Sam Webb delivers message of unity in Wisconsin

MADISON, Wisc. — Sam Webb, National Chair of the CPUSA arrived in the battleground state of Wisconsin and proceeded to take to the airwaves and to the public podium with his Party’s message on Democracy at the Crossroads and the how the class struggle fits into the 2012 election.

Webb first spoke before the Unemployed Workers Council of Madison where he hammered home the message of unity to defeat the ultra-right and challenge corporate power, saying, “Small movements don’t make big changes.”

In this University town, Webb also addressed the issue of the student debt crisis, pointing out that U.S. student debt now tops one trillion dollars, threatening the future of the entire nation. After the meeting a group of attendees presented Webb with a copy of the book, “Foot soldier for Peace and Justice: The story of John Gilman,” autobiography of the late, great Wisconsin activist.

Later that evening Webb arrived in Milwaukee where he spoke before a gathering at The People’s Books Cooperative and took a wide range of questions regarding the class struggle and the 2012 elections.

Again Webb stressed the urgency of building a broad based peoples movement to counter the ultra-right and their allies. He encouraged progressives involved in all areas of struggle — women’s rights, immigrant justice and movements for racial and LGBT equality — to go to the polls en masse.

Sam Webb got the word out on the radio as well. He spoke live on WSUM 91.7FM, the student radio station of the University of Wisconsin – Madison, where he was a guest on the TMI program hosted by Aldous Tyler. During the program Webb provided students with an introduction to the basics of Marxism.

Webb also spoke on Books and Beats hosted by Stu Levitan at 92.1 the Mic, which bills itself as “Madison’s Progressive talk radio.” [listen to podcast here.]

Stu asked about the state of the Communist Party today and Sam said while the Party itself is steadily growing it also works with as broad a coalition as possible, similar to the sort of peoples movements of the 1930’s and 1960’s that lead to progressive legislation that families now count on in their daily lives.

Sam went on to say that it is this very legislation and social safety net that is in danger from attack by the extreme right. Sam warned that a tea party congress, acting in conjunction with a Romney/Ryan White House, could undo 60 years of gains in as little as 90 days, since “once the right gets their hands on power, they use it!”

While one might assume Wisconsin activists are beleaguered after the unsuccessful attempt to recall tea party Governor Scott Walker, Webb said he found the opposite to be true: “Even though the setbacks were deeply felt, the workers of Wisconsin impressed me as energized, organized and preparing a fight-back that I believe will resonate on election day; and the message will be clear” continued Webb, “The American working class is going forward, not back.”

Photo: 2011 Wisconsin solidarity. Peoples World

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CONTRIBUTOR

Joseph Zimmermann

Joseph Zimmermann wrote the series "Movies You Might Have Missed" for People's World. He also covered news from Wisconsin.