#spusa

[antoine-roquentin]

This is a miniseries about the 1965 American invasion of the Dominican Republic, the fifth by that nation, in the midst of a much larger series about the CIA in the 1960s and god knows what else. The above clip is from a primetime CBS news broadcast on March 13, 1967, a few weeks after the Ramparts revelations, called In the Pay of the CIA. Take note of the foundations mentioned. You can watch it here, and I would recommend doing so, because it shows which allegations the CIA was hoping to get ahead of and which ones they were hoping to bury with a counternarrative. William Small at CBS News had asked the CIA to provide a list of who at the station was in their employ, and unlike with other news organizations, the CIA refused to confirm or deny. Given the testimony of former CBS men like Sam Jaffe, foreign correspondent, as to the pushiness of the agency, it's likely that at least some were compromised. The previous part in this series, Part 6, can be read here.

In the aftermath of the Russian Revolution, the American socialist movement was deeply split. Jewish Americans tended to see the Bolsheviks as the liberators of their people still held captive by Tsarist anti-Semitism and joined the Communist Party USA. Protestants, held captive as they were by a tendency towards paternalistic politics, were horrified by the atrocities committed against Orthodox priests and of state atheism and tended towards the Socialist Party USA. Jay Lovestone, as the former, became a rising CPUSA star, working to support the party through labour union entryism in the American Federation of Labour. Politics in the party mirrored those in the Soviet Union: Lovestone supported Bukharin, James Cannon supported Trotsky, and William Foster supported Stalin. Foster and Lovestone booted Cannon from the party, then Foster booted Lovestone. Lovestone went to the Soviet Union to argue his case in front of Stalin himself, and as he tells it, he criticized the man to his face, was jailed, and had to escape. This fostered a lifelong hatred for Stalinism in his eyes, although for a number of years after he defended him opportunistically even on the outside of the Party. He brought along with him a number of loyalists, most notably Irving Brown, his best friend and muscle man (Part 3). Lovestone fell under the influence of David Dubinsky, leader of the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union, member of SPUSA, and a vehement anti-communist. Dubinsky, the head of an all-male leadership of a 3/4 female union, prided himself on turning down wage increases when he felt they would threaten the stability of the industry, and once said "workers need capitalism like a fish needs water". He used his intelligence chief, Gus Tyler (Part 3), who had experience breaking Trotskyite groups, to suppress any local taken over by communists. He used Lovestone as his outside man, sending him to the UAW to prevent them from joining the CIO over the AFL. Victor Reuther, brother of the UAW president, described Lovestone as "one of the most Machiavellian union-splitters ever to prey on the American labor movement".

During the war, both Lovestone and Brown applied to work at the OSS. The spy agency wanted people who could provide information about the Soviet Union and communist trade unionists in Europe, who had become some of the few resisters against the Nazis. Brown was accepted, but Lovestone was felt to be too compromised. Instead, he was appointed by Dubinsky's close friend Irish Catholic George Meany, AFL treasurer and future AFL-CIO leader as well as a close CIA collaborator, to head up a new project. Meany was a schmoozer who prided himself on his conversational skills and his ability to be arrogant without seeming it, like keeping the American president waiting on the line. Lovestone was a classic intelligence man, obsessed with gleaning information and putting it to use. An underling reported that he read "twenty newspapers a day". Lovestone noted that the AFL was at the height of its power, and Dubinsky and Meany should use that to prevent the Soviets from taking over Europe. He saw that communist, socialist, and Catholic trade unions were the only ones who had survived the war, typically through extreme resistance in the case of the former and collaboration for the latter. Lovestone was appointed to create an international intelligence network to crusade against communism. By 1946, the FBI noted that Lovestone had a man in the majority of America's European embassies, largely thanks to Dubinsky's influence in the White House. The network was called the Free Trade Union Committee.

Prior to WW2, an attempt had been made at a global trade union conference. The International Federation of Trade Unions refused to take a hard line on colonialism, feminism, socialism, or any other prominent political questions of the day and so fell apart. The English Trade Union Congress attempted to create a new post-war version, the World Federation of Trade Unions, and invited Soviet and communist trade unions to participate. The AFL refused, complaining of communist subversion, but the CIO attended. Lovestone devoted hundreds of thousands of dollars, much of it from the women, largely Jewish, of the ILGWU sewing repetitively for 44 hours a week, to breaking the WFTU apart. For the AFL triumvirate, any organization that had communists was a front group. In Germany, Italy, France, and Greece, Lovestone worked hard at creating a merger between pre-war socialists and Catholics that would shut out communists who had massive sway among new membership for their part in the resistance. He used the same tactics he had at the UAW, while Brown brought his OSS experience. In large part, he succeeded because he was the only one with money in these war-torn countries. In large part, this was the same debate club tactics. People were brought together and prepared with pre-canned lines for the big debates both on the shop floor and at the general meetings. Both sides dropped phony measures with friendly, unobjectionable language to see which side independents would support. In the background, money was exchanged and positions were promised. If big wins weren't found at the conventions, plans were made for open splits with expensive press conferences and advertising. In the streets, blood had to be spilled to keep the rank and file in line and to take over a local from the outside. Money went a long way there too, as did contacts with mafia members. Wherever possible, locals that had fled to America to escape were brought in to replace the local leadership.

Ultimately, this was the same way the National Student Association got started, to torpedo an international effort feared converted by the Soviets. Like them, the AFL would soon have CIA backing to do it. The money would come from the Marshall Plan. Reconstruction was important and would require the acquiescence of labour. The point of the plan was to get people paid higher wages so they could buy more and fuel growth. American agents on the ground would distribute money to worthy projects, gaining local contacts and bettering the American brand. Countries that chose not to participate would face lower living standards. This was the perfect way for the newly formed CIA to gain intelligence on the ground. Many of the CIA's operatives were former OSS who had gone to work in the State Department and were now in charge of the Plan. Most important of these employees was Frank Wisner, who was not officially CIA but often dined with their leadership as part of the Georgetown Set, which included Ben Bradlee, Cord Meyer, and Dick Bissell. He and a more famous employee, George Kennan, writer of one of the most famous documents of the Cold War, went to work using Marshall Plan money for covert projects. These included bringing fascists from Eastern Europe to America where they could be protected, trained, and sent out to conduct guerilla warfare, and helping to sway the 1948 Italian elections with the help of anti-communist trade unions. Soon, Lovestone's FTUC was being funded with more CIA money than union money.

These men hated each other. The CIA boys were WASPs and the union men were Catholics and Jews with little in the way of formal education. They shared objectives and funding but felt that they were acting independently of each other and claimed so in their autobiographies. Thomas Braden (part 5), Lovestone's handler in the early 50s, complained of never getting any accounting books, while Lovestone derided Braden and his comrades as "fizzkids". Nevertheless, the historical record betrays a close cooperation. In a top level meeting, Wisner was described in CIA memorandum as "Mr. Lawyer", Meany as "Mr. Plumber", Dubinsky as "Mr. Garment Worker", and Lovestone as "Mr. Intellectual". They shared an odd political affiliation, a liberalism that was moderate supportive of working class demands but against any radical changes to the overall system and most definitely against the Soviet Union. They didn't just want fascists from Eastern Europe, they also wanted independent trade unionists. One of these men was Sacha Volman. In Romania, Volman had worked for the social democratic party, fighting in the resistance against the Nazis before being forced out of the country by the Soviets. Like his patrons, he was well educated and spoke many languages. They set him to work on a joint project between the AFL and the CIA, a radio station known as Radio Free Europe, translating propaganda broadcasts. Volman knew who was paying him, but like Lovestone and Brown felt like an independent, calling himself a "half-virgin".

The CIA's attention soon turned to Latin America. They brought together the remnants of the Caribbean Legion, who had contacts on the ground and in some cases had become local leaders, with Eastern European trade unionist exiles, who had backgrounds in organizing workers and could testify to the brutality of the Soviet system. Volman became personally attached to the Dominican Juan Bosch, who in exile in Figueres' Costa Rica had become attached to a training program for democratic activists sponsored by the AFL and SPUSA. Now, you may be asking yourself, why would America train people opposed to the allied regime of Trujillo? The benign explanation would be that the political attachment of American government employees to liberalism made them wish to do whatever they could to improve the character of foreign governments while working within the system. The more sinister one would be that nobody in politics trusts anyone to stay attached to them for any longer than the present moment. If your ally betrays you or even just isn't performing that the level you'd prefer, you'd better have someone you can replace him with on short notice. Better yet if the new guy has more local legitimacy than the old guy. Juan Bosch certainly did, having worked underground to organize workers as part of his banned opposition party, the Dominican Revolutionary Party (PRD).

Betrayal wasn't what Trujillo was doing, but he certainly pissed off the wrong people. He knew how to pay people off to his benefit, and American politicians were no exception. One of the first men he bribed was congressman Hamilton Fish III. Fish was a progressive anti-Soviet isolationist in favour of civil rights who objected openly to the massacre of Haitians. Trujillo gave him $25,000, his standard fee, and two years later he welcomed the Dominican leader to New York with a speech proclaiming he'd created a "golden age for his country". In that case Trujillo's investment was devalued, however, by Fish' 1938 speech at a pro-Nazi conference, leading to his isolation and ultimate election loss in 1944. Others were primarily from the Senate Agricultural Committee. They held control over how much raw sugar could be imported to America for refinement, ensuring that the price remained stable and high. In turn, Trujillo owned about two thirds of the country's sugar plantations and American investors 30%. Most were staunch anti-communists, southerners, and pro-segregation. They helped determine who got foreign aid, both money and weapons, in the fight against Soviet influence in the region. Most notable of these was James Eastland, perhaps the most right wing senator in the 50s and 60s and a good personal friend of J. Edgar Hoover. Hoover was so committed to the man that when he informed Eisenhower about the bribes from Trujillo, he kept Eastland's name off the list (note: wiretapping had been ruled illegal, so Hoover simply spied on everybody in Congress and told the president the most salacious gossip so that he wouldn't object. Only Truman and JFK were uncomfortable with it). If you've seen the recent Elvis biopic, you might recognize Eastland for his bit role in the film. Of course, it wasn't just money that changed hands. The Dominican's tourism industry went from bust to boom during the 50s, and Trujillo maintained a controlling interest in all the brothels as well as many ritzy properties where members of Congress could enjoy themselves. All, of course, were bugged and had two way mirrors to expedite filming.

Despite his best efforts, in the long run these policies alienated America. Dominican dissident Jesus Galindez, a Spanish civil war vet, FBI informant, and Columbia University professor, disappeared from New York City and was never found. A man arrested in the Dominican Republic, Octavio de la Maza, was found dead in his cell with a confession that the FBI considered to be forged. Trujillo hired a high priced American PR firm that did work for the Mafia and Tammany Hall to defend the nation. Hoover got a former agent of his, Joseph Farland, appointed ambassador. Farland quickly confirmed that much of the embassy was compromised. Farland's second at the embassy even openly bragged about spending time in one of Trujillo's mansions, leading to his replacement. In 1957, members of the Chicago, Philadelphia, and Tampa Mafias, including Meyer Lansky and Santos Trafficante (large investors in Cuba, also see part 1), were flown in to discuss opening casinos on the island. The investments were minor, mostly slot machines in hotels, but led to Trujillo hiring mafia-linked men for the Galindez job as well as an attempt to kill Jose Figueres. Hoover, Eisenhower, and the brothers Dulles began prepping for an orderly transition of power. The CIA initiated funding for Juan Bosch through the charity of businessman J.M. Kaplan, owner of Welch's Grape Juice and an investor in Dominican sugar plantations, a project managed by Sacha Volman. Together, they trained 200 Latin American students in 10 week courses in politics and social change, including a heavy dose of liberal anti-communism. Some of the Kaplan money made its way to Carlos Prio, who in turn handed some of it to Castro at a meeting in 1956. Arms sales, meanwhile, were quietly suspended in early 1958 to both Trujillo and Batista, although ongoing deliveries continued and both simply bought from Nicaragua.

1959 was the key year. In the decade since the Caribbean Legion, Castro had gone from using his elected position to try and pass a law against Batista's coup to fighting in guerilla warfare. One of the men he fought with was a former OSS man named Frank Sturgis. He used his links to pick up weapons wherever he could, likely including from the CIA's Samuel Cummings, who also sold to Batista, and from Rafael Trujillo, who had wanted to bribe Batista, then tried to kill him, then begged America to resume arms sales to him. This was not strange for the lower level CIA men, who rationally assessed Castro's claims to be an liberal nationalist. Their opinions turned when the men they'd trained to staff the anti-communist secret police began to be executed. Early New Year's Day, Batista touched down in Ciudad Trujillo, the renamed capital of the Dominican Republic. "Trujillo next", Castro shouted on the day he arrived in Havana. He only intended for rhetorical support, but Che had acted quickly to set up camps to train Haitians and Dominicans in promoting revolutions. Eisenhower's advisors recommended cautious engagement to draw Castro away from Che. The president's own paranoia, not to mention Vice President Nixon's, told them otherwise. Moreover, so did the Wall Streeters who owned Cuban plantations that were now being redistributed to peasants. In March, Frank Sturgis, who'd been helping clear the gangsters from the casinos but ended up going to work for them, reached out to the FBI and let them know his own negative assessment. Castro reached out to the Soviets for aid, hoping like any small national leader to play against American intransigence in providing their's. Cuba and the Dominican Republic sent rival adventurers to overthrow each others' governments, the former backed by Romulo Betancourt, president of newly democratic Venezuela. Those in the Cuban group were armed with AR-10s that Cummings had continued selling to Castro, who had liked the feel of captured ones, after Batista had been overthrown. (Cummings was in the Dominican when it happened trying to sell more guns, and Trujillo had demanded answers, as I found out reading the CIA's files.) Eisenhower read into these actions his own worst fears. What scared him more was when Trujillo did the same thing, reaching out to the Czechs to buy arms.

In the summer, Hollywood star and socialist Ava Gardner (just saw her in the great The Killers), who'd thrown down with Rubirosa as well as JFK, decided to visit Cuba and ended up seeing Fidel. She'd wanted to bang him but was blocked by a nineteen-year-old woman named Marita Lorenz, who prevented Gardner's private notes from reaching Castro. Ultimately, the two had a physical fight that had to be broken up by a Cuban security guard. Lorenz would later float around Cuban exile circles and claimed at one point, unconvincingly, that she'd been recruited to the CIA by Sturgis and the two had met Lee Harvey Oswald to look at maps of Dallas in 1963. In an odd coincidence, Jack Ruby testified to the Warren Commission that he'd seen Gardner while in Havana on business for Santo Trafficante (Another coincidence, Juan Peron was living in exile in the Dominican Republic at the time and was quite friendly with Trujillo, but ended up getting kicked out and fled to Madrid instead where he became Gardner's neighbour). On 11 December, Dick Bissell of the CIA (his name is on the ZR/RIFLE file in part 1) put out the first written recommendation for the "elimination of Fidel Castro", although by the time this memo hit the president's desk it was toned down. On the 20th, Dick Rubottom (there's a guy who was born to be in porn) at the State Department signed off on an order to remove Trujillo from office. This was likewise written on paper to be a charm offensive to convince the man to step down. However, as we saw with ZR/RIFLE, on paper there was a burglary operation, and in real life there was something more sinister.

[shituationist]

Hey! I saw your post about spusa. I'm considering joining; are you a member and what are your thoughts?

I'm not a member (yet, maybe if I could convince a reading group comrade to join with me), but I think they're a valuable pluralistic and electorally-focused socialist party with a decent system of internal democracy, and I wish more Marxists dedicated their energies to it than DSA.

[madamepestilence]

that's because the origin of the word faggot and fascist are the same thing

the use of the word faggot refers to a bundle of sticks as well, and it was applied to gay people because they were rolled into carpets and burned alive

the modern context of faggot is one used derogatorily by fascists against queerfolk and transfolk and its antithesis of being reclaimed by the same people it's used against

given that the simpsons is intentionally designed to be a controversial show that challenges political norms and has consistently taken socialist stances (bar the now-passing era of corporate zombie simpsons), to assume that this scene is meant to promote fascism speaks to media illiteracy

i dunno about you, but i would much rather be a faggot than a fascist

if anything this simple joke should be seen as a call to action given fascists are extremely good at organizing and—to be blunt—leftists are kinda fucking bad at it

as an extremely potent example, there are 22 leftist parties in the US (albeit the supposedly castroist party is pro-israel, and i would not consider them leftist) whose memberships are so fractured that none of them could achieve ballot access in more than a handful of states, much less their home states

half of the membership of CPUSA comes from reddit, the big tent SPUSA party is so shit at advertising that they only have a few thousand members and there's been no media coverage of their presidential candidate, and the syncretic DSA is losing thousands of members annually

it would be very prudent for these 22 (or perhaps 21) parties to merge into a single party and work as one pan-leftist party with ideological blocs rather than infighting, and it would be especially prudent for dues not be a requirement for membership to open accessibility to the poor, as well as diverting a chunk of their donations towards actually advertising the party on youtube, social media websites, television, both AM and FM radio, and even possibly billboards

we have been so awful at organizing that it presents the illusion that leftists are a minority despite the vast majority of americans being disillusioned with the rightist democratic and republican parties, which would be more aptly described as neoliberal and fascist, respectively—albeit the democratic party is becoming more blatantly fascist and the are effectively one party exercising democratic centralism

[bartholomaus]

Cel mai bun articol de presa despre sasii transilvaneni il puteti gasi in numarul din octombrie al revisteti National Geographic (autor Catalin Gruia). Un articol din care poti intreezarii adevarata dimensiune al fenomenului civilizator pe care l-au reprezentat acest popor venit cu 800 de ani în urmă. Şi cât de mult am pierdut, noi ca ţara şi ca popor, ajutând la dispariţia lor. Daca nu poti cumpara revista, citeste-l aici urmarind cele 4 linkuri. 

https://web.archive.org/web/20160321144950/https://www.natgeo.ro/romania/istorie-ro/9665-ans-ratat?

-- Cum ne-am pierdut sașii?! Primul pas a constat în dispariția condițiilor care l-au îndemnat pe strămoșii lor să se stabilească în Transilvania. Aici mă refer la autonomia lor multifațetată, economică, politică, teritorială. Și să nu  uităm nici faptul, că cu tot spiritul lor practic au devenit o comunitate închisă care nu - și prea avea contacte demografice cu populațiile din jur. Orașele lor au devenit mici și înapoiate în comparație cu orașele din Occident. Dacă vă uitați la datele demografice ale orașelor săsești la începutul sec. XX. veți observa că numărul sașilor devine din ce în ce mai mic. Românii și maghiarii locuiesc la periferia acestor orașe și cu greu sunt acceptați în comunitate cu toate că ei reprezintă cam 2/3 din totalul locuitorilor în unele cazuri (Brașov, Sibiu) în aceea perioadă. În sec. XVI. existau legi orășenești care interziceau ungurilor să se stabilească înăuntrul zidurilor și să devine membri în bresle iar populația românească a fost folosită (sic!) ca iobagi ale orașului ca senior feudal. Concluzionând: odată cu aceste procese de la zorii epocii moderne și cu venirea statului național, mai apoi comunist, o comunitate ancorată în evul mediu, cu spiritul ei exclusivist nu prea avea șanse! Erau închiși în sine, desconsiderând - l pe cei din jur! În schimb conaționalii lor din Slovacia au fost mai deschiși! Au acceptat să intre în rândurile lor și alte elemente etnice (maghiari și slovaci) astfel s-au adaptat mai bine noilor încercări! Până când au venit comuniștii și acolo și l-au expulzat pe cei rămași după sute de ani de conviețuire! Minoritățile au dispărut și vor mai dispărea atâta timp cât comunitatea majoritară nu realizează faptul că o țară cu o singură limbă și obicei e săracă și firavă (și aici am citat pe Sfântul Ștefan, 1001-1038, rege al Regatului Maghiar, multietnic și multicultural și a cărui urmași l-au invitat pe strămoșii sașilor în sec. XII. - XIII pentru că erau mai pricepuți în unele lucruri ca celelalte națiuni). Pe lângă acestea mie mi se pare toată frenezia aceasta cu sașii o măsură tardivă! Nu se vor întoarce niciodată, România nu este la fel cum era odată Transilvania, Land des Segens ( Imnul sașilor ardeleni). Este o țară ponton între Est și Vest, cu politicieni inculți, fără viziuni care nu văd sau nu vor să vadă ce posibilități li - se pierd între degete! Iar mi se pare o prostie capitală să ne uităm după exemple la o comunitate care nu mai există, care a dispărut sub presiunea timpurilor, care a reprezentat un model necompetitiv în epoca modernă! Sincer nu cred că romantismul tardiv ne va salva de la crizele economice și politice, sau ne va restaura bisericile fortificate și castelele nobiliare în paragină! -- Mie nu mi se parea ca erau chiar atat de "in afara vremurilor". Ai citit articolul? Sistemul bancar sasesc , de educatie, de intrajutorare era destul de eficient in epoca interbelica..In anii cooperativizarii, desi fusesera teribil de chinuiti, deposedati, deportati in Rusia, etc, aveau cele mai prospere CAP-uri!! Bai frate, asta sfinteau locul cu obsesia lor pt lucru bine facut cu eficienta si corectitudine. Era o vorba spusa de romanii din Brasov si Sibiu: "Sa fi prost ca sasul"... Erau atat de corecti si rigizi in corectitudinea lor, incat romanilor, mai maleabili, li se parea prostie... Am intanit sasi de toate tipurile. Si cumsecade si stupizi, si buni si rai...Eu stiu una si buna. O sa ii admir din toata inima pe nemtii nostrii fiindca au fost tot ceea ce noi, romanii nu am fost. Jumate din monumentele istorice din Ardeal li se datoreaza, in frunte cu Branul, Rasnov, Biertan, Sighisoara, orasul Sibiu, Brasov, Medias, Sebes, Bistrita si cele peste 100 de monumente bisericesti medievale din sate, etc. As vrea sa stiu cate din aceste monumente sunt in top 10 ale obiectivelor vizitate de orice strain venit in Romania.

Eu stiu una si buna. O sa ii admir din toata inima pe nemtii nostrii fiindca au fost tot ceea ce noi, romanii nu am fost. Jumate din monumentele istorice din Ardeal li se datoreaza, in frunte cu Branul, Rasnov, Biertan, Sighisoara, orasul Sibiu, Brasov, Medias, Sebes, Bistrita si cele peste 100 de monumente bisericesti medievale din sate, etc. As vrea sa stiu cate din aceste monumente sunt in top 10 ale obiectivelor vizitate de orice strain venit in Romania. -- Am citit, dar la noi în secuime exită o altă percepție despre sași! Sunt considerați ca oameni întradevăr harnici dar și îngâmfați și închiși în sine, șireți! Exisă anecdote la noi care vorbesc despre comerciantul sas care întotdeauna o păcălește pe secuiul sărac care se ducea la Brașov să-și vândă scândura. Eu nu am mai avut șansa să-l întâlnesc pe vreunul dintre ei, dar asta-i norocul meu! Știu despre ei din câte am citit pe ici-colo. Și acolo am citit lucruri interesante, ca de exemplu cum au distrus orașele săsești satele săsești prin protecționismul lor excesiv, în perioada în care comerțul levantin nu mai mergea ca în sec. XV. Meșteșugarii de la sate erau marginalizați de către breslele orășene, li - se interzicea să-și practice meseria. Exista o anecdotă ardeleană în secolul XIX. care vorbea despre mentalitatea existentă la cele trei națiuni autohtone. Românul nu era în stare să lucreze suficient ca să - și procure hrana de zi cu zi, ungurul lucra pentru a asigura hrana familiei iar sasul lucra pentru profit. Dar această iubire de muncă a sașilor este o stare de spirit care este altfel la fiecare națiune. Românul este mai descurcăreț, ungurul lucrează pentru supraviețuire, iar sasul cu o etică protestantă, pentru profit. Eu zic că hărnicia lor este un exemplu bun, dar starea de spirit ceea ce nu-i proprie unei națiuni nu poate fii învățată! Este vorba despre un proces lung de formare care după părerea mea s-a derulat odată cu formare națiunilor moderne! Noi ceilalți altfel ne-am format. -- E foarte interesanta perceptia voastra fata de sasi. E drept ca noi, mai ales regatenii, i-am idealizat pe sasi. Si stiu ca ai dreptate in multe privinte, dar ai si o doza de subiectivism. Secuii nu s-au iubit niciodata cu sasii, mai ales dupa rascoala kurutilor. Dar repet, stiu ca ai dreptate in multe privinte!! Daca as fi trait acum 200 de ani nu mi-ar fi fost sasii atat de simpatici, ba dimpotriva!!

[alfredo-zauce]

And we'll also sue to keep the Greens and SPUSA off the ballot because we can't let third parties risk our position against the Republicans, but trust me, we don't want a one-party government!

[awesome-shygardencollection-blog]

VOGLIO SPUSA' - SERGIO BRUNI - 78 Giri - RESTAURO TARASCO

[shituationist]

The biggest thing that would help the US left would be an explicitly socialist political party with a regularly rotating collective leadership whose operations are entirely funded by membership dues. I think, of all extant parties, the closest thing we've got is the SPUSA.

[beautiful-loser1995]

Vote early, I guess

[daloy-politsey]

Mimi Soltysik’s segment starts at about 24:47

[alfredo-zauce]

Not to mention that securing a large enough proportion of the popular vote means that the party secures federal elections funding in the next cycle. That was the goal of the ecosocialist coalition ticket last cycle (Hawkins/Walker, one representing the Greens and the other SPUSA), though we saw how that went and from what I understand, they have since had a major split.

If you're going to vote next year, we need to vote third party so we can to prove to democrats that we won't put up with their shit – because you know what happens if we vote blue again? We let the dems know that they can do whatever they want and they'll still have our support because "at least it's not a republican."

There's literally a socialist candidate out there who wants to break up the billionaire class, switch us to clean energy, fight racism, sexism, transphobia, etc and aligns with our views more than any other candidate has.

If we're going to organize a vote for next year, that's who it needs to be for. Not someone who is actively committing genocide. WE HAVE OPTIONS. Quit acting like we don't.

[sciatu]

SICILIAN STREET FOOD - Cazzilli e panelle, pani ca meusa, cartoccio frittura, panini, arancino, sfincione, anelli di totano, panino con la mortadella, pitone con scarola, Cannolo.

Sex and Food: La Dottoressa Pinuccia Barbera.

Uscì dall’ascensore e si guardò intorno, osservando le tre porte che apparivano sul pianerottolo. Strinse l’impermeabile che ne copriva le forme e andò decisa verso quella centrale portandosi dietro il trolley. Sulla porta, per non suonare nel posto sbagliato, lesse la targhetta d’ottone che recitava “Dott. Pinuccia Barbera” Suonò con decisione ed udì un ciabattare ed un girare di chiavi fino a che non si apri una stretta feritoia tra i battenti della porta. “Siiii??” Fece un volto tondo con due occhi azzurrissimi ed i capelli scuri che formavano una grande nuvola riccia. “ Mi manda l’agenzia … è lei la Dottoressa…?” Gli occhi del volto si allargarono eccitati “Si … entri …” Si spostò di lato e fece entrare la donna che la superava in altezza di almeno quaranta centimetri, poi, osservando che nessuno fosse sul pianerottolo chiuse velocemente la porta. La stangona entrò dritta senza curarsi di lei, incamminandosi lungo il corridoio guardando le varie stanze che su di esso si affacciavano. Vedendo il salotto vi entrò decisa. Osservò il divano  moderno in pelle e con un malcelato disprezzo un tavolino roccocò con le gambe curve disposto davanti ad esso, tra le due poltrone in pelle messe a lato. Guardò la donna con qualche chilo di troppo vestita con una vestaglia di seta color fucsia. Notò, con una certa soddisfazione che sotto la vestaglia era nuda: le avrebbe fatto risparmiare tempo. “Ha il contante?” disse la stangona sistemando la sua lunga coda di cavallo. La cicciotta ciabattò fino ad una credenza roccocò posta sotto un enorme specchio antico e prese una busta portandola alla bionda dai lineamenti asciutti e duri. “Ecco avevo preparato tutto … li conti” La stangona aprì la busta facendo scivolare il dito sulle banconote chiuse li dentro. Finita la conta sorrise. “Bene – poi con un tono deciso e severo le ordinò  - sposta quel tavolo più avanti e mettiti dietro di lui” Mentre la cicciona obbediva lei si levava l’impermeabile mostrando il suo corpo longilineo dall’enorme seno che sembrava straboccare dalla sua tuta nera aderentissima. Portò il trolley a lato del tavolo e prese un righello di quaranta centimetri e largo tre e, sorridendo, battendo il righello sul palmo della mano mentre la cicciotta spostava il tavolino, una volta eseguito il suo ordine, si mise davanti a lei. Le girò intorno con uno sguardo di disprezzo. La cicciona era imbarazzata ed abbasso gli occhi. La stangona tornata di fronte alla cicciotta, con il righello appoggiato al mento di lei le sollevò il volto fino a che i loro occhi non si incontrarono. La stangona sorrise e le spostò una ciocca che le cadeva sugli occhi. Anche la cicciona sorrise ma d’improvviso l’altra le strappò la vestaglia di dosso con un ghigno. La cicciona arrossi e, restando nuda, cercò di coprirsi. La stangona fece un sorriso cattivo e appoggiandole una mano sulla testa, la spinse verso il basso facendola inginocchiare. La cicciotta abbassò gli occhi, tutta rossa in volto e, vergognandosi, si coprì con le mani il seno e il pube. “Fai schifo … - disse la stangona colpendola sull’immenso sedere con il piatto del righello – sei un ammasso di carne senza capo ne coda” E giù un altro colpo Gli occhi dell’obesa si inumidirono e sulla bocca spuntò un piccolo broncio. “Come donna sei inutile … tu sei solo una schiava del cibo … - fece la stangona avvicinandosi al trolley si chinò rialzandosi con un enorme vassoio ripieno di cazzilli, arancini, sfincioni, pitoni fritti e mettendolo sul tavolino di fronte alla cicciona – sei solo la puttana del cibo e allora, fai quello che sai fare meglio, fai la puttana: mangia!” Le gridò la Mistress con fare cattivo colpendola ancora con il piatto del righello La cicciona allungò timidamente la mano e prese un cazzillo di patata portandolo timidamente alla bocca “Non cosi – le gridò la Mistress cattiva – mangia come veramente vorresti mangiare, con ingordigia e lussuria, come l’obesa che sei…” La cicciona incominciò ad allungare le mani a prendere cazzilli, pezzi di focaccia con le melanzane, le patate e la cipolla, pittoni ripieni di mozzarella e scarola, riempiendosi la bocca e guardando timorosa la Mistress. Quest’ultima si avvicino al Trolley prendendo un vassoio di arancini e mettendolo sul tavolino nello spazio lasciato libero dai rustici mangiati. La cicciona, con le mani pieni di cibo prese un arancino dandogli un morso mentre sul grosso seno le colava il ragù con i piselli ed i pezzi mortadella “Fammi vedere quanto sei ingorda, fai mangiare anche il tuo corpo, dagli sazio..” E preso un arancino glielo schiacciò sul seno spalmando il riso dove colava già il ragù. “Dillo che ti piace – le gridò la Mistress dando un colpo con il righello sul sedere della donna – fammi sentire quanto ti fa godere…” “Si, sono la sua schiava – disse la cicciona piangendo -  lui fa di me quello che vuole, mi violenta di trigliceridi e colesterolo “ e si schiacciò un arancino sul petto e schiacciandolo lo distribuì in ogni parte del suo corpo “Fammi tutto, sono la tua schiava, - continuò la cicciona osservando il riso e la crosta croccante rimaste  sul suo seno mentre il sugo le scivolava sulla pancia - sei il mio signore, io vivo solo per te, sei il mio Dio” disse con devozione e disperazione piangendo ma d’improvviso chiuse gli occhi sul volto le apparve una maschera di intenso piacere. Prese un altro arancino e mordendolo se lo schiacciò sulla faccia mentre un altro lo schiacciò sulla pancia prominente scendendo verso il basso. L’altro lo fece scendere sul fondo schiena facendo colare il sugo lungo la prorompente rotondità del sedere mentre la Mistress la picchiava con il righello. Lei, per ripararsi si avvicinò al tavolino divorando come invasata un pitone e rotolandosi nei pezzi di cibo sparso sul pavimento come fanno i maiali nel fango “e ora fammi vedere quanto ti piace il tuo padrone cibo, fammi vedere quanta dignità sei disposta a perdere per esso…” “No la prego..” fece singhiozzando la cicciona, inginocchiandosi davanti alla sua padrona e guardandola.  La Mistress si era già chinata sul Trolley tirando fuori una scatola che appoggiò sul tavolino e aprendola mise davanti alla dottoressa un vassoio colmo di cannoli “ No … per favore … la prego ..” incominciò a piagnucolare la cicciotta. “Tu non sei nulla per chiedere … è il tuo stomaco che comanda, la tua lussuriosa lasciva voglia di cibo, è la tua sottomessa passione per il tuo signore e padrone che ti comanda …” avvicinandosi le sollevo la testa e guardandola fisso negli occhi e dopo averle sorriso in modo cattivo le abbassò con un dito la mandibola e le ficcò d’improvviso un cannolo in bocca urlando “Mangia!!!” La cicciona quasi si soffocò piegandosi sulle ginocchia tossendo “E’ inutile che fai la scena, si vede che ti piace sentirtelo scendere in gola, ma ora è il momento di farlo godere – si avvicinò e prendendo un altro cannolo e glielo mise tra le cosce sotto al pube – schiaccialo! fagli uscire tutta la ricotta che ha” La cicciona respirava rumorosamente con il naso con in bocca ancora metà del cannolo incominciò a stringere le cosce sempre più forte. La Mistress si avvicinò e le diete un colpo con il righello urlando “più forte…” il cannolo si ruppe e la ricotta schiacciata schizzo in tutte le direzioni allargandosi sulle cosce e sui peli del pube. Nello stesso momento la cicciona lanciò un mugolio di piacere e si accasciò sul pavimento con le cosce che le tremavano ancora per l’onda di godimento che l’aveva travolta, mentre le sue mani le spalmavano addosso in maniera automatica tutta la ricotta. Ad occhi chiusi continuava a mangiare con immenso piacere il cannolo che aveva in bocca. La stangona guardò l’orologio e incominciò a chiudere il trolley e a prendere l’impermeabile. “Dottoressa se avesse bisogno di me la prossima settimana non posso venire chi si spusa me soru. Sono disponibile solo a fine mese…” Da dietro il tavolino, dove era finita la cicciona, si sentì solo un mugolio di assenso e il  suono della buccia di un cannolo che si rompeva. “Si metta d’accordo con l’agenzia che mi mandano un messaggio. Ora la saluto che ho un ragioniere che mi aspetta nella pasticceria Irrera” Si sentì un altro mugolio di saluto La stangona si avviò nel corridoio e velocemente uscì dalla porta. Nel salotto una mano della cicciona spuntò da dietro il tavolino ad esplorare il vassoio di cannoli e, toccatone uno, lo afferrò facendolo scomparire sotto il tavolino. Si sentì sgranocchiare la buccia del cannolo e un mugolio di compiacimento sottolineo l’insano gesto di dolcissimo autoerotismo.

[pagini-rupte-]

Sa stii ca doare... cand iubirea-i mare

O vorba spusa-n vant...cutremură pământ

As vrea sa cred, sa stiu, sa fii

Omul ce-mi va stralucii ce va zambii

Cand inima-i va dainuii.

[dominateeye]

This is true for voting Democratic, but I'd argue that voting for a socialist minor party (Greens, SPUSA, etc) does still matter. For one thing, most of these parties have platforms that are miles better than the Democrats'. The Democratic Party might poach the occasional idea from them, but it's always watered-down and half-assed if it even gets anywhere, because Democratic leaders only want to do the bare minimum to retain power and fighting to actually improve people's lives is too much effort. These minor parties are used to fighting tooth and nail for every slight gain, and to me that means they're much more likely to fight legal and political obstacles to enact their policies should they get into power.

There are, of course, significant obstacles to these parties winning elections, but I believe that those obstacles can be overcome with enough popular support (and then the obstacles can be dismantled from behind). I think there are enough eligible but inactive voters who are far-left to carry at least one of these parties to victory, especially since these voters otherwise being inactive means the Democrats aren't likely to be able to guilt-trip many of them into voting blue instead.

Voting will absolutely (unfortunately) be easier for some people than others, and it isn't a magic bullet by any means-- meaningful change still comes from the working class building and defending alternatives to capitalist structures of support and power like community and mutual aid groups and unions. But for people who can vote, I think voting for a socialist party is a much better form of "damage control" than voting Democratic is, and can lead to policies being implemented that make revolution easier to boot.

Miguel Cardona, Secretary of Education for the United States: "Sowwy :( The Supreme Court told us we aren't allowed to follow through on the debt relief for students that Joe Biden promised :( And also we're ending the interest payment relief period :( But don't worry :) We'll keep fighting for you!"

god i'm so so so so sick of this shit. voting does nothing when the entire system is built upon ensuring that it can do nothing even when legislators are allegedly trying to do otherwise. any instance voting blue "does something" in america is due to a massive amount of unrelated factors such as lobbying, organizing, community aid, re-enfranchisement, millions upon millions spent on advertising, "we need to give these idiots a bone so they'll think voting does something sometimes" and national+international pressure. i'm so tireeeeeed

[der-papero]

Rhens/2 - Le Mele et al.

Ok, ho scoperto dove andare il 15 Ottobre 2021 a rubare le mele. Buonissime.

Giulia ha portato il caffè amaro

Poi ci siamo fatti il viaggio di ritorno con la spusa de merda

[bibliotecarul]

Nu poti repara cu o scuza spusa doar de umplutura, ce ai daramat dintr-un munte de pasare.

[pregnantseinfeld]

real talk what is the solution to not voting for biden? everyone could boycott the election maybe, but who's going to even attempt to organize that? how would you get everyone in the country on board for that on such short notice? im not trying to say like "fuck you just vote for biden" but everyone talks about this situation without offering any alternatives, only pointing out how voting for the lesser evil is still voting for evil. what else are we supposed to do if not force biden to bend?

Im tired and heading to bed rn so I'm just gonna try my best to give you a quick coherent answer:

It depends on what "solution" you want

If it's about the larger fight for anti-facsism and anti-capitalism, let me know and I can litterally link you endless material on organizing, protest tips, I'll help hook you up with groups near you if that's what you need, ideas for direct action are already scattered around this blog, you'll need to get more specific because I can give you so many goddamn solutions you could not believe. Solutions out the ass!

If it's: "how do I use my vote?" I don't care very much honestly. I won't put you on a voted-for-biden block list or write a callout post, I promise. If you're just a huge fan of voting I guess you can look into the dude the greens and spusa are running, he seems decent enough.

If it's "how do we get rid of little hands convfefe Cheeto president". .... Sorry, he is awful, I get it, I really do, but that's not my top priority. I'd implore you read up on US history before claiming that he's some new unique unprecedented evil.