Wars, ICE, and the Cost of Living Crisis
Saturday, October 17, 2026 at 03:00 PM
WARS, ICE, AND THE COST OF LIVING CRISIS
Taking on the Republicans and Democrats in Elections and in the Streets
Sat Oct 17
3–5PM
First Unitarian Church
90 Main Street
Worcester, MA
Join us for a discussion on how we can fight the corporate domination of Massachusetts politics through independent left or progressive candidates and campaigns
Panel discussion featuring:
- Andrea James, independent candidate for Massachusetts governor (ajforma.com)
- Brian Mulhearn, Green-Rainbow Party of Massachusetts
- Nick Wurst, Independent Socialist Group, Railroad Workers United & SMART-TD (personal capacities)
Across the country and in Massachusetts, people are angry at record high grocery and gas prices, the war on Iran, the continued ICE raids, AI data centers, and more. Whether it’s the war profiteers, the AI and mass surveillance companies, Donald Trump or Maura Healey, a major reason for these threats is corporate control of politics.
Despite the Democrat Party positioning itself as the opposition to Trump and the Republicans, they are just as thoroughly corporate. And in the one-party “blue” state of Massachusetts, it's even more clear. Town, city, and state government make backroom deals with surveillance companies, data center corporations, weapons manufacturers, tech capitalists, and housing developers. Under the guise of “public-private partnerships”, they funnel taxpayer money into private pockets, contracting everything out for profit. They collaborate and cooperate with ICE and the surveillance state. They invest in prisons instead of schools, transportation, and healthcare. They laid off 1,4000+ teachers and allow the closure of hospitals and services while giving billionaires a tax cut.
Voters are turning away from both the Democrat and Republican parties in droves. In Massachusetts, over 60,000 have changed their registration to Independent/Unenrolled, with a record high 67% now listed as Independent. Nationwide, a record 45% are now registered Independent and for good reason.
Join to discuss the true scope of corporate domination of our state’s politics and the depths of the Democratic Party's complicity in the same fundamental agenda as Trump and company. We invite other organizations, activists, and individuals to participate in a strategic discussion and development of a plan to:
- Organize for the best possible results for independent left or progressive candidates running outside the Democrat and Republican parties, including the independent Andrea James campaign for Massachusetts governor
- Campaign for key demands that could we could jointly organize to fight for:
- a $30/hr minimum wage
- rent control
- replacing private health insurance with improved Medicare for all at the state level
- a ban on large-scale data centers
- How to prepare for the 2028 elections and organize efforts post-midterms, including future election campaigns and ballot initiatives
We aim to propose, discuss, and adopt a resolution for moving forward. We will follow up this event with another discussion after the midterm elections to continue organizing for working-class political power.
Let's build an Independent, Working-Class Movement to Fight for Housing, Healthcare, Jobs, and Good Wages