RE: [Marxism] French elections

["Mark Lause" <MLause@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I was in the Houston branch of the SWP at the same time Louis was (actually
I got there a bit earlier).  In the bigger Texas cities, the SWP often
outpolled LRUP, and these were places with large Chicago populations.  Yeah,
we can bitch that the working class has somehow let all of us down by not
turning out and voting for LRUP...or the SWP...or even the SLP a century
ago, but it's rather pointless.

The trouble is that LRUP leaders conceived of the effort, at its best, as a
protest vote.  A short term, temporary stop-gap mechanism for kicking the
Democratic Party in the ass in hopes of shifting it leftwards.  This is much
the same way many of the Greens see the party.  And LRUP voters thought of
it that way, as did most Green voters in 2000...the proof being 2004.

The point is that Hispanics and African-Americans still favor the Democratic
Party, as do white working class people....  The problem has NOT been
overcome for any particular part of the working class.  While I certainly
wish it were so, it's just not.

To be entirely accurate, of course, most sections of the working class are
just disconnected from the electoral process.

On the extent of that alienation, there IS a serious racial and ethnic
difference...but it's a far cry from saying that any section of the working
class in the U.S. so far ahead of any when it comes to independent electoral
action.

Solidarity!
Mark L.








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