Bloomfield resident, Michael Palmieri, to introduce noted economist Richard Wolff at NJPA Dinner, 4/19/15

Bloomfield Resident Michael Palmieri to introduce noted Economist Richard Wolff

at New Jersey Peace Action’s 58th Annual Dinner

April 19th, 2015

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Madelyn Hoffman, Executive Director, New Jersey Peace Action 973-259-1126 (office) or 973-876-1023 (cell)

Bloomfield resident and syndication manager for economist Richard Wolff’s radio show will introduce Professor Richard Wolff at New Jersey Peace Action’s (NJPA) 58th Annual Dinner on Sunday, April 19th, 2015.

Born in Bloomfield in 1999, Michael Palmieri attended and graduated from Bloomfield public schools before attending Bloomfield College, where he graduated in 2012. While at the college, Michael founded Green Hearts, a student environmental group which organized marches and other activities against climate change. In September 2012, he enrolled at the New School in New York City, seeking a Masters in International Affairs, Cities and Social Justice. There he sat in on an economics class with Professor Richard Wolff, who asked Michael to help edit his book, “Capitalism’s Crisis Deepens: Essays 2010-2014” and create a digital version of it. Michael regularly contributes to the Bloomfield Public Square column in Bloomfield Life.

The Annual Dinner will be held at the Regency House, 140 Route 23 North, Pompton Plains, New Jersey, from 12:00 noon to 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 19th, 2015.

New Jersey Peace Action (NJPA) is excited that Richard D. Wolff will be the keynote speaker at NJPA’s 58th Annual Dinner and receive the Dorothy Eldridge Peacemaker award. Dorothy Eldridge was one of NJPA’s founding members whose work continues to inspire NJPA and its members. Richard D. Wolff will speak to the issue of “The Economics of War: Endless Violence, Peace and the Economy.”

This is one of the most important issues of the day - the consequences of our war economy on issues such as job creation, corporate subsidies in the weapons sector, the structural, everyday violence of the economic system we call capitalism and finally, real democratic alternatives that can be pursued and implemented. Questions and answers will follow Richard D. Wolff’s presentation.

“Economists have conducted studies analyzing how funds spent on different aspects of society help job creation. What helps jobs most, a dollar spent on food stamps for struggling families, a dollar spent on improving college education opportunities or a dollar spent building bombs and drones and land mines? All the studies indicate that compared to other approaches, billions spent on weapons is ineffective at helping generate new jobs.” -- Richard Wolff, page 72, Occupy the Economy

Also honored will be 15 Now NJ which is part of a nationwide grassroots movement aiming to raise the minimum wage through the mobilization of working people. Founded in 2014, 15 Now NJ has built living wage action committees throughout the state, organized marches, drafted legislation, and changed the conversation around poverty in New Jersey.

Evelyn and James Dette, Weehawken residents, will also be honored as NJPA’s People of the Year.

Richard Wolff is the founder and director of Democracy at Work (d@w), a non-profit organization that conceives, creates, and distributes media aimed at demonstrating why, and how, democratizing the workplace is viable solution for a new economic system. Richard Wolff has been a professor of economics his entire adult life and has taught at Yale, the City University of New York, University of Massachusetts Amherst and is currently a visiting professor at The New School. His critiques of capitalism are widely published by both the Guardian and Truthout.org and Common Dreams. His recent works include, Democracy at Work: A Cure for Capitalism, Capitalism Hits the Fan, and Occupy the Economy.

Since 2011 he has produced a weekly radio program titled, “Economic Update”, which takes complex economic issues and makes them understandable, empowering listeners with information to change not only their own financial situation but that of the larger economy. It is aired on over 40 public radio stations nationwide including WBAI 99.5 FM.

Since the financial collapse of 2008 Wolff’s unique perspective on the economy has received heightened attention. He has made appearances on Bill Moyers’ Moyers & Company, The Charlie Rose Show and Democracy Now! In 2012 he was described by the New York Times Magazine as, “America’s most prominent Marxist economist”.[1]

“NJPA is concerned about the U.S. government’s continued commitment to allocating billions of dollars for military spending while American families at home barely make ends meet,” said Madelyn Hoffman, NJPA’s Executive Director.” We believe that 25% of the current military budget should be reallocated to education and social service programs. We hope that the trend of understanding the link between our economic woes at home and our over-bloated military budget will continue. The best way to attain peace abroad begins with changing our budget priorities here at home and would contribute toward creating a more just a peaceful world.”

[1] http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/05/magazine/economic-doomsday-predictions...