Mike Foley

Mike Foley

Closed Facebook group

Closed group for members of DSA, Greater Cleveland.

Members of Cleveland Democratic Socialists of America closed Facebook group, as of March 16, 2017 included Mike Foley.

DSA National Climate & Environmental Justice Working Group

Members of the DSA National Climate & Environmental Justice Working Group closed FB page, as of October 15, 2017 included Mike Foley.

Tristan Rader supporters

Tristan Rader November 11, 2017 near Lakewood, OH ·

Thank you, Kristine Pagsuyoin, Matt Kuhns, Deb Bysak Sweeney and Donna Kolis. I think everyone who had any involvement in this past election will attest... without you, none of this would have happened and we would NOT have won. Know how much I appreciate all of you!! There are so many others deserving of thanks and praise... Bonny, Pat, Art Pagsuyoin, Susan E. Bradley, Tim, Tim Collingwood, Eric, Charles Milsaps, Erin L. Rader, Matt Marton, Mark Sweeney, Mike Deneen, Mike Foley, Michael Berler, Michael Skindell, Kevin Young, Jennifer Scott, Greg Murray, Lain Pierce, Steve Holecko, Steven Stringer, Brad Presutto, David Nader, Kristin Sullivan Warzocha, Brian Taubma, Lauren Whittingham-Bonse, Laura Rodriguez Carbone, Sarah Kolberg, Stanley D. Austin, Vonni Rubin, Rosemary Palmer, Chris Feighan, Kate McCarthy, Lorita Green, Veronica Cole, Kathy Sinatra-Curran, Casey Davis, Bill Grulich, DL Meckes, Pam Wetula, Dan Alaimo, Dan Ramos, Jeanette Riffle, Keith Mundy, Marc Dann, Dennis Kucinich, Nina Turner... And so many others!! AND of course, my beautiful and supportive wife Caitlin Rader, I love you and thank you!!

Progressive Caucus comrades

Cuyahoga County Progressive Caucus April 5, 2017 ·

Changing the world one plank at a time #progressive #platform — with Yvonka Hall, Cuyahoga County Central Committee, Diane Morgan, Shawn Jaworski, Tristan Rader, Mike Foley and Steve Holecko for Ohio State Representative - District 14 at Cuyahoga County Progressive Caucus.

Jody Zupancic tag me!

Communist connection

The first weekend of May, the convention of the Ohio district of the Communist Party USA attracted about 30 people to the Euclid Avenue union hall of Laborers International Local 310.

The closest approximation of fist pounding happened when economic researcher George Zeller blasted “academics and elites” for perpetuating a myth of economic recovery, when hundreds of thousands of Ohio jobs have vanished:

“These people are not just liars, they are damn liars who should rot in hell!”

The convention included a bus driver, an ironworker, a farmer, a retired teacher and a lawyer. Their issues were Voter rights, worker rights, and reproductive rights. Green energy and immigration reform. Electing Ed FitzGerald and Nina Turner.

Politically well-connected, Nagin brought to the convention some well-known figures, including State Representative Mike Foley, local AFL-CIO leader Harriet Applegate, and the respected and often-quoted Zeller. Foley is serving his last term as a progressive Democrat in Columbus.

“Over the last three and a half years under Governor Kasich, I’ve called it the disaster of the week, or the atrocity of the week,” Foley told the audience. “One, two or three and four bills in a given week that are just awful.”

Michael Kilbane, the president of Fairview Park City Council, is one politician who did show up. Kilbane said he’s a lifelong tradesman, an ironworker. He said he’s not a member of the party, but stands with the communists because they stand for workers’ rights.

A few years ago, Kilbane pushed through a resolution through his council opposing Senate Bill 5, which sought to limit collective bargaining rights of public employees. More recently, he fought for pro-labor legislation regarding requirements for city contractors.

“I was met with a wave of manufactured opposition. The mayor vetoed the legislation,” he said in an interview. “I’m a voice of the working people. This (convention) is about protecting democracy. That’s it in a nutshell.”

On the subject of county executive Ed FitzGerald, Applegate, who heads the North Shore AFL-CIO Federation of Labor, told the gathering the left is warming up to him. FitzGerald has embraced the progressive agenda in his gubernatorial run against Republican incumbent John Kasich. It hasn’t been easy mobilizing union members behind FitzGerald, she said. Though organized labor has donated generously to the Democrat’s campaign, his job-cutting county reform agenda and his management style alienated many party stalwart. In general, union folks don’t see mainstream Democrats doing much for them.

Applegate said FitzGerald did galvanize the base last month when he beat back state Republicans who tried to block him from mailing out absentee ballots.

She asked the communists to not just defend FitzGerald, but to “start saying he’s our man.”

“He brings a lot to this race. He’s got courage, he’s smart, he’s pretty damn liberal.”