[Marxism] Democratic Party Politics

[Nancy Brumback]

In regard to the Democratic Party base,. someone on the list said: “In other words, they have demobilized themselves because of their illusions, which is what the working masses who belong to the DP and the social democratic parties have historically done in relation to a whole host of issues. They are reformist independently of their leaders.”
 
Does that mean that they can never, ever change? That reformism is programmed into them like automatons? That there are some reformist cooties that get on them whenever they get near a phone bank or a voting machine?
 
Much of the tone on this list, with the exception of a few brutally-maligned but brave souls, is that the rank-and-file democrats are beyond hope because they are democrats. Most of you see the democratic party as a totally reified, permanent institution of bourgeoise society. You forget that these people are also workers, union members, women, veterans, people of color, and poor people and that they are worse off today than they were 6 years ago. And they are smart enough to know they are worse off. And they are political, or they wouldn’t be there at the county and the house district meetings. What else do you expect? Just tell me what other choices are available to most of them?
 
I inserted myself into my local democratic party politics almost a year ago. We now have a weekly anti-war rally on one of the busiest corners in the house district. Because of the internet, I am in touch with a whole network of peace activists in a three county area. My house district also drafted a peace resolution which is now being discussed at the county level, and I fully expect it to go to the state level next year. No, I do not stand up at meetings and rail against imperialist war. But neither do I cave in when the inevitable resistance comes up and tries to smack me down. I am trying to figure out ways to educate these people as to the real causes of war, and help them disabuse themselves of their bourgeoise illusions. If there were a few other comrades around to figure things out with, I would be a lot more successful. But most of you people just don’t want to contaminate yourselves, it seems.
 
So, if there is anyone on the list who would like to participate with me in long-distance discussion as to how to move the democratic rank and file to the left, please write back privately. I’d appreciate some solidarity right about now, and you know….we just might be onto the correct strategy, at least in some parts of the country.