Tidbits and Reader Responses

The Keystone Pipeline, the Socialist Left, the GOP and the Sequester

Portside
Printer friendly  
credit: http://bytesdaily.blogspot.com/

Tidbits and Readers Response

___________

Sign the Keystone XL Pledge of Resistance

Dear Friend,

President Obama and his administration are moving toward approval of the Keystone XL Pipeline.

If tens of thousands of people stand up as President Obama mulls his final decision, we can convince the White House that it will be politically unfeasible to go forward. I just signed the Keystone XL Pledge of resistance - committing to participate in civil disobedience if the Obama administration issues draft approval of Keystone XL.

If you are also committed to stopping Keystone XL, read the call to action, and consider making the pledge, too:
http://act.credoaction.com/campaign/kxl_pledge/?r_by=55833-1367114-92sq_kx&rc=paste-n1b

Re: Whither the Socialist Left? Thinking the “Unthinkable”

Mark Solomon's contribution to answering -- and raising -- the many questions around organizing the Left injects
much insight and sound reasoning to the debate.  I find one of the slogans of the old Popular Front appealing as a
starting point: "No Enemies on the Left." 

James Young

___________

There are two basic reasons “why there is no large respected socialist organization [in the United States] today.” The first is historical and cultural:  Socialism/Marxism/Communism never caught on in the United States as it did in Europe and many other parts of the world, for a variety of reasons that I won’t go into here.

The second reason is the total failure of the 20th century socialist experiments (Soviet Union, GDR, etc.)  The leadership of the remaining “socialist states” (e.g. China, Cuba) have recognized that market forces and entrepreneurship – that is the injection of capitalist economics principles – are the only way that they can survive.  People around the world, and in the United States, are not blind to this reality.

Solomon further writes that “There is likely agreement among various organizations on the need for a long-range socialist transformation.  There is a likely consensus on the validity of Marx’s basic critique of the contradictions inherent in capitalism . . . thus requiring the overturning of the old system.” 

This adherence to 19th century Marxist theory is exactly what will prevent the building of a broad socialist left movement.  The idea of scientific socialism – through the abolition of capitalism – is a noble vision.  Unfortunately, it’s a utopian vision.  No successful (i.e. workable) economic system has ever emerged through “rational” human planning.

We do need a socialist-oriented mass movement in the United States.  However, it ought to be a movement based on social democracy rather than socialism.   While “pure socialism” failed, it should be acknowledged that “pure capitalism” does not work either -  it does not exist anywhere in the world today, and, arguably never has.  All capitalist economies have had socialist elements built into them.  They could not otherwise have been so successful.  Pure capitalism is as much a myth as pure socialism. 

Social Democracy may not work perfectly.  It will not eliminate all inequality.  But it is probably the best alternative we can hope for at this moment in history.  As I’ve said on these pages before, the Nordic social democratic model is one that should not be lightly dismissed.  With all their imperfections, the nations of Sweden, Iceland, Norway, Finland, and Denmark are light years ahead of the United States, and most of the rest of the world, in terms of social justice, widespread prosperity, and social solidarity.

Marc Beallor
______________

Dear Portside,

As an ex-pat in distant Berlin I hesitate to mix in, but as a passionate follower of events in the USA I will risk it in order to say what a hopeful prospect the ideas of Mark Solomon open up: a gradual but quick-as-possible moving together of pro-socialist organizations, so often devoted, experienced but relatively isolated, with the aim of opposing the sad havoc of national and global capitalism, opening windows of daring solutions, raising basic questions, debating and acting upon original new directions, speaking to and with union activists, those fighting for the rights of women, Blacks, Latinos, students, those active for LGBT equality, for ecological rescue efforts and against war and imperial expansion. And attracting the youthful enthusiasm and wealth of ideas, so often anti-capitalist, of the OCCUPY movement. A difficult dream, and my experience with the Left party in Germany shows how many hurdles and pitfalls can menace it. But despite internal differences this party here has opposed war in Afghanistan, fought neo-Nazis and slowed attacks on standards of living - and it calls for socialism. How great it would be if, in the USA, a clear socialist voice could augment and clarify the lone Tea-Party-tainted voice of a Senator Paul in denouncing the drones of Obama, in the USA or in Pakistan, Yemen and Mali. How cheering and vitally important it would be across the Atlantic – and the Caribbean - to hear a louder voice for socialism from the North, South, East and West of the United States!

Victor Grossman
______________

If the four groups under discussion were to unite, I'd join and consider devoting my time to such a project. With our combined forces, we might finally defeat the principal enemy - those dysfunctional weirdos who sell newspapers.
On a more serious note, socialists need to better understand and learn from the rise of the 'networked' organizational models such as Avaaz and MoveOn. Technology creates opportunities not only for better communication, but new organizational forms.

Charles Lenchner
 

Cancel the Sequester; Create Jobs!

March 6, 2013

Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) supports the bill advanced by John Conyers (D-MI), HR 900, to simply cancel the $85 billion in “sequestration” cuts. These cuts will harm millions of low-income Americans, while weakening an already anemic, jobless recovery.

Read more:

http://www.dsausa.org/cancel_the_sequester

Re: The Republican Party Is Devouring Itself - Good

Thanks for this piece.  It is close to being correct except for the fact that the GOP voters, those who still try to struggle and vote for the crazies who now hold power through all the money...they no longer agree with creeps like Rove and the other racists in the divided Party.
Since the November election, more and more data indicates that GOP voters do NOT support the extremists, nor the billionaires behind the still powerful groups.  And 'black supporters' are mostly the disgruntled, losers of major elections like Alan West, who are proven to be way too extreme to gain any respect or votes from the black voting demographic.

The fact that Rove and his ilk still wield power with millions of dollars just proves that his contributors still believe in his 'skills' which he lost in 2004.  So 2008 just proved that all his illegal schemes could not make up for lack of real viable candidates.
My perspective is from a Southern State where the GOP is now forced to 'rule' by fear, lies, threats etc.
thanks,

Mary in Tennessee

If you like this article, please sign up for Snapshot, Portside's daily summary.

(One summary e-mail a day, you can change anytime, and Portside is always free.)