Michael Hirsch

Michael Hirsch is a labor journalist and union staffer in New York City. A member of the national political committee of the Democratic Socialists of America from 2003 to 2009, he is on the editorial boards of New Politics and Democratic Left.

DSA’s Cuba Letter

Michael Hirsch signed an April 2003 Open Letter, initiated and circulated by prominent Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) member Leo Casey, calling for the lifting of trade sanctions against Cuba.

“a statement circulating among democratic left/socialist folks, largely by members of Democratic Socialists of America, condemning the recent trials and convictions of non-violent dissenters in Cuba”.

The petition criticized Cuba's poor human rights record, but shared the blame for Cuba's problems with reactionary elements of the U.S. administration...

The democratic left worldwide has opposed the U.S. embargo on Cuba as counterproductive, more harmful to the interests of the Cuban people than helpful to political democratization. The Cuban state's current repression of political dissidents amounts to collaboration with the most reactionary elements of the U.S. administration in their efforts to maintain sanctions and to institute even more punitive measures against Cuba.

Many of the petition's 120 odd signatories were known members of DSA.

Boston DSA post election 2004 forum

On November 19, 2004 Boston DSA held a post election 2004 forum at the Community Church, 565 Boylston St. Speakers were;

• Holly Sklar, a long time activist and author whose works include Raise The Floor: Wages and Policies That Work For All of Us; Streets of Hope The Fall and Rise of an Urban Neighborhood (about Roxbury's Dudley Street Initiative); and Trilateralism: The Trilateral Commission and Elite Planning for World Management,which foretold the global corporate economy long before globalization was a buzzword. She has also written for Z Magazine, The Nation and USA Today,and is a consultant for United for a Fair Economy.
• Michael Hirsch, a labor journalist and union staffer who is a member of the National Political Committee of Democratic Socialists of America, the editorial committee of Democratic Left, and the editorial board of the journal New Politics. In the 1970s he was a member of International Socialists and active with the United Steelworkers Union in Gary, Indiana through 1985.
• Harris Gruman, has headed DSA locals in Boulder, CO, Baltimore, MD, and Boston, MA. He is now Director of Massachusetts Neighbor to Neighbor, which organizes low income urban neighborhoods on economic justice issues and has focused its electoral work on the state legislature and , since August, pro-Kerry swing state phone banking.

Kucinich delegate

In 2004 Hirsch ran as a Dennis Kucinich delegate in the March primary, outpolling the Ohio congressman in New York’s 14th C.D. by some 200 votes. “Dennis ran on my coattails,” Hirsch says.

Left Forum

Michael Hirsch of Democratic Socialists of America, Mark Levinson of the Economic Policy Institute, Washington D.C. and Michele Rossi were speakers on the An Agenda for America: Demands for this Congress, and the Next panel at the Left Forum. The forum was held March 9 - 11, 2007 at Cooper Union College, New York City.

Open Letter to Obama on Iran

In 2008 Michael Hirsch of Democratic Socialists of America, New York signed an online petition “A Open Letter to Barack Obama on Iran”.

DSA Economic Crisis Group

In 2009 DSA member Rob Saute was the primary mover behind the establishment of NYC DSA Economic Crisis Group, which has since attracted the active participation of Karie Gubbins, Jason Schulman, Michael Hirsch, Itzhak Epstein, Peter Frase, and Chris Maisano.

The NYC DSA Economic Crisis Group seeks to study the reasons why the current economic crisis happened and possible ways in which the local, national, global economies can be restructured along more democratic and egalitarian lines.

It will attempt to use such understandings to conduct economic organizing in New York City, produce a small number of short pieces of popular literature on the crisis, and conduct public educational fora that will advance an analysis and program of action that reflects the ideological and political orientation of DSA in the broad left, which could use an infusion of the kind of visionary yet pragmatic radicalism that is our organization’s hallmark. Such activities will also be aimed at recruiting new members who are interested in gaining a deeper understanding of the causes and consequences of the crisis and who are open to embracing the particular intellectual and political contribution DSA can make. We believe that these goals are achievable, and that any socialist organization worth its salt should have a theoretical and practical program concerning the deepest crisis of capitalism in 80 years.

New Politics

As of 2009 Michael Hirsch served on the Editorial Board of New Politics, magazine almost completely staffed and run by members of Democratic Socialists of America.

Campaign for Peace and Democracy

Hirsch is listed as an endorser of the Campaign for Peace and Democracy, as of March 15, 2010.

External links

• Campaign for Peace and Democracy website

References

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