No Justice – No Peace
Executive Summary:
The Social and Economic Justice Working Group works at the intersection of the movement for Peace and the struggles for Social and Economic Justice. By supporting campaigns that address inequality and promote democracy such as RaiseUpMA, Our Revolution MA and by fighting for a Peoples’ Budget to spend state and federal taxes on meeting human needs instead of undermining democracy by taking the people’s money to spend on militarism designed to defend and promote the rule by the 1%.
Long Range Policy Goal: Unite working people to win the use of resources of government to solve basic needs of people – housing, jobs, a living wage, public transit, education, healthcare, a sustainable environment– and end the destructive spending on militarism, war, and tax give-aways to those who already hoard the wealth of the country.
Achievable Objectives for 2017: Increase the number of peace activists who work in coalitions such as RaiseUpMa, InvesT Now, Our Revolution and win increasing support from human needs campaigners for the Peoples’ Budget, shifting federal priorities away from militarism.
Activities:
- Develop a People’s Budget for Mass, showing how shift of spending in Peoples budged would benefit the state in areas of Education, Health, Transit, Housing.
- Educate about Peoples Budget released by Congressional Progressive Caucus including through an April 15, tax day for peace and social justice.
- Work to pass Revenue Transparency bill requiring Commonwealth to inform people about how federal government spends its money.
- Work in RaiseUpMa to pass $15 minimum Wage, family leave and a Fair Share Tax.
- Work in InvesT Coalition to campaign to maintain quality
public transportation against all forms of privatization. - Support developing Our Revolution groups and help OR develop a strong peace platform.
- Participate in forums and conferences supporting affordable housing, healthcare as a right, education funding, public transportation, etc. bringing info on how budgetary militarism and inequality of wealth and power retard all attempts to address fundamental human needs.
Coalition work is the essence of our work-group’s activity and we will seek to be a part of and active contributor to RaiseUpMa, Jobs with Justice, Our Revolution, InvesT Now, etc. we will make these contributions by involving Peace activists the these struggles.
Organization of Work Group:
- We meet Monthly, currently on the third Monday of the month at E5, 9A Hamilton Street, Boston MA, to organize the work group
- Members of the work group are active in various coalitions and work together on work group projects such as April 15 tax day and support our Revenue Transparency legislation and Mass Peoples’ Budget.
- Co-Conveners: Jonathan King (jonking1@verizon.net), Michelle Cunha (cunha.michelle@gmail.com), John Ratliff (jmr@riseup.net)
- Contact us through email of co-convener, or MAPA office.
We believe we need the help of all peace activists who see the need for working at the intersection and expect to win many human needs and human justice campaigners to see the need to campaign against the militarist death-budgets to win important progress in their campaigns.
