[statecom-discuss] Re: [adcom] Endorsement? Please respond

BillCunningham etwee at earthlink.net
Tue Feb 20 10:52:05 EST 2007 

What I'm getting at is not so much an answer as a question. 

What you wrote seemed to be more of a question too. Since "demur" means to hesitate, I didn't see you as actually opposing the reform proposal in question. Perhaps you were suggestion abstention. 

It seems to me that you were posing the question of how to practice revolutionary politics. You are about to run for office. If the sweatshop question were before  Lexington Town Meeting, how would you vote? If I were on Cambridge City Council (which God forbid) I could make a statement very much like yours in support of endorsement. I can't see why I would oppose it. If I did, I would bring joy to the hearts of my enemies and dismay to the hearts of my friends. Behold  the "Green spoiler" —and for what?

When you are an elected official, folks will asked you to help them out by introducing or supporting measures that they feel to be in their (usually very immediate) interests. Maybe you will also be asked to help folks out in ways that are not strictly legislative (this definitely happens when you are a city councilor or state rep). These non-legislative things aren't so different from the ways that you already help friends and neighbors in need. You do what you are able, based on where you are, that's basic to the good life. You have a little extra money, you give more to the Party. You are an elected official, you call up the DPW and ask them why they are letting the streets go to hell in such-and-such precinct. 

Meanwhile as you live your good life, the system that rules the world is taking it down the tube to ruin, and only a revolutionary change in consciousness and society can turn it around. Our party and its sister parties worldwide are hopefully birthing a theory and movement that can help bring this turnaround about. That you put "progressive" in quotes is a signal to me that you know what I mean.

Do we discourage a revolutionary perspective when we support efforts like the anti-sweatshop reforms? I have not found that most people really have "faith" in liberal reforms and liberal candidates to resolve fundamental issues. They support them because no better course of action presents itself. They sense that it is bad for the spirit to habitually abstain from action.

Sorry if my remark came across as simply negative.

-----Original Message-----
>From: Adam Sacks <adam_artist at yahoo.com>
>Sent: Feb 20, 2007 9:51 AM
>To: BillCunningham <etwee at earthlink.net>, Discussion List for StateCom members <statecom-discuss at green-rainbow.org>
>Subject: Re: [statecom-discuss] Re: [adcom] Endorsement?  Please respond
>
>Bill -
>
>I'm not sure what you're getting at other than a pot-shot (please explain - if I am mistaken I apologize), but I can only say that we are headed off a cliff on the horse of "practical" politics.  The "progressive" efforts of the last half century are clearly an abject failure (yes, I know, the Charles River is cleaner, which is a good thing).  
>
>For starters, we have to tell the truth as well as we are able.  That's what I'll do at Town Meeting, and we'll see what that brings, if anything.  Supporting a half-truth (such as the fantasy that ending sweatshops will make a difference in the ills of corporate globalization), as well-intended as it may be, keeps us from fundamental change.  So it becomes the same-old same-old progressive/liberal tokenism.
>
>And as we take the plunge off the cliff, we imagine that our horse is flying . . . 
>
>Adam
>
>
>
>BillCunningham <etwee at earthlink.net> wrote: Adam,
>
>It will be interesting to see what kinds of proposals you will be able to support when you are a member of the Lexington Town Meeting!
>
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>>From: Adam Sacks 
>>Sent: Feb 20, 2007 8:36 AM
>>To: "Green-Rainbow Party (GRP) Administrative Committee" , statecom-discuss at green-rainbow.org
>>Subject: [statecom-discuss] Re: [adcom] Endorsement?  Please respond
>>
>>
>>I demur - I think there are very serious concerns here - we are still supporting a system of international trade that is inherently exploitative.  Even if the clothes are made in kinder, gentler factories, what about the cotton?  The elastic?  The furniture and machinery?  What about the egregious waste of fossil fuels and concomitant CO2 pollution for shipping supplies and finished product?
>>
>>The underlying problem is that we want to continue our profligate ways, albeit with a clear conscience.  It is our way of life that causes the sweatshops in the first place - changing the sweatshops, as important as that is, just addresses a symptom and, like the black hole of recycling, derails our efforts at desperately needed fundamental change.
>>
>>We need to re-learn how to make clothes locally for good living wages, IOW, restructure our entire economy.  The Age of Bandaids is over, whether we do it thoughtfully on our own or nature does it to us.
>>
>>Why should we endorse anything less?
>>
>>Adam
>>
>>
>>
>>Daniel Melnechuk  wrote: No concerns that i can see. In fact this is a great idea!
>>Dan Melnechuk
>>
>>On Feb 19, 2007, at 8:11 PM, Gracegrnrnbw at aol.com wrote:
>>
>>> hi, everyone-
>>>
>>> endorsements should be fast and easy - if not we can take them up at a
>>> meeting but please respond now whether you have any concerns or  
>>> not?   Many thanks,
>>> Grace
>>>
>>> DATE
>>>
>>> Dear ORGANIZATION,
>>>
>>> If Massachusetts is like other states, most of the apparel,  
>>> textiles, and
>>> other products that it buys are made in sweatshops.
>>>
>>> But that can change. A growing national movement of students, workers,
>>> unions, faith-based groups, and community organizations is  
>>> organizing for sweatfree
>>> purchasing to build market demand for sweatfree products and political
>>> momentum for a just global economy. Six state governments, 45  
>>> cities and counties,
>>> 120 school districts, and 164 colleges and universities have  
>>> adopted policies
>>> requiring their apparel products to be made in fair labor conditions.
>>>
>>> Help us make Massachusetts sweatfree! Through our collective  
>>> effort, our
>>> state can ensure living wages and decent working conditions for  
>>> those producing
>>> goods for us.
>>>
>>> Governor John Baldacci of Maine has written to all governors asking  
>>> them to
>>> take an important step for workers everywhere. Join us in asking  
>>> Governor Deval
>>> Patrick to sign on to Baldacci's resolution calling for multi-state
>>> collaboration in sweatfree procurement. Governors Rendell of  
>>> Pennsylvania and Corzine
>>> of New Jersey are already on board. Other governors have expressed  
>>> interest and
>>> will sign on soon. In addition, local campaigns are hoping to get  
>>> their
>>> cities to come together with the Governors' initiative to form a  
>>> State and Local
>>> Government Sweatfree Consortium to coordinate enforcement of sweatfree
>>> procurement policies.
>>>
>>> While working to gain the Governor's support, we will campaign for a
>>> sweatfree procurement law in Massachusetts, which will include the  
>>> following
>>> provisions:
>>> o  A sweatfree manufacturing code of conduct: All vendors,  
>>> contractors, and
>>> subcontractors with the state must adhere to the code of conduct  
>>> which includes
>>> respect for local laws and International Labor Organization standards;
>>> above-poverty wages; rights to assemble and bargain collectively;
>>> non-discrimination; ban on child labor; and safe working conditions.
>>> o  Disclosure of factory locations and wages: To qualify for a bid  
>>> vendors
>>> must disclose locations of factories and wages of workers producing  
>>> goods to be
>>> sold to the state.
>>> o  Collaboration with other states and independent accountability:  
>>> Join other
>>> public purchasers nationwide by pooling resources to investigate labor
>>> violations and monitor factories, coordinate enforcement, and buy  
>>> jointly from
>>> sweatfree factories.
>>> o  Community involvement: Creation of a community advisory  
>>> committee composed
>>> of citizens and worker rights experts to ensure that good  
>>> intentions are
>>> translated into good results.
>>>
>>> To officially endorse this important effort to improve working  
>>> conditions
>>> locally and globally, please fill out the attached endorsement form  
>>> and send it
>>> to the Massachusetts Sweatfree Campaign  
>>> (sweatfreemass at sweatfree.org). You may
>>> also endorse online at www.sweatfree.org/mass. Your endorsement  
>>> also signals
>>> support of the national campaign for a State and Local Government  
>>> Sweatfree
>>> Consortium.
>>>
>>> We invite you to join our campaign coordinating committee and to  
>>> help us
>>> organize. For further information on ways to get involved, please  
>>> contact Liana
>>> Foxvog at 413-586-0974.
>>>
>>> In Solidarity,
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> AdCom mailing list
>>> AdCom at green-rainbow.org
>>> http://www.green-rainbow.org/mailman/listinfo/adcom
>>> To email Administration Committee members: adcom.members AT green- 
>>> rainbow DOT org
>>>
>>
>>_______________________________________________
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>>AdCom at green-rainbow.org
>>http://www.green-rainbow.org/mailman/listinfo/adcom
>>To email Administration Committee members: adcom.members AT green-rainbow DOT org
>>
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>>statecom-discuss mailing list
>>statecom-discuss at green-rainbow.org
>>http://www.green-rainbow.org/mailman/listinfo/statecom-discuss
>
>
>Bill Cunningham
>_______________________________________________
>AdCom mailing list
>AdCom at green-rainbow.org
>http://www.green-rainbow.org/mailman/listinfo/adcom
>To email Administration Committee members: adcom.members AT green-rainbow DOT org
>


Bill Cunningham

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