Local Bernie events, community banking, and more

MoCo DSA members:

Monday's caucus debacle in Iowa was a win for the ruling class. The national press should be talking about a Bernie Sanders win; instead, the dominant narrative is about a bad app.

Because of this, Bernie Sanders victories in New Hampshire, South Carolina, Nevada and on Super Tuesday are even MORE important. This is a pivotal moment in U.S. politics, and our democratic socialist movement has a real chance to win with the candidate of a lifetime. Showing support for and solidarity with Bernie's campaign is a way to win power for and improve the lives of the U.S. working class.

How can you help? Canvassing in key states (see below), calling voters and texting voters are all extremely important - as is donating to the campaign.

Upcoming DSA events:

Saturday, Feb. 8: Canvass for Bernie in Alexandria, VA
Virginia is a Super Tuesday state, so canvassing there is high priority right now! DSA members have had huge, fun canvasses there the past two weekends. This week they will canvass in Alexandria from 12:30-4 pm. Details and RSVP here.

Every Saturday in February: Bernie events in Virginia
Every Saturday in February, DSA will be canvassing for Bernie in Northern VA - the full calendar with details is here.

Wed., Feb. 12: Public banking discussion at Takoma Busboys & Poets
At 7:30 a.m. there will be a panel discussion, "Financing a Local Living Economy Through Green Banking" as part of the ongoing Climate Action Coffee series. All are welcome - more info is here.

Sunday, March 1: MoCo DSA branch meeting in Silver Spring
Our next monthly meeting is Sunday, March 1 at the Silver Spring library at 2 pm. Details and RSVP here.

Good Reads
In Yes! Magazine: "10 Things You Should Know About Socialism" by Richard Wolff. "We need to understand socialism because it has shaped our history and will shape our future. It is an immense resource: the accumulated thoughts, experiences, and experiments accomplished by those yearning to do better than capitalism."

In The Washington Post: Melanie McCabe's review of Diane Ravitch's new book, Slaying Goliath: The Passionate Resistance to Privatization and the Fight to Save America's Public Schools. "She has written a thought-provoking, painstakingly researched account of those who have sought to privatize and monetize America’s schools, and those who are fighting back and winning."

In truthout: "The Push to Create Co-ops is Energizing a New Generation of Socialists" by Richard Wolff. "A growing number of socialists have come to focus on worker cooperatives as a means to achieve tangible economic democracy. Such socialists reject master/slave, lord/serf, and employer/employee relationships because these all preclude real democracy. Socialist proponents of worker cooperatives seek to construct alternative workplaces that specifically avoid all such dichotomies. They do so in the name of ending the inequalities these dichotomies have always fostered and promoting the democracy such dichotomies have always refused."

In solidarity,