Category Archives: January-February 2025

by Pierce Butler

Michael Podhorzer has written some of the most original and insightful analyses of the 2024 election, which rebut a lot of the shallow reportage of the last few months.

Particularly, he notes how recent bent decisions of the Supreme Court tilted the electoral and legal playing field (see “This is NOT a year-end appeal” at tinyurl.com/Iguana2134) and how Trump did not win the election so much as Harris lost (see “How Trump Won” at tinyurl.com/Iguana2135):

by Gainesville Residents United Exec. Board

State Rep. Chad Johnson, successor to GRU Takeover architect Rep. Chuck Clemons, announced a GRU Takeover 2.0 bill on Jan. 7.The bill voids the Local Public Utilities referendum approved by 73 percent of City of Gainesville voters. It also extends the GRU Authority’s powers to include unilaterally amending its agreements with the City and triggers millions of dollars in budget cuts to the City by effectively eliminating the payment that GRU makes in lieu of taxes. 

by Joe Courter

We can’t predict what the next months will bring, but there will no doubt be a need to mount both resistance to some of the changes being dictated to us, and support for those who are suffering the impact of these changes. With that in mind, here are three profiles provided to us by some of the groups on the frontline of the MAGA repression coming at us from both Washington and Tallahassee. 

by Mary Savage

You’re driving down a long stretch of road and see a sign that warns: “DANGER. BRIDGE OUT AHEAD!” Are you going to just keep on driving and hope for the best? Of course not! But have you missed the warning signs about Republican cuts to Social Security and Medicare — your earned benefits?

by United Nations Association of the United States of America, Gainesville Chapter

World War II was the deadliest and most destructive conflict in human history, claiming the lives of 40 to 50 million people and leaving much of the world in ruins. In its aftermath, world leaders called for enduring peace.

To achieve this, representatives of 50 Allied nations convened in San Francisco from April 25 to June 26, 1945, to draft the charter of an international organization dedicated to peace. Thus, the United Nations was born on Oct. 24, 1945.

by Robert “Hutch” Hutchinson and Jordan Puryear

A new nature park and festival venue is taking shape south of Melrose. WildFlowers Music Park, a 270-acre property in eastern Alachua County, is being acquired by a nonprofit charitable trust with a dual mission: preserve the land and host arts events to help cover associated costs. The model combines environmental protection with a large outdoor gathering space that the area has been lacking.

by Lee Malis

In the 1970s there were hundreds of thousands of young homeless people living on the streets and around the countryside. There was a big “back to the country” movement, the Vietnam War was over and there was a bit of a mess in the US. Jimmy Carter was elected president in the hopes that he could bring us back together. His message was one of brotherhood and unity, equal rights for women and the disenfranchised, amnesty for the conscientious objectors. Amongst his many reforms was free education for the poor and homeless.  

Deadline for submitting application, Friday, April 25

Gainesville Veterans for Peace Chapter 14 is excited to announce our 11^th annual Peace Scholarship Program for the spring of 2025. Thanks to community support for our annual Winter Solstice Concert and other donations, VFP will be awarding three college scholarships of $1,500 each for high school seniors, college students or adults. Recipients must demonstrate commitment to one or more social justice activities which may include: peace and nonviolence, intersectional coalition building, Black Lives Matter, women’s reproductive freedom, environmental sustainability, economic justice, education and social change.

by Joe Courter

Well here we go. This paper’s print date was Jan. 20, which means as the presses were running, Donald Trump was being sworn in as president. So much wacko stuff in the news as I write this, and that unfortunately will be the tone of the next couple years at least. Don’t give up, get out and find community as you will … we will need each other and that starts with finding one another.

Alachua County-based David Vaina will share his new book, “On-Ramps to a New Civil Society,” an autonomist reimagining of labor, value, mutual aid, and revolution, at the Civic Media Center on Sunday, Feb. 23, at 2pm. 

By Amy Trask

Amy Trask is an activist, a mom and passionate public servant who ran for Florida House District 22.

This week, I met with over fifty legislators at the Capitol. With my briefcase tucked underneath my arm, my padfolio stuffed with copies of my bill, and my feet racing amidst a sea of other folks running to their next meetings, I was ready to answer the call, and the many questions about domestic violence.

The January/February issue of the Iguana is now available, and you can access it here! If you want to get your hands on a hard copy, check out our distro locations here.

2024 in review: Strikes and organizing score gains, but storm clouds loom
by Jenny Brown ~ Labor Notes ~ Dec. 18 ~ tinyurl.com/Iguana2132
Labor Notes reports both good and bad news from this past year. Workers gained ground including service workers in the private sector who saw a 6 percent real wage increase for the year, strikes were easier to maintain because of unemployment rates of around 4 percent, and several groups won significant raises. On the other hand, working conditions are “often abominable” and weak labor laws and safety enforcement are “on Trump’s chopping block.”