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By a three to one margin, Massachusetts voters yesterday sent a clear message to both Democrats and Republicans in Washington about the federal budget crisis and the impending "fiscal cliff". The Budget for All ballot question passed by 661,033 to 222,514 votes. It calls for no cuts to Social Security, Medicare, or other vital programs; investment in useful jobs; an end to corporate tax loopholes and to the Bush cuts on taxes on high incomes; withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan now; and redirection of military spending to domestic needs and job creation.
By a three to one margin, Massachusetts voters yesterday sent a clear message to both Democrats and Republicans in Washington about the federal budget crisis and the impending "fiscal cliff". The Budget for All ballot question passed by 661,033 to 222,514 votes. It calls for no cuts to Social Security, Medicare, or other vital programs; investment in useful jobs; an end to corporate tax loopholes and to the Bush cuts on taxes on high incomes; withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan now; and redirection of military spending to domestic needs and job creation. The question passed by a wide margin in every district and all 91 Massachusetts cities and towns where it appeared on the ballot, ranging from most of Greater Boston to Holyoke to Norwood, Lawrence and Fall River.
"The election was just yesterday, but already Washington elites are talking about a 'Grand Bargain' that would cut Social Security, Medicare and programs for the poor with only token tax increases on the rich and cuts to the bloated military budget," commented Michael Kane, executive director of the Mass Alliance of HUD Tenants. "The reported 'Grand Bargain' would cut two and half times the amount raised in new revenues to reduce the federal deficit. The people of our state have voted for an alternative to prevent cuts to programs that benefit us all and to invest in jobs instead."
The Budget for All passes at a critical moment as the "fiscal cliff" and "sequestration" loom on Washington's horizon. Unless Congress acts now, automatic cuts in needed programs will go into effect beginning January 1. And even bigger cuts will follow.
"We see there's a war going on in our own neighborhoods, where people are dying from shootings and killings and issues in our communities. It frustrates residents to see that so much is being spent on the military and overseas instead of bringing those resources right here in our own neighborhoods," said Mimi Ramos, Executive Director of New England United for Justice.
Adds Laurie Taymor-Berry of Survivors, Inc., "Yesterday's vote sends a clear message to Senator Kerry, Senator Brown, Senator-Elect Warren, President Obama and other elected officials to deal with the deficit by changing the policies that caused it, not by cutting teachers' jobs, mass transit, Medicaid and food aid."
Initiated by over 80 community, peace, labor, and faith groups, the Budget for All is supported by State Treasurer Steve Grossman, State Auditor Suzanne Bump, and Representatives Barney Frank, Mike Capuano, Jim McGovern and Ed Markey, along with 10 State Senators, 18 State Representatives, and 15 city councilors.
The Budget for All Coalition is gearing up to expand its work to ensure that Congress heeds the expressed will of the people of Massachusetts.
"Cornell could have settled this weeks ago. Instead, they've scoffed and laughed at us and broken federal law. We're done playing around," said the president of UAW Local 2300.
More than 1,000 unionized campus workers at Cornell University—from maintenance and dining room employees to gardeners and custodians—went on strike late Sunday to protest management's refusal to negotiate in good faith and put forth a fair pay and benefits package.
The strike by Cornell employees, who are represented by United Auto Workers (UAW) Local 2300, coincided with the Ivy League university's student move-in day. The union local has filed seven separate unfair labor practice charges against Cornell with the National Labor Relations Board, accusing the university of retaliating against workers for engaging in protected union activity and interfering with organizing efforts.
"Workers at Cornell are fed up with being exploited and used," said Christine Johnson, the president of UAW Local 2300. "The university would much rather hoard its wealth and power than pay its workers fairly. Cornell could have settled this weeks ago. Instead, they've scoffed and laughed at us and broken federal law. We're done playing around."
The strike's launch followed an authorization vote last week in which 94% of participants opted to greenlight a walkout if a deal wasn't reached with Cornell management by Sunday night.
The contract that covers the 1,200 Cornell campus workers expired on June 30, and union negotiators have been pushing the university's management to approve a substantial wage increase, waive parking fees for campus employees, implement cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) to ensure pay keeps up with inflation, and eliminate the tiered wage system.
Under the tiered system, The Ithaca Voiceexplained, "workers that began at Cornell University prior to June 30, 1997 make a higher wage than workers that were hired after that date. Under the current labor contract, a custodian at Cornell might make $21.99 an hour, but a custodian on the same pay grade that started before the tier date makes $26.12 an hour."
Over the summer, members of the UAW local put out a video explaining how they are "the heart, soul, and backbone" of the university and detailing how hard it has become for them to live in the town where they work or get by on the paltry wages they make:
So far, the university has offered a 6% wage increase in the first year of the new contract—an amount workers say is inadequate—while refusing to budge on the union's demand for a COLA, free parking, and an end to tiered wages.
In its press release announcing the strike, the UAW highlighted that Cornell's endowment has grown to nearly $10 billion over the past four years—an increase of 39%—and tuition has risen 13% while real wages for workers have fallen 5%. The union also pointed to lavish compensation for top university administrators, which was upwards of $12.4 million in 2022.
The UAW
says most campus workers at Cornell make less than $22 an hour—below the estimated living wage in Ithaca, New York.
"The workers at Cornell are pushing back against the university's arrogance and greed," Daniel Vicente, director of UAW Region 9, said late Sunday. "With a $10 billion endowment, the administration can more than afford the members’ demands. Workers in Local 2300 are showing the university that they are willing to do what's needed to win what they deserve."
The opening day of the Democratic National Convention on Monday will feature its first-ever panel on Palestinian rights, a result of persistent grassroots organizing against U.S. support for Israel's assault on the Gaza Strip—a war that a majority of Democratic voters believe is genocidal.
The co-founders of the Uncommitted National Movement—which urged voters to mark "uncommitted" on their Democratic primary ballots earlier this year to protest the Biden administration's support for Israel's bombardment of Gaza—announced the panel in a statement on Monday, calling it an "important step toward recognizing the rightful place of human rights advocates for Palestinian rights within the Democratic Party."
"With this panel and throughout our engagement at the DNC, we will use our platform to communicate the cries of the majority of Democratic voters who want an end to the unconditional flow of U.S. weapons that [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu is using to kill Palestinian families," said Layla Elabed—the sister of U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.)—and Abbas Alawieh.
"We thank DNC leadership for working with us on this historic panel, and we remain hopeful that they and the Harris campaign will honor our request for Dr. Tanya Haj-Hassan and a Palestinian-American to be granted speaking time from the convention stage," they continued. "Our focus remains on policy change. Vice President Harris has an opportunity to unite the party against [Republican nominee Donald] Trump this week by turning the page toward a human rights policy that saves lives and helps us re-engage key voters for whom Gaza is a top issue."
"We will keep pushing for our party's leadership to break away from its current financing of Israel's horrific assault on Gaza and military rule over Palestinians," Elabed and Alawieh added.
On Monday, for the first time in its history, the Democratic National Convention will hold a panel on Palestinian human rights. We thank the DNC for recognizing this pivotal issue and remain dedicated to pushing VP Harris to stop providing weapons for Israel's assault on Gaza. pic.twitter.com/4rgvlPMG9w
— Uncommitted National Movement 🌺 (@uncommittedmvmt) August 18, 2024
The last time the DNC featured discussion of Palestinian rights was in 1988, during a policy debate that included Arab American Institute founder James Zogby, who will take part in Monday's six-member "Democrats for Palestinian Rights" panel.
"What's happening today is that it's not a candidate-led effort, it's a people-led effort," Zogby said in an MSNBC appearance on Sunday, contrasting the current Palestinian rights push with the 1988 effort spearheaded by Jesse Jackson.
Palestinian rights advocates "have elected their own delegates," Zogby noted, referring to the dozens of "uncommitted" delegates who will be in attendance at the Democratic convention in Chicago, where tens of thousands of demonstrators are expected to rally in the streets in opposition to the Biden administration's ongoing military support for Israel.
"They're not Jackson delegates, they're uncommitted delegates. They're not Bernie delegates, they're uncommitted," Zogby continued. "I think Kamala Harris has to read the room."
In recent weeks, Palestinian rights advocates have been pressuring Harris, the Democratic nominee, to substantively break with the Biden administration on Gaza by endorsing an arms embargo against Israel—a position backed by a majority of American voters.
Harris has expressed an openness to dialogue with Palestinian rights advocates but has yet to accept their concrete demands.
We spent this morning in Chicago with uncommitted DNC delegates who want answers from Kamala Harris on Gaza. https://t.co/f5YZwvPeWx pic.twitter.com/rMh0bwyBWO
— Donie O'Sullivan (@donie) August 19, 2024
Monday's panel will also feature Haj-Hassan, a pediatric intensive care surgeon who recently served in Gaza; Hala Hijazi, a Democratic organizer who has had several family members killed in Gaza by Israel's military; Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison; and former U.S. Rep. Andy Levin (D-Mich.), a Jewish progressive who was unseated in the 2022 midterms by an AIPAC-backed candidate.
On top of the efforts of panel participants, "uncommitted" delegates, and outside demonstrators, a roughly 60-member group called "Delegates Against Genocide" plans to "exercise its freedom of speech rights during main events" at the four-day convention, Reutersreported Sunday.
The delegate group is urging a "no" vote on the Democratic Party's 2024 platform over its "failure to demand a permanent and sustainable cease-fire in Gaza enforced by a U.S. arms embargo on Israel." The proposed platform expresses support for an immediate and "durable" cease-fire agreement and voices opposition to the expansion of illegal Israeli settlements.
"We must take a stand for justice, both domestically and internationally," Nadia Ahmad, a DNC delegate from Florida, said in a statement. "A 'no' vote on the platform sends a clear message that we, as Democrats, will not support policies that enable genocide, war crimes, and human rights abuses."
"Palestinians in Gaza cannot wait until after the U.S. election while bombs are dropping and burning their loved ones alive," said one campaigner.
On the eve of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, proponents of a U.S. arms embargo on Israel—which is on trial for genocide at the World Court for its assault on Gaza that has killed over 40,000 Palestinians—took to the streets of cities in states from New York to Hawaii on Sunday to amplify their demand of "Not Another Bomb" for Israeli military forces.
"It is crystal clear: In order to achieve a cease-fire in Gaza, the U.S. must immediately stop arming Israel," the Not Another Bomb campaign—an initiative led by the Uncommitted National Movement—said in a statement ahead of this weekend's demonstrations.
On Sunday, #NotAnotherBomb protests took place in dozens of cities including New York, Atlanta, Albuquerque, Boston, Los Angeles, and Oakland, California—the hometown of Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee whose campaign says does not support suspending U.S. arms shipments to Israel.
Earlier, Not Another Bomb demonstrations happened Saturday in cities including Chicago; Dearborn, Michigan; Milwaukee and Madison, Wisconsin; and on Friday in Washington, D.C.
"It is unacceptable that during a housing crisis, school closures, and the skyrocketing cost of living squeezing working families, billions of dollars are going to arm Israel as it commits genocide in Gaza," said Samer Arabi of the Arab Resource and Organizing Center, which endorsed the Oakland rally along with Jewish Voice for Peace and over a dozen other groups.
"Bay Area communities deserve investment in care and safety, and have been demanding a cease-fire in Gaza for months," Arabi added. "We need policy that addresses our community's needs, instead of sending arms for Israel to bomb Palestinian kids."
At least 40,000 Palestinians, including more than 16,000 children, have been killed during Israel's 317-day assault on Gaza, according to Palestinian and international officials. The Biden administration has been accused of complicity in genocide for providing Israel with tens of billions of dollars in armed aid, as well as diplomatic cover including vetoes of multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions.
On Sunday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Israel to push for a cease-fire agreement amid intense Israeli attacks in Gaza, including an airstrike that wiped out an entire family near Deir al-Balah.
Not Another Bomb protests are set to continue through the Democratic National Convention, which is scheduled to begin Monday in Chicago. Tens of thousands of activists are expected to rally in the city, which saw a brutal police crackdown on anti-Vietnam War protesters during the 1968 DNC.
In a Mother Jones interview published Saturday, Democratic Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson asserted that "what's happening right now" in Gaza "is not only egregious, it is genocidal."
"We have to acknowledge and name it for what it is and have the moral courage to exercise our authority," Johnson added.
Mohammed Khader, who manages policy and advocacy campaigns at the U.S. Campaign for Palestinian Rights—a partner in the Not Another Bomb campaign—said that "despite clear calls for an arms embargo, Democratic officials have continued to sponsor the mass murder of Palestinian families in gross violation of U.S. and international law."
"Palestinians in Gaza cannot wait until after the U.S. election while bombs are dropping and burning their loved ones alive," Khader added. "An arms embargo is urgently needed, and it's an important electoral strategy, supported by a strong majority of Democratic voters who are paying close attention to the Harris campaign's policies."
The Uncommitted National Movement—which called on Democratic primary voters to pressure Biden by voting "uncommitted"—received 18.9% of the vote in Minnesota and 13.3% in the key swing state of Wisconsin.
Last week, a survey commissioned by the Institute for Middle Eastern Understanding Policy Project and conducted by YouGov revealed that Democratic and Independent voters in the swing states of Arizona, Georgia, and Pennsylvania would be more likely to vote for Harris if she backed an arms embargo on Israel.