Chicago DSA has launched its chapter campaign to Democratize ComEd, Chicago's investor-owned "public" power distribution utility. In this episode, Sarah sat down with two Chicago DSA organizers, Sean Estelle and Sveta Stoytcheva, as well as Timothy Denherder-Thomas from Cooperative Energy Futures. 

We discussed what it means to be a 'Public Utility' versus a Publicly-Owned Utility, the legal process of democratization, and the history and challenges of Minneapolis's fight to take back its grid.

Public Power: Taking Back Our Energy Future

Midwest Socialist is the official podcast of the Chicago chapter of Democratic Socialists of America.

News

On a very special episode, the Midwest Socialist crew is joined by Jake Flores of Pod Damn America and professor Ann Robertson from DSA SF and Red Star SF to discuss the Vladimir Lenin's seminal text 'State and Revolution.' Considered by many as one of the most important texts in leftist literature, 'State and Revolution' poses challenging considerations on how Marxists should think of the role of a socialist government, the withering away of the state, and the crucial need for a proper analysis of capitalism in order for a successful revolution.

Find 'State and Revolution' Here: https://www.marxists.org/archive/lenin/works/1917/staterev/

Ann's Pamphlet, 'Marxism vs. Anarchism: The Philosophical Roots of the Marx-Bakunin Conflict': https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XAhgLNa3C3rEjOLFcFwK19AoO5NlHnlO/view?usp=sharing

Join DSA Here: http://dsausa.org/join

Midwest Socialist on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MWSocialist

Red Star SF on Twitter: https://twitter.com/redstarsf

Jake Flores on Twitter: https://twitter.com/feraljokes

Sarah Hurd on Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahjhurd

Matt T. on Twitter: https://twitter.com/foiaforlastname

MWS Discusses: Lenin's 'State and Revolution' (Feat. Special Guests)

Matt talked with Austin about his experience on DSA's National Political Committee, the International Committee, his hosting experience on Machete y Mate, and a shared identity over being Puerto Rican in the diaspora. A moving yet informative conversation!

Join DSA: www.dsausa.org/join

Find Machete y Mate wherever you find podcasts

Follow Machete y Mate: https://twitter.com/MacheteyMate

Follow Austin: https://twitter.com/Gaius_Gracchus_

Follow the International Committee: https://twitter.com/DSA_Intl_Comm

Follow Midwest Socialist: https://twitter.com/MWSocialist

Follow Matt: https://twitter.com/foiaforlastname

Austin from DSA NPC and Co-Host of Machete y Mate

This week MWS Producer Brynn is joined by Matthew C. from CDSA's Democratize ComEd campaign to talk about environmentalism in the US, the state of the campaign here in Illinois, and how the snowstorm and power grid failures went down in Texas.

*One correction: The number of Americans who have public power today are 1 in 7, not 1 in 5.

**Correction: The Lincoln Park hedges debacle was the family who own MAT, another controversial industrial site located in McKinley Park that is also being resisted by local EJ activists.

To Learn More About #DemComEd Check Them Out Here: https://demcomed.org/

Follow DemComEd On Twitter: https://twitter.com/DemComEd

Follow Midwest Socialist On Twitter: https://twitter.com/MWSocialist

Brynn Talks With Matthew C. From Democratize ComEd

On a special episode Matt is joined by Ramsin and Jasson from CDSA to discuss the new film 'Judas and the Black Messiah', Fred Hampton, and the legacy of organizing from the Black Panthers to today.

Follow Midwest Socialist on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MWSocialist

Join DSA: www.dsausa.org/join

Follow Jasson on Twitter: https://twitter.com/IolaElla

Follow Ramsin on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ramsincanon

Follow Matt on Twitter: https://twitter.com/foiaforlastname

Judas and Black Messiah Review with Ramsin and Jasson

Sean Duffy talked with Matt about what they have experienced and learned from being a CDSA member to holding an elected position in the chapter. They also talk about the importance of not taking any shortcuts in our organizing work and what theory of change can help most in our success.

Join DSA:

www.dsausa.org/join

Join CDSA Defund Committee Here:

bit.ly/JoinDefundCPD

Learn more about Jane Mcalevey and 'No Shortcuts' Here:

https://www.dsausa.org/no-shortcuts-to-building-power/

Reform and Revolution:

https://socialistregister.com/index.php/srv/article/view/5272

Find Sean on Twitter at:

https://twitter.com/seanduffy_

Follow Midwest Socialist on Twitter at:

https://twitter.com/MWSocialist

Public Power: Taking Back Our Energy Future

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