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DEMOCRATIC
SOCIALISTS
OF
AMERICA
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May 14,
2009
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NEWS FROM DSA |
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Sanders Usury Amendment
Killed in Senate Vote
Yesterday 22 Democrats
joined 33 Republicans to kill Sen. Bernie Sanders's legislation to cap credit
card interest rates at 15 percent nationwide. DSA had endorsed the
proposal, which was first put forward as a bill (S.582), amending the Truth
in Lending Act. A related bill (H.R.1640) was introduced in
the House of Representatives by Rep. Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) with 12 cosponsors. Sanders attempted to amend the Creditcard Holders' Bill of Rights Act of 2009 to include the 15% cap on credit card interest. The amendment was defeated 60 to 33 on a procedural motion. You can see how your senator voted by clicking here. Republicans to
make it Official:
The Republican National Committee is expected to pass a resolution demanding that the Democratic Party
be renamed the democratic socialist party at a special meeting to be held next
week. The resolution was proposed by 17 of the committee's most conservative
members. News reports initially said that RNC Chair, Michael Steele,
agreed with the content of the resolution, but did not think it was a good idea
to pass it. However, more recent reports indicate that it is expected to
pass without opposition.
This resolution
indicates how out of touch the Republicans have become. This is a continuation
of the surreal discussion of socialism, amounting to nothing more than the
name-calling, we witnessed during the campaign. They clearly have no
understanding of what American socialists believe and repeat the mistake of
their New Deal ancestors by confusing a president trying to save capitalism from
itself with a socialist president that would attempt to replace capitalism with
the more democratic model we favor.
We object to this
resolution because it gives socialism a bad name by associating it with the
Democratic Party, which remains the second most capitalist party in the world.
The election did not change that.
Socialists along with the broad progressive community work to support the
administration's better programs or alternatives of our own, instead of simply
accepting Obama's centrist reforms. Sadly, the administration seems to backing away
from the few proposals that might represent far-reaching reform. They have not
even let single payer health care advocates in the room when health care is
debated, to name just one issue of the many issues on which the administration
falls far short of our socialist position.
You would think
that a confident Republican Party would focus on the issues instead of
name-calling. If they keep this up they will suffer another loss in the 2010
elections. But you know what they say--couldn't happen to a nicer bunch of
guys.
In
solidarity,  |
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Paid for by the Democratic
Socialists of America, 75 Maiden Lane, Suite 505, New York, NY 10038.
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