[lbo-talk] What the results tell us...

[chuck at mutualaid.org]

B. writes:
> I have strong anarchist sympathies but I do not
> believe that you surrender some metaphysical part of
> your soul to authoritarianism by stepping into a
> ballot box, or that it's an either/or choice between
> voting and groundfloor organizational work. But I have
> little belief our voting system will change anything
> substantial, even less so now than before. It can
> affect a few things, but, fuck it -- look how many
> Dems had to lean way, way rightward to make as little
> advances as they did nationally. Depressing.

It speaks to the poverty of American politics that an anarchist in Texas
feels compelled to vote in this election.

On the plus side, I think that the current election results if they hold
up bode well for the radical left in the U.S. It looks like the Bush
regime will be seriously blocked by Congress. We're talking obstruction
here. The Democrats will be pushed by their supporters to launch
investigations of the Bush regime and that will totally block the ability
of the Bushites to continue their crazy imperial policies.

But with the Democrats we will get Imperialism Lite.

I think this political change will carve out some important space for the
radical left. I don't expect to see an end to all of the draconian
anti-radical policies of the current government, but more and more of our
comrades will start breathing again.

Yes, the Democrats are more like Republicans than ever, but the agenda of
the religious and neo-con right is now being disrupted. The challenge now
is to organize our side and figure out ways to push against the Democrats.

Chuck