Disqus - Friends of moonmaster9000

Re: CPUSA Online - CPUSA 2008 Electoral Policy

brad — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 13:12:54 -0000

The point is not what one thinks about a particular capitalist candidate (Obama, Clinton, or McCain) as an individual, but what is going on at the grassroots and at the class level. The broad character and progressive nature of the coalition to elect Obama (including former Clinton supporters) is a promising and welcome development on the road to the decisive routing of the ultra-Right. Does the defeat of the ultra-Right bring the working class to state power? No. This is not the revolution. But it's a necessary step on that path.

Re:

brad — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 22:25:53 -0000

From what I've seen, the CPUSA is undoubtedly a part of the coalition, though we can of course do more. Also, it would be useful to further consider and understand what is the role of a revolutionary working-class party in this climate. Certainly, we would be making a serious mistake to think that Communists, socialists, radicals, or even the "Left" are "leading" the current upsurge. Given our size, we do well to keep up with it.
That said, it is encouraging to see the depth of grassroots organization invested in the campaign to elect Obama, particularly considering the intent to maintain field organizations in all 50 states BEYOND November. My question is: how can we best take advantage of this new feature in the political landscape? Beyond merely making this year one of landslide victories...what is the role of the broad center-left coalition (and of the Party within it) not only before but AFTER the elections? To what extent can we ensure that this election transforms the political landscape beyond the center-left liberal politics represented by Obama and the Democratic Party? How can we maintain and expand this momentum to create possibilities of raising the struggle to new and higher levels?

Re: Welcome to the CPUSA '08 Elections Blog

brad — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 11:57:22 -0000

Does anyone really believe that a capitalist candidate- Obama or otherwise- can abandon imperialism and/or befriend socialism? I would suggest not. Much less realistic is it to expect a capitalist presidential candidate to disassociate from those with foreign policy "experience," which in an imperialist country is PRECISELY imperialist foreign policy experience.
Mpbuchwald asks how Brzezinski (and presumably others) will "influence" Obama "against" socialism, as if the future leader of the CAPITALIST world needs to be INFLUENCED in such a way. I don't believe that we in the CPUSA harbor any illusions that Obama supports socialism (see his remarks on Cuba as exhibit A)...but to isolate ourselves from this progressive upsurge based on such an insistence is 1) the textbook definition of sectarianism, and 2) inconsistent with the Party's understanding of the Road to Socialism, which posits the defeat of the ultra-Right as the order of the day. This Brzezinski talk may be interesting (I'm well aware of the negative role he played during the Carter administration)...but how does dwelling on it advance the current stage of struggle? How does sitting out this election year in a spirit of self-satisfying ideological purity advance working class interests? Is it not, rather, a divisive distraction from the central goal at this moment?

Re: Labor and the elections

brad — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 07:22:24 -0000

One of the most important aspects of EFCA is card-check neutrality...which means that if a majority of workers sign a union representation card, the employer would be required to recognize the union. As it stands now, once workers get enough cards, the employers (NOT the workers) almost always request an NLRB "secret" election. This gives the boss several weeks to several months time in which to "campaign" against the union (intimidation, bribery, playing workers against each other, etc- all with the help of well-paid profesional union-busters)...Ask anyone who has worked as an organizer, or any union supporter who has gone through an NLRB "secret" ballot election, and you will realize why card-check will be a huge step towards putting employer intimdation in check, and better leveling the playing field for workers who want a union. Of course, card check is not the only gain in EFCA, but probably the biggest one.

Re: People's Weekly World - ICE throws working moms in jail

brad — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 11:29:02 -0000

Good article! It is disgusting how the "know-nothing" bigots of our day have fallen for the scapegoating of undocumented immigrants. Ultimately, who profits from this scapegoating? The Multinational Corporations, who ship jobs overseas in search of lower wages, weak environmental enforcement, etc....This scapegoating just lets them off the hook, and has the added bonus of dividing our multiracial and multinational working class. I've got more interests in common with an undocumented immigrant worker than I do with, say, the CEO of Wal-Mart. Why can't these anti-immigrant hystericals spend their time doing something productive(I don't know, maybe learn a second language or something) instead of making such asses of themselves...

Re: People's Weekly World - International law? Not in Texas

brad — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 12:31:32 -0000

sobeit's opinions about what someone "deserves" or doesn't are irrelevant. The issue here is the legal representation rights of those accused of crimes under international law. Whether sobeit likes it or not, international law is a reality (although apparently the state of Texas wants to deny this fact). More to the point, based on sobeit's posting, it would seem that s/he could benefit from a review, not only of international legal principles, but of the most basic of basic AMERICAN principles- innocent until proven guilty. Why is this still such a difficult concept for some in 2008?

Re: DEI belongs in union contracts because corporate promises aren’t enough

brad — Wed, 28 May 2025 16:14:58 -0000

Great article, but the AP picture makes it look like it is anti-DEI.

Re: Promise Kept: Trump Blocked Every Border Migrant in May

brad — Wed, 18 Jun 2025 01:24:03 -0000

"Promises made, promises kept"? You mean promises like "We will bring an end to the era of endless wars"?
No War with Iran!

Re: Trump illegally bombs Iran, sparking condemnation and Congressional opposition

brad — Mon, 23 Jun 2025 13:40:29 -0000

Good article, but headline too optimistic. Makes it sound like Congress is opposing Trump. The establishment politicians from both of the business parties are mostly rubber-stamping the war, as they have always done. Need to build a peace movement strong enough to force Congress to resist this.

Re: Trump rallies burger bosses to battle minimum wage hikes

brad — Tue, 18 Nov 2025 14:50:39 -0000

We have a referendum campaign in Oklahoma next June to raise the state minimum wage and index it to inflation. I think it's going to be our most important political battle here in Oklahoma next year. This is a straight-up class issue, beyond Ds or Rs: workers want higher wages, bosses want them lower. We should join the workers' side.

Re: Trump Sending Border Czar Tom Homan to Minnesota to Review ICE Operations

brad — Mon, 26 Jan 2026 14:32:51 -0000

I thought the MAGA ppl were pro-2nd amendment. Guess they love the taste of the boot more than the Bill of Rights.

Re: Mexico’s Claudia Sheinbaum Responds to Peter Schweizer’s ‘Invisible Coup,’ Denies Consulates Are Trying to Sway U.S. Elections

brad — Thu, 29 Jan 2026 19:35:58 -0000

Should we be more worried about the politics of Mexico, or about the President trashing the 2nd Amendment in his second term? If carrying a licensed firearm is evidence of guilt when you're killed by an agent of the state, then you don't really have a 'right to bear arms', do you?

Re: Video Portraying Obamas as Apes Deleted from Trump’s Truth Social

brad — Fri, 06 Feb 2026 15:16:11 -0000

Not that we descended from apes, but that we share a common ancestor with modern apes. And this is not a belief of 'the Left', but of modern biology for more than a century.

Re: Watch Live: Breitbart News Hosts Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick for a Policy Discussion

brad — Wed, 11 Feb 2026 11:09:31 -0000

Why would I want to watch this right now? Pam Bondi is testifying before Congress - much more interesting!

Re: Demands rising to push Trump out now, but advocates split on how

brad — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 18:25:14 -0000

"Using the 25th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution or impeachment by a majority in the House and a Senate trial (again), or, as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., advocates, either. " I am trying to understand this. I think AOC supports impeachment route rather than 25th amendment? Or maybe meant 'neither'?

Re: U.S. Hits Iran Again After Trump Said Tehran Has Been ‘Tapping Us Along’ in Talks

brad — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 00:52:38 -0000

No to Democrat forever wars, no to Republican forever wars! What ever happened to 'America First' principles? Is everyone here just a bootlicker, or are there principled anti-war conservatives out there?