states who elected them.
- Others suggested contacting delegates to see if they want their names released (opt-in as opposed to opt-out).
- Democratic Party and democratic centralist parties
- Busky resolution on working within the Democratic Party. Eric wants it to get through committee and come to the floor for a vote.
- Resolution from Michigan on working with democratic centralist parties.
- Possible mergers proposed with Solidarity and the Peace and Freedom Party of California.
- None present knew of any interest in a merger on the part of Solidarity. Do they know about the proposal?
- None present knew of any interest in a merger on the part of the Peace and Freedom Party. Do they know about the proposal? Can we cooperate with them constructively at the moment, for instance on the presidential campaign, before raising the possibility of a merger?
- Are these really serious proposals? Are they actually in order?
- National Committee
- Recruiting people to run for it.
- How large should the NC be?
- Problems with a smaller NC: if people have to resign, might run out of delegates or alternates
- Problems with a larger NC: Trouble getting quorum, mailing list overwhelmed.
- Currently six male, six female, (then six male and six female alternates) and four officers. (Officers elected separately.)
- Try having more alternates than delegates (such as eight plus eight versus six plus six)?
- Those running for the NC need to make a commitment to attend meetings.
- Jerry recommended that NC meetings should be scheduled further in advance.
- How will the elections be organized? Convention will decide, though rules have already been proposed.
- Local autonomy, the issue of "affiliates"
- A report from Greg on Wisconsin (a preview of a presentation he plans to give at the Convention).
- All members are members of the national party, of which state and local units are part. For instance, when members move they can automatically change locals.
- Some local groups have started treating their organizations as autonomous affiliates, which is not how the party is set up. For instance, they allow nonmembers to vote at meetings and elect officers.
- The National Committee has not wanted to touch the issue until the last couple of years, in which it has become harder and harder to find out who is a member of which organization, and even SEC officers have not been members in good standing.
- Convention should reaffirm and reconfirm this structure.
- Wisconsin had Convention Resolution that they would come up to standards by 1 May 2007. Withdrawn in 2007, on the basis of a vote dominated by nonmembers.
- Charter suspended until requirements are met. No members lost any rights or privileges by this process.
- Misleading information on the issue coming at a rate that Greg is unable to address.
- Special privileges for Wisconsin would require a constitutional amendment; such has not been submitted.
- However, Eric and Peter argued that even a motion should be brought to the floor so a vote can be taken and should not be dismissed on procedural grounds.
- Review of delegates and convention logistical information.
- Local reports
- Connecticut
Socialists in Connecticut recently took the initiative to establish a state-wide organization in addition to the Central and Eastern Connecticut local. A state convention over the summer established a new constitution and by-laws, and the Socialist Party of Connecticut has now been officially chartered.
To go along with this expansion, we have begun organizing in southwestern Connecticut, New Haven, and Fairfield counties. They have over 20 members in good standing, and are expanding steadily.
Our main activist work centers around the struggle for immigrant rights, such as the case of the Danbury 11. We recently helped organize a forum on the topic in Willimantic.
- Boston
Boston Local Report: A Year in Review
In one week, a year will have passed since the first reactivation meeting of the Socialist Party of Boston at the end of September, 2006. The past year has seen the Boston local re-establish itself as an active presence in the city and put in place a solid foundation for continuing activity and growth in the future.
Over the course of the year, we have succeeded in establishing regular monthly meetings; we have set up a bank account and raised considerable funds through the sale of newspapers, buttons and books at various rallies and radical events; and we have been in regular touch with the entire membership through bimonthly "Socialist Party of Boston Bulletins", bundled together with fliers for upcoming events. These bulletins have recently been extended to include a western Massachusetts edition as well.
While official activity declined somewhat over the summer as much of Boston's population (including some of us) left town, we were involved with a number of major events, such as Boston's May Day 2007 rally for immigrant rights, the 25 August protest at Bush's vacation home in Kennebunkport, ME, and the Bread and Roses Festival in Lawrence, MA.
Through these and other events, we have been able to make connections with a number of interested individuals, and were joined by some very active and energetic new members. These new members have been helping us sustain our involvement in the antiwar movement, particularly in planning for the October 27 New England antiwar demonstration in Boston, and the more militant student walkout/worker sickout that will take place the previous day.
In addition, Matt Andrews's efforts to promote workers' rights at the Harvest Co-ops, where he works in the produce department, have recently gone into high gear. Matt has become a candidate for the Harvest Board of Directors, and created a group of Harvest Coop members, workers, and labor activists to spearhead this struggle.
As we move forward into a second year of renewed and sustained activism, we look not only to keep up what we have accomplished so far, but also improve in areas where we have not met our goals. For instance, we hope to do more outreach to those who may be receptive to our platform and politics.
In a similar vein, we are eager to run candidates for local elected offices such as State Representative or State Senator, perhaps even US Congress, in the 2008 election cycle. At the same time, we look forward to promoting the Socialist Party's presidential campaign, hopefully gaining write-in status in Massachusetts, and coordinating with others in New England to secure a ballot line in one or more neighboring states.
Finally, we remain interested in assisting the formation of a Worcester-area (central Massachusetts) local of the Socialist Party, a project we hoped to undertake over the summer but were unable to address. We are in touch with a number of active socialists in and around Worcester who are interested in forming a local, and may just need a bit of assistance to get off the ground.
- Tom Mooney local
Our local is slowly growing. We now have six members. Unfortunately, we are scattered from Montague to Amherst to Springfield to Pittsfield but we still try to meet regularly.
We have been participating in a weekly vigil to protest the war held weekly in Greenfield. On October 3, we will help organize Rose Jimenez Day to demand the end of the Hyde Amendment and the full funding of birth control and abortions. This too will be held on the Greenfield common.
The local will soon sponsor a showing of the Debs video on the Hampshire College and U Mass campuses. We hope to have more of a campus presence in the future.
We are also participating in the IWW, reviving the branch and helping to organize a benefit for a woman injured by police in Providence while on a march in support of IWW warehouse workers in New York.
The local distributes Socialist Women and The Socialist. The editor of SW and some of the contributors come from western Mass.
- Brattleboro local
Weekly antiwar/anti-nuke vigil on the Brattleboro common every Thursday afternoon. Many members are currently occupied with the reorganization of the Liberty Union Party.
- Connecticut
- Activist campaigns
- Recent and upcoming events
- Rosie Jimenez Day (3 October) events are easy to organize; Susan encouraged all locals to participate. This is the thirtieth anniversary of her death.
- Greg reported on the 15 September march in Washington DC. He estimated that about 15,000 attended, including some dozen SP members who got together, along with several others who didn't find each other. He found it more positive and less sectarian than the previous action last March, despite pressure from the authorities.
- David reported on the 25 August march in Kennebunkport, Maine. He estimated 3,000-4,000 people, including half a dozen who came up with the SP Boston, and other SP members from Vermont.
- Greg reported on the 25 August march in Newark, New Jersey. He estimated 2,000 people with a diverse range of viewpoints. The action was organized by some 150 groups from across the state, including the SP.
- 27 October events in both Boston and New York.
- North Jersey march into Manhattan to meet up with Harlem feeder marches.
- Eric reported on an organizing meeting from the summer. He was not impressed with the "formal facade of democracy"; for instance, proposals were presented, but no votes were allowed.
- Eric and Greg encouraged the SP to get more involved with the Occupation Project, which occupies legislators' offices if they vote to fund the war. Involves a lot of recently radicalized folks.
- David reported on the 26 October Student Walkout/Worker Sickout, distributed a flier and provided Web sites for more information: WorkersAgainstWar.org and SoWoCo.org.
- Boots W. in Vermont (at-large member) has appeal going to the Vermont Supreme Court relating to his arrest earlier this year.
- Eric encouraged us to consider what we would do should the United States attack Iran, and plan our response ahead of time.
- Greg distributed information on "A Conference on the Iraq War and its Consequences for Veterans" in New Jersey.
- Campaign for Socialized Health Care
- Matt gave a brief report on the campaign.
- Not much activity since last NC meeting, when the campaign was officially launched.
- Email list launched.
- In touch with Boston Liberation Health Group, which advocates Medicare for all.
- Matt wants somebody else to take the reins to continue to push the campaign.
- Latest issue of Socialist Women focuses on health care issues.
- Greg encouraged the development of a better, clearer program on health care. We should spend more time and effort explaining and promoting the system so members will better be able to engage in debates and discussions.
- Recent and upcoming events
- Other business
- Next regional meeting: scheduled for Saturday, 29 March 2008 in western Massachusetts.
- Fundraising
- Sustainers' Club launched to create fundraising arm for the party.
- Want to keep dues affordable but need to keep the organization running (National Office, National Secretary, magazines, travel fund, etc.)
- For both members who are open for fundraising appeals as well as those who want to support the party without becoming full-fledged members.
- Fundraising committee passed budget but did little fundraising.
- Matt elected as coordinator.
- Not enough ads to fund publications -- needed to dip into treasury.
- Campaign Clearinghouse
- David was elected Campaign Clearinghouse Coordinator over the summer. He presented a brief introduction to the Campaign Clearinghouse (Socialist National Committee) and some related issues, in particular that money given to the Socialist Party itself cannot be used in electoral campaigns due to election law.
- To support electoral candidates, donations have to be made specifically to the SNC, or directly to the candidate, or both.
- Send checks or money orders made out to "Socialist National Committee", or visit vote-socialist.org to donate electronically.
- $2007 in 2007 campaign is still active, though lagging. Since February, only members in Massachusetts and New York have contributed. It needs to be promoted in other regions and states.
- David also distributed drafts of several fact sheets on ballot access being prepared by the Campaign Clearinghouse:
- David was elected Campaign Clearinghouse Coordinator over the summer. He presented a brief introduction to the Campaign Clearinghouse (Socialist National Committee) and some related issues, in particular that money given to the Socialist Party itself cannot be used in electoral campaigns due to election law.
- Next regional meeting: scheduled for Saturday, 29 March 2008 in western Massachusetts.