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The Party's work is not only done on the state and local level, it is also done within various social movements. For this work, the Party's National Committee established Commissions. All members in good standing are encouraged to get involved in Commission work. CURRENTLY CHARTERED SOCIALIST PARTY COMMISSIONS Join a Party Commission On-Line here Faith and Socialism Co-Chairs: Landon Frim Discussion list International Commission Chair: Peter Moody Statement of Purpose: The International Commission develops relations with democratic socialist parties in other countries. We also seek to initiate relations with anti-authoritarian radicals in other countries. The International Commission hopes to work on joint projects that cross national boundaries. The International Commission also issues statements for the Socialist Party in support of socialist and left-wing movements around the world. Disability Commission Chair: Philip Mungai Discussion list Labor Commission Chair: Zelig Stern Statement of Purpose: We are union members and labor activists from across the country, both experienced and new, using the Labor Commission to coordinate our activism. The Socialist Party has a strong pro-worker stance laid out by our Statement of Principles, Platform, 2001 National Convention resolution: "Socialists and the Labor Movement." To truly aid the cause of organized labor, however, we must go beyond occasional proclamations and provide leadership in the daily struggles of working people. We believe that the working class must be organized to re-conceptualize production for human need, not profit, and manage that production based on democratic principles rather than property rights. This transfer of economic power is the keystone to building a new democratic socialist society. People of Color Commission Chair: Erik Toren Statement of Purpose: The People of Color Commission is for members who are committed to organizing our Party to further the representation and participation of ethnic/people of color communities in all levels of our organizational structure. We believe that the struggle for socialism is intertwined with the fight to end the present economic order, to end racism and the oppression of people of color, and that the end of capitalism does not necessarily end racism. We recognize the function of institutional bigotry and discrimination used by the ruling class to divide, exploit, and abuse workers in the US and in the Third World. We also recognize the right of self-defense of oppressed minorities in the face of such attacks and support non-violent direct action in combating oppression. We seek to be the educational, organizational, and information source for the SP-USA regarding people of color communities by using all avenues and resources available to the commission. Queer Commission Chair: Jim Sanders Statement of Purpose: The Queer Commission of the Socialist Party USA believes that heteronormativity, cloaked in both homophobia and the illusion of heterosexuality as natural, is a function of the capitalist system that leaves hatred and discrimination in its wake. To bring an end to this homophobic system, the Queer Commission supports specific actions including a Federal Queer Bill of Rights, the repeal of all discriminatory laws, the defense and support of queer youth, and a new emphasis on education that teaches the equal validity of queer people everywhere. In order to bring an end to this inequity, the Queer Commission also recognizes the importance of working together and internally with our comrades in the Commissions of Women, Youth, and People of Color. The Queer Commission also vows to reach out to queers in other queer liberation organizations, in working class communities, and in schools across the country that also live in the oppressive regime of homophobic capitalism. As the Socialist Party USA platform states, we demand liberation. Women's Commission Chair: Gretchen Van Dyck Statement of Purpose: Our work is directed at helping build an international socialist feminist movement that will replace capitalism with a democratic socialist society that ensures full economic, political, personal, and interpersonal rights for all women. This will require such structural provisions as gender balance and feminist process within our socialist organizations; such programmatic demands as pay equity and the right to abortion on demand within our Socialist Party platform; and ongoing efforts to recruit and retain women in our Party and in our movement through personal contacts, political candidacies, literature, public events, radical caucuses within our labor unions, and coalition work. We believe that those who would dare to push the clock back on the discoveries women have made regarding their personal and political selves do the entire democratic socialist movement a monumental disservice. Commission Guidelines: * All Party members are strongly encouraged to join a Party Commission * If it finds merit in the proposal, the National Committee may issue a conditional six month charter and appoint the motivator of the proposal "Interim Convener/Chair" * Commissions must maintain membership rolls, elect officers and submit minutes of meetings or mail votes to the National Office. The National Committee directs the National Secretary to solicit reports from all existing Commissions. Commissions who do not respond will be de-chartered. * The National Committee shall review a conditional charter at the end of a 6 months. If the new commission has met the National Committee's guidelines, the commission shall be chartered outright. If it has not, the NC is empowered to renew the conditional charter for 6 more months. The NC may continue to renew conditional charters as many times as it wishes, but if the National Committee ever fails to renew a conditional charter at the end of a 6 month period, the charter shall be null and void. * All Commissions shall accept YPSL members as voting members at YPSL's request. Commission conveners/chairs are official Party spokespeople on topics related to their commissions Rules on Commisison Decision Making 1) The convener of each commission shall be elected by the national committee, and is charged with the responsibility of making sure that each commission remains within the policy guidelines set by the convention and national committee. Such statements shall be posted on the Party’s website, and printed in Party publications, as signed by the convener of that commission. 2) Commissions may issue statements by majority vote on issues of concern to that commission. Such statements shall be posted on the Party’s website, and printed in Party publications, as having been issued by the commission. 3) Should the convener and a majority of a commission differ significantly on a specific issue, both statements would then be referred to the NAC prior to being issued and the NAC would then decide which statement should be issued. In this case, the statement would be posted and printed as a statement from the Socialist Party. Commission Report Forms (pdf) For a listing the Party State & Local Organizations click here For a listing of the Party's unofficial groupings click here |
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Socialist Party
USA 339 Lafayette St. #303 New York, NY 10012 |