Tennessee Democratic Party Chairman Chip Forrester today released the following statement on the two year anniversary of President Obama’s signing of the Affordable Care Act – which to date has helped millions of middle class families, seniors, and young people receive quality affordable health care:
“Two years ago with the stroke of a pen, [...]
TNDP News
IPR contacted the Socialist Equality Party’s presidential nominee Jerry White with three questions about his campaign. Though White did respond initially, party chairman Joe Kishore answered instead.
The Socialist Equality Party is a Trotskyist party affiliated with the International Committee of the Fourth International. In 2008, it nominated Jerry White, who was also the party’s 1996 presidential nominee. In protest of ballot access laws, the party did not appear on any ballots in 2008.
IPR: How is the Socialist Equality Party different from other Socialist parties such as the Party for Socialism and Liberation and Socialist Party USA?
Kishore: There are many groups that describe themselves as socialist, and we will be writing more on these tendencies in our election coverage. There are, however, basic political differences that separate the SEP from these organizations. The SEP, for example, advocates a break with the official trade unions and the establishment of independent rank-and-file committees to fight against the dictates of the corporations. We oppose any conception that the Democratic Party can be pushed to the left. Our program is based on an international perspective. We oppose identity politics, which seeks to divide workers along racial or gender lines, rather than uniting them on the basis of their common class interests. A more detailed presentation of the perspective of the SEP can be found in our program (socialequality.com/program) and in our statement of principles (http://socialequality.com/
IPR: The Socialist Equality Party did not appear on any state ballots for the 2008 presidential election. Will this change in 2012? Are there any ballot access efforts at this time?
Kishore: We will be seeking ballot access in some states. However, anti-democratic ballot laws make it almost impossible for third parties to get ballot access in many states. In those cases, we will be running an aggressive write-in campaign.
IPR: What are some of your policy proposals? How would you implement these as president?
Kishore: The basic outline of our election can be found here: http://socialequality.com/node/2059
We insist that workers have basic social rights, including the right to a job, the right to a livable income, the right to education, health care and a secure retirement. We call for a multi-trillion dollar public works program to put to work everyone who needs a job. Such a program will also serve to rebuild cities and infrastructure and meet the needs of the entire population. It must be paid for through a massive redistribution of the wealth. The giant banks and major corporations must be transformed into publicly-owned entities, controlled democratically by working people.
Two points to stress, however: 1) It is not for us a matter of simply winning office and implementing policy as one person. The entire political system is undemocratic and devoted to upholding the interests of the capitalist class. Our election campaign is aimed at fighting for an independent political program of the working class, in opposition to this political system. We are fighting to build a mass movement of the working class, which seeks the abolition of capitalism and its replacement by a social system based on human need, not private profit–i.e., socialism. Socialism can only be achieved through mass social struggles. 2) We fight for the international unity of the working class. The interests of workers in every country are fundamentally the same, and socialism is impossible in the United States alone.
“General Motors’ expansion in Spring Hill is great news for Tennesseans and a huge credit is owed to the United Auto Workers, who made the deal that got this plant fully reopened. Over the coming months, we will see more than 1,700 new GM jobs and countless jobs created through the parts supply chain. This announcement boosts Tennessee’s economy and strengthens our communities.
“But this announcement would not be possible without President Obama’s successful loan to the auto industry, which gave automakers a pathway to profitability and saved hundreds of thousands of American jobs.
“It’s upsetting that some politicians said Spring Hill auto workers weren’t worth the time and fixing the American auto industry wasn’t worth the money, but today’s announcement shows the President’s investment paid off.
“What’s more upsetting is that some politicians are taking credit for these new jobs when they’ve opposed similar investments or sat silent when these deals were negotiated. If politicians like Sen. Corker, Rep. DesJarlais and Gov. Haslam’s friend Mitt Romney had been in charge, there would be no American auto industry and Spring Hill would be a ghost town.
“Industry experts have been clear: our auto companies would have faced liquidation under the extreme right-wing plan and more than 1 million Americans would have lost their jobs permanently.
“If not for the auto industry investment, no amount of tax breaks or credits would have brought General Motors or Chrysler back from the brink of ruin. If not for that investment, these new Spring Hill jobs would not be possible.
“This announcement is a perfect reminder of how crucial investments in our infrastructure, our schools and our workforce are for creating a robust economy that works to grow opportunity for working and middle class Tennesseans.”
BACKGROUND
Auto Workers’ Deal with GM Reopened Spring Hill Plant. “The basis that we went into the agreement with was jobs, jobs, jobs, and I think that is what we came out of this agreement with,” UAW Vice President Joe Ashton said at a news conference revealing details of the GM deal. Since emerging from bankruptcy with a billion federal aid package two years ago, GM has added thousands of jobs in the U.S., and the new agreement could open up another 6,400 slots. The automaker is promising to launch new products at plants in Spring Hill, Tenn., the former home of its now-abandoned Saturn division, as well as at factories in Michigan and Missouri.” [MSNBC, 9/21/11]
FLASHBACK: Republicans Bob Corker, Lamar Alexander, Marsha Blackburn Applaud Jobs From GM Loan They Opposed. [Washington Monthly, 9/20/11]
Chairman Chip Forrester talks about the new voter ID law and the GOP primary on This Week with Bob Mueller.
NASHVILLE – Tennessee Democratic Party Chairman Chip Forrester vowed he would continue to hold
Republicans’ feet to the fire on behalf of Tennesseans who struggle to provide a better life for their
families during his next two-year term at the party’s helm.
He also promised to unify Tennessee Democrats for the hard work ahead to regain majorities in the
state’s General Assembly and its congressional delegation. Forrester won re-election as party chairman
on Saturday after a spirited campaign among two other candidates, whom he said he looks forward
working with in unifying and moving the party forward.
“Each one of them should be thanked by all Tennessee Democrats for their desire to help this party
and this state,” Forrester said of Matt Kuhn and Wade Munday. “We have much to do in the next two
years to ensure we elect Democrats who will work tirelessly to ensure our communities have good jobs,
effective schools and a quality of life each of us deserve.
“Tennessee Democrats care about our communities and the people who live in them. Too often we
overlook the less fortunate among us. We cannot forget those who get left behind in the progress of
today’s society.
“It’s our job as Democrats to ensure everyone has an opportunity to succeed, and we can only do that
if we fight for our principles and have selfless leaders and elected officials who fight for those same
principles. Matt and Wade have shown they are Democrats who will go to the mat for their principles,”
he said.
Forrester received 38 votes from then party’s executive committee, which selects the chairman every
two years. Kuhn received 17 votes, and Munday received 10. Forrester said he was committed to
involving all interested Democrats in the electoral process.
“I am honored and humbled by the support that I received from the state executive committee in my
bid for re-election as chair of the Tennessee Democratic Party,” he said. “But I am also pleased that, in
this race for chair, we had challengers who brought energy, enthusiasm and new ideas to be discussed.
Young Democrats are the future of our party, and I am pleased these challengers stepped up to offer
themselves for service to our party.
“My number one objective is to unify our party. I honor and respect those on the executive committee
who did not support me and will work to make them an integral part of moving this party and our state
forward,” Forrester added.
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