Binghamton Stands in Solidarity with Ferguson, Missouri

On September 6^th a coalition of Binghamtonians stood in solidarity with the people of Ferguson, Missouri. The march began as a rally in Columbus Park where community members, parents, and students voiced their concern about police here in Binghamton. Several Binghamton University students performed emotional slam poetry, and others voiced their support for Ferguson protestors’ demands. Gladys Jimenez, a West Middle School grandmother and 28-year resident of Binghamton, spoke the words written below. Read the rest of this entry »

Mrs. X Speaks

Mrs. X Speaks

We sat down with a local low-income resident to talk about everything from the dorms the Broome County Local Development Corporation (which shares a governing board with the Broome County Industrial Development Agency) funded for SUNY Broome, to racism in Binghamton. Mrs. X is a mother with kids in a local school district. She is also a student at SUNY Broome. The interview has been edited for clarity. Read the rest of this entry »

Keeping Tabs on the BCIDA

At the September meeting of the Broome County Industrial Development Agency the board made some “radical” changes to their uniform tax exemption policy. The board removed the Broome County sales tax and mortgage recording tax, which costs the residents of Broome County over $2.5 according to board member (and Chief of Staff to Tom Libous) Mr. Robert Nielson. Read the rest of this entry »

What the Press Left Out

By Dave Duncan

On Sunday June 29^th, 2014 the Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin printed a fine in depth article (over two pages) that detailed the plight of worker with disabilities. The article detailed how thousands of workers in New York State, as well as nationwide, are employed at wages “as little as a penny an hour under the federal sub-minimum wage program.” Read the rest of this entry »

CHRISTMAS VERSUS XMAS: A POLITICAL READING

By James Petras

The transformation of Christmas from a story about a migrant working-class family fleeing state persecution, in the search for a safe haven and receiving support and solidarity to the biggest capitalist commercial bonanza of the year – has far-reaching political consequences. Read the rest of this entry »

CuoMONSTERino Raids Again…or Will He?

We at The People’s Press looked hard and long at the candidates running for governor this year. Yet again, there are only two real choices on the ballot: CuMONSTERino, the candidate(s) of the 1%, and Howie Hawkins, Green Party candidate. Here is how they compare.
Read the rest of this entry »

TRUE THEN…TRUE NOW

“In capitalist society, under the conditions most favorable to its development, we have more or less complete democracy in the democratic republic. But this democracy is always bound by the narrow framework of capitalist exploitation and consequently always remains, in reality, a democracy for the minority, only for the possessing classes, only for the rich. Freedom in capitalist society always remains just about the same as it was in the ancient Greek republics: freedom for the slave-owners. Read the rest of this entry »

Selected Shorts

     Once Again, NYSEG Takes its Philips Head (or Flat Head) to the People

FYI- in case you wanted to take advantage of NYSEG’s refrigerator recycling program, get a more energy efficient refrigerator and collect your $50.00 but, were waiting until that old dinosaur which was clunking away finally bit the big one: Don’t! NYSEG’s, “Get $50 and we’ll pick up your old refrigerator” program is only for those people who can afford to replace perfectly good working appliances just for sake of upgrading. Read the rest of this entry »

Bracco the Knock-O for Sheriff

by Emma Pulaski

For the first time in many years Sheriff Harder find himself in a legitimate race. Not that anyone thinks Chris Bracco will actually be elected Sheriff this time around. Bracco will walk away from this race, however, a winner no matter the election results: with an aging Harder, Bracco has gained enough name recognition, shaken enough wealthy hands, and ran a boring enough campaign that will be part of Sheriff’s races for years to come. Read the rest of this entry »

Where does Socialism Fit in the People’s Press and Local Unions? 

Reprinting just the arguments made by the two union representatives defending their members’ services (and the need for those services) (See articles above) leaves out the Socialist argument that social needs under capitalism can only be addressed if they are priced for a profit. And if the profit is less than alternative investments – i.e. if butter pays less well than guns – then it’s the guns that get made and the cows can go to hell.  Read the rest of this entry »