Victory! Now It’s Time to Mobilize

Eleccion2012_Gretta_Penelope_Hernandez_
Photo: Gretta Penélope Hernández.  At Hua Zang Si | 美國舊金山華藏寺. in San Francisco.

In Every Barrio, on Every Block, Organize!

Despite massive voter suppression and intimidation tactics, hours-long waits at the ballot box, misleading leaflets telling people to vote on the wrong day, and tens of millions of dollars in SuperPAC money, Obama pulled out a victory Tuesday. This is an important victory for progressives — it shows that the old ‘coalition’ of white male voters who have swept most candidates into office for the past two centuries has seriously cracked and a new majority is emerging that is much more representative of the communities we work in.

These communities are demanding housing, jobs, immigrant rights, education, and environmental justice, among other things. President Obama made a lot of promises the first time around and did not keep them. This time, we have to make it impossible for him to ignore the people’s mandate. One thing has never been more apparent:  we must continue to mobilize and fill the streets. We must demand even louder that the big banks be held accountable, that the government invest money in our communities, that services remain and that immigrants have the right to stay and thrive here.

He has to hear from us.

While progressives don’t have the kind of money someone like the Koch brothers do, what we do have is people power and the ability to mobilize the base.

We have the ability to let people in power know that we won’t stay silent as hundreds of thousands of people lose their homes. We won’t stay silent as Republicans scare us into thinking there is a massive U.S. debt that cannot be repaid. We won’t stay silent over right-wing attacks on women’s rights. We won’t stay silent  when attempts are made to quash gay rights and immigrant rights. And we won’t stay silent as people like our members, Manuel de Paz and Vida Bottom struggle to stay in their homes, threatened by big bank policies and inflated housing agencies like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac….

Onward.
Causa Justa

California Propositions

Californians approved Prop 30 — an amazing grassroots victory, showing how much people value public education and the importance of taxing the wealthy. The grassroots effort not only got the Governor’s support and raised $6 Billion to prevent school cuts; we also beat back the billionaire opposition coming from out of state, and the attack on workers’ voices, Prop 32.

elecciones4Local Propositions

San Francisco

In San Francisco we passed Props C and E — a tax that support an affordable housing trust fund; and saved city college from closing (Prop A). As members of SF Rising, we knocked on doors and called thousands of voters about these crucial measures, and the people were with us!  On the Board of Supervisors, Eric Mar defended his place as Supervisor for District 1. Sadly, District 5 incumbent Christina Olague was unseated—losing to London Breed. (Photo: Gretta Penélope Hernández)

Working with Oakland Rising and San Francisco Rising – both part of the statewide California Calls – hundreds of thousands of voters were identified as Prop 30 supporters and turned out to vote. How did we pass a progressive tax in an anti-tax climate? #EnCadaBarrioOrganizar!!

Oakland

In Oakland, there were some interesting shifts on the City Council.

Ignacio De La Fuente was retired by Rebecca Kaplan; Lynette McElhaney will be taking over from Nancy Nadel in West Oakland; and Dan Kalb takes over from Jane Brunner. Though it is not a major shift in the balance of power on the council, we are optimistic about the new members and looking forward to working with them for justice in Oakland.

It’s a hopeful day. A day that shows the power of mobilizing traditionally underrepresented populations: people of color, elders, the LGBT community, and more.

in_every_block_organizeshirtLet’s keep organizing, in every barrio and on every block. And remember, La Union Hace La Fuerza / Unity is Power. Check out our new “Organize” t-shirt, designed by Dignidad Rebelde, with this crucial message and buy it today.

Liberation Ink (LibInk) is an on-line store for radical social justice t-shirts always sweatshop-free and union-printed. LibInk is a project of Causa Justa :: Just Cause with the goal of forwarding the mission of Just Cause through the message on the shirts and through the skills training our members receive while working as staff and volunteers for the project.