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Watch the full video response here.

Sisters and brothers,

Donald Trump is now Predator in Chief, and head of one of the most dangerous and right wing administrations in U.S. history.

In his inauguration speech, a few minutes ago, Trump said that his government will follow the righteous path, that it will be a government for the people. That the forgotten men and women will be forgotten no more. That he will create schools and good jobs for all, and bring back the wealth to the working people of America.

But, sisters and brothers, Trump is a liar and a con-man. He has built his administration on the worst muck of the billionaire class, right wing bigotry, and the corporate elite.

There is absolutely no mandate for Trumps hateful, anti-worker, misogynist agenda. Trump will arrive at the White House with the lowest approval ratings of any incoming American president, hovering around 40%.

But opinion polls will not be sufficient to stop him.

Trump and the billionaire class only understand one thing: power.

Our over-riding task is to build the power of the 99% working people and all those marginalized by the capitalist elite.

As a socialist, I completely reject the compromising of elite liberalism, which Hillary Clinton perfectly expressed when she said after the election that Trump deserves our support and that we should give him a chance. Nor can we afford to wait until the 2018 and 2020 elections to vote the Republicans out.

Trump can be defeated if we build massive resistance now. History is full of examples of right wing governments forced to partially or completely retreat in the face of mass movements.

Today and this weekend, protests, mass marches, and student walkouts are taking place all across the country and around the world. Hundreds of thousands of people, perhaps millions, are protesting to send a powerful message that we are ready to fight against Trump and the billionaire class.

My organization, Socialist Alternative, has been at the forefront of protests against Trump since the beginning. We called for protests in major cities around the country the day after elections, and mobilized over 50,000 people on the streets.

For this inauguration weekend, Socialist Alternative is helping to organize students walkouts and protests in dozens of cities, as a launchpad for our resistance.

To defeat Trump will require a massive and ongoing movement, that bases itself on maximum unity in action and the social power of the working class.

But what does this mean?

To answer Trumps vicious attacks will require building up a determined, fighting movement. One that seeks to mobilize millions from below into collective struggle, building grassroots, democratic structures, our own independent organizations.

Timid, symbolic protest will not be enough. We will need to organize mass non-violent civil disobedience. Marches of tens of thousands of people can shut down highways and find other ways to shut down business as usual. We need mass, peaceful, direct actions to block efforts to deport our immigrant brothers and sisters.

To inspire huge numbers to take action, we need fighting demands that point to an alternative vision of society that puts people and the environment above the profit-driven agenda of big business.

Of course we need to mobilize around defeating the litany of attacks from Trump and the Republicans, from defending the gains that were won by the Affordable Care Act, to defending public schools.

But this needs to be linked to putting forward audacious demands that can inspire with the promise of a dramatic improvement in peoples lives, like those popularized by Bernie Sanders:

Bernies bold program inspired enthusiasm from millions, especially young people, while Hillarys timid, corporate friendly, proposals of tinkering around the edges failed to mobilize them.

This weekend needs to be our starting point. As an immediate next step, lets make March 8, International Womens Day, a day of defiance against Trump and the disgusting misogyny and sexism he represents. A day of mass action, protests to defend Planned Parenthood, and against all forms of sexual violence.

May 1 is International Workers Day and of immigrant protests. Our target should be to bring millions into the streets in a truly massive wave of demonstrations for immigrant rights and against racism.

We can look to 2006 as our example when a huge immigrant workers strike stopped an anti-immigrant bill in its tracks.

In these struggles, we will need the broadest unity in action of all those forces prepared to seriously struggle against Trump and the Billionaire Class.

Unions, immigrant rights, womens, civil rights, LGBTQ, environmental organizations and activists, Sanders supporters, progressive Democrats, Greens and socialists.

But there is no avoiding that there are major political differences of strategy and social interests in this movement.

Our movement needs to base itself on the needs of the struggle against Trump and the Billionaire Class. We can not let it be subordinated or restricted to the limits of what the corporate leadership of the Democratic Party will allow.

Democrats in Congress will be put to the test in terms of their willingness to stand firm against Trump.

Lets remember, when Obama first took office in 2009, he had massive popular support, the Democrats had 60 seats in the Senate and a large majority in the House. Yet the Republicans succeeded in relentlessly fighting Obama, blocking much of his agenda.

There is no reason the Democrats in Congress could not seriously obstruct much of Trumps agenda, with the Republicans only having a razor slim majority of 52 seats in the Senate. Trump will not be able to appoint a right-wing zealot to the Supreme Court if the Democrats stand firm and filibuster him.

Will they?

Unfortunately, recent experience does not inspire confidence in the Democratic Party, especially the pro-capitalist politicians who dominate the Party.

We saw this in the cowardly refusal of the vast majority of Congressional Democrats to challenge the results of this election, based on voter suppression.

I commend the stand of those Congressional Democrats who refused to attend Trumps swearing in today, but we need to recognize that the majority of their colleagues refused to do so, instead shamefully attending.

But most outrageous was the recent decision by 13 Democrats to join Republicans in siding with Big Pharma against ordinary working people.

As a socialist, I do not think the Democratic Party is offering the kind of combative, working class, or movement-based leadership that will be needed to confront a ruthless foe like Trump.

Working people and the 99% need to build an alternative to the right-wing Republicans and Wall Street Democrats, our own political voice.

A new political party that rejects all corporate donations and instead bases itself on the funding and active support of working people and progressive organizations.

A grassroots, democratically run party that fights unreservedly for the interests of the 99% and against big business. That runs anti-corporate candidates all over the US.

I recognize that many honest activists are trying to take back the Democratic Party, following the lead of Bernie Sanders.

Our differences should not stop us from working together to build the largest struggle in the streets against Trump and the Billionaire Class, while continuing to have a honest debate about strategy as we work together within our movement.

In these trying times, I am given great hope by the new found spirit of rebellion amongst young people. Most important is the growing support for socialism, with thousands joining socialist organizations across the country.

The reason why is no mystery: capitalism is a failing system.

Donald Trump is a particularly repulsive expression of the predatory nature of the capitalist system itself.

We found out this week than now 8 people, just 8 people, now own more wealth than half the worlds population. We also found out that global temperatures, for the third year in a row, have broken all previous records that climate disaster continues to rapidly advance.

We need a radically different society. We need socialism.

Socialism means a society run by and for working people, rather than the billionaire class.

A society where the major corporations are taken into public ownership so we can democratically plan how to use societys resources to meet human need, rather than private profit.

An egalitarian society, rather than the dog-eat-dog, bloody competition of capitalism.

A society based on international cooperation rather than the vile nationalism that Trump is promoting.

A few days ago we celebrated Martin Luther King Day. Dr. King, in his final years, was becoming a socialist. In 1966 he said: You cant talk about solving the economic problem of the Negro without talking about billions of dollars. You cant talk about ending the slums without first saying profit must be taken out of slums There must be a better distribution of wealth, and maybe America must move toward a democratic socialism.

Sisters and brothers, another world is possible. I hope you will join us in the fight for a socialist future. There is no time to lose. Get organized!

#ResistTrumpDonald TrumpfeatureinaugurationKshama SawantSpeechTrump

Go here to see the original:
Kshama Sawant's Response to Trump's Inaugural Speech | Socialist ... - Socialist Alternative

Rand Paul knocked down Bernie Sanders criticism of America.(Screenshot)

During the Congressional hearing for Dr. Tom Prices nomination for Secretary of Health and Human Services, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) slammed Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and his socialist ideology.

Sanders said during the hearing on Wednesday that America was not a compassionate country. His reason is that the U.S. does not have a universal healthcare system like most other Western nations.

Being a physician, Paul wouldnt stand for Sanders criticism and asked Price if he, like the Kentucky Senator, provided free medical coverage for anyone in need, regardless if they had the means to pay.

Paul doubled down by slamming Sanders entire ideology, comparing the U.S. which gives billions of dollars to the poor to nations like Venezuela. Venezuela is supposed to be compassionate, but their people are too poor to eat.

The criticism didnt sway Sanders who took to Twitter on Thursday to double-down that America wasnt compassionate.

(Twitter)

Here was the original moment when Sanders was triggered by Dr. Prices testimony.

Link:
Rand Paul slams Bernie Sanders: Socialism not the same as compassion [VIDEO] - Red Alert Politics (blog)

Pushing a socialist agenda and saying they fear a Trump administration, thousands of demonstrators are expected to take to the Common tomorrow night to protest the inauguration.

Eight activist groups under the umbrella of Socialist Alternative have dubbed the event Occupy Inauguration. Their issues include:

Making Boston a sanctuary city while stopping deportations of illegal immigrants.

Stopping mass incarceration of minorities.

Legislating gay and transgender rights.

Taxing the super-rich like Trump to fund universal health care and free college tuition.

Im personally afraid of his presidency, said Keely Mullen, 22, of Roxbury, one of the organizers. One of the things that will counteract the fear is what is likely to be mass demonstrations all across the country. ... Trump doesnt have a mandate he didnt win the popular vote.

Mullen, a member of Socialist Alternative, said its important to stage protests around the country as well as in Washington on Inauguration Day.

Its not just in D.C. that people are resisting Trump, there are protests all over the place. We are seeking to strengthen the roots that we have in the city, she said.

As of yesterday afternoon, 2,200 people had indicated on the events Facebook page that they plan to attend while another 7,700 have said they might attend.

Other groups that are listed as co-sponsors include Massachusetts Peace Action, Boston Feminists for Liberation, Boston Democratic Socialists of America and Socialist Students.

The demonstrators say they will meet at the Parkman Bandstand at 6 p.m., march to the State House, around Beacon Hill and then end at City Hall.

Boston police said yesterday all groups involved obtained required permits. Cops will utilize additional police resources but said they dont expect any problems and urge demonstrators to use public transportation to avoid tying up traffic.

Joe Sugrue, 21 of Allston, a member of two groups participating, said large-scale protests have proven themselves to be effective tools in fighting against marginalization, discrimination and other forms of oppression people endure under capitalism and will certainly endure under the Trump administration.

Read more here:
Groups come together to protest Donald Trump, promote socialism ... - Boston Herald

You know somethings gone badly wrong in left-wing politics when a nominally left-wing party decides to use Donald Trump as a shining example. Yes, he won an election, but as so far as socialist values go, most find Trump to be decidedly lacking. And yet, late last year, UK Labour Party strategists announced a new campaign to set up Jeremy Corbyn as the lefts answer to Trump, in an attempt to harness the current anti-establishment political trend. Perhaps it was Trumps obsession with Twitter that swung it for Corbyns advisers Labour, after all, long ago abandoned the working man for the Twitterati.

Needless to say, the relaunch is not going swimmingly. Last week, Corbyn told the Today programme he would like to see a cap on high salaries to correct pay inequality. Yet a few hours later, in his relaunch speech in Peterborough, he seemed to have tempered this inclination slightly by talking about pay ratios instead. Either way, the idea behind the policy is baffling coming from a politician who is attempting to win popularity among working people.

As Ed Conway pointed out in The Times, income inequality in the UK is actually going down, and is lower than in other countries such as France and China something which Corbyn was apparently unaware of.

In reference to pay ratios, Corbyn said: This is not about limiting aspiration or penalising success, its about recognising that success is a collective effort and rewards must be shared. But how could it not be limiting? It shows a complete lack of understanding of the inherent aspiration of most working people. People who work hard want more and so they should. Corbyn has once again highlighted the growing chasm between his party and working people. Instead of offering people something to work towards and a chance for bettering their situations, he thinks punishing the wealthy is the way to win voters.

Rich-bashing and constant talk of limits have become the norm for the Labour Party and its miserabilist outlook. The left used to be about demanding more for people; today it asks: how can we share the misery around? Where once low wages were a source of outrage for the left, now they mainly sneer at high-earners. Corbyn called footballers salaries utterly ridiculous. Most footballers come from working-class backgrounds. Surely the fact that they have so bettered their own standing in the world should serve as an inspiration to others, not be a source of consternation.

Go here to see the original:
Labour: from socialism to miserabilism | British politics | Politics ... - Spiked

I think it would be a good time to buy stock in socialism, said MSNBC host Chris Hayes at a roundtable election post-mortem alongside some other liberal and leftist thinkers when asked about the lasting impact of Bernie Sanders candidacy. In the week following the election, the Democratic Socialists of America signed up 1,600 new members. Jacobin Magazine, Americas leading socialist magazine, had such an influx of subscribers that it couldnt print new issues fast enough. Socialism is on the rise in America and the DSA is poised to become a political player in America in 2017.

The politics of the last decades have been defined by an ideological battle between neoliberalism and neoconservatism. The way this has been handled in America has meant that Democrats sell out their economic priorities in hopes of advancing other aspects of their agenda while Republicans lean on their moral priorities (centered around the Christian Right) to convince working-class folks to vote against their self-interest. This balance of power has led to the destruction of unions, stagnation of wages, and continual deregulation at the expense of the environment and American workers. It is has been so successful for the Right that they have all but abandoned the compassionate piece of compassionate conservatism in favor of bald cash-grabs and deregulation.

In that same roundtable, Hayes also said, There is a tremendous ideological exhaustion in America around free markets. While unemployment is technically low, more people stop looking for jobs every year, which means they are not counted as part of the labor force. Many in the work force are taking lower-paying jobs because manufacturing is in permanent decline and culture has decided that retail and service jobs are not worthy of a union or living wage. Neither party offered a real solution to this problem in the general election, save Donald Trumps vague proclamation that he would bring jobs back and Make America Great Again.

The opportunity was there for a liberal candidate to speak to these issues, but miscalculating Democrats decided to run on a neoliberal platform in which character attacks on Donald Trumps instability and inexperience were the focus instead of popular economic issues like $15 minimum wage and universal health care. Democrats were still playing from a neoliberal playbook while the country had moved on.

So, Democrats lost.

Contrary to what Twitter may tell you, there is nothing positive that will come of endlessly relitigating the election. There are lessons to be learned, but any more fan fiction about how Democrats could have won if not for any number of issues is a waste of time. The time has come to move forward.

The Democratic Socialists of America are uniquely positioned to become a lightning rod for disaffected left-leaning Americans. The DSA is not a political party, so members can choose to work within the Democratic Party, work toward building a third party, or eschew party politics in favor of issue-based work. The DSA articulates its mission as building progressive movements for social change while establishing an openly democratic socialist presence in American communities and politics. It defines democratic socialism as a system in which, both the economy and society should be run democraticallyto meet public needs, not to make profits for a few. To achieve a more just society, many structures of our government and economy must be radically transformed through greater economic and social democracy, so that ordinary Americans can participate in the many decisions that affect our lives. Often, Leftist movements fall apart due to infighting. This kind of flexible agenda and big-tent ideology allow the DSA to avoid the pitfalls that often afflict movements on the Left so well illustrated in Monty Pythons Life of Brian.

One of the biggest points of contention post-election has been a fight between identity politics and class politics. Put simply, the argument has been, Should we focus on helping oppressed groups in this country or should we focus on helping the poor and the working class? The DSA, like Bernie Sanders campaign, understands that these two priorities are not mutually exclusive; a successful Leftist movement will be intersectional. The DSA has stood in solidarity with Black Lives Matter, the NoDAPL movement, and immigrant organizations, and will continue to do so. As the DSA puts it, it is possible to decrease the influence of money in politics, and empower ordinary people in workplaces and the economy, while restructur[ing] gender and power relationships to be more equitable.

What about the Democratic Party? Even if you want to work within the Democratic Party, you have to admit that the Democratic Party has failed. Despite not winning the popular vote for president, Republicans control the majority in the House, Senate, State legislatures, and the presidency. While Democrats have built their political agenda on compromise, the current Republican Party isnt afraid to shirk tradition, compromise, and any spirit of good will to exercise its agenda. Republican obstruction, gerrymandering, and disenfranchisement has gone so far that North Carolina has been labelled no longer a democracy. The Republicans, fueled by the Tea Party, are creeping slowly toward fascism, and neoliberal compromise will not defeat fascism. Even before he takes office, Trump has already hinted that he has no problem bucking many of the traditions and expectations of a commander-in-chief. All signs point to an insular, oligarchic, and hostile administration.

Even though Democrats have held the presidency for eight years, they have effectively been an opposition party. On the state level, Republicans have eroded abortion rights, environmental regulations, and workers protections. On a national level, most Democratic gains have been watered down to ineffective compromise.

Republicans neutered Obamacare and then won an election by pointing out how bad the compromises they insisted on worked out for the American people.

The time has come for a different kind of action.

With an ineffective liberal party, increasing income inequality, and no willingness from either party to limit military spending, reign in Wall Street, or protect workers in an increasingly automated, tech-driven world, there has to be another answer. The DSA is actively taking a stand on issues like Black Lives Matter and the Dakota Access Pipeline while many Democratic lawmakers stay silent. The DSA is supporting progressive champion Keith Ellison for DNC chair while the establishment props up yet another candidate who will stick to a losing playbook. The DSA stands in solidarity with the Fight for 15 and unions while the Democrats leave them hanging out to dry. The DSA fights for universal health care while Democrats resign themselves to privatized Medicare. The DSA stands for peace while both major parties are continually on the hunt for our next war.

If you are still stinging from Donald Trumps election victory and are interested in making a difference, I recommend visiting the next meeting of your local DSA chapter and considering joining the organization on a national level. For $40 annually, you will support an organization that is actually making a difference. After only several weeks on the DSA Los Angeles mailing list, I have been informed of actions against the Dakota Access Pipeline, in support of Fight for 15, and in the interest of advancing universal health care.

Chris Hayes is right: It is time to buy stock in socialism. A socialist movement is the only way that America is going to put stock back into its working people.

Read more here:
2017 Will Be the Year of the Democratic Socialists of America - MERRY JANE