As usual massive censorship has been exercised in this election in the US. All but the two capitalist party candidates have been excluded from the mass media with the exception of perhaps one or two appearances on one or two of the more exotic shows. Voters are presented with the choice: One capitalist candidate or another. The overwhelming majority of voters have no knowledge that any other candidates are even running. When you add onto this the censorship in terms of alternative ways to deal with the financial and economic crisis then these elections are not democratic. But they still represent a way to struggle for ideas and any serious activist must participate.
In this election in the US the struggle for consciousness in this election has been between the two capitalist candidates McCain and Obama. Both are committed to this system and see the solutions to the problems society faces within this system.
However there is no doubt that this election has an extra excitement and tension to it as, for the first time in US history, it is possible an African American can become president. For the overwhelming majority of African Americans who have suffered for centuries at the hands of one of the most racist systems in the world, this appears to be a major step forward. As you hear again and again: "I never thought I would live to see the day." This cannot be discounted or ignored.
There are two aspects to a possible victory of Obama. One is the symbolism. To see an African American in the White House will increase the expectations and confidence of the African American population in general. There will be greater expectations not only from African Americans but from all his supporters and those who voted from him and his drumbeat of change. However this has to be qualified. The illusions and expectations are liable to be relatively short-lived. As the Wall Street Journal says on election day in its main front page headline: "New economic ills will force winner's hand."
There is a class divide in the African American population as in any other sector of the American population. Under Obama those who will benefit will mainly be the Black upper middle class and bourgeois as more jobs in the state apparatus will come available and as more access to state funds also.
Obama will try and solve the financial and economic crisis of US and world capitalism by cutting living standards. This will hit the African American working class very hard. We are looking at the beginning of the economic crisis to follow the financial crisis. 50,000 plus jobs are under threat in auto. Circuit City has just announced it is closing 155 stores. 4.3 million foreclosures are expected by 2010. If Obama is in the White House he will preside over this crisis. There are already the jokes about yes they are letting an African American take over because the country is broke and he and all African Americans can take the blame.
If the economic downturn gets too severe then he will possibly bring in FDR policies, that is some public works programs etc. He will move to prop up and even take over more financial institutions and even possibly companies in other sectors. But he will continue to operate within the capitalist system and because of this he will seek to solve the problems on the backs of the working class. Because of their already existing higher unemployment rates and lower wages, the price will be especially high for the African American working class.
If Obama wins today there will be great celebration in the African American population and also amongst a large section of the population who will feel that his election means that the US has grown up and become more progressive and mature. They will have an increase pride in the country and they will have such a relief to be rid of Bush/Cheney and their party. However, down the road, Obama, having committed himself to work within the system will be used by that system to solve its crisis on the backs of the working class and this includes the African American working class. .
It is estimated that Obama has four million volunteers working for him. This is a staggering figure. It represents a major mobilization of African Americans, Latinos, working class, youth and progressive people into political life. Imagine how these millions could have been mobilized differently.
Keeping in mind these four million, the union leaders have millions of members in the union ranks and hundreds of millions of dollars in their accounts. They are reputed to have given $300 million to Obama and they have turned out hundreds of thousands volunteers.
How about this: they should have taken that money and those resources and put up a workers candidate on a program to solve the country's ills in the interest of the working class. The candidate chosen should have been the result of a democratic process and been the best candidate available. If it could have been an African American candidate this would have been best.
The emphasis of the campaign should have been as follows: End all foreclosures and evictions and firings. For a $15.00 an hour minimum wage or a $5.00 increase which ever is the greater. Free health care and education for all paid for by ending all wars and military spending. Nationalize the financial institutions with compensation on the basis of proven need only, invest the finances thus made available in the infrastructure, schools, hospitals, affordable housing etc. Build Hands off our Homes committees in the neighborhoods and Hands off our Jobs/Wages/Benefits committees in the workplaces and unions. For the leaders of the unions and all workers organizations to be paid the same wage as the average wage of a their members with the right of recall at any time. Build a mass workers party around this program and these organizational proposals. End the dictatorship of capitalism build a democratic socialist society.
In this election there are other candidates to vote for. They are not all on the ballot on all states. But there is the Peace and Freedom Party. There is the Green Party and its presidential candidate former Congress woman and African American Cynthia McKinney. There are the various socialist candidates and there is Nader. It is not only as the capitalist media would tell us McCain or Obama.
Sean
No comments:
Post a Comment