Vol. 73/No. 32      August 24, 2009

The SWP is running three candidates in New York City. For mayor: Dan Fein, 64, a veteran trade unionist who works at a garment plant in Brooklyn. For public advocate: Maura DeLuca, 30, a unionist and sewing-machine operator. For Manhattan borough president: Tom Baumann, 23, formerly a meatpacking worker, now a student at Hunter College and active in the Young Socialists.

All three have submitted double the number of signatures required to appear on the city’s ballot.

World capitalism has entered into a depression that is part of the deepest social and economic crisis in living memory. The U.S. ruling-class families are expanding their wars in Afghanistan and Pakistan, substantially increasing the numbers of U.S. troops and the power and size of the military command structure in that region. At the same time, 130,000 U.S. troops remain in Iraq. At home, under the cover of the “war on terror,” the U.S. government is expanding police wiretapping against organizations and individuals as well as other assaults on workers’ rights.

Today millions are being thrown out of work as the capitalist rulers seek to make us—working people—pay for the crisis of their system. The ruling class is launching a frontal assault on basic living conditions of working people, from jobs and wages to pensions, health care, housing, and essential public services. This offensive has just barely begun.

The Socialist Workers candidates in New York are running against the capitalist class and their candidates in the Democratic and Republican parties, including Mayor Michael Bloomberg and his leading Democratic opponent, City Comptroller William Thompson.

The working class needs to answer this war on our class by organizing a revolutionary struggle to take state power out of the hands of the rulers. We must reorganize the economy and all social relations, from top to bottom, in the interests of workers and farmers.

The Socialist Workers candidates call for:

The immediate, unconditional withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.

Defense of women’s right to choose abortion. The May 31 killing of Dr. George Tiller, who provided abortions in Wichita, Kansas, highlights the stakes in this battle.

Nationalization of the land and housing stock. This is the only way to guarantee working people inexpensive, attractive, and quality housing without fear of eviction by a landlord or foreclosure by a bank. It will prevent working farmers from being foreclosed on and losing their land.

The release of the Cuban Five: Gerardo Hernández, Ramón Labañino, Antonio Guerrero, Fernando González, and René González. These five Cuban revolutionaries were framed up on conspiracy charges and have been locked up in U.S. jails for more than ten years.

We put forward immediate demands to protect working people in face of the devastation the ruling class is organizing and to unify the working class in struggle:

Guaranteed unemployment compensation at union scale for all workers until they find a job.

Increase the federal minimum wage to union scale.

A federally funded crash public works program to put millions to work at union scale to build schools, roads, and public transportation.

No cuts in medical benefits for any worker laid off from their job—guaranteed lifetime medical care and retiree pensions for all.

Immediate, unconditional legalization of all undocumented workers.

End all income taxes on workers.

For more information on the campaign, or to make a donation, contact or visit the campaign office at 306 W. 37th St., 10th floor, New York, NY 10018. Tel.: (212) 736-2540. E-mail: newyorkswp@mac.com.
 
 
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