1) NEW YEAR SOCIALIST GREETINGS
               2) LINK OF THE WEEK: DEMOCRACY NOW!'S YEAR-IN-REVIEW
                   3) ACTION: SUPPORT TSUNAMI RELIEF EFFORTS
                   4) RIGHT-WINGERS ATTACK THE UN/KOFI ANNAN                
                   5) WINTER ISSUE OF DEMOCRATIC LEFT ON-LINE
                  
1) NEW YEAR SOCIALIST GREETINGS
The Young Democratic Socialists wish all of you the best for the new year.  We hope that you will resolve to stay active in the struggle for social and economic justice.  The International Union of Socialist Youth (YDS is the only US member of IUSY, the world's largest youth political coalition) has produced an image that you are welcome to send your friends, loved ones, and fellow activists.  The "united for a 2005 of peace and solidarity" graphic can be viewed here: http://www.iusy.org/popup/iusy_new_year_2005.gif


2) LINK OF THE WEEK: DEMOCRACY NOW!'S 2004 YEAR-IN-REVIEW
Democracy Now! is one of the best media institutions for progressives in the United States.  The featured year-in-review radio broadcast looks back at 2004 including the presidential race, the continuing war in Iraq, the U.S.-backed coup in Haiti, the Republican and Democratic National Conventions, the deaths of Ronald Reagan and Yasser Arafat, the catastrophic Indian Ocean tsunami and much more.  Among the voices included in these assembled clips are DSA Honorary Chair, Dolores Huerta, and a representative from the Sandinistas (our sister organization in Nicaragua).  You can view/listen/download the year-end edition of DN! here: http://www.democracynow.org/index.pl?issue=20041230


3) ACTION: CHALLENGE BUSH & SUPPORT TSUNAMI RELIEF EFFORTS
Well over 100,000 men, women and children have died in what is one of the worst "natural" disasters in history.  While it's difficult to put to words the shear magnitude of this tragedy, there are clear ways we can help support the tsunami victims and save lives in the here and now.

We urge you to give to any number of international relief agencies (list provided below).  We must also challenge our government to live up to its aid pledges and offer additional financial and logistical support.

The Bush administration initially pledged to spend a pitiful $15 million on relief - less than half the money Republicans are planning to spend on Bush' inauguration.  After coming under pressure and being chastised by the United Nations' emergency relief coordinator for being "stingy", the administration upped its aid pledge to $35 million - the approximate cost for just seven hours of U.S. involvement in Iraq.  Thankfully, the U.S. and other nations have increased their pledged support in the past day or two.  The current U.S. pledge of $350 million may sound like a lot, but it's unlikely to cover the staggering costs needed to help the victims of this immense catastrophe.  We need to keep the pressure on the Bush administration to fully support international relief efforts.  Thousands of lives are still at risk as infrastructure collapses, disease spreads, and the plight of nearly 5 million made homeless by the tsunami worsens. 

Don't believe the administration's rhetoric about the U.S. government always being the most generous when it comes to international aid.  According to a poll, most Americans believe the United States spends 24 percent of its budget on aid to poor countries. Our government actually spends well under a quarter of 1 percent.  This obviously needs to change.

Below is a list of some of the many organizations that are coordinating relief efforts for the Tsunami/flood victims.  Please consider supporting them generously.

International Medical Corps - Tsunami Emergency Response
800-481-4462 www.imcworldwide.org

Oxfam America - Asian Earthquake Fund
800-77-OXFAM www.oxfamamerica.org

Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières
212-679-6800 www.doctorswithoutborders.org/


4) RIGHT-WINGERS ATTACK THE UN/KOFI ANNAN  
DSA member Ian Williams writes the cover feature for the latest issue of The Nation magazine, entitled, "The Right's Assault on Kofi Annan".
http://www.thenation.com/doc.mhtml?i=20050110&s=williams


5) WINTER ISSUE OF DEMOCRATIC LEFT ON-LINE
The new issue of DSA's quarterly publication, Democratic Left, is now available on-line.  Features include articles on the 2004 elections, the left in Brazil, book reviews and more. 
http://www.dsausa.org/dl/Winter_2005.pdf



*REMINDER*
YDS will be mobilizing for the following events.  If you want to get involved, would like more information or related materials to organize your own events, please contact us ASAP.

Jan. 14-16 > Service Worker Solidarity (Bi)National Gathering (in the D.C. area)
www.serviceworkersolidarity.com
Jan. 17 > Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (remember... King was a democratic socialist!)
http://www.unitedforpeace.org/downloads/King_leaflet.pdf
Jan. 20 > Counter-Inauguration protests (D.C. and local events around the country)
www.unitedforpeace.org/article.php?id=2651
Jan. 21-23 > Progressive Democrat Summit (D.C.)
www.pdamerica.org