Re: [Marxism] Counterpunch: The new rhetoric of racism

["Mark Lause" <markalause@xxxxxxxxx>]

Fred Feldman <ffeldman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> People who think (always with a touch of satisfaction) that the weakness of
> the liberals will guarantee the victory of the conservatives, thus proving
> the need for a Third Party assume that Obama must lose because of his
> weakness -- mostly actually cold political judgment about the requirements
> of imperialist political campaigning today -- and thus dispel the
> "illusions" of his supporters.
>

With respect, there seems to me to be some major misrepresentations of
the positions here....

1. Most people who would call themselves "radicals" are backling Obama
and not necessarily interested in a third party.

2. Conservative victory is not necessarily good for the prospect of a
third party.  Who thinks so?

3. There seems to me no basis for suggesting any connection between
the specific outcome of this particular election and the need for a
third party.

4. The "illusions" that concern advocates of a third party involve
false hopes about what the Democrats will accomplish in office not in
the possibility of Democratic success at the polls.

It's always useful to take a one-sentence paragraph out on the porch
and shake the straw out of it.

As to which of the capitalist alternatives will be good for the Left,
Marxists agree that virtually any course that does not burn bridges
tends to move the struggle forward.  While an Obama victory would make
America look more like the rest of the world, the greater credibility
this would accord the US would, at best, yield mixed results.  Obama
means more war with a new face and new claims to a benefit of the
doubt.  On the other hand, the contemplation of a Sarah Palin good
will tour of Europe or Latin America or the Middle East would have
such a positive effect on U.S. imperialist hegemony that we should
consider fund-raising to make it happen.

Capitalism makes its own gravediggers.  We don't need to send flowers to anyone.

ML

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