Workers, Youth, People of Color:
Don’t be fooled by Barack Obama!
Break with the Democratic Party
of Perpetual War and Grinding Poverty!
Don’t be fooled by Barack Obama!
Break with the Democratic Party
of Perpetual War and Grinding Poverty!
Since the beginning of his campaign, Barack Obama has been the "candidate for change" and has awakened the sympathy and enthusiasm not just of the African-American community, but also of thousands of young people between 18 and 29, whom the press calls "Generation O," in their great majority activists of the antiwar movement or for the defense of the democratic liberties attacked by the Bush administration.
Obama will try to spread expectations of "change" to other groups that have not traditionally constituted his demographic base of African-Americans, young people and the educated, prosperous middle class. With Richardson's support, he will fight for the vote of Hispanics by awakening illusions that a Democratic administration will curb the brutal measures and deportations against immigrants. For the broad "progressive" arc that presents itself as the heir of the social movements – like the civil rights movement of the 1960s or the movement against the war in Vietnam – the campaign for votes for Obama is the continuity of those struggles on the electoral terrain.
However, sooner or later, these illusions will lead to a crisis. Not only does Obama not define himself as "progressive," he is also a part of the Democratic Party machine; as the time for the campaign to fight for the presidency draws closer, he increasingly tends to abandon "center-left" rhetoric and turn more to the center of the political spectrum, in order to attract votes from more conservative sectors that have no confidence that he will be able to be chief of the US empire. The incident with his Pastor, the Reverend Mr. Wright, whose only "harsh remark" was condemning the racism of US society and the cost of US imperialist policies, may serve as a sign. In spite of the expectations awakened by the fact that for the first time an African-American has the real possibility of being the US President, the reality is that Obama does not represent the interests of workers, impoverished blacks or the young people who aspire to end the occupation of Iraq. On the contrary, he represents the interests of a sector of capitalists who consider that this time the Democrats will better defend the interests of US imperialism.
The strategy of the "lesser evil" is what has allowed the Democratic Party to act to contain the progressive tendencies of the workers and maintain the two-party regime that creates illusions of "change" through the two parties' taking turns in power.
But, in the context of hardships from the economic crisis, frustrated expectations could also lead to the development of new political and social processes. Under those circumstances, the need arises for US workers to break with the parties of those who exploit them, conquer their own political independence and be capable of building a powerful alliance of the oppressed – the unemployed, Latinos and blacks – and the young people who are able to confront the bourgeoisie and their imperialist state.
Obama will try to spread expectations of "change" to other groups that have not traditionally constituted his demographic base of African-Americans, young people and the educated, prosperous middle class. With Richardson's support, he will fight for the vote of Hispanics by awakening illusions that a Democratic administration will curb the brutal measures and deportations against immigrants. For the broad "progressive" arc that presents itself as the heir of the social movements – like the civil rights movement of the 1960s or the movement against the war in Vietnam – the campaign for votes for Obama is the continuity of those struggles on the electoral terrain.
However, sooner or later, these illusions will lead to a crisis. Not only does Obama not define himself as "progressive," he is also a part of the Democratic Party machine; as the time for the campaign to fight for the presidency draws closer, he increasingly tends to abandon "center-left" rhetoric and turn more to the center of the political spectrum, in order to attract votes from more conservative sectors that have no confidence that he will be able to be chief of the US empire. The incident with his Pastor, the Reverend Mr. Wright, whose only "harsh remark" was condemning the racism of US society and the cost of US imperialist policies, may serve as a sign. In spite of the expectations awakened by the fact that for the first time an African-American has the real possibility of being the US President, the reality is that Obama does not represent the interests of workers, impoverished blacks or the young people who aspire to end the occupation of Iraq. On the contrary, he represents the interests of a sector of capitalists who consider that this time the Democrats will better defend the interests of US imperialism.
The strategy of the "lesser evil" is what has allowed the Democratic Party to act to contain the progressive tendencies of the workers and maintain the two-party regime that creates illusions of "change" through the two parties' taking turns in power.
But, in the context of hardships from the economic crisis, frustrated expectations could also lead to the development of new political and social processes. Under those circumstances, the need arises for US workers to break with the parties of those who exploit them, conquer their own political independence and be capable of building a powerful alliance of the oppressed – the unemployed, Latinos and blacks – and the young people who are able to confront the bourgeoisie and their imperialist state.
Contact the Liga de Trabajadores por el Socialismo (LTS)
www.ltscc.org.mx for more information: ltsmex@prodigy.net.mx
or call 401 919 4301
www.ltscc.org.mx for more information: ltsmex@prodigy.net.mx
or call 401 919 4301
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