Vol. 73/No. 27      July 20, 2009

In the first two days, 2,329 people signed petitions to put the socialist ticket on the ballot.

Fein, a veteran trade unionist, said the working-class perspective of the socialist campaign strikes a chord with many who have signed.

“Right now more U.S. troops are deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan than at anytime since the Iraq war began, with the exception of the ‘surge’ in 2007. And this number is going to grow. Our campaign calls for the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of U.S. troops from these countries,” said Fein.

“We face the deepest economic and social crisis of the capitalist system in living memory. And the ruling class is launching a frontal assault on the conditions of life of working people. The depression and the rulers’ assault have barely begun.

“Our campaign explains the need for working people to take political power out of the hands of the ruling-class families,” emphasized Fein.

“We are running against all the capitalist candidates, from Mayor Michael Bloomberg to city comptroller William Thompson,” he said, referring to the incumbent mayor’s leading Democratic contender.

As the capitalists try to make working people bear the brunt of the crisis, “we advance immediate demands to unify and strengthen the working class in struggle,” Fein said.

The Socialist Workers candidates call for guaranteed unemployment compensation “at union scale for every worker until they find a job,” he explained. “We also demand a federally funded crash public works program to put millions to work at union-scale wages to build schools, hospitals, roads, and public transportation.” Union scale is the pay rate required by a union contract, whether or not workers are union members.

Tom Baumann, the Socialist Workers candidate for Manhattan borough president, goes to school at Hunter College in New York. Baumann and the other SWP candidates participate in the struggle to defend and extend the right of women to obtain an abortion. “There are huge stakes for the working class in defending this right which is under attack, with the most recent example being the killing of abortion provider George Tiller in Wichita, Kansas,” he said.

Maura DeLuca, a garment worker and the Socialist Workers candidate for public advocate, has been promoting solidarity with striking bakery workers at the Stella D’oro Biscuit Co. plant in the Bronx. Recently the National Labor Relations Board ordered the company to reinstate the 135 strikers with back pay.

The petitioning drive, which runs through July 19, aims to get 15,000 signatures to put the citywide SWP ticket—Fein and DeLuca—on the ballot and 8,000 signatures for Baumann in Manhattan. These are double the legal requirement.

Every day campaign supporters are organizing daytime and evening teams. Before fanning out across the city with their campaign flyers and petition boards, they start with a discussion on different aspects of world politics and the socialist perspective. Campaigners are also reading and studying basic works of Marxism, with classes held on Thursdays and Sundays.

An event to celebrate the kickoff of the Socialist Workers ballot drive will be held July 11. The meeting will also celebrate the life of SWP leader Tom Leonard, who died in June (see ad on this page). On July 18, the socialist candidates will speak at a celebration of the success of the drive. It will be held at the campaign headquarters in Manhattan at 307 W. 36th Street, 10th Floor North. For more information call (212) 736-2540 or e-mail newyorkswp@mac.com.
 
 
Related articles:
Socialists win right to petition on N.Y. campus
Socialist Workers ballot drive kickoff  
 
 
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