Tampa, FL - All across Florida this fall, student activists in are off to an amazing start. Groups in Tallahassee, Pensacola, Gainesville, Tampa and Orlando have blasted onto the scene with activism and victories, although universities and colleges started 2011-2012 classes only weeks ago.
August saw the rise of several new Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) chapters and affiliates in various cities across Florida. The University of South Florida (USF) is now home to Tampa Bay SDS, whose first meeting ended up channeling the anger of over 30 students into concrete ways to fight tuition hikes on their campus. Tampa Bay SDS is also preparing for the upcoming March on the Republican National Convention happening next year.
Along with more traditional approaches to student activism, some students in Florida have decided to try experimental approaches. The newly formed Uhuru at Florida State University (FSU) is taking the fight against state budget cuts into the midst of Black and Brown students across Tallahassee’s various college campus. Their level of dedication to fighting racism and establishing a strong sense of nation-hood in the minds of young oppressed nationalities is remarkable. Uhuru at FSU has affiliated with SDS on a national level, drawing benefits from a large network of enthusiastic supporters, but retaining its autonomy on a local level.
Often referred to as the “Third World of America,” the Florida Panhandle saw students organize a new SDS chapter with a strong emphasis on fighting state budget cuts and participating in the Fight Back! Florida coalition to end cuts, a coalition which has chapters in 14 cities across the state.
SDS at the University of Central Florida in Orlando is also making strides in their community through their excellent self-published magazine, Sounds of a Democratic Society.
Last but not least, Gainesville Area SDS has become a major center for student activism in the United States, kicking the year off with a strategic planning meeting attended by over 50 students. Recently, the students shifted their focus to fighting the 15% tuition increase that recently rocked their school, with high hopes for repealing the increase. Incredibly, Gainesville Area SDS recently won two of their protracted campaigns - seeing that the racist police officer who shot Kofi Adu-Brempong in last year's March police brutality case finally get fired for good, and defeating the Block Tuition plan crafted by their administration which threatened to charge students for classes they weren't taking - administrators which have recently announced an end to Block Tuition as per the demands of Gainesville Area SDS.
Students in Florida are already leading their movements in creative ways and it will certainly be exciting to see what they are able to accomplish this year.
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We need some T-shirts about Romney's wealth
I have been trying to get some T-shirts out there with a look at our own 1%er, the Presidential candidate Mitt Romney because I think that ordinary people don't really understand just how out of touch he is with the ordinary American, and because I think that some of the young people might like the slogans. This is a copy of a suggestion that I have sent to others but I would like to see the data used somewhere. So if it helps put a hold on the galloping plutocracy, this awareness may could be useful.
I have found Romney's comments curious during the campaign because he doesn't seem to have any feeling or empathy for what it is like to be an ordinary working person with ordinary income. I think that there is evidence for this in comments like, "$10,000 bet", $247,000 from speaking engagements is "not much", he isn't "worried about the poor", his wife drives a "couple of Cadillacs", he is razing a house to replace it with a huge one with an elevator for his cars, and has a person who facilitates the paperwork with the municipality to get it done. He seems intent on pushing even more to the rich. So, a little 6th grade math proves interesting.
Mitt Romney has been rich his whole life, including his childhood. In 2010 he reportedly made $21,700,000 (that we know about).
This is nearly $60,000/ day, every day, without getting up and going to work. ($21,700,000/365 = $59,452.05)
If Mitt Romney worked a 40 hour week like everyone else, he would make $10,400/hr. (40 hrs./week X 52 weeks/yr. = 2080 hr/yr.; $21,700,000/2080 = $10,432/hr)
Note, this is per hour. I can't imagine how someone would feel if they are working $10/hr or even the national average, which I think is near $23. It does give you a feel for just how different the lives of the wealthy are from ordinary people. Your $20 bet and his $10,000 bet are relatively the same.
Now, if you got up and went to work every day for 40 yrs. and made an average of $40,000 per year, Mitt Romney would make your lifetime earnings in just 27 days.
(40 yrs. X $40,000/yr = $1,600,000 lifetime income), and (59,452x = 1,600,000; x = 27 days)
These data really point out why this guy doesn't have a clue.
Some thoughts for T-shirts (but you can go nuts with this; my personal favorite is #4 for those interested in supporting unions):
1. $59,000 a day ... but the 15% tax rate is killing me...
2. $59,000 a day... but car elevators are expensive
3. $59,000 a day....I just love venture capitalism (here striking through the ven and writing vul above it)
4. $10,400 an hour... but hey that's only 1400 times minimum wage (10,400/7.25 = 1,435)
5. $10,400 an hour.... now you can see where the $10,000 bet comes from
6. $10,400 an hour... see I can identify with you
7. $59,000 a day...I am just hanging on for Social Security and Medicare
8. $10,400 an hour.... hell that barely pays for my haircut
9. $10,400 an hour.... beat that Barack
10. $59,000 a day... and some of my friends are rich
Democratic Rally this week Orlando
Please get the word out, this Thursday at Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Florida, International Drive, DEMOCRATIC RALLY, care of Florida Watch Action, 4-8:30, 9/22/11! and again on Saturday, 9/24/11 from 12noon-2pm. Spread the word!
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