Socialist Salon Monthly Discussion Forum

Socialist Salon is DSA's monthly forum to discuss the politics, economics, theory, and practice of democratic socialism. Come to Socialist Salon and share your insights! Socialist Salon Monthly Discussion Forum is generally held on the Third Thursday of the month.

Voting is now closed and this month's topic is:

Escape from a Slasher Movie: How Progressives Are Fighting to Stop Deep Cuts to Federal Social Spending in December, Under the 2011 Budget "Compromise" Between the GOP and Obama. Under a bad budget and debt "compromise" that a weakened White House reached in August with the implacable House Republicans, $1.2 trillion or more in long-term cuts to the federal deficit are scheduled to be written into law by late December. A "Super Committee" of Congress is now meeting to target which discretionary government programs will suffer the most destructive spending cuts under the deal. Unfortunately, given the immense power of the military industrial complex, key social and environmental programs are likely to be first on Congress's chopping block. To fight back against slashing cuts to the American social safety net, a national coalition of nearly 200 progressive advocacy groups has come together to pressure Congress and the "Super Committee" on the budget and to argue for alternative ways of reducing the deficit -- possibly through a "Tobin Tax" or financial transaction tax on Wall Street, as DSA economist Bill Barclay and other DSA activists have advocated for a year now.. Andrea Miller, a firebrand organizer and lobbyist for Progressive Democrats of America (PDA), and a national leader in the coalition effort to turn back attacks on government social programs, will speak to the Salon on Sept. 15 about the status of Congress's budget cutting efforts and what the progressive coalition is doing and can do to change the outcome, both at the individual and organizational levels.

Science Club is located at 1136 19th St NW between M St. NW and L St. NW. It is west of the Farragut North and Farragut Metro stations and south of Dupont Circle. We will meet in a room in the top floor.