TIDBITS – JAN. 25, 2024 – READER COMMENTS: GOP WINNER OF IOWA
CAUCUS -TOTAL LOSER ELECTION DAY; MILITARY AND CLIMATE CRISIS; LOOKING
TO CIO – “FORGOT” LEFT LEADERS OF AUTO STRIKE; LEARN
REVOLUTIONARY MEDICINE – IN CUBA; GLOBAL PROTESTS FOR PALESTINE  
[[link removed]]


 

January 25, 2024
xxxxxx
[[link removed]]

*
[[link removed]]
*
[[link removed]]
*
*
[[link removed]]

_ Reader Comments: GOP Winner of Iowa Caucus Has Been Total Loser
Come Election Day; Military and Climate Crisis; Looking to CIO - Post
"Forgot" Left Leaders of Auto Strike; Learn Revolutionary Medicine -
in Cuba; Global Protests for Palestine; more.. _

Tidbits - Reader Comments, Resources, Announcements, AND cartoons -
Jan.25, 2024, xxxxxx

 

* RE: MILITARY EMISSIONS ARE TOO BIG TO KEEP IGNORING  (DAVID
SCHWARTZMAN)
* IOWA'S CAUCUS HISTORY  --  CARTOON BY GARY VARVEL
* RE: HOW FASCISM WORKS: THE POLITICS OF US AND THEM  (JERRY
STEELE)
* OATH BREAKERS  --  CARTOON BY MATT WUERKER
* RE: WITHOUT A HEALTHY DEMOCRACY, NONE OF THE OTHER ISSUES MATTER
 (JOHN CASE)
* RE: THE SCARY THIRD MEANING OF FREEDOM  (DAVE LOTT)
* RE: AN UNEQUAL TAX TRADE  (ARLENE HALFON)
* RE: FOR A MODEL OF WORKING-CLASS MASS ORGANIZING, LOOK TO THE CIO:
AN INTERVIEW WITH STEVE FRASER  (TED CLOAK; J.P. BONE)
* RE: AT MLK CONFERENCE, UNIONISTS STRATEGIZE ON ORGANIZING THE
SOUTH  (ADAM KELLER)
* RE: EVEN WITHOUT A CONTEST AT THE TOP OF THE TICKET, VOTING IN THE
DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY STILL MATTERS  (PATTY KROCKEL)
* RE: WOULD-BE ASSASSINS OF DEMOCRACY, 2024  (MARC BATKO)
* RE: TRUMP ALLIES PLOT TO TAKE OVER THE EUROPEAN UNION  (JOSEPH B.
ATKINS)
* RE: WHY CONSPIRACY THEORIES ARE CORROSIVE TO SOCIAL MOVEMENTS —
AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT  (HERB DAVIS)
* DEEP FREEZE  --  CARTOON BY WALT HANDELSMAN

RESOURCES:

* LEARN REVOLUTIONARY MEDICINE: ELAM SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION
DEADLINE SOON - FEBRUARY 15 - LATIN AMERICAN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE IN
CUBA  (IFCO / PASTORS FOR PEACE)

* GLOBAL PROTESTS FOR A FREE PALESTINE  (YES! MAGAZINE)

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

* WEBINAR: OUR HEALTHCARE SYSTEM IS FAILING US ALL  --  JANUARY 29
 (NEW YORK STATE POOR PEOPLE'S CAMPAIGN, MAKE THE ROAD NEW YORK, THE
CROSS-UNION RETIREES ORGANIZING COMMITTEE)

* FREE OCALAN - END U.S, COMPLICITY IN TURKEY'S WAR ON KURDS -
WASHINGTON, DC  --  RALLY  --  FEBRUARY 15 (EMERGENCY COMMITTEE
FOR ROJAVA)

 

RE: MILITARY EMISSIONS ARE TOO BIG TO KEEP IGNORING
 

To be sure, it is imperative to confront the challenge of military GHG
emissions, still not included in the COP process. Nevertheless, these
emissions are likely no more than 5% of the global total, with the
best estimates closer to less than 1% (see documentation in my article
at
([link removed]).

Most of this article focuses on military emissions, ending with a
rather non-committal mention of the more than $2 trillion global
military budget with the U.S contributing about one half of this
total.: "The idea of diverting military budget into climate funds
might be appealing if you believe that an expansive military apparatus
does more harm than good.

But if you believe that global stability hinges on an expansive
military, the question of how to reduce its contribution to the
destabilizing force of climate change is thornier." But as an April
2022 Science Editorial put it "To solve climate, first achieve peace".
This Editorial pointed to the imperative need of U.S./China
collaboration, now being undermined by the U.S. new cold war on China.
And as we said in our book "The Earth is Not for Sale", "Military
spending and the MIC's [Military Industrial Complex] Imperial Agenda
are the critical obstacles posed by the MIC, not the sizable, but
widely exaggerated greenhouse gas emissions of the Pentagon itself."
Ongoing wars driven by this Imperial Agenda are the critical obstacle
to the near future cooperation necessary to take action to prevent
climate catastrophes much worse than now witnessed, to be triggered if
the warming target of 1.5 deg C is exceeded for a few decades in the
future (see my article at
[link removed]).

David Schwartzman

 

IOWA'S CAUCUS HISTORY  --  CARTOON BY GARY VARVEL

 

Gary Varvel
January 16, 2024
The Journal Times
[[link removed]]
(Racine, Wisc)

 

RE: HOW FASCISM WORKS: THE POLITICS OF US AND THEM

(posting on xxxxxx Culture
[[link removed]])

A great book, especially for people without a lot of history
background.

You can critique it all you want - but it is a "plus" and does a lot
to rid people of their ignorance factor on this topic.

Jerry Steele
Posted on xxxxxx's Facebook page
[[link removed]]

 

OATH BREAKERS  --  CARTOON BY MATT WUERKER

 

Matt Wuerker
January 5, 2024
Politico [[link removed]]

 

RE: WITHOUT A HEALTHY DEMOCRACY, NONE OF THE OTHER ISSUES MATTER
 

Capitalism in its monopoly stages is not capable of delivering or
sustaining democracy in any sense of value to working people. In fact,
its NORMAL operation undermines it daily. A more accurate expression
might be: "If monopoly capitalism's dictatorship is not overthrown
from its dominating position, 'democracy' is a fraud.

John Case

 

RE: THE SCARY THIRD MEANING OF FREEDOM
 

Excerpt:

It’s a historical look at Barbour County, Alabama—the birthplace,
as it happens, of segregationist Governor George Wallace—and how the
white people there imposed their will on Native and Black Americans.
We know the two standard definitions of freedom or
liberty—“negative” freedom (the right to be left alone) and
“positive” freedom (affirmative rights guaranteed by the state).
Cowie identifies in Barbour County’s history a chilling third
definition: the freedom to oppress and dominate. Its relevance to our
time should be obvious.

Dave Lott
Posted on xxxxxx's Facebook page
[[link removed]]

 

RE: AN UNEQUAL TAX TRADE
 

Why would this have surprised anyone?

Remember what happened with the "Debt Ceiling 'Compromise'" "They"
presented a list of expenses that could be taken from those with the
lowest incomes. Biden negotiated from that list and "saved" some of
the benefits/costs for those most affected. This was called a
"compromise" and Biden was lauded for it.

He never suggested a single item that would negatively affect even
slightly people with wealth. They were talking "money" and there was
no suggestion of making taxes more equitable; there was no suggestion
of saving money on the military and war and killing; expenses they
continued to call "defense" despite the fact that it made us all less
safe despite saving the standard of living for people like me.

But he "saved" money on the backs of the lowest-income people. And he
raved about what great negotiations there had been.

This is the pattern and this will remain the pattern until those who
have been "benefitting" the most financially stop playing games. Until
everyone recognizes that ultimately our children and grandchildren
will benefit more from an equitable financial system than from more
wealth, this horror will continue.

Arlene Halfon

 

RE: FOR A MODEL OF WORKING-CLASS MASS ORGANIZING, LOOK TO THE CIO: AN
INTERVIEW WITH STEVE FRASER

(posting on xxxxxx Labor
[[link removed]])
 

For the record:

Roosevelt did not say "A plague on both their houses." John L. Lewis,
Pres. of the UMWA, said he said it, but he was paraphrasing. And I do
remember (or think I remember) the Republicans in my home town getting
their knickers in a twist because, they claimed, that FDR, before
signing some important bill, said "Clear it with Sidney".

Ted Cloak

      =====

i read thru your take on the Flint Sit Down Strike twice. Yet i didn't
see anything about Bob Travis, who was the leader of the Flint Sit
Down Strike. Not a word about him.

Did i miss something? I sincerely hope that i did because Bob Travis
would be a person that would be almost impossible to ignore in that
struggle. Pardon me. He would Be IMPOSSIBLE to ignore. Leaving the
LEADER of the Flint Sit Down Strike entirely out of the picture
 tells me is that you have your own version of history, some sort of
ideological crap,  because  Bob Travis and W. Mortimer BOTH played a
MAJOR role in the Flint Sit down strike. Why would you ignore them?
The only possible reason is that they were socialist revolutionaries
and not members of the orgs you worship or some such thing.

Very sad that it is so easy for you to rewrite history to fit with
your belief system -- or whatever the hell it is that makes you, well,
dishonest. You don't have to agree with the orgs that Travis and
Mortimer belonged. No you don't have to idolize them. But if you don't
at least recognize the MAJOR contributions they made then we the
people cannot trust a word you say.

J.P. Bone

 

RE: AT MLK CONFERENCE, UNIONISTS STRATEGIZE ON ORGANIZING THE SOUTH

(posting on xxxxxx Labor
[[link removed]])
 

I attended the first day. Personally, I felt that the impassioned
speeches referencing Dr. King fell flat when paired with the gushing
over the Biden administration. And of course, no mention of Palestine
or any other aspect of militarism which Dr. King fought so hard
against.

There was a lot I liked about the conference but that rubbed me the
wrong way and surely I wasn't the only one (though the crowd trended
older than the rank and file FWIW)

I would prefer union leaders have sober assessments about the lesser
evil, not act like they work for them.

Adam Keller
Posted on xxxxxx's Facebook page
[[link removed]]

 

RE: EVEN WITHOUT A CONTEST AT THE TOP OF THE TICKET, VOTING IN THE
DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY STILL MATTERS
 

Your support for the Democratic party is a real problem for me. Both
parties have been captured by the ruling elites. I'm voting 3rd party,
always have and always will!!!!!!

Patty Krockel

 

RE: WOULD-BE ASSASSINS OF DEMOCRACY, 2024
 

Thanks for your passion and truth-telling!  Trump is a dangerous
demagogue when he says he wants to be "the shepherd of mankind"!

The Great Unraveling provokes the Great Refusal!

Check out the many English translations on exit-online.org!

Four years ago women like Kirsten Gillibrand and Elizabeth Warren were
running for president. Did Trump's nonstop mud-throwing and
name-calling frighten them away?

Biden isn't the only one who can cast out the fly that fell into the
soup or the broken clock only right twice a day!!

Rejoicing in his very productive single-term is both a command of
humility & a command of the hour!

Marc Batko

 

RE: TRUMP ALLIES PLOT TO TAKE OVER THE EUROPEAN UNION
 

This article is so full of gaps and simply failures to acknowledge the
history that led up to Russia's military action against Ukraine. It
gives carte blanche to the neoliberals who've created this situation,
the total and ugly obeisance of Europe to the US's failing attempt to
hold on to it economic and military hegemony in the world, even to the
de-industrialization of once-powerful Germany, which the U.S. actually
desired and is now achieving. This failed writer addresses none of
this and thus plays into the hands of the international corporatists
who are desperately holding on to their control of the world.
Thankfully the Global South is aware of this even if the West is not.

Joseph B. Atkins

 

RE: WHY CONSPIRACY THEORIES ARE CORROSIVE TO SOCIAL MOVEMENTS — AND
WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT
 

When I first encountered your site it seemed your article writers were
reasonably objective. The article by Shane Burley is a disgusting
deviation.

Herb Davis

 

DEEP FREEZE  --  CARTOON BY WALT HANDELSMAN

 

Walt Handelsman
January 23, 2024
The Advocate
[[link removed]]
(Baton Rouge. LA)

 

LEARN REVOLUTIONARY MEDICINE: ELAM SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION DEADLINE
SOON - FEBRUARY 15 - LATIN AMERICAN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE IN CUBA  (IFCO
/ PASTORS FOR PEACE)

 

[[link removed]]

REQUEST AN APPLICATION [[link removed]]  

[[link removed]]

REQUEST APPLICATION HERE!
[[link removed]]

Why Apply to the Latin American School of Medicine?

ELAM is more than a medical school. It trains students from over 120
different countries in the skills and expertise to become
revolutionary doctors. This means a human first approach to practicing
medicine with a focus on preventive healthcare and a commitment to
growing global health infrastructure! Watch the video below to learn
more about the world changing institute that is the Latin American
School of Medicine.

Can one medical school change the world?

[[link removed]-]

Watch video here [[link removed]-]  

This film tells the story of the largest medical school in the world,
the Latin American Medical School (ELAM as it is known in Spanish) in
Havana, Cuba through the eyes of US students who received scholarships
with the commitment to practice medicine in under-served communities.

The Interreligious Foundation for Community Organization (IFCO) has
been working since 1991 on a variety of projects to bring about
reconciliation and normalized relations between the United States and
Cuba and to challenge the immoral US economic blockade of Cuba. Since
1999, IFCO has been working with the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC),
organizing Congressional delegations to visit Cuba. It was during one
of these delegations in May 2000 that Cuban medical school
scholarships were first offered to US students.

IFCO / Pastors for Peace [[link removed]]
212-926-5757 | [email protected]

 

GLOBAL PROTESTS FOR A FREE PALESTINE
 

Voices are echoing worldwide as tens of thousands of people take to
the streets to demand an immediate cease-fire and an end to Israel’s
war on Gaza.

By Iman Mohamed
January 23, 2024
YES! Magazine
[[link removed]]
Protesters hold placards and flags as they chant slogans during a
rally in support of Palestinians, outside of the Houses of Parliament
in central London on November 15, 2023, to demand Members of
Parliament vote for a ceasefire in Gaza. MP's gathered at the House of
Commons to vote on the King's Speech amendment calling for Gaza
ceasefire.  (Photo by Henry Nicholls/Agence France-Presse (AFP)  //
 YES! Magazine)
It’s been more than 100 days since Israel declared war and began
bombing Gaza on Oct. 7, 2023. In that time, the Israeli military has
killed more than 25,000 Gazans, according to the Gaza Ministry of
Health
[[link removed]].
Many of these attacks—and the gruesome aftermath—have been
captured and shared live on video, as journalists and residents of
Gaza document the constant bombardment. As the world watches the
horrors unfold, a surge of massive protests calling for a cease-fire
spread across the globe, from Washington, D.C., to London, Tokyo,
Karachi, Pakistan, and many more.

Despite claims that protest is ineffective, time after time, mass
direct action has proved
[[link removed]] that
it is a meaningful response to injustice. Since the start of
Israel’s assault on Gaza, hundreds of thousands of people have taken
to the streets to raise their voices and demand a free
Palestine—even as global powers and mainstream media continue a
near-blackout of Palestinian voices, instead amplifying Zionist and
Israeli messaging.

Here are nine international protests demonstrating solidarity with the
people of Gaza:

1. Days of action in San Francisco
[[link removed]]

2. Protesters march in London to call for permanent cease-fire
[[link removed]]

3. Protesters march for Palestine in Washington, D.C.
[[link removed]]

4. Indonesians rally in support of Gaza
[[link removed]]

5. South Africans demand cease-fire in Gaza
[[link removed]]

6. Protesters in Karachi protest on the 100th day of genocide in Gaza
[[link removed]]

7. Thousands rally in support of Palestinians in Berlin
[[link removed]]

8. Hundreds protest in Cyprus
[[link removed]] 

9. Protesters in Japan rally in support of Palestinians
[[link removed]]

_[IMAN MOHAMED [[link removed]] is
the audience engagement manager at YES!, where she is in charge of the
organization’s robust social media platforms and creating a strategy
for YES! editorial content to deepen our relationship with the YES!
community. A media enthusiast with a degree in journalism and
international studies from the University of Washington, Iman
specializes in digital storytelling and creative promotion of digital
articles. She has reported for Seattle Globalist, The UW Daily, and
interned at Real Change. In her free time, Iman likes to read mystery
books, travel, and hang out with her friends.] _

 

WEBINAR: OUR HEALTHCARE SYSTEM IS FAILING US ALL  --  JANUARY 29
 (NEW YORK STATE POOR PEOPLE'S CAMPAIGN, MAKE THE ROAD NEW YORK, THE
CROSS-UNION RETIREES ORGANIZING COMMITTEE)
 

JOIN OUR WEBINAR, MONDAY, JANUARY 29, 7:30 pm EST

Hear about the growing threats to Medicaid and Medicare, and the
challenges facing immigrant and low-income families, seniors and
retirees.

As the healthcare profiteers line their pockets, more and more New
Yorkers are uninsured, underinsured, and saddled with medical debt.
While privatization grows, we are getting sicker.

RSVP - CLICK HERE!
[[link removed]]
 

Featuring Speakers from all three co-sponsoring organizations:
NEW YORK STATE POOR PEOPLE'S CAMPAIGN
MAKE THE ROAD NEW YORK
THE CROSS-UNION RETIREES ORGANIZING COMMITTEE

* NEW YORK POOR PEOPLE'S CAMPAIGN; KELLY J. SMITH, Campaign Tri-Chair

    Hear about the challenge of Medicaid cut-offs and the growing
denial of procedures and services.  Find out about the fight of the
Non-Violent Medicaid Army.

*MAKE THE ROAD NY; ARLINE CRUZ ESCOBAR, Director of Health Programs

    Hear about the challenges to healthcare access for immigrant
New Yorkers, especially undocumented community members. Learn about
the issues people face renewing coverage and staying enrolled in
Medicaid and other public programs, as well as the #Coverage4All
campaign.

* CROSS-UNION RETIREES ORGANIZING COMMITTEE; SARAH SHAPIRO, Retired
NYC Teacher, United Federation of Teachers

    Hear about the fight against the privatization of traditional
Medicare and corporate greed. Learn how Medicare Advantage is harming
seniors and people with disabilities.

THE FACTS: More than half of New York State’s 19.8 million residents
are enrolled in Medicare (3.8 million) or Medicaid (6.9 million), yet
we still often fail to get the health coverage we need. Over 1 million
residents have no health coverage at all. And many of the 8 million
residents with private insurance are burdened with high premiums and
medical debt.

RSVP - CLICK HERE!
[[link removed]]
 

CROCnyc
[[link removed]]
· 30 Ocean Pkwy · Brooklyn, NY 11218-1548

 

FREE OCALAN - END U.S, COMPLICITY IN TURKEY'S WAR ON KURDS -
WASHINGTON, DC  --  RALLY  --  FEBRUARY 15 (EMERGENCY COMMITTEE
FOR ROJAVA)

 

[[link removed]]

SAVE THE DATE: FEBRUARY 15TH RALLY IN WASHINGTON DC

With Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan entering his 25th year of
imprisonment and Turkey escalating its war of aggression against
North-East Syria, we call on people and organizations in the United
States to join us in support of the International Freedom for Öcalan
Campaign. Öcalan’s imprisonment, enabled by the US government’s
ongoing political and military support for Turkey, is a major obstacle
to peace in the Middle East. The time has come to #FreeOcalan and end
Turkey’s ongoing war against Kurds and the peoples of North-East
Syria. 

JOIN US IN WASHINGTON DC
[[link removed]] FOR
A PUBLIC DEMONSTRATION IN FRONT OF THE WHITE HOUSE, ON PENNSYLVANIA
AVE NW, ON THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 15TH, AT 2PM. 

In solidarity,
- Emergency Committee for Rojava

If you'd like to support the Emergency Committee for Rojava
[[link removed]], or to donate to Rojava
directly, visit our website, defendrojava.org. To join our efforts or
to start a chapter in your community, email us at
[email protected].
 

* Reader Comments
[[link removed]]
* 2024 Elections
[[link removed]]
* Donald Trump
[[link removed]]
* GOP
[[link removed]]
* MAGA
[[link removed]]
* Republican Party
[[link removed]]
* Joe Biden
[[link removed]]
* Fascism
[[link removed]]
* Israel
[[link removed]]
* Gaza
[[link removed]]
* Israel-Gaza War
[[link removed]]
* Ceasefire
[[link removed]]
* Palestine
[[link removed]]
* Genocide
[[link removed]]
* Palestine solidarity
[[link removed]]
* military spending
[[link removed]]
* Climate Crisis
[[link removed]]
* Labor History
[[link removed]]
* CIO
[[link removed]]
* autoworkers
[[link removed]]
* UAW
[[link removed]]
* Communists
[[link removed]]
* Left trade unionists
[[link removed]]
* Cuba
[[link removed]]
* Cuban Medical Brigades
[[link removed]]
* ELAM
[[link removed]]
* Kurds
[[link removed]]
* Turkey
[[link removed]]
* Cartoons
[[link removed]]
* resources
[[link removed]]
* Announcements
[[link removed]]

*
[[link removed]]
*
[[link removed]]
*
*
[[link removed]]

 



[link removed]

To unsubscribe, click the following link:
[link removed]