DC Labor History Walking Tour on May 11; Full results from the March General Body Meeting; Pepco proposes raising energy rates by 20% on DC customers
This is the weekly newsletter of the Metro DC Democratic Socialists of America (MDC DSA), which is produced by local members of the chapter's Publications working group. The Weekly Update publishes every Friday at 9am.
Paid for by Metro DC DSA (mdcdsa.org). Not authorized by any candidate or committee.
UP FRONT
DC Labor History Walking Tour on May 11 — outreach efforts begin this Sunday
Just three weeks remain until the DC Labor History Walking Tour on Saturday, May 11 at 1pm; make sure to sign up today.
The tour will meet at Union Station, then visit several landmarks that
pay tribute to the past and ongoing struggle of the American working
class with a broad range of union organizers and labor experts as
guides. Attendees will learn about the early rise of labor power, the
violent state suppression of workers and corporate retaliation against
unions that still impacts workers today, how workers fought back and won
critical concessions through the Great Depression and how neoliberal
international trade undercuts US labor and much more.
Outreach for the Tour and related political education events kicks off this Sunday at 11am in Dupont Circle. Sign up in advance to receive weather notices, volunteer for the tour or take part in wheatpasting outreach opportunities beforehand.
Full results from the March General Body Meeting
Voting ended on April 4 and
April 13 on two rounds of ballots from the March General Body Meeting.
Voting on the first ballot concluded with 240 voters out of 1957
eligible voters, while voting on the second ballot concluded with 196
voters out of 1957 eligible voters. The abbreviated results are as
follows:
Should the chapter adopt 2024-03-GR1: Resolution for MDC DSA to Endorse Uncommitted Vote in the Democratic Primary in Maryland? With 95.2% of the vote, 2024-03-GR1: Resolution for MDCDSA to Endorse Uncommitted Vote in the Democratic Primary in Maryland passes. The chapter ratified the Steering Committee’s decision to run an uncommitted campaign for the Maryland primary.
Should the chapter adopt 2024-03-GR2: Pleasure Activism or Resolution for a Regular Social Event? With 17.3% of the vote, 2024-03-GR2: Pleasure Activism or Resolution for a Regular Social Event does not pass.
Should the chapter amend 2024-03-GR3: Choose Solidarity – Build the Left, Fight the Right? With 28.1% of the vote, the amendment does not pass.
Should the chapter adopt 2024-03-GR3: Choose Solidarity – Build the Left, Fight the Right (unamended)? With 86.6% of the vote, the resolution passes.
Make sure to save the date for the next General Body Meeting on May 19. If you have any questions, members on the chapter Slack can reach out in the #steering channel.
Pepco proposes raising energy rates by 20% on DC customers; DC Public Service Commission dodges regulatory oversight role
Pepco’s current rate case application
asks to raise rates by 20% over three years, resulting in unaffordable
energy rates for one fifth of District households — worsening DC’s
crisis of energy injustice. While Pepco claims these costs are necessary
for decarbonization goals, the Office of the People’s Council found
that 95% of the proposed investments cannot be tied to any reductions in
greenhouse gases. Further, after Pepco proposed their first multi-year
rate plan as a pilot, the PSC said they would review it and establish
regulations. The review is still not done, depriving the public of due
process and in effect, allowing Pepco to regulate themselves.
This
regulatory neglect in the face of rabid pursuit of profit on the backs
of DC’s poorest residents is exactly why DC needs a utility that is
owned by, and accountable to, the people of DC — we need public power
now. We Power DC, Metro DC DSA’s public power campaign, has created a
form template to send a letter
demanding the PSC do its job and that DC residents will not stand by
while the PSC allows this profit-greedy utility to rob DC ratepayers
blind. The link to the form can be found here.
BRIEFS
Montgomery County Branch to discuss the 2024 primary ballot — April 24 at 7:30pm
Voters across Maryland are
beginning to receive their mail-in ballots for the May 14 presidential
primary. The ballot in Montgomery County features competitive school
board races, as well as a competitive US Senate and Congressional
primaries. Montgomery County DSA will be hosting an event to discuss
what’s on the ballot, share information about their voting preferences,
and learn from informed comrades. As
a reminder, the only endorsement that the Metro DC DSA chapter has made
in Maryland’s primary election is voting Uncommitted for Palestine in
the Democratic Presidential Primary. Members and allies alike are invited to attend. RSVP here.
Rent stabilization extended in Prince George’s County
On April 9, the Prince
George’s County Council passed an ordinance extending temporary rent
stabilization protections by six months to October 17. Previously, on
March 12, the County Council had favorably recommended the ordinance,
sitting as the Committee of the Whole. The Prince George’s County Branch
of MDC DSA will continue to work with the Prince George’s County
Housing Justice Coalition over the coming months to win permanent rent
stabilization. If you are interested in getting involved in canvassing
in support of permanent rent stabilization, please email [email protected].
Learn about the local DSA’s Administrative Committee and enjoy the AdCamaraderie — happy hour TODAY at 5:30pm
Are you a member of MDC DSA’s
Administrative Committee (AdCom) or interested in joining? Then come
blow off some steam and have some drinks with your AdComrades at Dew
Drop Inn on Friday, April 19 from 5:30 to 9pm. RSVP here.
You can talk to Department Stewards about the work their teams do to
keep our chapter functioning smoothly and get to know some new people.
Metro DC DSA Internationalism working group to meet virtually on April 20
The restarted Internationalism
working group is holding their April meeting this Sunday from 1 to
2:15pm. At the meeting, attendees will share updates on international
solidarity work, further solidify the operating mode of the new group,
and plan for events and reading groups on the horizon. Last month’s
meeting pulled in over 20 interested people. Members new and old, as
well as anyone interested in DSA, are welcome to attend — sign up here.
NoVA branch to cohost a Q&A for Alexandria’s Mayoral and City Council elections on May 2
The NoVA branch will be cohosting a Q&A for Alexandria’s Mayoral and
City Council elections with Grassroots Alexandria and Tenants Workers
United (TWU) on Thursday, May 2 starting at 6pm. Weather permitting, it
will be held outside the TWU building at 3801 Mt. Vernon Ave, Alexandria,
VA 22305. Rain location TBD. This is our first time collaborating with
these groups on this event, so it would be great to have a large
turnout. It should be a useful opportunity for Alexandria residents to
learn more about the candidates who will be on your ballots this year,
too. Finally, if you’re able to and interested in helping out on the day
of the Q&A, please let Alex Y. know either directly or in #nova-electoral ASAP. RSVP here.
Reproductive Care Kit Packing Event — Wednesday, May 8 at 6pm
Join the Repro Justice working
group for our reproductive care lit packing event for the DC Abortion
Fund (DCAF) on Wednesday, May 8 at 6pm. The event, taking place at As
You Are in northeast DC, aims to raise money for DCAF and to pack close
to 500 care kits for DCAF to distribute locally to people in need. All
are invited to attend — the more people, the more kits packed. RSVP here, and consider donating directly to the DC Abortion Fund.
PULSE CHECK — coverage on candidate positions on policing
INFO ACCESS
MDC DSA Publications Schedule: The Washington Socialist publishes on a quarterly schedule. The Spring 2024 edition is now live and
will be updated on a rolling basis until Summer. The Spring issue’s
pieces include remote work as a socialist weapon, the passage of DC’s
“Crimnibus” or Secure DC Act, anti-mask laws in history and several
analyses of the chapter’s internal strategy, including as a regional
formation. Anyone interested in contributing to the Washington Socialist can email submissions or questions at [email protected]. Get your socialist self on the record.
Weekly Updates are scheduled for Fridays — April 26, May 3, 10, 17 and so forth. Current and past Updates are on the web here. Want more INFO ACCESS? Submit your Update suggestions to the tip line, including nominating articles for ESSENTIAL PERSPECTIVES.
Find out about our MDC DSA chapter — structure, campaigns and working groups, Night School and reading groups — HERE.
Or
even better, participate in MDC DSA’s Publications effort. We write, we
edit, we design, we do the tech — there are so many ways your hand
could lighten the load in 2024 and beyond. Check us out on #publications and let us know what you would like to write, or write about.
COMMUNITY BULLETIN
Rally at IMF/World Bank TODAY | For People, For Planet
Rally against destructive world
capitalism at the IMF/World Bank Annual Meeting on Friday, April 19,
2024 from 12 to 1:30pm at the Edward R Murrow Park
on Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest, across the street from the World
Bank. On the 80th anniversary of the World Bank and IMF, people from
around the world are coming together to say that it’s time to put people
and the planet first and decolonize and decarbonize our global economy.
While finance ministers from around the world meet inside the World
Bank, be on the streets, joining forces with allies from the Global
South to amplify calls for debt cancellation, climate justice and an end
to fossil fuel finance. More information and event registration, click here.
Street Law 101 on April 20 | Black Lives Matter DC
Black Lives Matters DC is hosting a Street Law 101 training
tomorrow, Saturday April 20 at 12pm at the Black Workers and Wellness
Center (2500 MLK Ave. SE). The participatory training will discuss
tactics to navigate police encounters, highlight ways in which police
trainings often violate Constitutional rights and discuss avenues for
building community defense. There is also an option to attend virtually.
Defend the unhoused at SCOTUS on April 22 | Housing Not Handcuffs
On April 22, the Supreme Court will hear Johnson v. Grants Pass,
the most important case about homelessness in over 40 years. At its
core, this case will decide whether cities can arrest and fine people
for things like sleeping outside with a pillow or blanket, even when
there are no safe shelter options. On the day of the hearing, join
national leaders, homeless activists and fellow advocates on the steps
of the Supreme Court building in Washington, DC for the Housing Not
Handcuffs Rally to oppose the criminalization of homelessness and
advocate for real solutions to the affordable housing and homelessness
crisis. More info about the case HERE. Register for the rally HERE.
Post-Capitalism Summit on May 1 – 3 | Decolonizing Economics
This conference brings together
organizers, academics, leaders, students, workers, artists and creators
to imagine a world beyond ecological, economic, social and political
crisis. The summit will feature online sessions across May Day weekend,
including Solidarity Economy 101, Art and Activism, Making Land Back
Real and more. View the schedule and get tickets here — registration is on a sliding scale.
Protest the cancellation of Occupation of the American Mind | Montgomery College student body
On Tuesday, a student group was planning to watch and discuss the film Occupation of the American Mind.
The college president canceled the event, saying it did not uphold
college values. Montgomery College students are asking folks to tell Dr.
Jermaine Williams to uphold academic freedom and reconsider his
decision. You can email him and the board of trustees here.
The
question, “should Green New Deal policies be implemented from above or
from below” is rather like the question, “Should I wash my hands or my
feet?” The obvious answer is, “both!” From Labor Network for
Sustainability via Portside
Last week, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued Harris County
to block a pilot program that would provide $500 per month to 1,900
low-income people in the state’s largest county, home to Houston.
Paxton, a Republican, argued the program is illegal because it violates a
state constitutional provision that says local governments cannot grant
public money to individuals. The economic gut punch of the pandemic and
related assistance efforts such as the expanded child tax credit
popularized the idea of directly handing cash to people in need.
Advocates say the programs can be administered more efficiently than
traditional government assistance programs, and research
suggests they increase not only financial stability but also mental and
physical health. Still, Republicans in states like South Dakota argue
handing out no-strings-attached cash disincentivizes work. South Dakota
is among at least six states where GOP officials have looked to ban
[local] basic income programs. Stateline Daily
Google
fired twenty-eight employees Wednesday after they participated in
protests against Project Nimbus, a $1.2 billion cloud contract with
Israel’s government that also includes Amazon. Workers at both companies
have claimed the deal makes advanced technology available to Israel’s
security apparatus that could contribute to the killing or harm of
Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. The Intercept and Time
have reported that Project Nimbus provides services that can be tapped
by the Israel Defence Forces. The twenty-eight firings, confirmed by
Google, come hours after nine employees were detained
by police late Tuesday for sit-in protests in the office of Google
Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian in Sunnyvale, California, and a company office
in New York. From WIRED
A new analysis from the National Priorities Project at the Institute for Policy Studies has determined that the average taxpayer pays over $2,900 to support the Pentagon.
Over half of that sum — $1,748 — goes to weapons contractors like
Lockheed Martin and Raytheon (now RTX). A good portion of the funds
steered to the big arms makers is wasted on cost overruns and
performance problems, and, in some cases, outright fraud. Analysis by
William Hartung in The Hill
The left-wing punks are back. From Pitchfork: local counter-cultural outfit Ekko Astral reps the distinctly DC sonic strain in newest album, pink balloons.
This is the weekly newsletter of the Metro DC Democratic Socialists of America (MDC DSA), which is produced by local members of the chapter's Publications working group. The Weekly Update publishes every Friday at 9am.
Paid for by Metro DC DSA (mdcdsa.org). Not authorized by any candidate or committee.
The flame of thought, the magnificence of art, the wonder of discovery, and the audacity of invention all belong to revolutionary periods when humanity, tired of its chains, shatters them and stops inebriated to breathe the breeze of a vast and free horizon. - Virgilia D'Andrea
Sent via ActionNetwork.org.
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