[Marxism] On the Democratic Party question

[Mark Lause]

There are differences among the Democratic apologists.  Haines and Charles
are pretty much hook-line-and-sinker, while Joaquin and Marvin makes very
specific arguments about very specific and "tactical" cases.

It seems to me that they all miss the point that electoral politics is only
part of a process.  We support what we do to advance the movement and the
struggle.  That's all.  Electoral politics is useless or harmful if it does
not inspire sections of the black, Latino and working class electorate with
the possibility of moving towards their own solutions, of reaching beyond
the persistent and habitual hope that maybe the Democrats will be so caught
up in wallowing in the trough that a few scraps may fall their way.

There is impressive evidence that we are now in a period of much greater
promise than the 1960s.....   There's a good CBS/New York Times poll from
2004 that asked people whether the rich and special interests ran the
government for their own interest.  A similar poll at the time asked whether
people in office had no interest in the problems of ordinary people.  Both
indicated that roughly two-thirds of American voters believed that the rich
ruled through the government and that officeholders generally had no real
concern about ordinary people.  These results are TWICE AS LARGE as the same
measures of political disaffection indicated in the 1960s.  This indicates
that we are in a period of greater quiescence on one level, but, on another,
witnessing a much deeper and pervasive disaffection than

The Democrats have responded to this in in two ways.  First, they have made
fewer solid promises to blacks, Latinos, women and the workers, relying more
and more heavily on hatred of the Republicans to push those voters towards
them.  Second, they have launched a series of lawsuits in 2004 with no
purpose whatsoever other than to disenfranchise third party voters, and to
participate in a bipartisan process of excluding black voters in this part
of the county.

In the end, apologetics for the Democrats

* point black, Latino, and working class voters--who are increasingly
inclined to look towards alternatives--back towards the Democrats as a
legitimate option;

* confirm the Democratic strategic reliance on Republican policies to leave
voters no alternative but the Democrats, precluding even the old perception
that they needed to make empty promises;

and,

* accept their own silence as an appropriate response to the
disenfranchisement of third party voters, particular those in minority
neighborhoods.

Solidarity!
Mark L.