By James Thompson

Just coming off the electoral cycle roller coaster, the people of the United States are now being entertained by the capitalist media and capitalist politicians. You hear nothing but terrifying stories about what will happen if the nation “goes over the fiscal cliff.” The intention, of course, is to deceive the people, demoralize them and distract them from fighting for their real interests.

Will the capitalists succeed in their efforts? Working people are being bombarded with warnings about modern-day hobgoblins, as well as other mythical figures. Both Democrats and Republicans seem to agree that something awful will happen if their opponents succeed in their plan to deal with the tax situation. One politician asks for a cut here and a tax increase there to solve the problem. Another asks for different cuts and tax increases but reaches the same conclusion: The hobgoblins, i.e. whatever is on the other side of the “fiscal cliff,” will disappear and not torment us if their plan is adopted and put into action. Many bourgeois leaders are talking about “recession” if they don’t get their way. I’m reminded of the line from “Shall we dance?” which I have adapted for the purposes of this article:

“You say recession and I say depression
You say recession and I say depression
Recession, depression
Recession, depression
Let’s call the whole thing off!”

The wealthy plutocrats and their cheerleaders are not talking about reality. They merely conjure up ideas to scare people. They don’t talk about the fact that capitalism must have booms and busts and periodic crises since they are necessary for the survival of capitalism. They don’t talk about the fact that it is normal for there to be high unemployment in capitalist countries. They don’t talk about the fact that many European countries, including Germany, are talking about recession already. They don’t talk about the fact that the United States is part of the global capitalist system and is subject to the economic laws of capitalism just like everyone else. In capitalist economics, there can be no “American exceptionalism.”

There are many cracks in the capitalist wall now around the world. The United States cannot be exempted from economic crises and business cycles. In fact, it is quite arrogant to myopically focus on the short-term effects of shifting the tax burden here or there or cutting spending here or there. We should remember Galileo who tried to show people that the sun does not revolve around the earth, but in fact the opposite is true. The economy of the world does not revolve around the United States, but in fact the opposite is true.

So, we don’t know what will happen if we don’t chase off our hobgoblins in the right way. However, we can be pretty sure that the capitalist politicians and media will take care of their wealthy plutocrats and throw the people under the bus.

We can also be sure that no one will suggest that we need to learn to live with continuing economic crises as long as we cling to capitalism as our economic system. We also will need to learn to live (or die) with continuing imperialist wars. We also need to learn to live with economic injustice, environmental crises, continuing assaults on working people and deteriorating civil and human rights as long as we hold on to and protect capitalism.

Socialism and a planned economy is the only remedy to the chaos and injustice of capitalism.

A Houstonian, George H. W. Bush, coined a term “Voodoo economics,” which he pinned on his opponent, Ronald Reagan. Former President Bush should be credited for coming up with this term. However, the term is not just applicable to his opponent, it applies to the world capitalist system and its cheerleaders in the media and the ivory towers.

Working people should not be deceived and distracted by modern day hobgoblins and “Voodoo economics.” We should unite and fight for our rights and go after the real hobgoblins, i.e. the wealthy plutocrats also called capitalists.

Will working people be deceived once again by their Master’s sorcerers? Will working people allow the plutocrats to continue to sneer at them, terrorize them and steal them blind? There is a crying need for a “political party of a new type” to develop in the United States. Such a party could educate people about the need for socialism and build a movement to fight for worker’s interests and move us towards socialism. Many recent polls indicate there is widespread support for socialism in this country. Unfortunately, today there is no “vanguard” party to lead the people of the United States towards socialism. Working people can remedy this deficiency in short order.

Editor’s note: “Some people will rob you with a six-gun and others with a fountain pen.” – Woody Guthrie

Press Release
Contact:
Alfred Molison III
832-638-5187

“I think there are two types of bankers: One kind are crooks and the other kind are criminals.”*
Alfred Molison Jr.
Candidate for Texas State Representative District 131
November 6, 2012

My father, Alfred Molison Jr., candidate for Texas State Representative District 131, again wishes to publicly thank the members of the Houston Communist Party for their endorsement. This is the first time he’s run for public office and his mere presence on the ballot struck fear into the heart of the Democratic establishment.

We hope that in the future, not only will members and allies of the Communist Party work with Greens but Communist Party members will also run candidates on the Green Party ballot. There’s no demand on our part for anyone to give up Communist values or the clear differences of our parties. The people of Texas need multiple options and multiple parties on the ballot. The unfair state ballot access laws deny the Communist Party and many others the opportunity to run candidates on their own ballot line. Greens support the elimination of these unjust laws that deny voters genuine options and genuine competition in all elections. We support more parties on the ballot and non-partisan and/or multi-partisan election rule development and management. Thus, we asked for candidates from the Communist Party and endorsements by the Communist Party..

For the 2012 election the Democrats actually woke up. For the first time in years, they actively recruited candidates in this race and many others around the state of Texas, whether they could win or not. Statewide and locally, where they couldn’t find a Democrat to run then they recruited a Libertarian. In the District 131 race the Democrats recruited someone to run on the Libertarian ticket with the same first name as my father and even a similar last name.

A first time candidate, with no campaign budget, usually gets around 1% of the vote. My father got 2.11% of the vote. I attribute part of his better showing than most to the support and endorsement of the Communist Party.

There are many people, usually members of the top Democratic Party leadership, who say, well they can’t win, so they shouldn’t be voted for or supported in any way. Greens should run at the lower, non-partisan level, (and then the Democratic leadership opposes Greens there, too).

Our ideas about honest elections, genuine democracy, and candidates who work for people’s needs instead of the desires of the wealthy and big corporations are too idealistic and naive. We call for an end to all the foreign military interventions of the U.S. military. The Democratic leadership says that’s nice. You’re so cute. Now, leave the serious political activity to us professionals, us realists, us adults.

Those dismissive views belong to people who don’t believe in much of anything. Those are the views of people who believe in rule by an aristocracy, rule by the best. Those are the views of people who invest nothing, save nothing, change nothing, grow nothing and ultimately take away from all of us. They have a pirate mentality, a bully mentality, an exploiters mentality.

Where do we begin overthrowing a system of corruption and planetary destruction? We begin here, with the Green Party and the Communist Party. Speak your mind. Demonstrate and organize to do right. Run for public office and demand accountability from those in office. Make demands and influence officeholders between elections, not just during elections.

We look forward to working with our friends and allies in the Houston Communist Party and the Communist Party of the United States.

I’m reminded of a quote from Ghandi, “First they ignore you. Then they laugh at you. Then they fight you. Then you win.”

Sincerely,
Alfred Molison III
Campaign Manager

*Dad wants reform of the banking system. Centrally, nationalize the banks. They’re already being paid for and bailed out by the U.S. government. It’s not that big a step to nationalizing them. The profits can go to benefit the majority of human beings by eliminating all mortgage debt, all student loan debt and all credit card debt. Do you think that we, the taxpayer, can’t afford that? Look at how much non-tax revenue based money was suddenly made to appear when private banks and financial companies started to run into trouble. Total those three social debts we demand forgiveness for and you’ll find that the big banks have been bailed out for that amount and far, far more. The ultra-wealthy are fat and happy while the majority of people are suffering. The big banks and wealthy people own our government and have instituted socialist bailouts and tax funded rewards for the elites. Their government gives the 99% of us human beings capitalist losses, exported jobs and stagnant wages as punishment. Alternatively, take a look at a website called A New Way Forward, which prescribes many excellent financial reforms, including the reinstatement of the Glass-Steagall Act which separated commercial speculation from government guaranteed individual savings. Right now the government is guaranteeing no losses for big, commercial speculators. The more trouble they get in the more they get bailed out.

Check out these links for opinion polls from a number of countries including the USA on their perception of capitalism and the free market:

http://www.worldpublicopinion.org/pipa/articles/btglobalizationtradera/684.php

There is also this 2012 study by Pew Global Attitudes that repeats the result:

http://www.pewglobal.org/database/?indicator=18

You can click on each country to see how opinion has changed in the last decade – big drops in Mexico, Italy, Spain
They added Greece just last year – no surprise.

This poll done for the BBC by Globescan has more bad news for capitalism:

http://www.globescan.com/images/images/pressreleases/bbc2012_economics/BBC12_Economics.pdf  (complete)

http://www.globescan.com/84-press-releases-2012/179-economic-system-seen-as-unfair-global-poll.html (summary)

Sunday 25 November 2012 by Marie Nassif-Debs

Via: http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/news/content/view/full/126529

The world conference of Communist and Workers Parties drew to a close today in Beirut.

The decision to hold the meeting in Lebanon reflects the reality that the Middle East is still a crucial battleground for imperialist forces.

The Lebanese Communist Party observed last December that the crisis in Syria had reached a bottleneck – that the voices calling for change and mounting peaceful demonstrations for reform were being drowned out, replaced by growing violence and the proliferation of arms.

A year on we can see that Syria is in the midst of a civil war with an international dimension.

The country has split along sectarian lines and the bloodletting feeds on the military solution pursued by the Damascus regime on the one hand and the foreign support – money, weapons, fighters – given to armed groups which are divided among themselves and which are committing atrocities against the Syrian people on the other.

Negotiations on the country’s future seem to involve all parties except the Syrians.

This internationalisation of the crisis is likely to draw it out, with all that entails in terms of death, destruction and displacement of Syrians to neighbouring countries. Around 250,000 Syrians have fled into Lebanon alone.

For us in Lebanon the sectarian divide recalls the 1975-6 “two-years’ war” in our country, which led to a geographical splitting of Lebanon and direct Israeli military intervention in the south.

The priorities of the region’s main powers – for Israel, a covetous desire to retain control of the Golan Heights and for Turkey both the immediate issue of controlling the Kurds and the longer-term aspiration to dominate the “Islamic east” as the Ottoman empire once did – come up against two poles of international struggle, that is the United States and its allies on one side and Russia and its allies on the other.

US imperialism, along with its military arm Nato and its allies in the European Union, seeks to resolve its deep economic crisis through reinforcing control over energy sources, which entails total control over the Arab world from the Atlantic to the Gulf.

It benefits from the reactionary Arab regimes which support it as well as from those new regimes which are a product of military and financial support offered in order to derail popular uprisings and prevent them from achieving their goals – independence and social and democratic transition.

On the other side Russia is seeking to establish a new axis in the region through Iran and Syria to regain some of the influence the Soviet Union had in the region – not to support their peoples in the struggle for liberation and change as was the case then, but to increase its share in the redivision of the world taking place today and consolidate its role as a leader of the “second pole” confronting US global dominance.

The “new Middle East” planned by imperialism is based on the sectarian Sunni-Shi’ite division as well as dividing smaller minorities such as the Alawites. It aims to fragment the Arab world into small statelets, often with a religious dimension – exactly as US capitalist theorist Zbigniew Brzezinski recommended in his book The Grand Chessboard and as Turkey’s Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu is using to draw up that country’s current foreign policy.

Through this perspective the growing power of the Muslim Brotherhood movement – especially in light of their support from the so-called “Arabs of America,” such as Saudi Arabia and Qatar – becomes worrying. New wars are being prepared for the region, possibly spearheaded by Israel and Turkey.

Unlike in Syria the situation in Lebanon is not on fire yet. Following the October assassination of security official Wissam al-Hassan the ambassadors of all five permanent members of the UN security council and the UN delegate in Beirut told the Lebanese government and the main regional forces that there was a consensus to prevent an armed explosion in our country.

This means a full-scale spillover of the Syrian civil war into Lebanon is unlikely to happen soon, even though there are problems on the border with some battles fought between rival Syrian rebel groups in Lebanese regions under the influence of ex-prime minister Saad al-Harriri and some Lebanese villages falling victim to Syrian government shelling.

This shaky but not-quite-explosive security situation could continue for a long time, since the US and Russia have not yet settled on the policies they’ll follow in the short and medium-term future.

But the preparations for possible conflict are continuing on both sides – with military manoeuvres, armies being mobilised, submarines coming in from everywhere and the ramping up of bellicose rhetoric over regional conflicts, particularly between Israel and Iran.

The Arab world and the Middle East are boiling as a result of renewed imperialist rivalry and the general conflict among the most powerful capitalist states over who gets what in the New World Order.

In this capitalist conflict there is a factor which is still absent, though it could become a determining force.

That is the role of the international working class under the leadership of its parties.

Can this class and its allies confront the imperialist project and replace sectarian struggle with a narrative for socialist change?

It’s more than a million-dollar question. Only by putting socialism at the forefront of the struggle can we save humankind from these endless wars.

Marie Nassif-Debs is deputy general secretary of the Lebanese Communist Party and is responsible for its foreign relations.

http://ideologicalfightback.com/russia-neighboring-countries-celebrate-95th-anniversary-bolshevik-revolution/

Festive events dedicated to the 95th anniversary of the Great October Socialist Revolution, took place in most parts of the territory of the ex-Soviet Union.

KRASNOYARSK. A demonstration and rally was held, organized under the leadership of activists of the AUCPB. Preparing celebrations was predictably met by resistance of city officials who tried to ban them.

In summary, a column of revolutionary communists (Bolsheviks, the Komsomols, RCWP, the International Union of Soviet Officers, etc.) proceeded along the avenue named after the newspaper “Krasnoyarsk worker”, with red flags and incendiary slogans. Half way along, demonstrators took to the roadway, after heated debate with police and repeated chants of “Glory to the Soviet Militia – shame on bourgeois police”. After the rally, the organizers were presented with a “paper” by police on calling “for a protocol” (prepared in advance), but when one of the organizers, V.N. Komarova refused to sign it, attempts were made by plain clothes police to arrest him, but were prevented by outraged protesters.

In the evening a concert was held organized by the local branch of “Communists of Russia.” Our Bolshevik poets read out their verses. At all events, as well as during the wreath-laying ceremony in Divnogorsk, the newspapers “Hammer and Sickle”, “Revolution”, “Workers ‘and Peasants’ Truth” and AUCPB 2012 calendars were distributed..

The next day one of the organizers called in by police was released without protocol.

KURSK. On November 7, 2012, the Bolsheviks of the Kursk branch of the AUCPB took an active part in the march on the 95th anniversary of the Great October Socialist Revolution. At the meeting devoted to this significant date, newspapers “Hammer and Sickle”, “Revolution”, greeting flyers from the CC AUCPB and flyers of political persuasion, were distributed and propaganda work was conducted. The younger generation took an active part in the demonstration and rally.

PYATIGORSK. In the city of Pyatigorsk, on November 7, 2012 at the monument to Sergei Kirov, Communists held a solemn meeting dedicated to the 95th anniversary of the victory of the Great October Socialist Revolution and the 21th anniversary of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks.

The AUCPB standard, portraits of Lenin and J.V. Stalin, Soviet arms, and red flags with the hammer and sickle were raised up. Newspapers: “Hammer and Sickle”, “Workers – Peasants Truth,” leaflets of different content were circulated. Propaganda work was carried out among the people taking part before the meeting on the role of the Bolsheviks in overthrowing the bourgeoisie in Petrograd, Russia, building socialism under Stalin, and today’s AUCPB struggle against the bourgeoisie. Flowers were laid at the monument to S.M. Kirov.

N.A. Degtyarenko, a member of the Central Committee of the AUCPB made a speech in front the crowd, and on behalf of the Central Committee of the AUCPB congratulated everyone on the 95th anniversary of the victory of the Great October Socialist Revolution and the 21th anniversary of the AUCPB, then read out a report on the 95th anniversary of the victory of the October Revolution. Other comrades also made statements.

After the meeting, the Bolsheviks held a solemn meeting dedicated to the 95th anniversary of the Great October Socialist Revolution and the 21th anniversary of the AUCPB. Comrade N.A. Degtyarenko spoke to those who had gathered.

NOVOSIBIRSK. On November 7, in Novosibirsk the AUCPB, VMGB and our allies took part in a demonstration devoted to the 95th anniversary of the Great October Socialist Revolution. We formed a convoy with our symbols and slogans At the rally on Lenin square, the Bolsheviks set up a stand, distributing campaign literature. A detailed photo report can be found on the AUCPB-Novosibirsk website.

MOSCOW. On November 7, 2012, in Moscow a “Red March” and meeting took place, dedicated to the 95th anniversary of the Great October Socialist Revolution.

The march and rally, organized by the “Forum of the Left,” was attended by about 50 communist parties, Communist youth unions and various left-wing organizations. The total number of participants was about fifteen hundred people. And by the number of participants and by their mood, the “Red March” showed itself to be a worthy alternative to the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF) march and rally (or more precisely – its “Zyuganov” section).

The speakers at the rally clearly spoke about revolutionary transformation of society, condemning the renegade position of the CPRF of Zyuganov, and condemned the “Bolotniks” pseudo-opposition. At the rally, the Bolsheviks actively distributed leaflets “Russia – without the bourgeois!” and Bolshevik newspapers.

IL’SKY VILLAGE, KRASNODAR REGION. On November 7, 2012 in the village of Il’sky in the Seversky district of Krasnodar region, AUCPB activists marked the 95th anniversary of the Great October Socialist Revolution.

They laid fresh flowers at the monument to V.I. Lenin and adorned the monument and the surrounding area with our Bolshevik symbols. For 2 hours in the rain, our Bolshevik press – newspapers “Worker-Peasant Hammer and Sickle”,” Workers’ and Peasants’ Truth” and the youth newspaper “Revolution” were distributed to passers by.

The activists congratulated ordinary people on the Soviet holiday on November 7, and gave them confidence in the victorious revival of SOCIALISM.
http://vkpb-sibdv.ucoz.ru/_nw/2/s32632429.jpg

OBNINSK (KALUGA REGION). Bolshevik newspapers were distribution after the rally.

CHELYABINSK. A march and rally was held which was organized by the League of Communists of Chelyabinsk (AUCPB, RCWP, “Communists of Russia”, etc).

The meeting in honour of the 95th anniversary of the Great October Socialist Revolution, was held at Revolution Square near the monument to V.I. Lenin.

VORONEZH. On November 6, 2012 in the city of Voronezh, a festive concert dedicated to the 95th anniversary of the Great October Socialist Revolution and the 94th anniversary of the birth of the Young Communist League, was organied prepared and held by the Voronezh AUCPB .and Komsomol organizations

At the concert, also sounded poems on the Revolution, the Civil War, Communists and Komsomol members.

Participants of the concert were mostly working and young students, from different institutions, factories, and several educational institutions, and took nearly a month preparing for it. It was difficult. But since all concert participants were volunteers, the discipline was conscious. Besides, there is nothing more that brings people together as a joint cause. It was a friendly atmosphere in preparation for the concert. And the revolutionary and patriotic songs doubled and tripled the strength of the army. Therefore, overcoming difficulties, on November 6, they arrived as one, and all prepared, and not one member of the collective was disappointed.
http://vkpb-sibdv.ucoz.ru/_nw/2/s62276266.jpg

On the eve of the concert, produced and distributed invitations. Despite the torrential rain and the working day, at 6pm, the room was filled with spectators, who were mostly young, sympathetic to communist ideals, and veterans (some Chinese even came!). At the concert, we circulated Bolshevik leaflets and newspapers: “Revolution,” “Hammer and Sickle”, and “Workers ‘and Peasants’ Truth”. Viewers loved the concert. They applauded, and often sang along to familiar songs.

The following day, on November 7, during the anniversary rally we carried out propaganda work on introduction to the masses of socialist consciousness and circulated the remaining Bolshevik leaflets and newspapers. Moreover, the main emphasis is on our youth – the future of our country!

E.V. Laura

The Communist Party of Canada condemns the barbaric Israeli aggression against Gaza, which has already killed 100 people including 23 children, and inflicted yet another serious blow to the infrastructure and economy. This crisis threatens to become even more dangerous as Israel prepares for a massive ground invasion.

The Netanyahu government is deliberately provoking this volatile situation for its own narrow political purposes, by whipping up anti-Palestinian sentiments in advance of the upcoming Israeli elections, and to prepare for possible military attacks against Iran and Syria.

This scenario poses the real danger of a wider regional conflict, or even a catastrophic war involving imperialist powers beyond the Middle East. Those who seek to assign “equal blame” for the crisis ignore the decades-long Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories in contravention of international law and many important resolutions of the United Nations. This so-called balanced approach also dismisses the fact that over 1,400 Palestinians were killed in the infamous Cast Lead operation of 2008-09, and that hundreds of Palestinians have been killed and injured by the Israeli forces during periods when there were no rocket attacks from Gaza.

The true motives behind the latest aggression were revealed by Israeli Interior Minister Eli Yishai, who told Haaretz newspaper that the goal of the present operation is “to send Gaza back to the Middle Ages… only then will Israel be calm for 40 years.” The agenda of Netanyahu and the most reactionary Zionist forces, and their supporters in the US and Canadian ruling classes, is the apartheid-style removal of the Palestinians from all the lands occupied and claimed by Israel.

The Communist Party of Canada calls upon all our members and friends to help step up the pressure on all parties in Parliament to speak out against the Israeli attacks in Gaza. We condemn the Harper Tories for their unconditional backing of Israeli aggression, and for their shameful support for the brutal genocide directed against the Palestinian people. We demand an end to Israel’s illegal and inhuman siege of Gaza and an end to the continued occupation of the West Bank (including the removal of illegal Jewish settlements and the ‘Apartheid Wall”). We reiterate our support for Palestine’s right to self-determination expressed as a viable and truly independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital, including the right of return for all displaced Palestinians. This is the only way towards a just settlement of the Israel-Palestine conflict, which is critical for the achievement of genuine and lasting peace in the Middle East.

The first step towards such a solution is to mobilize maximum opposition to end the criminal Israeli attack against Gaza!

Issued by the Central Executive Committee

Communist Party of Canada

November 18, 2012

Arrêtez le bombardement inhumain

de Gaza! Mettez fin au siège!

Le Parti communiste du Canada condamne l’agression israélienne barbare contre Gaza, qui a déjà tué 100 personnes, dont 23 enfants, et a infligé un nouveau coup sérieux à ses infrastructures et à son économie. Cette crise risque de devenir encore plus dangereuse puisqu’Israël se prépare à une invasion terrestre massive.

Le gouvernement Netanyahu provoque délibérément une telle situation volatile pour ses propres fins politiques étroites, en attisant les sentiments anti-palestiniens en prévision des prochaines élections israéliennes, et pour se préparer à d’éventuelles attaques militaires contre l’Iran et la Syrie.

Ce scénario pose le danger réel d’un conflit régional plus large, voire une guerre catastrophique impliquant des puissances impérialistes au-delà du Moyen-Orient. Celles et ceux qui cherchent à «blâmer les deux parties également» pour la crise, ferment les yeux sur l’occupation par Israël des territoires palestiniens, laquelle dure depuis des décennies en violation du droit international et en dépit des nombreuses et importantes résolutions de l’Organisation des Nations Unies. Cette approche soi-disant équilibrée fait abstraction également du fait que plus de 1 400 Palestiniennes et Palestiniens avaient été tués durant l’infâme opération « Plomb durci » de 2008-09 et que des centaines d’autres ont été tués ou blessés par les forces israéliennes durant des périodes où il n’y avait pas de tirs de roquettes provenant de Gaza.

Les véritables motifs derrière cette dernière agression israélienne ont été révélés par ministre de l’Intérieur Eli Yishai, qui a déclaré au journal Haaretz que l’objectif de la présente opération est «d’envoyer Gaza au moyen-âge … alors seulement Israël pourra être tranquille pendant 40 ans». Le plan de Netanyahu et des forces sionistes les plus réactionnaires ainsi que de leurs partisans au sein des classes dirigeantes aux États-Unis et au Canada, est le nettoyage des Palestiniennes et des Palestiniens de toutes les terres occupées et réclamées par Israël, dans le plus pur style d’apartheid.

Le Parti communiste du Canada demande à tous ses membres et amis d’aider à augmenter la pression sur tous les partis au Parlement pour qu’ils se prononcent contre les attaques israéliennes dans la bande de Gaza. Nous condamnons les Conservateurs d’Harper pour leur soutien inconditionnel de l’agression israélienne, et pour leur soutien honteux au génocide brutal infligé au peuple palestinien. Nous exigeons la fin du blocus illégal et inhumain de Gaza par Israël et la fin de l’occupation continue de la Cisjordanie (y compris le retrait des colonies juives illégales et du « mur » d’apartheid). Nous réitérons notre soutien au droit de la Palestine à l’autodétermination dont l’expression est la constitution d’un État viable et véritablement indépendant, ayant Jérusalem-Est comme capitale, y compris le droit au retour pour toutes les Palestiniennes et de tous les Palestiniens déplacés. C’est la seule façon de parvenir à un règlement juste du conflit israélo-palestinien, ce qui est essentiel pour la réalisation d’une paix véritable et durable au Moyen-Orient.

La première étape à franchir pour atteindre une telle solution est de mobiliser le maximum d’opposition à l’attaque israélienne criminelle contre Gaza et d’y mettre fin!

Publié par le Comité exécutif central

Parti communiste du Canada

18 novembre 2012

Communist Party of Canada
290A Danforth Ave.,
Toronto, Ontario M4K 1N6
416-469-2446
info@cpc-pcc.ca
www.communist-party.ca

by James Thompson

What is really significant about Chairperson Webb’s “report” is that it is not a report at all. The document is written in vague generalities with a great deal of bombast, pontification and posturing. Chairperson Webb fails to specify what the CPUSA has been doing as an organized party or what it intends to do in the future. He only makes vague statements about how almost all of the members participated in the election. By participation, does he mean managing campaigns, running candidates, doing fundraising or working in a capitalist party’s campaign? Perhaps he just means voting. This is unclear.

It appears that Chairman Webb has forgotten Marx’ teaching that “content precedes form.” This paper is all about form with little regard to content.

Let’s examine the title of the document “Defeat for the right, victory for the people & democracy.” The first phrase “defeat for the right” is hard to fathom. Although it must be conceded that President Obama has taken a more progressive stance on a number of issues when compared with his opponent, candidate Romney, this does not mean that President Obama is a socialist or communist. He is a member of one of the two ruling bourgeois parties in the United States. For this reason, it can be expected that he will support the interests of the wealthy classes more often than not. It should also be remembered that he was elected with the endorsements of both Colin Powell and Michael Bloomberg. His campaign received truckloads of money from the ultra-wealthy and their corporate surrogates. These endorsements and financial contributions must be remunerated by Mr. Obama and such remuneration will dearly cost the people.

The second phrase “victory for the people” is also hard to stomach. To which people is Mr. Webb referring? Is he referring to the people of Palestine and/or Iran? Is he referring to workers in this country who are oppressed? Is he referring to labor union members who received no support from the president on passing the Employee Free Choice Act? Is he referring to maimed and deceased veterans returning from the endless imperialist wars in the Middle East and elsewhere? Perhaps Mr. Webb is referring to the people on Wall Street and in corporate offices across the USA. If you look at Mr. Obama’s record, it is clear that he has served those people well over the last four years.

The third phrase “victory for… Democracy” also presents some problems. To what kind of democracy is Mr. Webb referring? In the USA, there is only one form of democracy and it is bourgeois democracy. This form of democracy serves to protect the interests of the wealthy classes. It protects the wealthy classes from the demands of working people. It upholds the interests of imperialism, while simultaneously creating an illusion among workers that they really have a voice in the conduct of the business of the country. Although elections, even bourgeois elections, are an important arena for struggle, we should not harbor any illusions about their real purpose, which is to prop up the wealthy classes. As Lenin said, “elections solve nothing.”

Mr. Webb says “The better angels of the American people spread their wings.” This phraseology would be appropriate if written by a Catholic priest rather than the Chairperson of the Communist Party. Such idealistic thinking should be anathema to a Communist Party based on Marxism Leninism and dialectical materialism.

It is interesting that Mr. Webb notes that “An African-American president was reelected to the presidency, the Democrats unexpectedly strengthened their hand in the Senate and House, new progressive voices, like Elizabeth Warren, are coming to Washington, and victories, including for marriage equality, occurred at the state level.” Although it is a fact that an African-American was elected to the office of presidency, what does this mean in terms of the progressive struggle? In fact, the statement reflects some racist thinking. Martin Luther King, Jr told us that people should be judged not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character. It opens the question “What would Mr. Webb suggest we do if Dennis Kucinich was running against Clarence Thomas?” Mr. Webb’s reference to Elizabeth Warren “coming to Washington” fails to recognize that also the right wing Tea Party extremist, Ted Cruz, from Texas, will also be moving to Washington.

Mr. Webb maintains “The Communist Party said a year ago that the 2012 elections would be the main front of the class and democratic struggle and subsequent events have confirmed that fact.” To what events is Mr. Webb referring? Many people agree that wages and benefits of workers are always the front line of the class struggle. The fight for peace and justice and the right to organize are also main fronts of the class struggle. The fight against imperialism is also an important front in the class struggle. Mr. Webb goes on “Indeed, we argued…that defeating right-wing extremism was the key to moving the whole chain of democratic struggle forward.” There is only one way to defeat right-wing extremism once and for all and that will happen when socialism replaces capitalism on a global level. Again, it must be asked that if Mr. Webb believed that this election was crucial to the class struggle, what did the CPUSA do to participate in that struggle? Mr. Webb makes note that “a few weeks before the election, I attended a rally in Cleveland organized by the Teamsters, where many labor leaders and members of Congress spoke of the urgency of supporting President Obama.” Gus Hall and William Foster must be spinning in their graves. They would certainly ask why the chairperson of the CPUSA was merely attending a labor rally but not speaking. They might also ask if the party attempted to organize any activities of its own.

Mr. Webb makes a good point when he says “Not least, President Obama needs to hear from the tens of millions who reelected him.” However, he goes on to confusing statements such as “The president is the most popular politician in the country. Nobody has the political and moral authority that he has. He isn’t a radical, but by the same token to classify him as a run-of-the-mill capitalist politician doesn’t fit either. Of the Democratic Party presidents of the 20th century, none had the deep democratic sensibilities that he possesses. It is crucial that he lead the struggle.” To what struggle is Mr. Webb referring? Is he referring to the fact that Mr. Obama has deported more immigrants than any other president? Is he referring to Mr. Obama’s use of drones to assassinate foreign nationals? Is he referring to the struggle for the Employee Free Choice Act? Mr. Webb also states “Which is where communists, socialists and left and progressive people come into the picture. Our main task is to build broad people’s unity, guarantee the participation of the key social and class forces, counter the right-wing narrative with a working-class and people’s narrative, and bring forward an alternative program.” It would be helpful if Mr. Webb could be specific about the concrete actions that need to happen to bring this about.

Mr. Webb writes “For some time now our party has recognized powerful progressive trends in the labor movement. In this election, the actions of labor brought those trends to a new level.” The question must be asked “What is the party doing to build and support ‘progressive trends in the labor movement'”?

In his section on “foreign policy”, Mr. Webb takes some issue with the Obama administration “There is some reappraisal of the conduct of our foreign policy going on in the Obama administration and the national security state.” Again, Mr. Webb needs to be more specific about this “reappraisal.” He goes on “In all likelihood some changes will occur, not necessarily unimportant ones, but at the same time don’t expect the Obama administration or US ruling circles to give up their global ambitions.” Without labeling administration policies as imperialist, he does specify a number of global hotspots to which the Obama administration has mimicked the positions of right wing extremists including Iran, Palestine, Cuba, DPRK and Latin America among others. However, he proposes no action to oppose imperialism.

Mr. Webb seems to not have learned anything from Mr. Romney’s 47% remark. Speaking of the CPUSA, he writes “Our main audience is not among those who sat out the election struggle, but among those who were in its front ranks.” Since reports indicate that only 60% of eligible voters voted in the most recent election, he is dismissing the other 40% who may have been disgruntled with the capitalist parties and their policies. He is also dismissing people who are not eligible to vote. This would include large segments of the population such as undocumented immigrant workers, and people with felonies. He is also dismissing all those who have failed to register to vote without any study of why they failed to register. He notes that the CPUSA is too small. With such myopic vision, one can only say “no wonder.”

In response to his vague statements about building the party, the question should be asked “What are the concrete steps the party will take to build a larger party?”

Another man by the name of Webb, Jack Webb, who played the part of Sergeant Joe Friday, in the television series Dragnet many years ago used to say, “Just the facts, ma’am.” This is important to remember when discussing politics and economics. If we Communists are to have any credibility at all, we must be scientific in our analyses, method and program. We need leadership which meets those standards. The people of this country don’t need any more talking heads. There is enough of that on their TV.