The next meeting of the Dem-Soc Discussion group will be held on Sunday April 20th at 3:00pm in the A.J. Muste Institute (339 Lafayette Street, Buzzer #11). This months topic is Politics, Literature, & Proletariat Art. The links to the readings are as follows Leon Trotsky: The Social Roots and The Social Function of Literature George Orwell: Politics and the English Language Mike Gold: Excerpt from Jews Without Money

TWU and UFT Activists Discuss: The Rising Costs of Health Care & NYC Union Contracts co-sponsored by Transit Workers Voices Brooklyn Transit Wheelers Club - 14 Williams Avenue (Crn. of East NY Avenue), A, C, L, Z to Bdway Junc. or J to Alabama Ave. for more information: http://www.homestationonline.org/ seminars@homestationonline.org or (212) 631-5857 and Independent Community of Educators http://www.ice-uft.org/ feedback@ice-uft.org or (917) 992-3734

Coalition against Privatization Meeting Friday April 25th 6:30pm 339 Lafayette Street Buzzer #7 (718) 869-2279 or noprivatization@yahoo.com In December 2007 GHI & HIP filed an application with the NY State Superintendent of Insurance to “convert” itself into a for-profit company. Conversion is a different way to say privatization. If approved, this privatization would expose 4 million GHI/HIP policy holders to the hazards of for-profit healthcare (premiums have increased more than 80% in the last seven years). Included in this pool are more than 500,000 city workers (retirees included) who will face a mega-corporation that is able to raise premiums at will, restrict access to care, increase CEO salaries and favor the accumulation of profits over healthcare. To date, mainstream politicians have provided little resistance. Democrats from New York City to Albany have lined up with Republicans. They hope to cash in on the billion-dollar liquidation of GHI & HIP assets as part of privatization. The leaders of the city’s trade unions have also spoken in favor of the privatization thereby placing a short-term payout ahead of the long-term interests of members.

The Private Health Care Must Go! Coalition presents... "Claim Denied! Oink! Oink!" Street Theatre for Single-Payer Healthcare Our street theatre includes a short skit that spells out the problem with our for-profit healthcare system and lays the blame where it belongs -- the greedy for-profit health insurance companies. Union Square Saturday April 26th 12:00p - 2:00p Don't Miss It! More info: info@phimg.org Flyer suitable for printing is attached and available on our website: http://www.phimg.org/V2/ The Private Health Insurance Must Go Coalition (PHIMGC), is a growing and diverse New York City-based non-partisan organization focused on education, legislative advocacy and direct action in the fight for Single Payer healthcare reform and HR-676.

Thursday MAY 1st Stop the Raids & Deportations Legalization Now · Justice for ALL MASS RALLY for IMMIGRANT & WORKER RIGHTS 12 pm: Gather at Union Square, 14th Street & Broadway 4 pm: Rally & March May Day 2008 is critically important. Will the optimism and hope expressed around the Presidential elections translate into an end of immigrant raids and deportations? Will it bring an end to the foreclosures of homes, the lowering of gas and food prices, or an end to lay-offs? Whatever the outcome in November, the May 1st Coalition for Immigrant and Workers Rights will be marching once again on May Day, International Workers Day to say no to all the attacks against workers here and around the world. We call on the progressive community, the anti-war movement, the women's & LGBT movement, and especially the labor movement, to come out for May Day 2008. March for solidarity, because an injury to one is an injury to all!

Liberation Film Series Screening of Wobblies Celebrate May Day! Thursday, May 1, 2008, 7:00 pm 339 Lafayette Street (between Bleecker & Bond), Manhattan, NYC. Hit buzzer #11; come up to the Muste Room on the 3rd Floor. (No elevator, sorry.) DIRECTIONS: Take 6 train to Bleecker Street or F/V train to Broadway/Lafayette. More info: 718 869-2279 or spnyc@spnyc.org

The next meeting of the Coalition Against Privatization will be held on Friday May 2nd at 6:30p in the A. J. Muste Institute, 339 Lafayette St. buzzer #11. The meeting will feature an update on the GHI-HIP privatization and report-backs on plans for the May 9th demo

Activist Training for Single-Payer Healthcare Sunday May 4th 3:00pm – 339 Lafayette St. Buzzer #11 A. J. Muste Institute For one day the SP Discussion group will be converted into an activist training session. After reading, conversation and presentations participants will be able to conduct effective activist work around issues related to the campaign for national healthcare in the United States. Readings: “Universal Access to Healthcare,” Harvard Law Review, vol. 108, no. 6, Apr. 1995. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/democraticsocialistdiscussion/files/Healthcare/ Devi, Sridhar, “Inequality in the United States Healthcare System,” United Nations Human Development Report, 2005. http://hdr.undp.org/en/reports/global/hdr2005/papers/hdr2005_sridhar_devi_36.pdf H. R. 676 Bill for Single-Payer Healthcare

**5/9 FRI, 4:30 pm - Protest: "March to Save Our Healthcare." Join the fight to prevent GHI-HIP from converting to a for-profit company & jeopardizing the healthcare of 4 million policy holders, including 500,000 NYC workers (93% of the workforce) & retirees. Mainstream politicians & union leaders support the change, hoping to benefit from the nearly $3 billion windfall profits of such a sale. Help send a "no privatization" message to the NYS Sup't of Insurance & GHI-HIP. Bring friends & signs. At Office of the NYS Superintendent of Insurance, 25 Beaver St (4/5 to Bowling Green, J/M/Z to Broad St, R/W to Whitehall St, 1 to Rector St, 2/3 to Wall St, A/C to B'way-Nassau). Info: (718) 869-2279, noprivatization@yahoo.com (request flyer)& http://www.consumersunion.org/conv/ &

Whether you're a dues-paying member, a voting member, or someone who's never even been to a meeting and are just interested about what we're up to and how to get involved, now's the time to check out a meeting. Bring your ideas, comments, questions, and energy. See you there! 339 Lafayette Street (between Bleecker & Bond), Manhattan, NYC. Hit buzzer #11 and come up to the SP office on the 3rd Floor. (Note, we're up a couple of flights of stairs.) DIRECTIONS: Take 6 train to Bleecker Street or F/V train to Broadway/Lafayette. (Manhattan) More Info: spnyc@spnyc.org or 718 869-2279