Randy Shannon, Secretary, PDA Board of Directors

UN Sec’y General Antonio Guterres recently stated that the status of the climate crisis is “Code Red.” It’s a clear warning to global capitalists that their immediate focus should be reduction of carbon emissions. Yet US oligarchs are turning their backs on the crisis and inciting their global cohort to back more war and pollution.  This includes NATO aggression against Russia, boycott of the Winter Olympics in China, harsher sanctions on Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua, and continued subsidy of the oil and coal industry.

At the same time the extremist backed Republicans are working to further corrupt the US electoral system in order to capture the Executive Branch of the US Government. This reactionary force has captured the Supreme Court and turned it into a reactionary menace.

PDA is mobilizing more activists to work for a new group of progressive candidates for US Congress in response to this crisis of neoliberal rule. The congressional election is a key battleground to elect Members who will defend our electoral system and oppose the escalation of austerity and war. This is a long-term struggle against the political power of the $billions spent against democracy by the US oligarchs. 

In this conjuncture PDA can make critical gains building the progressive majority by allying with the most important grass-roots organization: the US labor movement. US workers are suffering from decades of neoliberal austerity – drying up of social spending, stagnant wages, two-tier wage systems, elimination of pensions, and reduction of health care benefits. Bernie Sanders’ oft repeated refrain “Enough Is Enough!” has literally been adopted by workers going on strike or organizing their workplace.

These union organizing efforts and especially the strikes against employers become a public protest – picket line – against corporate greed and neoliberal austerity. The workers’ efforts to organize and fight are proscribed by and courts and police in service to corporate political power. More progressives in Congress can enact legislation to change this and support workers’ efforts to organize.

The new persistent strike wave is a key moment at this stage of resistance to neoliberal austerity. PDA and fellow progressives must seize this opportunity to build solidarity with striking union workers and finding ways to support them. Imagine the effect of large numbers of local progressives showing up with funds, food, signs, pickets, and marches – solidarity in strength. 

An alliance of progressives and labor is an essential step to survival of our democracy and to eroding the political power of the oligarchs.