We here at the Bulletin (*extremely Bernie Sanders voice*) have the belief, “and there’s nothing radical about it,” that the Partnership for America’s Health Care Future, and groups like it, should not exist. PAHCF want, and they’re very explicit about this, to maintain the current system of employer-provided health insurance in which outcomes fluctuate wildly by income and your boss can, for example, just decide that you don’t have dental, vision, or prescription coverage in your health plan. They spent $143 million lobbying in 2018, a good amount of which (who can say, really?) seems to have gone toward stopping single-payer.
We here at the Bulletin (*extremely Bernie Sanders voice*) have the belief, “and there’s nothing radical about it,” that the Partnership for America’s Health Care Future, and groups like it, should not exist.
PAHCF want, and they’re very explicit about this, to maintain the current system of employer-provided health insurance in which outcomes fluctuate wildly by income and your boss can, for example, just decide that you don’t have dental, vision, or prescription coverage in your health plan. They spent $143 million lobbying in 2018, a good amount of which (who can say, really?) seems to have gone toward stopping single-payer. A cool side-effect of Bernie’s Medicare for All bill is that PAHCF and associated insurance industry lobbies will stop making financial sense and, in some cases, will be made straight-up illegal. Until then, we have to deal with their [REDACTED].
DSA’s argument all along has been that Medicare for All is a “non-reformist reform”: a concrete demand that makes people’s lives immediately better, shifts power away from employers and corporations, while also advancing class struggle and relegating the utterly vampiric health insurance industry to the sidelines of American life and politics.
The House Rules Committee just announced it will be holding the first-ever hearing on Medicare for All this Tuesday, April 30th, at 10 AM. And DSA’s national Medicare for All campaign will be joining the coalition partners for a rally in Washington, D.C. on Monday at 12:30 at the headquarters of Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (“Big” PhRMA), a trade group who spends hundreds of millions annually on keeping drug prices high and Democrats timid, through, yep, the Partnership for America’s Health Care Future.
Last night our Bird Dogging team attended a congressional town hall and sadly only one member of the Philadelphia congressional delegation is a co-sponsor of this legislation. Worse, Mary Gay Scanlon — who sits on the House Rules Committee — is still on the fence. The outcome of this upcoming hearing could decide whether H.R. 1384 — the Medicare for All Act of 2019 — even makes it to the floor for a vote. Why don't you give Mary Gay Scanlon a call and tell her to co-sponsor H.R. 1384?
Call Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-5): 202-225-2011
Are Stop & Shop Workers Too Powerful?
We're happy to hear that a tentative agreement has been reached between striking Stop & Shop workers, represented by the United Food & Commercial Workers Union, and Ahold Delhaize, the Belgian-based food retailer that owns Stop & Shop as well as Giant and Food Lion supermarkets. “Today is a powerful victory for the 31,000 hardworking men and women of Stop & Shop,” the UFCW said in a statement on Sunday, “who courageously stood up to fight for what all New Englanders want — good jobs, affordable health care, a better wage, and to be treated right by the company they made a success.”
The contract still needs to be ratified by Stop & Shop employees, but if it’s as advertised, it’d represent another win for an American working class that hasn’t struck this often & this successfully since the 1980s. If your boss is using the labor they purchase from you to create surplus value for themselves and you want to do something about it (talk to your coworkers! unionize your workplace! get your union plugged into the growing socialist movement!), and definitely contact Philly DSA’s Labor Branch.
Bhaskar’s Book: Good
Philly DSA is excited to be co-hosting (with Jacobin & n+1) a discussion with Jacobin founder & former DSA vice chair Bhaskar Sunkara next Wednesday, May 1, at Calvary Church on the corner of 48th & Baltimore. The occasion is the release of Sunkara’s new book The Socialist Manifesto: The Case for Radical Politics in an Era of Extreme Inequality, out next week from Basic Books. From the ad copy:
“The success of Bernie Sanders's 2016 presidential campaign revived a political idea many had thought dead. But what, exactly, is socialism? And what would a socialist system in America look like? In The Socialist Manifesto, Bhaskar Sunkara explores socialism's history since the mid-1800s and presents a realistic vision for its future.”
It is, as yet, unclear whether attending the Sunkara event counts as extra credit for Philly DSA Night School (in session the following day at 3417 Spruce St; topic is technology), but, with only a couple weeks left in the semester, anything’s worth a shot.
PHLDSA 2019 Local Convention
Saturday, June 8 | Elected Position Nominations Open Soon!
The Local Convention is coming up fast, and the nominations period for elected positions in the local (officers, at-large Steering Committee members, and Permanent Committee Chairs) will open May 4th. The nominations period will run from Saturday, May 4 to Tuesday, May 28.
Nominations can be made during this period through a Google form (stay tuned). Candidates will be asked to submit brief statements describing their political vision for Philly DSA over the next two years, as well as their organizing experience and qualifications for the role.
The nominations form will be sent to all members as a link before nominations open on May 4. For now, members considering running for these elected positions should review the roles which are described in detail in the bylaws available on the website.
Please reach out to [email protected] with any questions.
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
DSA (pre)-May Day Picnic
Saturday, April 27 | 1:00 - 5:00 pm | FDR Park, Picnic Site #2 | 1500 Pattison Avenue & South Broad Street | Meat and Veggie Burgers/Dogs Provided, Bring Snacks, Side Dishes, Games, and Friends!
Medicare for All Rally at PhRMA HQ
Monday, April 29 | 12:30 - 1:30 pm | 950 F St NW, Washington DC
Join NNU and march on the PhRMA lobby headquarters to demand Medicare for All and an end to the corporate greed in our healthcare system. RSVP here.
The Socialist Manifesto, Book Discussion
Wednesday, May 1 | 7:00 - 9:00 pm | Calvary Church | 801 S 48th St
Night School: Technology
Thursday, May 2 | 7:00 - 9:00 pm | Golkin Room, Houston Hall | 3417 Spruce St
Teachers in Debt: Philly Education Debt Workshop
Saturday, May 4 | 3:00 - 5:00 pm | West Chester University in Philadelphia | 701 Market S. Philadelphia, PA 19106
Marxism and Politics Reading Group
Monday, May 6 | 7:00 - 9:00 pm | Chapterhouse Cafe| 620 S 9th St
Tuesday, May 7 | 6:00 - 8:00 pm | 1806 W Shunk St, Philadelphia, PA 19145
Center City Happy Hour
Wednesday, May 8 | 6:30 - 9:00 pm | Strangelove's | 216 S 11th St
Bylaws Update
The Bylaws Style Commission has submitted its final report and the new bylaws are available at https://www.phillydsa.com/bylaws.
Host a Canvass!
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 Surveys: 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 out the survey:
Childcare Survey
Committee & Branch Meetings
Steering // Outreach // Pol Ed // LILAC // OCOS // Social // Canvassing // Policy // Labor // Housing // Childcare // DelCo // BuxMont
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
Isn’t it time to do something? Get involved with the Local.
