[Marxism] The shifting ruling class mainstream

[Dayne Goodwin]

On Tue, Dec 2, 2008 at 9:04 AM, Joaquin Bustelo <jbustelo at gmail.com> wrote:

. . . I think we should instead focus on why Obama is
> having some success in assembling such a broad coalition of ruling class
> operatives behind him. And we should be clear in judging this. This "team of
> rivals" is not being assembled so that the vector sum of clashing tendencies
> can write on the tabula rasa of the incoming administration's policy agenda.
> It is being put together to carry out the policies of Obama.
>
> When Obama was first running and right through the primaries, it seemed very
> evident that he was quite genuinely proposing "change" -- not the sweeping
> radical reforms some of his supporters imagined, but real change in terms of
> ruling class policy.
>
> It may seem disingenuous to bring that up now, in large part because his
> bourgeois political approach has moved towards becoming the dominant,
> "mainstream" wing over the past few months. . .


The "disingenous" sleight-of-hand is a smooth maneuver but, however he
wants to explain it, i do notice that there's nothing more in
Joaquin's latest epistle about the Obama campaign being a continuation
of the "most powerful social movement by any sector of working and
oppressed people in this country" in modern U.S. history.  Can we
cross that illusion off the list?

______________________________________________________
On Sun, Nov 23, 2008 at 3:51 PM, Joaquin Bustelo <jbustelo at gmail.com> wrote:

> Dayne Goodwin says: Was the Obama presidential election campaign a
> *continuation* of the "most powerful social movement by any sector of
> working and oppressed people in this country" in modern U.S. history? - as
> Joaquin argues.
   . . .
I think the answers to Dayne's first AND second question are clearly YES.
   . . .
_______________________________________________________


I am glad to see Joaquin emphasizing that action and political
practice is fundamental.

Those participating on a marxist internet discussion list can no be
more labeled sectarian simply because they point out on that list that
Obama is a mainstream bourgeois politician than those who have
illusions about Obama can be labeled as tail-ending the liberal
bourgeoisie simply because of what they say on the discussion list.
Dayne