Re: [Marxism] News from the US Socialist Party electoral campaign

["Ruthless Critic of All that Exists" <ok.president+marxml@xxxxxxxxx>]

On Sat, Apr 19, 2008 at 11:22 PM, Mark Lause <markalause@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> What with Nader and McKinney running, what is the Socialist Party or
>  the Socialist Workers Party or the Socialist Labor Party or any of the
>  others doing running more campaigns?

I don't know about the SLP or the SWP, but my understanding of the
SP's thought process is that the presidential campaign is an
educational opportunity to acquaint the UnitedStatesian  people with
socialist ideas -- which Nader's or McKinney's campaign can't.

>From "Wikinews interviews Brian Moore, Socialist Party USA
presidential candidate",
<http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Wikinews_interviews_Brian_Moore,_Socialist_Party_USA_presidential_candidate>:

"    *If you can't make it into the Oval Office, who would you prefer
seeing taking the presidency?*

   [SP candidate] Brian Moore: *No one else, other than Ralph Nader.
All, including Ralph Nader, are part of the capitalistic system, and
accept its premises that competition, profit, ambition, taking the
initiative, winning, exploitation, and survival of the fittest
philosophy win over the socialist's features of cooperation,
democracy, communal responsibility, fairness, equity, egalitarianism,
mutual respect, helping one another, etc. Even Ralph Nader would have
a terrible time under capitalism, but I think down deep he really is a
socialist at heart, but does not have the gumption or is too practical
to believe that it can emerge or survive.*  "

    * Why do you believe socialism or even democratic socialism has
never really "taken off" in America?*

  [SP candidate] Brian Moore: * Socialism had taken off in America. It
is just that the "Red Scare" and the Espionage Act and the Sedition
Act between 1917 and 1924 by the U.S. government, Stalinism and
McCarthyism from 1945 to 1955; and the Cold War in the second half of
the 20th century all undermined a wonderful and rich heritage of our
country that thrived from 1900 thru 1925 and beyond.  [...]
    One of my jobs is to re-educate America about this rich and
radical heritage, and how its vision is positive and beneficial to the
country. My other function will be to point out how capitalism is
failing America and that it is acceptable to think in terms of radical
change and alternative economic systems that will preserve and insure
our country's survival and bring more fairness and justice to more
Americans and to the world. *

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