Double issue of Revolutionary Democracy published

A new issue of the Indian Marxist-Leninist theoretical and political journal Revolutionary Democracy ( revolutionarydemocacry.org ) has been released and since there was a hiatus this is a double issue combining the September 2020 and April 2021 issues.  Copies can be ordered from Red Star Publishers ( redstarpublishers.org ) for $6 dollars, which covers US shipping costs.  For more information see the website or contact them at:  

Red Star Publishers

PO Box 1641

Manhattanville Station

New York, New York 10027

USA

Phone:  212 864 7595

Brick and mortar bookstores and organizations selling copies in India, the UK, and the US are listed at revolutionarydemocracy.org and many of the articles are posted online.

Contents:

ICMLPO Condemns the War Against the Palestinian People

Acute Health Crises in India

Farmers' Protest Against the Three Farm Laws, KB Saxena

Mass Strikes and Farmer's protest in India, Shambhu

Covid 19 and the Working Classes, CN Subramanian

Effect of Coronavirus on India, N Bhattacharya

Covid-19 and the General Crisis of Capitalism, Bikram Mohan

Statement of Workers' Organisations of West and South Asia

The Fight Against Epidemics in the USSR in Peace and War

Political Economy of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances in Manipur, Malem Ningthouja

The Crisis of Neo-Liberal Economics in Russia, Rafael Martinez

Lessons of the Popular Unity of Ecuador, Revolucionarni savez rada Srbije

Balkans Marxist-Leninist Platform

In Defence of Stalin, PCMLV

Comment on a Post of Aditya Nigam, Vijay Singh

On the Question of the African-American Nation in the Black Belt

Comintern and the Black Nation:  Some Documents

"Goli," Miroslav Mika Ristić

Notes on the Discussion of JV Stalin with Representatives of the CC of the Communist Party of India, Comrades Rao, Dange, Ghosh and Punnaiah. (2nd March 1951)

Obituaries: Michael Lucas, Anatolii Vasilevich Pyzhov, Nina Aleksandrovna Andreeva, Richard Ivanovich Kosolapov, Raúl Marco, Walter Hugo Zuleta Morales (Chicho), Dr Naba Kumar Bhattacharya

GPUS: HR1’s “Poison Pill” to Crush Alternative Parties Requires Amending — or the Bill Must Fail

This is a press release from the Green Party US; the original, more information, and a petition are online at:  www.gp.org/hr1_poison_pill_to_crush_alternative_parties_requires_amending_or_the_bill_must_fail  There has been a lot of reporting about the anti-democratic and anti-1st Amendment policies Republicans have been pushing in various states but little is said about what the Democratic Party does to silence its left wing and leftist third parties.

“While HR1 is sold as a way to get money out of politics and to protect voters, it contains a ‘poison pill’ for democracy and opposition parties like the Green Party” said Green Party National Co-Chair Tony Ndege [of the NCGP]. “How can they call this bill ‘For The People’ when they are silencing alternative parties at a time when more people than ever are demanding more political choice?”

“The Green Party stands opposed to this bait-and-switch legislation that claims to improve access to voting while actually dismantling everyone's right to organize electorally against the parties of War and Wall Street,” said Green Party National Co-Chair Gloria Mattera. “In recent presidential elections, Greens have been the only candidates to participate in the primary matching funds program. HR1 must be amended to stop this attack on presidential campaign matching funds that Green candidates have relied on for almost a decade — or the bill must fail.”

The Green Party is calling attention to other problematic provisions in HR1, which will:

• Abolish the general election campaign block grants parties may access by winning at least 5% of the vote in the previous presidential election 
• 
  
• Replace those general election block grants (where candidates receive one lump sum for all campaign expenses) with matching funds through Election Day — a step backwards for public campaign finance reform. Qualifying for general election matching funds will depend on meeting the new primary matching funds criteria designed to squeeze out alternative parties and independent candidates
  
  
• Eliminate the limits on donations and expenditures candidates can receive and make
  
  
• Inflate the amount of money national party committees can give to candidates from $5000 to $100 million, an astonishing increase of 1999900%

“Instead of trying to fool American voters and eliminating minor party voices, the Green Party calls for real reforms to democratize elections,” said Ndege, listing:

• The Fair Representation Act, introduced in 2018 and 2019, which would establish multi-seat, proportional representation for Congress by ranked-choice voting
  
  
• Individual state governments enacting RCV for their presidential general elections
  
  
• Fully-public campaign finance for every federal, state and local office through the Clean Money/Clean Elections model

If HR1 is not amended, the Green Party will release an online, grassroots lobbying effort for communities to tell their representatives in Congress to vote “no” during the full House vote this week [This press release was originally published March 1st but HR1 has been in the news again recently and the NCGP brought it up again June 17th:  www.facebook.com/groups/ncgreenparty/permalink/10158273528278105/ ].

Jik an bout: Down with Monsanto! Down with Bayer! Down with Agrochemistry!

Below is an article from the journal Jik an bout in the French Caribbean overseas department or colony of Martinique.  Their Facebook page might be:  www.facebook.com/Association-Journal-Jik-An-Bout-284642675241097/

Jik an bout –June 5, 2021 – N°185  

Journal of the National Council of Popular Committees (CNCP), Martinique  

Down with Monsanto! Down with Bayer! Down with agrochemistry!  

On May 15, 2021, a global march was organized against MONSANTO, BAYER, and AGROCHEMISTRY. In Martinique, the association "Zéro Chlordécone, Zéro Poison poisoned," partners in the initiative, organized a demonstration to denounce the poisoning lobbies. The rally was held at the entrance leading to the former Soudon factory in the territory of Lamentin [Manatee, Martinique's second largest city by population and an industrial center, according to Wikipedia; Chlordecone, also called Kepone, is an organochloride insecticide similar to DDT and Mirex and likewise banned in many countries; it was used heavily in banana cultivation and still contaminates the soil and water in Martinique, and in Guadeloupe, limiting local food production and causing health problems].  

The associations set up their information booth and banners at the entrance of a path leading to the main storage place and sale of pesticides in our country. Representatives of the two associations that initiated the action spoke to explain the reasons for the demonstration. A direct link enabled them to intervene in the rally being held simultaneously in France.  

Activists from various organizations who responded to the call were able to express their support. The interventions, which were broadcast live on social networks, followed by more than 300 people, had a broad response. It was noted with satisfaction that most the many people and motorists passing by on the main road showed their solidarity by honking their horns or stopping for information.