First Published: People’s Tribune, Vol. 3, No. 19, September 1, 1976.
Transcription, Editing and Markup: Paul Saba
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New York City and the quality of life for the majority of people there is decaying fast. The decay is obvious on the surface of flooded storm drains and the bombed-out, abandoned buildings to the massively overcrowded classrooms and hospital waiting-rooms. New York is falling apart. The extent and depth of the decay is deeper yet.
The step-by-step layoffs of thousands of city workers and the gradual layoffs by attrition are gradually phasing out municipal services in many areas. 7000 hospital workers were laid off last year and 5000 more may go in the next year. City hospitals like the new Lincoln Hospital have recorded a mounting series of tragic deaths due to staff cutbacks. The hospital workers and the people of New York are struggling for the survival of public health care. The people of New York need the leadership of a political party that will fight for this basic right.
Unemployment has been over 10 per cent, 40 per cent for Negro and Puerto Rican national minority teenagers, for more than 2 years. 500,000 jobs have left the city in the last 5 years, one-half of these in manufacturing. The garment industry has suffered massive losses from shops that run away to the south and other highly exploited areas. In 1966-1973, New York lost 17,000 jobs in the dressmaking section alone.
New Yorkers need jobs. They need the leadership of a party that demands jobs at the expense of the military budget, jobs at the expense of fat politicians’ salaries, jobs at the expense of the interest payments to bank loan-sharks on city bonds.
Welfare for those who cannot work or who cannot find jobs is essentially frozen and 100,000 recipients are threatened with being cut from the rolls in the months to come. They need the leadership of a party that will stand up in the legislature of New York and demand welfare for all in need and an end to the harassment of welfare recipients.
Daycare centers, fire stations, clinics, bus and subway routes are disappearing and the people of New York have rallied and demonstrated at the steps of City Hall again and again, demanding that their elected representatives stand up and fight for their needs.
In the midst of all this crisis and tragedy there has been no force, no uncompromised voice in the halls of government speaking out for the needs of all the ordinary citizens of New York. The local politicians who are all tied to one section of big business or another are forced to justify the current crisis to the people who elected them while groveling at the feet of the federal government and Big MAC for crumbs to pacify the workers of New York.
The Communist Labor Party has entered the struggle to give the working class an independent voice in the New York State Senate. The candidacy of Arthur Goldberg, for the 23rd Senatorial District seat in the State Senate will give New York’s working class a chance to have their voices heard in the State Senate. A plumber and factory worker who has lived all of his life in New York, Arthur Goldberg has fought consistently for the unity and the rights of all workers. He can raise their demands of Jobs, Peace and Equality, and against the tragedy of the present “default” crisis.
To get on the ballot for the November elections, the Communist Labor Party must get the signatures of at least 3,000 registered voters. Because the bourgeoisie will try to stop the Communist Labor Party by disqualifying as many of the signatures as possible, the goal of 5,000 signatures has been set.
The Communist Labor Party calls on all workers and progressive in New York who understand the need for an independent working class voice in Albany to help in the campaign. Letters and resolutions of support, as well as campaign contributions and pledges of help, should write to P.O. Box 170, Times Plaza Station, Brooklyn, New York.