You can feel it in the air, almost; the trees in West Philly are blooming a little brighter, the dogs in Fairmount are wagging their tails a little faster, and the Social Committee Chair is diligently filling the Kensington dumpster pool in an early effort to win reelection to the new Member Engagement Committee. Yep, it’s the Local Convention, folks, and we love it.
At our last convention in 2017, Philly DSA elected our current Steering Committee and voted on long-term priorities and campaigns (Medicare for All, political education through our Socialist Night School, labor, organizational restructuring, and ongoing electoral work). The votes this summer will be even more important; in addition to a new Chair, Vice Chair, and a new Steering Committee, we’ll be electing Chairs for our four permanent committees (Communications, Political Education, Member Engagement, and Electoral, established by the recently-passed bylaws), choosing delegates for the 2019 DSA National Convention, and adopting a political platform ahead of 2020.
RSVP Here
The next couple years are going to be huge for DSA both locally and nationally. Our endorsed presidential candidate is, even according to mainstream libs (even according to the friggin’ Atlantic!), the 2020 frontrunner. He’s popular, and his signature policies are even more popular. And he’s going to spend the next eighteen months making as persuasive a case he can that “democratic socialism” is the only way we can win both economic rights and political freedoms. In short, the conditions are right for DSA to become a real political force.
Of course, the conditions are also right for a million other things to happen. There are nearly infinite ways to mess this up and probably only a few ways to get it right. So, start planning for the local convention now: what strategies you want the Local to pursue to take advantage of this moment, how you want to vote, and what (if any) positions you’d like to run for. The Steering Committee will have a full agenda out next month, and the convention’s scheduled for June 8.
Bernie’s Medicare for All Act of 2019
Yesterday, Bernie introduced the Medicare for All Act of 2019 on the Senate floor. The bill, as Tim “@singlepayertom” Higginbotham writes in Jacobin, “represents a kind of politics never yet realized in the United States: one that puts human needs over industry profits by guaranteeing universal benefits with no means-testing or exclusions.” It’s the 2017 bill but better; universal, comprehensive coverage for all U.S. residents, free at the point of service, with provisions guaranteeing reproductive rights and (new to the 2019 version) long-term care. It’s a great bill (full text is here), and DSA is excitedly backing it. In fact, we’re canvassing for it on Saturday. Speaking of which...
Host a Canvass!
As we prepare for Bernie 2020, the Philly DSA Canvassing Committee will be beefing up its organizational capacity by running smaller, shorter weeknight and weekend canvasses out of members' homes. In order to do this, we need people to volunteer their houses and apartments as launch locations! If you're interested in hosting, please fill out this form. Please email Vicki at [email protected] with any questions.
Leaked Email of the Week, Courtesy of “Small Business Governor” Tom Wolf
“Decisions around the permits and any conditions were made by DEP (the PA Department of Environmental Protection)... This is normal and responsible governing.” -- JJ Abbott, spokesman for Gov. Wolf, explaining to the Guardian how “the governor never directed the DEP to accelerate its approval of environmental permits” for the Mariner East 2 natural gas pipeline
“Govs [sic] office needs a list of the outstanding issues ASAP” -- DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell, in an email sent to DEP staff after Wolf’s deputy chief of staff Yesenia Bane asked him to accelerate approval of environmental permits for the Mariner East 2 natural gas pipeline
DSA (pre)-May Day Picnic
Saturday, April 27 | 1:00 - 5:00 pm | FDR Park, Picnic Site #2 | 1500 Pattison Avenue & South Broad Street
PHLDSA 2019 Local Convention
Saturday, June 8 | More Details Coming Soon!
Medicare for All Canvass
Saturday, April 13 | 12:00 - 4:30 pm | Cobbs Creek Park, Thomas Ave entrance (meet at picnic tables between Thomas and Whitby aves)
End the Abatement: Fund Schools + Affordable Housing
Monday, April 15 | 4:30 - 7:30 pm | Philadelphia City Hall, 4th floor
Post Medicare for All Canvass Data Entry
Monday, April 15 | 6:30 - 7:30 pm | Chapterhouse Cafe | 620 S 9th St | Bring a laptop!
West Philly Happy Hour
Wednesday, April 17 | 6:30 - 9:00 pm | Dahlak Paradise | 4708 Baltimore Ave
Membership & Dues Drive Phone Bank
Wednesday, April 17 | 7:00 - 9:00 pm | Email [email protected] for the location & details
Night School: Labor
Thursday, April 18 | 7:00 - 9:00 pm | G7, Irvine Auditorium | 3401 Spruce St
BuxMont April Happy Hour
Thursday, April 18 | 7:00 - 9:00 pm | Neshaminy Creek Brewing Company | 909 Ray Ave, Croydon, PA 19021
Norristown Community Garden Clean-up & Planting
Saturday, April 20 | 10:00 am | Norristown State Hospital | 1001 Sterigere St, Norristown, PA 19401
Marxism and Politics Reading Group
Monday, April 22 | 7:00 - 9:00 pm | Chapterhouse Café | 620 S 9th St
Delco DSA April Branch Meeting
Tuesday, April 23 | 7:00 - 9:00 pm | Council Room of Swarthmore Borough Administration Building | 121 Park Ave, Swarthmore, PA 19081
Weeknight Medicare for All Canvass
Thursday, April 25 | 6:00 - 8:00 pm | 5110 Hadfield St, Philadelphia, PA 19143
BuxMont April General Meeting
Thursday, April 25 | 7:00 - 9:30 pm | Reformed Church of the Ascension| 1700 W Main St, Jeffersonville, PA 19403
The Philly DSA Canvassing Committee will be running smaller, shorter weeknight and weekend canvasses out of members' homes and in order to do this, we need people to volunteer their houses and apartments as launch locations! If you're interested in hosting, please fill out this form. Please email Vicki at [email protected] with any questions.
Member Survey: Childcare
At our November 2018 General Meeting, the local established a childcare committee in order to implement more consistent childcare practices for the organization. The committee has prepared an initial survey to assess member needs and interests in order to guide their work. Please take a moment to fill it out:
Childcare Survey
Committee & Branch Meetings
Steering // Outreach // Pol Ed // LILAC // OCOS // Social // Canvassing // Policy // Labor // Housing // Childcare // DelCo // BuxMont // BuxMont Eco-Soc WG
Support 👏 Philly 👏 DSA 👏!
Local Dues - support our campaign work and cover everyday operating costs like meeting space // Contribute to Philly DSA PAC - help fund our independent electoral campaigns // Accommodations, Accessibility, Childcare - let us know what you need to stay involved // Moved away from Philly? - update your address on the DSA national database.
In Solidarity,
Philly DSA Bulletin Team
Inquiries: [email protected]
Website: www.phillydsa.com
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