Socialists and workers hit the streets to defend public services; fight to elect Shayla Adams-Stafford reaches final stretch; apply to the MDC DSA Chapter Program Commission; and more ...
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. Want to fight fascism from the heart of empire? Join DSA and fight to build socialism!
Paid for by Metro DC DSA (mdcdsa.org). Not authorized by any candidate or committee.
UP FRONT
Whose streets? Our streets! DMV workers and socialists rally throughout week to fight billionaire coup
History tells us that organized labor is the first line of defense — and therefore the first to come under attack — against the kind of hostile takeover taking place in agencies across Washington. Metro DC democratic socialists, along with a wide-reaching local alliance, rallied to support federal workers throughout the last week, laying the groundwork for at least one prong of resistance to the Trump administration’s all-out attack on the working class:
Workers rally to save public services: Hundreds of federal workers represented by the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) were joined by allies across the labor movement on Tuesday, including Metro DC DSA members, to fight back against attacks by Trump, Musk and DOGE. Workers, socialists and progressives braved the pre-snow cold in a display of resilience in the face of rhetorical and material assaults on federal workers’ jobs. As several speakers explained, attempts at undermining the organized workers who administer the core functions of the civil service are often the first steps of wanna-be and successful autocrats; worker militancy, from the public sector to the broader working class, is and will be a crucial line of defense against the neofascist right. Another rally took place Wednesday, with allies joining the American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Association in defense of public education.
Socialists launch Stop Musk defense: Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, is launching an all-out attack on our federal government, calling civil servants “elites” while he makes $23 million per hour. This unelected billionaire and his DOGE accomplices are targeting critical public services like Medicare (through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services), worker protections (through the Department of Labor), and consumer protections, among others. But as seen throughout last week, federal workers are fighting back, and they need support. The Metro DC DSA and NYC DSA Labor Working Groups have developed a tool to coordinate letter writing to elected officials. With Congress set to enter negotiations over the federal budget, the time is now to tell your representatives: Stand with federal workers, defend our public services, and don’t move anything in Congress until Elon Musk is out of the American government. Take action to Stop Musk here.
CFPB staff, allies protest OPM sabotage: Hundreds of Consumer Finance Protection Bureau (CFPB) workers and supporters rallied at the agency’s headquarters on Monday, February 10, after new Office of Personnel Management head and Project 2025 architect Russell Vought essentially ordered bureau staff, who have won back more than $21 billion from Wall Street for defrauded customers, to halt work. The CFPB staff union also filed a lawsuit challenging the legality of Vought’s actions.
Why do the moguls attack the CFPB? Paul Krugman, Springtime for Scammers: “CFPB was created to protect Americans from financial predation, and has done a very good job of doing so. But now we have government of, by and for financial predators. Trump has famously left behind a trail of bankruptcies and unpaid contractors, and is furiously grifting even now. Musk has faced multiple lawsuits from vendors and former employees over unpaid debts.”
Join the popular front: Labor’s next event(s) in defense of workers will take place on Wednesday, February 19, when federal employees and community supporters across the country have planned a Save Our Services day of action demanding no cuts to vital services; no mass layoffs and respect for union contracts; and an end to the funding freeze. Socialists will also be rallying at Tesla stores in Georgetown, Arlington, and Bethesda next week. Members of Metro DC DSA should also pay attention to the #labor and #action-alert channels in the chapter Slack for updates.
And today, Friday, February 14, Free DC and Harriet’s Wildest Dreams are holding a community rally and speakout against police violence and threats to Home Rule in DC at 12pm at Black Lives Matter Plaza (16th & I Streets NW), Washington, DC. Find more info here. [If you’re in the street, you face the risk of winding up “in custody.” Here’s a primer on “What to know if you’re arrested in DC.”]
The fight to elect MDC DSA-endorsed Shayla Adams-Stafford to PG County Council moves into final stretch
Socialists are continuing campaign operations in support of MDC DSA-endorsed Shayla Adams-Stafford’s campaign for the Prince George’s County Council District 5 seat. Since the local DSA voted to endorse Shayla last November, progressive and labor allies have joined the campaign to usher real working-class power into the PG County government. If victorious, Shayla would swing the balance of power in the county to the left, boxing out corporate influence over the Council and expanding opportunities to pursue rent control, strengthen labor unions, build social housing, and address community violence through social service expansion.
Canvasses are planned for Saturday, February 15 and Sunday, February 16, both starting at 11am from the Progressive Maryland Office (4500 Forbes Boulevard, Lanham, MD 20706). With only three weeks left and wealthy developers starting to spend big against us, we need as many volunteers as possible to bring our message to the voters. Canvassers will meet at the same place and time for the next three weekends until Election Day on March 4, and there will also be a meet and greet with Shayla Adams-Stafford on Friday, February 21 at 6:30pm. Please RSVP to the meet and greet for the address. Chapter members interested in staying up to date with the campaign should join the Slack channel #shayla-pg-district-5.
Election day in this race is March 4, and early voting will occur from February 26 thru March 3. Live in PG County but not sure what district you live in? Use this district lookup tool for yourself, and you can find more voter information tools on PG County’s website.
Apply now to develop Metro DC DSA’s political platform through the Chapter Program Commission — deadline Feb 16
Metro DC DSA’s Chapter Program Commission was established through a resolution passed at the 2024 convention. The Commission will collect member input to draft a two year chapter program for Metro DC DSA intended to identify points of unity and strategic areas of organizing. The Program will then be voted on by the full general body.
Applications for the Chapter Program Commission are due this Sunday, February 16. Applications will be reviewed by the Steering Committee, who will appoint the Commission by the end of February. The commitment is likely to include meetings every other week, plus about two hours a week organizing events, researching, or writing through September. All Commission members will be expected to contribute to at least four chapter-wide listening sessions, the creation of a survey, and direct outreach to working groups and members alike. They will also draft the program text and present it to the membership at an informational meeting.
BRIEFS
Political Engagement Committee applications due TODAY, February 14
The Political Engagement Committee, which oversees Metro DC DSA’s electoral organizing and legislative advocacy work, is seeking new members for 2025. The PEC works to ensure the chapter’s endorsement process runs smoothly, coordinate electoral canvasses and fundraisers, and maintain relationships with socialist electeds in the DMV. The five-person body must have three current Steering Committee members (including branch delegates and the YDSA delegate) as well as at least one member each who resides in DC, Maryland, and Virginia. The Steering Committee will consider applications and intends to vote on the new PEC members at their February 18 meeting. Those interested should apply by February 14th at 11:59pm ET using this form, which has more information about the PEC and the application process. You can also reach out to [email protected] with questions, ask in #steering on Slack, or message PEC Chair Bakari W about the process.
We Power DC launches outreach campaign to motivate fight against Pepco’s corruption — outreach event on February 22
We Power DC, the District’s socialist-led campaign for a publicly owned power utility, is hosting its first wheatpasting event of 2025. These newly designed flyers and posters will inform the public about Pepco’s corruption and dirty reliance on fossil fuels — register here for the event. Locals can also stay up to date on We Power DC’s action-packed 2025 with the new website and newsletter. Interested in joining this ecosocialist team? Fill out this interest form.
Night School on the history of US electrification — February 25
Chapter members and everybody who wants to understand democracy and climate change are invited to register here for our next Socialist Night School on Tuesday, February 25 at 6pm at Shaw Library or online. The event will be joined by Sandeep Vaheesan of the Open Markets Institute, who will be discussing his new book Democracy in Power: A History of Electrification in the United States. The conversation will include topics such as private money, public good, and the original fight for control of America’s energy industry. Democracy in Power traces the rise of publicly governed utilities in the twentieth-century electrification of America — a history closely connected to the current struggle to run DC utilities by We Power DC and relevant to all efforts to combat climate change in a democratic socialist way. Make sure to sign up in advance to join.
Mayor Bowser proposes catastrophic legislation to gut residents' TOPA rights
On Wednesday, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser proposed a new legislative package — the RENTAL Act — that would accelerate eviction timelines, expand expedited eviction conditions, and restrict TOPA rights afforded to residents in the city. The TOPA weakening is the most alarming proposal in this package: It would exempt affordable buildings with 5 or more years left on their affordability covenants and market-rate buildings constructed within the last 25 years from TOPA (Tenants Opportunity to Purchase) rights — these rights require building owners to give tenants in apartment buildings the opportunity to purchase their housing or assign the right to another entity.
Refresh: Read The Case for TOPA as published in the Washington Socialist. TOPA is not a neoliberal program — it is a right that affords tenants the opportunity to defend themselves from displacement. Shrinking or limiting TOPA would expand capital and landlord controls over life in the District of Columbia. TOPA has been used by thousands of tenants across the city to negotiate better rental conditions and transform their buildings from privately held pieces of real-estate into collectively owned cooperatives. TOPA was already weakened in 2018, when TOPA rights were taken away from renters in most single-family dwellings. Stay tuned in future updates for organizing on this — this legislation WILL NOT be passed without a fight.
RSVP to Metro DC DSA’s next General Body Meeting — Sunday, February 23
Metro DC DSA’s next General Body Meeting is scheduled for 2pm on Sunday, February 23, and will be both hybrid and at the Thurgood Marshall Center (1816 12th St NW). General Body Meetings are our chapter’s opportunity to come together as a body and discuss news, strategize, and socialize. Questions can be directed to #steering or [email protected].
At the GBM, we will be debating and voting on “Aquí Estamos, Y No Nos Vamos!” This resolution went through its first read at the February 4 Steering Committee meeting, and amendment proposals are being accepted through Monday, February 17. As a reminder, the resolution process was slightly updated at the December convention — please review the bylaws here (section 3.1.1) for a refresher on the new timelines.
All amendments need to be submitted through RedDesk (Agenda Item/Submit Resolution) and must include the exact changes being proposed. The Steering Committee highly recommends creating a Google Doc copy of the original resolution and striking through language an amendment proposes to remove as well as including any new language, all in red, to make things easier for members to see. Please link that document in your RedDesk ticket.
Fight back with DSA — attend the chapter campaign fair and get involved on Wednesday, February 26
It is easy to feel hopeless and overwhelmed as the world crumbles in front of us. The best response is to come together with other DSA members and fight for the better world we all deserve. Our campaign fair will provide an overview of how MDC DSA operates and feature opportunities to speak directly to people who run our campaigns. RSVP to the fair here.
Trump repeats threat to take over Gaza — socialists continue organizing for Palestinian liberation
During a meeting with Jordan’s King Abdullah on Tuesday, Trump again repeated his claim that the United States is preparing to take control of the Gaza Strip and “own” it, permanently displacing more than 2 million Palestinians who live there, with no right to return. Trump has publicly pushed for the ethnic cleansing of Gaza time and again, reviving a Biden-proposed plan to push countries like Jordan and Egypt to take in Palestinians forced from their homes.
The ceasefire deal announced in January briefly appeared strained during the week before getting back on track, with Hamas alleging persistent ceasefire violations. Gaza’s Health Ministry has reported that 92 Palestinians have been killed and 822 wounded in “direct targeting” by Israel since the ceasefire went into effect; nevertheless, Netanyahu threatened earlier this week to resume what he called “intense fighting” in Gaza.
Socialists in the heart of empire are fighting back, from organizing BDS campaigns to supporting pro-Palestine legislative efforts in the Maryland Assembly. Get involved by attending the next Internationalism Working Group meeting on Sunday (new member orientation starts at 6:30pm) and/or by filling out the working group’s interest form.
MDC DSA members: Join our all-member Slack for real-time info on working group and campaign events, convo, and inspiration. Email [email protected] with your most recent DSA dues receipt to get Slack access. Chapter members are also invited to read — and edit — MDC DSA’sinternal wiki. Email [email protected] to get set up, or ask in #helpdesk.
MDC DSA Publications is information central for not only MDC DSA but the entire DMV left. #publications (our working group’s Slack channel) is always ready to onboard new socialist communicators. Weekly Updates like this one are scheduled and emailed on Fridays; current and past Updates are on the web here. Not subscribed? DSA member or not, sign up to get the Update here. Submit your Update suggestions or chapter political blog REDBUG tips to our tip line. TheWashington Socialist, published since the 1970s, offers articles on a quarterly schedule; the Winter 2025 edition is now live and will be updated on a rolling basis. Next quarterly issue copy deadline is February 28. Check our archive to see what we write — and what you can write. Anyone, MDC DSA member or not, interested in contributing to the Washington Socialist can email submissions or questions to [email protected]. Get your socialist self on the record. Donate to our Comradery page if you would like to financially support socialist publishing in the DMV.
DMV LEFT COMMUNITY BULLETIN
Know Your Rights: Street Law 101 on February 15 | Stop Police Terror Project DC
With the continued increase in policing in our communities, this training will prepare attendees with strategies and tactics to navigate police interactions, identify police abuse, and empower communities to organize to end the occupation of our neighborhoods. Attend virtually or in-person on Saturday, February 15, from 12 – 2pm at the Black Workers Wellness Center. RSVP for the training here.
Counterpublic Cafe: Building Coalitions to Confront State Violence on February 15 | Muslim Power Building Project and Bol Coop
At the first Counterpublic Cafe of the year, watch the documentary The First Rainbow Coalition, which explores the history of the original Rainbow Coalition formed in Chicago in 1969 by Fred Hampton and the Black Panther Party as a multi-racial, working-class solidarity movement. In addition to the screening, hear from Jalil Muntaqim, activist and former member of the Black Panther Party and Black Liberation Army, Rashida James-Saadiya, Executive Director of the Muslim Power Building Project, and Andrew Kadi, member of DC for Palestine. RSVP here to join on Saturday, February 15, 6:30pm at Friends Place on Capitol Hill.
Social Housing infoshop and discussion on February 15 | Save DC Public Land
The Save DC Public Land campaign is hosting an infoshop and discussion with William Merrifield, Executive Director of The Center for Social Housing and Public Investment and author of We Cannot Build our Way out of the Affordable Housing Crisis through Private Sector Production. Discuss real solutions for housing affordability and community stability in our neighborhoods. Learn more here and attend on Saturday, February 15, 2:30pm.
How to End an Oligarchy | Sunrise Movement DC
Looking to learn more about how we can act as effective organizers? Join Sunrise Movement DC for a training on how to end an oligarchy. RSVP for the training here to join virtually or in-person at Potter’s House on Sunday, February 16, from 4 – 5:30pm.
Reel & Meal film chronicles Black labor militancy in ‘60s Detroit | New Deal Cafe
Reel and Meal at the New Deal’s next free film showing is Finally Got the News, which highlights the emergence of Black militant unionism at Detroit auto plants in the late 1960s. Prof. Clarence Lusane of Howard U. will guide a post-film discussion. The film is at 7pm on Monday, February 17, in person at the New Deal Café, Roosevelt Center, Greenbelt, MD, or remote with registration here.
Shut Down NEP: Environmental Justice for Ivy City on February 18 | Empower DC
Learn about National Engineering Products, the legacy polluter, and find out how a toxic site was located in a Black residential community, the harmful chemicals it emits and related health effects, and how to support the campaign to shut down NEP and replace it with a community resilience hub. RSVP here for this online info session on Tuesday, February 18, at 6pm.
ESSENTIAL PERSPECTIVES
ESSENTIAL PERSPECTIVES are articles and opinion pieces of interest to DMV leftists but not, generally, appearing in local media. They should have links without paywalls. Readers are invited to submit candidates at our tip line.
Voters were right about the economy. The data was wrong. “Before the presidential election, many Democrats were puzzled by the seeming disconnect between “economic reality” as reflected in various government statistics and the public’s perceptions of the economy on the ground. Many in Washington bristled at the public’s failure to register how strong the economy really was. They charged that right-wing echo chambers were conning voters into believing entirely preposterous narratives about America’s decline. What they rarely considered was whether something else might be responsible for the disconnect — whether, for instance, government statistics were fundamentally flawed and darker assessments of the economy were more authentically tethered to reality?” POLITICO magazine
Anti-Trump Resistance Didn’t Go Too Far. It Didn’t Go Far Enough. A DSA co-chair writes in Newsweek: “Since Trump’s election, many pundits, consultants, and Democratic elites have indicated it’s time to stand down. Supposedly, the surge of activism in 2016-2020 that included anti-Trump “Resistance” pushed Democrats into radical positions, which voters rejected… in 2024. They suggest those who believe in radical concepts like “all people are created equal” should now fight him less hard. [This represents] the same centrist wisdom that’s existed since President Bill Clinton‘s triangulation in the 1990s ended Democrats’ 40 year-long congressional majority. [Instead, Trump’s re-election means] admitting the real way to make change isn’t through letting elites eke out compromises their corporate backers tolerate, but full-throated demands by ordinary people for everything we need to not only survive, but flourish.”
Anatomy of an AI coup “We are in the midst of a political coup that, if successful, would forever change the nature of American government. It is not taking place in the streets. There is no martial law. It is taking place cubicle by cubicle in federal agencies and in the mundane automation of bureaucracy. The rationale is based on a productivity myth that the goal of bureaucracy is merely what it produces (services, information, governance) and can be isolated from the process through which democracy achieves those ends: debate, deliberation, and consensus. AI then becomes a tool for replacing politics.” From Tech Policy.
Repression is real and growing and takes multiple forms. The Washington Informer ran an article on how a Trump ally has been publishing the names of federal “bureaucrats,” mainly African Americans, as people to be fired. This is a frightening and dangerous attack — and should serve as a reminder that inclusion is another word for unity and that those under assault deserve our solidarity.
Prison is also marked by silences. Awareness of the lives of those still behind bars is therefore of critical importance. A current initiative in the Maryland state legislature speaks to that; it would allow prisoners who have served 20 years of a sentence to petition for a reduction in time. That this currently isn’t possible reflects the criminality of our criminal justice system. An article from the Maryland Alliance for Justice Reform explains.
And about our own organizing… An article in Convergence, How Anti-Politics Becomes Anti-Democracy, cautions that “To build formations capable of advancing both political and economic democracy, we need to grapple with the enduring footprint of anti-political thought in our organizations.”
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.
Thinking about it, but want to get this email Update every Friday? SIGN UP HERE
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.
To update your email address, change your name or address, or to stop receiving emails from Metro DC DSA, please click here.
