[lbo-talk] Huffington Post on rift between Dems and labor

Joanne Landy joanne.landy at igc.org
Thu Jun 10 11:17:24 PDT 2010


I half agree with you, Carrol. But the problem is the radical movements in this country have generally either chained themselves to the Democrats or simply ignored the need for an electoral expression. I'm hoping that the radical and progressive movements begin to think seriously about independent political action as a complement to street action.

At 01:08 PM 6/10/2010 -0500, you wrote:
>Third Parties cannot be built within electoral politics. If/when one
>emerges it will not be because "progressive" forces build one; it will
>be because a radical movement _outside_ of electoral politics has shaken
>the nation to its foundations. Then one might (if it seemed useful)
>create an electoral party virtually overnight. But one can not build one
>in a "progressive" (step by step) process. That is just another version
>of Bernstein's "The final goal is notthing, the movement is everythng."
>
>In parliamentary systems it is possible to build political activity
>_and_ participate in electoral politics. But not in a system such as the
>U.S. has. Electoral politics are the death of politics in any real
>sense.
>
>Carrol
>
>Joanne Landy wrote:
> >
> > Brad et al,
> > I totally agree. The problem with these primary challenges is that
> > they are suicidally self-limiting. Once the primary is over, the
> > progressive candidate disappears. A successful third party won't be built
> > overnite, but the only way to begin is for labor and other progressive
> > movements to begin. What's the point of being perpetual doormats for the
> > Democrats?
> > Joanne
> >
> > At 12:48 PM 6/10/2010 -0400, you wrote:
> > > >And basically it's all because of the Halter drive. It totally
> vindicates
> > >the approach.
> > >-----------------------------------------------------------------------
> -----------------------
> > >It would have been more successful if Halter was part of a strong
> > >third party to the left of the Dems. Then this move to the left would
> > >extend beyond the primary run up. Spread across the entire country,
> > >just think of the potential.
> > >
> > >Brad
> > >___________________________________
> > >http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/mailman/listinfo/lbo-talk
> >
> > ___________________________________
> > http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/mailman/listinfo/lbo-talk
>___________________________________
>http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/mailman/listinfo/lbo-talk



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