this publication is perhaps leftist.
what does this letter from the editor connotes?
any thoughts?
Best,
Dushwari
…
Subject Dec. 22 headlines and Message From the editor
Dear Reader,
Goodbye 2007 Hello 2008
Like a roller coaster ride, 2007 has had high climbs,
stomach-churning drops, painful hairpin turns and finally
at the end of it all satisfaction and relief as we
say, Lets do it again.
And so we shall, as the movements for progress, democracy
and peace go into 2008, a year that is shaping up for
historic battles, since it will be the last year of the Bush
regime.
Expectations were high when the new Democratic-controlled
Congress was sworn in last January. Sick of the Iraq war and
GOP corruption, the people had another agenda in the making
that included college tuition relief, a minimum wage hike,
labor rights and immigration reform.
But ending the war took center stage. Of the first 20 issues
of the Peoples Weekly World newspaper, 15 had the Iraq
war as the top story. A major never-before-held battle got
under way in Congress to try to force President Bush to
accept the reality that the Iraq war must end. Instead, the
president surged on, sending thousands more troops.
The battle at home and in Iraq continues to rage. The
current toll is 3,900 U.S. troops dead, at least 29,000
wounded, anywhere from 86,000 to 1 million Iraqis dead from
the occupation-related violence, millions of Iraqi refugees
and some $600 billion of U.S. tax dollars poured out in Iraq
(and Afghanistan).
This war will be a theme in all the issues and battles in
2008. Even as polls show voter concerns shifting towards
economic problems as more worrying than the war, its
crystal clear that economic needs here at home are
intertwined with the obscene military spending on Iraq, and
voters know that.
An example is the State Childrens Health Insurance
Program fight, which the Peoples Weekly World first
reported in March (Governors confront Bush on kid
care). There hasnt been one demonstration on keeping
and expanding this vital program that doesnt include a
reference to the skewed spending priorities, especially the
Iraq war. Its become a common adage that you hear from so
many people as they shake their heads: The money spent
for one day of the Iraq war would cover the whole kids
health program.
Likewise, on the numerous education, public transit or other
budget cuts that are being made on every state and local
government level, more and more people are linking the two:
human needs vs. war.
The war has also triggered some shifting geo-political and
economic dynamics. After the 2006 elections and the
publics turn away from the far-right agenda, 2007 saw a
major fraying of the Bush coalition. The alliance of
religious evangelicals, so-called budget hawks, foreign
policy neocons, racist extremists, anti-immigrant bashers,
military brass and corporate boardrooms began to fracture,
with sections moving away from the Bush agenda. Major splits
on foreign policy, nuclear weapons, civil liberties and
economic globalization have begun to emerge in this
coalition and in ruling circles in general. The new crisis
in the housing and financial markets also a development
the Peoples Weekly World editorialized on back in March
and one we continue to focus on has deepened the divide
in ruling circles.
At the same time, a growing cooperation between many
different peoples constituencies has continued and
consolidated in many areas. Labor and immigrant rights
groups are working together for legalization and against
mass raids and deportations. Numerous civil rights groups,
students and Internet activists came together in Jena, La.,
for one of the largest marches against racism in recent
years. A wave of strikes and related solidarity actions
national and global by union workers and supporters
unfolded (see related story on page 8). Labor unions,
community groups and entire cities are working together on
creating green jobs and a green economy. And not a
moment too soon, as a new world consensus warns of the
looming disasters unless action is taken on global climate
change.
These steps signal that we can expect to see the emergence
of stronger alliances and coalitions in 2008 that can not
only challenge the ultra-right and its extreme,
pro-corporate agenda and win in November, but bring to the
fore the key problems that the majority of people face and
the solutions they need. Putting unity into action, we could
see the labor and peoples movement going from a defensive
position always reacting to a lousy agenda to
setting the agenda and seeing that its carried out.
2008 will have these struggles and new ones, with new
alliances. They will take on a new character of solidarity
for jobs, equality, health care, sustainability, democracy
and peace. We are seeing the early stages of it with 30
different unions representing some 350,000 workers in
Southern California coming together to fight not only for
good contracts for their members, but for good jobs for all,
and for elected officials who will work for these ends.
A roller coaster ride shakes you up a little, but it just
gets you back where you started. This ride weve been on,
this past year, has taken us to a new starting point.
The Dec. 22 issue is the last issue of the Peoples Weekly
World/Nuestro Mundo for 2007. All the staff, volunteers and
editorial board members wish all of you safe and hopeful
holidays and look forward to a New Year of victories, new
challenges and new friends.
Teresa Albano
Editor
From: www.pww.org