The Militant (logo)  

Vol. 74/No. 44      November 22, 2010

 
Party-building fund relies on
donations from working people
 
BY LAURA GARZA  
As election season ends newspapers are tallying up the amount of money the capitalist parties raised and spent, with donations in the millions from wealthy business owners throughout the country. The ongoing work of the Socialist Workers Party, on the other hand, relies on donations from workers, farmers, and youth who want to see the working-class movement grow.

The fall party-building fund is in the final week of the drive, and is ahead of schedule with 93 percent of pledges collected. Omari Musa, fund director from Washington, D.C., reports they are busy collecting all of the pledges to make their quota on time. Socialists in D.C. combined regular calls and discussions with contributors with a broad effort to win new pledges from those buying the Militant and getting interested in the socialist candidates running in the local elections.

Among the contributors in Washington are workers who paid several hundred dollars, as well as those who pitched in $10 or $20. One worker paid $20 for a single copy of the Militant, saying “keep the rest for your movement.” A rail worker made a $20 contribution, and a worker originally from Ecuador who campaigned for the Socialist Workers Party candidates gave $10. This worker brought several family members to an event to raise funds for the party where his son also gave $20. A student at the University of Maryland, who is originally from Bolivia, contributed $20.

In Minnesota, several contributions came from people donating for the first time, including two readers of the Militant in Austin, Minnesota, and another worker who occasionally attends Militant Labor Forums.

In Boston, a child-care worker originally from Peru contributed $20, and a student contributing for the first time gave $200.

All these contributions make the work of the party possible. Contributions received in the mail by Monday, November 15, will be recorded on the final scoreboard printed in next week’s issue.
 
 
Related articles:
Party-building fund Sept. 11-Nov. 9 (chart)  
 
 
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