Access the web version of this update here.

UPFRONT

• MDC DSA Endorsement Questionnaire deadline - November 1
• Students stage takeover at Howard University — support fund organized
• Reconciliation bill battles continue on Capitol Hill
  

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MDC DSA Chapter Endorsement Questionnaire Deadline - November 1

The deadline for candidate questionnaires will be November 1, 2021. Please share this deadline with any candidates interested in a Metro DC DSA endorsement in the 2022 primary cycle. This deadline will give chapter members sufficient time to review questionnaires and submit endorsement resolutions before our November General Body Meeting on November 14. Per our chapter's by-laws, five chapter members must submit a resolution in support of the candidate to be considered for an endorsement by the full body. After a first read at the November General Body Meeting, the chapter membership will hear from candidates during the 2021 convention in December and vote on endorsements via OpaVote.

The endorsement questionnaire is available here (PDF here).

he Chapter’s Political Engagement Committee has received the following electoral endorsement questionnaires for the 2022 primary cycle.

• Saqib Ali, who is running for Maryland House of Delegates in District 15 (North Potomac, Poolesville, Clarksburg)

• Oye Owolewa, who is running for re-election as the Shadow US Representative for the District of Columbia

• Carleah Summers, who is running for Congress in Maryland’s Sixth Congressional district.

Chapter members are encouraged to contact other members who may be interested in co-sponsoring an endorsement resolution in support of these candidates. At least five chapter members are required to co-sponsor an endorsement resolution before that resolution can move forward in our endorsement process. Please coordinate with chapter members to organize for support of a candidate endorsement in the #electoral channel.

To submit an endorsement questionnaire or to ask any questions, email [email protected]. Chapter members can also message the Political Engagement Committee members on Slack with questions: @irene (she/her) (Chair), @Abel A, @Brian W. (he/him), @amortell and @Nicole Z (she/her)

Students stage takeover at Howard University — protest fund organized in support

On Wednesday night, Howard University (HU) students began a sit-in at the university’s Blackburn building in order to demand the administration address ongoing issues. The takeover has been organized by a range of student groups on campus — including the Howard U chapter of the Young Democratic Socialists of America — in order to demand action on a range of issues affecting students on campus.

Protester demands have been clear:

1. In-person town hall with HU President Frederick and other administration officials

2. Commit (in writing) to authorizing undergraduate and graduate voting representation on HU’s Board of Trustees

3. Reinstate ALL Affiliate Trustee positions (students, faculty and alumni) onto the Board

4. Meeting with student leadership outlining the administration’s plan to address the ongoing housing crisis faced by students at the university

Despite peaceful protest, Howard’s administration has deployed a number of sinister tactics in order to break the will of protesters: calling police on students, pulling fire alarms, cutting off air conditioning and wifi, locking students out of access to Blackburn Building and threatening expulsion from campus.

As students, allies, neighbors and alumni show up to provide support, Metro DC DSA has organized a fundraiser for the HU YDSA chapter in order to provide relief to HU students. DONATE HERE. All funds raised will go directly to the Howard YDSA.

To follow updates on the takeover, you can follow HU’s YDSA social accounts on Twitter and Instagram.

Infrastructure/Reconciliation Battles Continue on Capitol Hill as “Striketober” rolls across the country

Congress is out in home districts this week and doing nothing, ostensibly, but the churn always exudes new news. A Politico account yesterday said Medicare expansion (dental, vision, hearing) was seriously threatened because of cost and its focus on less-impacted groups. Part of the Dem caucus divisions are taking this shape: either benefits for all, including middle-class suburbanites, or for. more targeted, lower-income groups — with Manchin’s argument for means-testing getting some traction. “Progressives are closing ranks behind Medicare expansion because it represents the best chance of getting a sliver of their ‘Medicare for All’ vision into law. But in the process, they’ve drawn criticism from fellow Democrats that the benefits would flow to the wealthy at the expense of poor people and communities of color on Medicaid, along with threats from health industry groups that it could raise seniors’ premiums,” the Politico article continued. “Progressive Caucus Chair Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) is making the case that adding dental, vision and hearing benefits to traditional Medicare will address pressing health needs for seniors and yield political dividends for Democrats in the midterm elections.

“The message, which the lawmakers delivered on a Zoom call with White House officials last week, is being amplified by outside groups, including the Service Employees International Union, Indivisible and the Working Families Party. ‘We have no intention of backing down,’ Jayapal said on a call with advocates Tuesday night.” [end POLITICO dispatch]

Meanwhile, “Striketober” rolls on — Hollywood TV and film crews, John Deere workers, Alabama coal miners, Nabisco workers, Kellogg workers, nurses in California and healthcare workers in Buffalo are all striking or have voted to strike; in what left commentators are calling “Striketober.” Former Labor Secretary Robert Reich in The Guardian says, “You might say workers have declared a national general strike until they get better pay and improved working conditions,” speaking more generally of workers’ clear resistance to rejoining the workforce for the same bad pay and conditions in a more dangerous time.

BRIEFS

Greenbelt Reparations Referendum - canvassing operations TOMMORROW, Oct 16

The City Council of Greenbelt has passed a resolution creating a referendum question on this November’s election on whether to create a 21-member commission to review, discuss and make recommendations related to local reparations for African American and Native American residents of Greenbelt, Maryland.

The City of Greenbelt has historically enforced racially discriminatory housing policies as part of the FHA program — the legacy of which is still apparent in Greenbelt’s de facto segregation along racial lines — and the city’s Black residents continue to face the effects of racism.

DSA’s 2021 National Platform directly demands the passage of reparations legislation due to the legacy of white supremacy in the United States and its relationship to the development of capitalism in European colonies. Metro DC Democratic Socialists of America stands in support of the proposed creation of the Reparations Commission in the City of Greenbelt. Read the endorsement here.

The election (and voting on this referendum) is on November 2nd, but early voting started on October 9th. If you’d like to get involved, fill out the campaign volunteer form here. Top priority ask is the canvassing TOMORROW, October 16th.

DSA’s Food | Justice October meeting and mutual aid support next Monday, Oct 18 at 5:30pm

The Food | Justice working group was formed to collectively learn about agriculture with each other and in partnership with existing farms and gardens in the DMV, while working toward establishing a physical garden and shared community space. The working group’s next meeting will be held virtually Monday, Oct 18 at 5:30pm.

In addition to debriefs on working group operations, the meeting will also include discussion on how to support Stomp Out Slumlords in providing mutual aid support to tenants at the Woodmont Park (Alexandria), LaSalle Park (Hyattsville) and Marbury Plaza (DC) residential complexes. To learn more, you can attend the meeting next Monday, join the #food-justice channel on our chapter’s Slack (see Info Access below), or sign up for volunteer shifts directly through Food Justice DMV (a separate org local volunteers are planning to coordinate with).

International Solidarity — DSA support for two upcoming internationally focused events

At their Tuesday, October 12 meeting, the Metro DC DSA steering committee reassigned portfolios following the recent special election and endorsed two allied actions:

• Boeing’s War Profiteering: A Teach-In (Oct. 23)

• Rally to Vaccinate the World and End the Pandemic (Oct. 28 at 4pm, McPherson Square)

Stomp Out Slumlords anti-eviction canvassing this Saturday, Oct 16

Evictions are back in DC. More than 300 families are scheduled for eviction by the beginning of November, and today landlords can start taking tenants to court over unpaid rent again. The DSA’s favorite DC councilwoman is fighting back — but broader support is needed in order to stop the slew of evictions anticipated as pandemic eviction protections relapse.

MDC DSA’s Stomp Out Slumlords have resumed regular anti-eviction canvassing to educate tenants about their rights and connect with people who want to organize. The next canvass will be taking place this Saturday, October 16, and will be meeting at L’Enfant Plaza Metro (Maryland and 7th SW at 2pm). All interested in getting involved are invited to join.

DC Jobs with Justice “I’ll Be There” honors — Thursday, Oct 21 at 7pm

DC Jobs with Justice is a local coalition of community, labor and justice organizations of which Metro DC DSA is a proud member. On Thursday, October 21, JWJ will be hosting its annual “I’ll Be There” event to honor local activists and community organizations who have fought for working-class interests in the District. This year, JWJ will be honoring Maria Gomez of the community healthcare organization Mary’s Center; Aura Cruz Heredia of Sunrise Movement DC; the Washington Teachers Union; the Restaurant Opportunities Center; and Just Recovery DC campaign.

Washington Socialist articles - October issue

On Actual Freedom: Examining the Revaluation of Value in Martin Hägglund's 'This Life' —Amanda L

China and the Left: A Report from the People’s Forum —Ryan M

To Leave the Impact Behind, District Educators Should Let Go of Merit Pay —Dylan C

From Austin to Afghanistan: Outrages Against Democracy —Bill M

INFO ACCESS

Publications Schedule: October’s final Update is scheduled for Friday, October 22 and the November issue of the Washington Socialist goes up on the boards Friday, October 29, in time to remind you to stock up on sugary All Hallows Eve blessings for the trick or treaters. Article submission deadline for the November issue is Oct. 23; hit us up at [email protected]

A reminder of what’s up in the newsletter: here’s the October issue of our monthly publication, the Washington Socialist, and here’s an example of our theme-oriented indexing, a multi-story look at our chapter’s deep history with the questions of single-payer health care and, now, Medicare for All. You can find much more on what you care most about indexed in our Topic Hub.

Wondering how to get into MDC DSA’s Slack, where campaign channels host the essential daily conversation about all our diverse ways of making socialism happen? If you are a member in good standing of DSA, email our secretary at [email protected] with the heading “Slack access request” and use the email address by which national DSA knows you.