We are all in this together. No class antagonism. I represent all people, all equal, all just Americans.
Richard Mellor
Afscme Local 444, retired
In 1985 I was given a great honor. I was selected by the
members of my union, to represent our joint interests at the negotiating table
as our contract had expired. I had first sat at the negotiating table in 1982
and learned a lot. I was not about to make the same mistakes again. Being part of a vocal opposition is one
thing, being an elected leader is another. You made promises, you asked for
support, you get to make important decisions now and your opponent is in front
of you. You should have plan and it should be explained openly before hand. A
powerful two-way link between leaders and members is crucial if success is to
be found.
This experience comes to mind in the aftermath of the US
mid-terms and a takeover of the House of Representatives by the Democrats. Much
of America heaved a collective sigh as the Trump train, though not derailed,
has been slowed somewhat. What’s more, there has been an unprecedented number
of women elected as well as two who are members of the Democratic Socialists of
America, Alexandria Ocacio-Cortez and . Rashida Tlaib. DSA has now grown to 50,000 members a
significant force that could have a significant influence on US politics with the right approach.
Nancy Pelosi, the multi millionaire former speaker of the
House and the most powerful woman in US politics, is expected to be chosen by
her party colleagues to return to that position when the floor vote takes place
in January 2019. Pelosi has been
attacked by many colleagues within her own party and some have said they won’t
vote for her. Among much of the voting public Pelosi is seen as the old guard,
a member of the established political elite that is at the core of the rot in
the Democratic Party. The new “young Turks”, some of them seen as the
force for change in the party have come to Congress on that basis and their
first major test will be Pelosi for speaker. This is particularly so of those
who claim to be socialists.
In a political column in Business Week’s November 12th
edition the authors point out that while women have gained seats and power (the
title of the piece) recent studies have shown women don’t simply vote along
gender lines, “Women don’t vote
altogether......They don’t vote on gender lines. They vote along party lines.”,
says Kelly Ditmar, of the Center for American Women and Politics.” (Rutgers University).
Remember we are talking about people in a bourgeois party here. It is party and
class that comes first.
Along with class and party loyalty, tenure, money and the
power that comes with it will be brought to bear on the newcomers. Pelosi
raised some $120 million for these elections and she is now talking about
planning for a “transitional leadership” she
says. The power in the party will not risk a major internal battle after such a
victory that meany feel she helped orchestrate.
The most vocal of the “Young
Turks” has been New York’s Ocasio-Cortez but it didn’t take long entering
the cesspool, that is US bourgeois politics before she announced her support
for the dreaded Pelosi, “I hope that we
can move swiftly to conclude this discussion about party positions, so that we
can spend more time discussing party priorities.”, she tweeted. A major blunder for the DSA member. One
wonders what sort of advice the strategists at DSA are giving her.
It is my guess that Pelosi will play the role of the old
guard nurturing the new players preparing them for the battles ahead as the
party transitions in to this new era with fresh blood. “She’s the perfect person given her experience and her political savvy
to usher in a new age of Democratic leadership.” says one supporter. The
stage is being set, “You don’t fire the
coach after you win the Super Bowl,” says Nadeam Elshami, her former chief
of staff.
And Pelosi has already moved to quash and potential revolt
from below handing out goodies. Rep Marcia Fudge, a potential rival for speaker
from Ohio has dropped any notion of a challenge after Pelosi recommended her to
lead a new sub committee on voting integrity.
Rep Brian Higgins from NY has “dropped his opposition” according to reports saying that Pelosi has
agreed for him to take the lead on a proposal he raised expanding Medicare and
numerous heavies in the party have made it clear that that a floor fight over
Pelosi will negate the gains made in the mid-terms and harm the party, “If the first Democratic value they see is
chaos, I don’t think that’s very good……I don’t think it’s a good look at all.” Washington Post 11-25-1. The gifts of money, politics prestige and power are very powerful in this den of iniquity.
Democratic Socialist
of America
Myself
and others connected to this blog supported Cortez’ victory over her party
machine opponent Joseph Crowley in the primary, as it had potential to hasten
the impending split in the Democratic Party as the era of the domination of
both capitalist parties is coming to an end. “Working class Americans are ready to hear a message about economic
social and racial justice and a plan” Cortez said after her victory.
Ms Cortez and the leadership of DSA should not have had her run as a candidate of the Democratic Party but her and others are in the swamp now and the “plan” apparently includes supporting the right wing old guard leader and millionaire Pelosi.
Whether Ocasio-Cortez recovers from her disastrous decision
to back Pelosi and the very forces she was elected to combat remains to be
seen but I'm not hopeful.
The mistake of not running as DSA candidates is compounded now by their support for Pelosi and it's not likely
they will recover from it. As I mention above, DSA has 50,000 members which is
a formidable force and its strategy, as the largest left/socialist formation in
the country, should also be to run independent candidates where they can as
they have significant numbers in many areas. And alongside this, initiate a
call to all the forces actively challenging the capitalist offensive to unite
in a broader national movement. We have
referred to this development as an “alliance”
or “United Front” to build the
movement on the ground and out of which candidates can be advanced, rooted in
that movement and in opposition to the candidates from the two Wall Street
parties.
 |
| The Republicans. The "White" Male Capitalist Party Source |
With
its considerable membership DSA can help bring together struggles like the
battle over clean water and the environment in general as well as the Black
Lives Matter movement and the struggles
against police brutality and racism. The rise of the women's movement will not retreat and we
have had a huge surge in numerous states as teachers and educators went on
strike against the dictates of their official leadership and in states where
striking is illegal. This was made possible to a huge degree due to the
relative weakness of the labor officialdom. This acts as a break on any movement
from within its ranks that threatens their comfortable positions and their
friendly relationship they have built with the bosses and the Democratic Party
based on labor peace.
It
is a positive development that the elections have changed the face of the US
Congress with regards to gender, age, race and color. But in the last analysis
politics matters and which class interest one serves. The two DSA members and
the DSA leadership has not launched an offensive against Pelosi in response to her
recent statement that the Democratic Party is “A Capitalist Party and that’s it.” or even hinted at building a movement
around a genuine left opposition that would indeed hasten a split between the
Democrat Party left and right wings leading to a new party that would be a step
toward the formation of a genuine workers/labor party in the US.
A struggle should now be taken up in the DSA against the
policy of working inside the Democratic Party and for the policies and strategy
explained above. Otherwise the potential of the DSA will not be realized. There
are times when a principled non-sectarian struggle in a left wing
party/formation is necessary. This is one such time in the DSA. In advocating
this approach it should be noted that the DSA which points to the example of
Eugene Debs does not follow the policy of Eugene Debs. He ran as a candidate
for the Socialist party not as a candidate for any capitalist party.
My
guess is that Pelosi will be elected speaker come January and the new radicals
will fall in to line.
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