[Marxism] What does this election signify?

[Walter Lippmann]

If Obama is elected, and can't be assume by now, it would
resolve the question of whether or not a Black person could
be elected president of the United States of America, quite
a matter indeed, and a hell of a lot more than "nothing".

Obama's task, the one he's chosen to conduct, and the one
whom his wealthy backers want him to carry out, is a modest
but important change in the style and tone of capitalist 
rule in the United States, with various implications for
the world. 

Should the United States of American continue to be feared,
hated and reviled by masses of people throughout the planet,
and is that good or bad for U.S. capitalist business in the
world today? Or should a slightly lower and somewhat less
combative profile serve the interests of US capitalism in 
a better way? That's the difference as I see it. And that's
what at stake, a lot more than nothing, certainly from the
viewpoint of smaller less powerful states and peoples. Not
socialism, not which class shall rule. That's settled and
it already was settled before the campaign began.

It would be nice if there were decent protest votes for
McKinney and Nader in other places, though not enough to 
prevent Obama from willing, and thus cause liberals after
the election to blame McKinney or Nader for their loss as
they did in 2000. But this is all vague and uncertain from
my perspective here in Los Angeles. Support for McKinney
and Nader would indicate a layer who would be able to open
up protests sooner than those who'd supported Obama, and
whose whose expectations Obama is now trying to dampen.

And wouldn't it be nice of one or more of those three
Cuban exile militants in Florida got knocked out, and also
if Cindy Sheehan got a surprisingly large turnout?

Anyway, that's enough of my thinking out loud this morning.


Walter Lippmann
Los Angeles, California

Fidel Castro wrote earlier in the campaign:

In his speech, Obama portrays the Cuban revolution as anti-democratic 
and lacking in respect for freedom and human rights. It is the exact 
same argument which, almost without exception, U.S. administrations 
have used again and again to justify their crimes against our country. 
The blockade, in and of itself, is an act of genocide. I don’t want 
to see U.S. children inculcated with those shameful values.

An armed revolution in our country might not have been needed without 
the military interventions, Platt Amendment and economic colonialism 
visited upon Cuba.
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I am not questioning Obama’s great intelligence, his debate skills or
his work ethic. He is a talented orator and is ahead of his rivals in
the electoral race. I feel sympathy for his wife and little girls,
who accompany him and give him encouragement every Tuesday. It is
indeed a touching human spectacle. Nevertheless, I am obliged to
raise a number of delicate questions. I do not expect answers; I wish
only to raise them for the record.

The only form of cooperation the United States can offer other nations 
consist in the sending of military professionals to those countries. 
It cannot offer anything else, for it lacks a sufficient number of 
people willing to sacrifice themselves for others and offer substantial 
aid to a country in need (though Cuba has known and relied on the 
cooperation of excellent U.S. doctors). They are not to blame for this, 
for society does not inculcate such values in them on a massive scale. 

We have never subordinated cooperation with other countries to 
ideological requirements. We offered the United States our help when 
hurricane Katrina lashed the city of New Orleans. Our internationalist 
medical brigade bears the glorious name of Henry Reeve, a young man, 
born in the United States, who fought and died for Cuba’s sovereignty 
in our first war of independence.

http://www.walterlippmann.com/fc-05-25-2008.html
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FRED FELDMAN writes:
I also have said that I think the election of Obama is preferable not on a
"lesser evil" basis but as reflection of new setbacks to racism, and of
changing moods somewhat more in our direction in broad strata of youth and
working people. 
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But at the same time, it will resolve nothing.


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     WALTER LIPPMANN
     Los Angeles, California
     Editor-in-Chief, CubaNews
     http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CubaNews/
     "Cuba - Un Paraíso bajo el bloqueo"
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