Resolution passed by TCDSA Steering Committee for the DSA National Political Committee (NPC).
The US working class is facing the most severe inflation in 4 decades. Inflation for food prices is over 10%, gas prices are racing ahead of that. Workers are being forced to make dark choices for their families. The ruling class solution of choice is raising interest rates, which may bring inflation down, but will likely cause substantial economic contraction. This of course will subject workers to a different kind of punishment.
The right wing of the ruling class, in the form of the Republican Party, is demanding restrictions on oil drilling, pipelines, fracking, etc. be lifted. The idea being that this will bring down oil prices and thus slow inflation. Many workers, desperate for relief, will jump at this and other fake solutions, especially if there is no alternative presented by socialists. Speaking to this crisis and advancing popular solutions is key for an organization like DSA.
TCDSA does not pretend to have the answers to what is presented above. What we do know is that our national leadership and our nationwide membership is capable of coming up with an emergency working class program to combat inflation. Things that might be on the table are strict price controls, nationalization of oil companies to stop the reaping of super profits at our expense. We might want to tie this into demands around the Green New Deal.
We want to propose that the NPC organize several national discussions to address these questions in the next two months. Out of these discussions the NPC could synthesize ideas and come up with a program and a plan. Please let us know your thoughts.