JBA Says: Ditch Tisch and the Taylor Law!

We in the Just Break Already caucus have warned against what becomes of DSA candidates who make a place in the genocidal party of bankers and corporate landlords. Doing so comes with the heavy price of having to work with the billionaires, i.e., class collaboration. This undermines the struggle for socialism at every turn. AOC and other “progressive” Democrats have given us painful lessons in capitulation to the oligarchs. For DSAers to have any hope of success building socialism, we must make a clean break with the Democratic Party and their billionaire masters.

We have already observed Zohran moving to the right on questions of policing, while putting public distance between himself and the DSA program. Nevertheless, many in the DSA believe we can hold him accountable to socialist principles. Though the JBA disagrees with this because he has indicated a willingness to answer to establishment forces, the best way to see if something works is to try it. So, let’s put accountability to the test! The JBA says: try to hold Zohran accountable in action! Demand that he implement some basic defensive measures on behalf of the working class! Let’s see on which side of the class line he’ll stand!

For a start, get rid of hated police commissioner Jessica Tisch. Zohran has recruited Tisch to stay on as head cop, but Tisch will be a nightmare for working people and minorities. She is a zealous enforcer for the NYC elite and the scion of one of the city’s most powerful Zionist families. Democratic Party politics is all about offers and deals. Hiring her is a massive peace offering to those powerful financial and Zionist interests Zohran was elected to oppose. If we really believe we can hold Mr. Mamdani accountable, then we ought to call on him to fire Tisch and replace her with someone who will open the police archives and throw homicidal cops in jail.

If Zohran is really on our side, he ought to prove it by refusing to protect state secrecy and the killers in blue who terrorize the workers and minorities of NYC. This is an absolutely basic demand in our own defense that any socialist candidate worth their salt would fight to implement. If Zohran won’t even make a fight against the crimes of the cops and their endless cover-ups, then that should send the DSA a strong message about where his loyalties lie.

We should demand that Zohran refuse to enforce and fight for the repeal of the Taylor Law. This pernicious piece of New York legislation criminalizes public employees’ strikes. For decades, it has been used to break the back of working-class struggles. It should go without saying that any declared socialist who wants to see workers organized and strong should be against strikebreaking laws. Moreover, to take no public position is an abandonment of any fight for an affordable city, the rights of workers and the construction of socialism. If Zohran is our mayor, let’s see if he’ll challenge government strikebreaking and attacks on the working class. A socialist mayor who won’t stand for us on such basic questions gives us no reason to think he’ll stand with us on anything else.

Other DSA caucuses have proclaimed their support for Zohran loud and clear, and they raise the question of “building socialism in Zohran’s New York.” Here is our chance to begin! A socialist doesn’t abandon the defense of the working class and oppressed minorities for political clout. Demand Zohran stand for our defense! Demand that he:

• Fire Police Commissioner Tisch! Appoint a commissioner who will:
  • Open all police archives!
  • Jail the killer cops!
• Refuse to enforce or support the Taylor Law.