RE: [Marxism] Re: Vote Bush, because Kerry is Making the Liberals Dumb, Dumb, and Dumber (reply to Steve Gabosch)

["Walter Lippmann" <walterlx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

There are elements among the ruling class in the United States
who feel that Bush's aggressive and unilateralist policies are
a threat to the entire applecart of capitalism. These elements,
such as George Soros and others, are campaigning actively for
the defeat of Bush. They have a problem in that they are not
used to having to fight in this political way, and also their
candidate, John Kerry, isn't fighting very hard to demonstrate
reasons for voters to clearly differentiate himself from Bush.

Kerry is trading on his anti-war background, while standing in
favor of imperialism's overall policies for the planet. Kerry
couldn't be a major party candidate if he didn't do that, so
there's no reason to fret over what John Kerry isn't. He is
what he is. What's interesting and significant to observe is
the divisions that his campaign represents within the powers-
that-be. Kerry's campaign, which on one level tends to suck
anti-war energy into his electoral campaign, also opens up
valuable possibilities for public discussion of and protest
around such issues as the Cuba travel and remittance caps.

Kerry could have simply avoided this Cuba issue, but chose
instead to go for it. This is a sign that the demographic
shifts we've observed in recent years (the more recent of
the Cuban immigrants, who visit their families on the
island, have a less hostile attitude toward Cuba) has by
now become statistically and politically so significant
that it could make an electoral difference in a close
campaign.

THE MILITANT'S rightward evolution in recent years, from
its opposition to the rescue of Elian Gonzalez from those
rightist exile kidnappers in Miami, through their current
campaign IN SUPPORT OF NUCLEAR POWER, is quite striking.

THE MILITANT's rightist evolution on Elian Gonzalez:
http://www.themilitant.com/2000/6418/641801.html

THE MILITANT's new-found enthusiasm for nuclear power:
http://www.themilitant.com/2004/6827/682736.html

THE MILITANT on Zapatero, the Spanish socialist who won
this year, for what they called his "anti-American dema-
gogy" when he sat down in the presence of the US flag:
http://www.themilitant.com/2004/6814/681401.html When
Zapatero carried out his election campaign promise and
withdrew Spanish troops from Iraq, they weren't at all
impressed at what anti-war sentiment among the people
of Spain had been able to accomplish.

THE MILITANT strongly defended "their own" Commander-in-
Chief against European anti-war protesters in the UK:
http://www.themilitant.com/2004/6801/680136.html

One could go on and on documenting this tragic evolution
of a group formerly active in opposition to the wars and
interventions of "its own" ruling class. There's no way
to know how far this evolution will go, but prospects
for a correction aren't good. Having sold their property
in New York City for TWENTY-MILLION DOLLARS, they are
continue to fund-raise as if they were hungry for each
and every penny. The TWENTY MILLION DOLLARS insulates
the group's thoughtways from the influences of reality
which most people experience. I continue to pay close
attention to this group since spending over twenty
years as a member and supporter. We've put less time
in on THE MILITANT in recent months since they mostly
influence themselves, and some of us who were formerly
members of the SWP continue to react to their dismaying
evolution. I hope that other readers will bear with us.


Walter Lippmann


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