Neue VeranstaltungshinweiseEs wurden keine neuen Veranstaltungshinweise in der letzten Woche veröffentlicht Kommende VeranstaltungenNorth America / Mexico | The Left Keine kommenden Veranstaltungen veröffentlicht Agenda for the Global South After COVID-19 03:34 Jun 28 1 comments Another Sanders Betrayal 23:08 Apr 15 5 comments Contradictions of Post-Soviet Ukraine and the New Left 04:54 Mar 11 2 comments An inevitable division: the politics and consequences of the Labour split 18:03 Feb 27 0 comments La ofensiva contra el chavismo fracasó. No pudieron y no pasaron 04:16 Feb 27 1 comments mehr >> |
Recent articles by Wayne Price
Search words: Wayn...Price Malatesta’s Revolutionary Anarchism in British Exile 2 comments An Anarchist View of Trotsky’s "Transitional Program" 6 comments The Joy of Alex Comfort 4 comments Recent Articles about North America / Mexico The LeftThe Right’s Fantasy of a “Marxist” Threat Feb 14 22 Did the System Work? Aftermath of the 2020 Election Dec 30 20 Another Sanders Betrayal Apr 15 20 Party of Which People?
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Monday August 01, 2016 07:38 by Wayne Price - none drwdprice at aol dot com
Review of Thomas Frank, Listen, Liberal: Or Whatever Happened to the Party of the People? Review of Frank's "Listen, Liberal." A leading liberal journalist, he exposes the Democratic Party as dominated by a section of the capitalist class, namely the top of the professional-managerial sector. He demonstrates its acceptance of inequality and its rejection of the working class. During this wretched election season of 2016, I have been looking for a nonacademic and readable book which gives a reasonable explanation of the current political situation. Thomas Frank is a left-liberal—he describes himself as “a person of vivid pink sentiments.” (29) In this book, however, he does not provide another report of the horrors of the right-wing movement which has culminated in the crazed, ignorant, candidacy of Donald J. Trump (which he had previously written). Instead, in this work he focuses on the weaknesses of the Democratic Party. “Our current situation represents a failure of the Democratic Party as well.” (8) He was the author of the popular book What’s the Matter with Kansas? which went over some of these issues. Of course, as a liberal, he does not consider replacing capitalism with cooperative, workers’ managed, industries, or replacing the bureaucratic-military state with a radically democratic, federation of workplace councils and neighborhood assemblies. But he is a good, and interesting, liberal. Frank focuses on the growth of “inequality” and the failure of the Democrats to do anything about it. “Inequality is not an ‘issue’…; it is the eternal conflict of management and labor, owner and worker, rich and poor—only with one side pinned to the ground and the other leisurely pounding away at its adversary’s face.” (7) Inequality is one-sided class struggle, the attack on the working class by the capitalists. While the conservative Republicans have been the cutting edge of this attack, the liberal Democrats have still been part of the blade. He sees the Republicans as pretty directly representing the “One Percent.” They pretend to represent their popular “base,” sections of the white working class, lower middle class, and small businesspeople. But their real program is directly based on the needs of the upper bourgeoisie (such as tax cuts and deregulation). Frank’s main thesis is that the Democratic Party now represents “the Ten Percent, the people at the apex of the country’s hierarchy of professional status.” (16) “The views of the modern-day Democratic Party reflect, in virtually every detail, the ideological idiosyncrasies of the professional-managerial class.” (29) The lower ends of the professional-managerial class is, I would say, “middle class,” most of which is actually “white-collar” working class. These people work for a salary and take orders from bosses. But the upper end reaches into the One Percent. “Certain lucky professionals in Silicon Valley happen to be our leading capitalists. And the gulf between professional hedge fund managers and the rich folks whose money they invest is small indeed….The top ranks of the professions are made up of highly affluent people.” (24)
The Two U.S. Parties
Many U.S. people see the political parties as a conflict between the good guys and the bad guys. Instead, radicals see them as representing competing factions of the U.S. capitalist class, or, rather, competing coalitions of factions of the capitalist class. In the case of the Republicans, a sector of its capitalist leadership has chosen to whip up its mass base into nativist hysteria. This was helped along by that base’s awareness that the Republican establishment’s conservative promises have led to no real improvement in their lives. The conservative (really reactionary) establishment is now appalled at the result, as embodied in Trump’s campaign. Liberals such as Paul Krugman have argued that the conservative leadership has been “enablers” for the Frankenstein’s Monster they created—through their own appeals to nativism, racism, religious bigotry, homophobia, opposition to the right to abortion, and militarism. However, if the Republican mainstream leaders have been enablers for Trumpism, then the Democrats have been enablers of the enablers. |
HauptseiteSupport Sudanese anarchists in exile Joint Statement of European Anarchist Organizations International anarchist call for solidarity: Earthquake in Turkey, Syria and Kurdistan Elements of Anarchist Theory and Strategy 19 de Julio: Cuando el pueblo se levanta, escribe la historia International anarchist solidarity against Turkish state repression Declaración Anarquista Internacional por el Primero de Mayo, 2022 Le vieux monde opprime les femmes et les minorités de genre. Leur force le détruira ! Against Militarism and War: For self-organised struggle and social revolution Declaração anarquista internacional sobre a pandemia da Covid-19 Anarchist Theory and History in Global Perspective Capitalism, Anti-Capitalism and Popular Organisation [Booklet] Reflexiones sobre la situación de Afganistán South Africa: Historic rupture or warring brothers again? Death or Renewal: Is the Climate Crisis the Final Crisis? Gleichheit und Freiheit stehen nicht zur Debatte! Contre la guerre au Kurdistan irakien, contre la traîtrise du PDK Meurtre de Clément Méric : l’enjeu politique du procès en appel North America / Mexico | The Left | en Fri 19 Apr, 23:16 May Day In Vermont-Put People and The Planet First! 12:37 Mon 30 Apr 0 comments On May Day, 2012, march as a Popular Front in Montpelier, Vermont in support of: Organizing for America and the “Enthusiasm Gap” 20:50 Wed 06 Oct 0 comments WASHINGTON — Democrats desperately need other Democrats – to vote. – Liz Sidoti, of the Huffington Post Hundreds arrested, beaten and tear gassed as police repress protest at Toronto G20 18:30 Tue 29 Jun 1 comments At least 600 arrests took place at the G20 summit in Toronto as police used considerable force to break up protests. Media reports& video (below) indicate that many of the beaten were journalists covering the protest. The G20 was meeting to co-ordinate further attacks on the global working class. This is what the coded statements from the G20 about 'austerity budgets' and 'cutting deficits' will mean in practice. This despite the "risk that synchronised fiscal adjustment across several major economies could adversely impact the recovery" acknowledged in the final G20 communique. [Italiano] [Vermont, USA] Stop The Press! 02:24 Mon 07 Dec 2 comments The Montpelier based Catamount Tavern News, Vermont’s only union affiliated newspaper, has decided to shutdown the presses [Vermont, USA] Obiturary for an Underground Newspaper 02:21 Mon 07 Dec 0 comments Well folks, this is it: the last article of Catamount Tavern News. Vermont elects America's first socialist senator 18:39 Thu 09 Nov 5 comments Amidst the Democratic mid-term election victories on November 8th, an independent won the Senate race in Vermont. What is significant is that he is a self-proclaimed socialist and so the first socialist senator in US history. The previous best result in a Senate race by a socialist was in 1930 when Emil Seidel won 6% of the vote. Marcos on the Plan for the zapatista departure 09:14 Mon 19 Sep 0 comments zapatistas open the other campaign EZLN reveal details of new strategy 21:44 Tue 19 Jul 0 comments The EZLN has announced the end of the Red Alert due to the end of the consulta and the announcement of the Sixth Declaration of the Selva Lacandona. This set of communiques includes the re-opening of the Caracoles and details of the "Sixth Committee" which is to meet with people or organizations who do not participate in elections to form 'the other campaign'. Meetings will then be held in Chiapas of various sectors with the aim of issuing a common statement agreed by all on September 16. Upping the Anti editorial statement 19:27 Mon 18 Apr 0 comments Editoral statement of new Candian publication called 'Upping the Anti' published by the Autonomy & Solidarity website which "is an on-line network for anti-capitalists who believe that revolutionary transformation will come from workers and oppressed people self-organizing from below and not from the top down organizing of any state, party or union bureaucracy" Did the System Work? Aftermath of the 2020 Election Dec 30 9 comments Liberals and others declare that the defeat of Donald Trump and of his coup-attempts demonstrate that "the system works," that the U.S.A. has an effective "democracy." I cannot see it that way. After Impeachment--What Next for U.S. Politics? Jan 13 0 comments What happens next after Trump's impeachment and trial? What is the Democratic vs. Republican conflict really about? Does the Constitution provide any guidance? How should anarchists and other radicals position themselves politically? The Revival of U.S. Socialism—And an Anarchist Response Jan 02 1 comments There has been an increase of U.S. interest in "socialism," especially among young adults. What is the significance of this? What does "socialism" mean to people? Why is this happening now? What is holding back the development of a socialist movement? What should be the reaction of anarchists and other anti-authoritarian socialists? Free Speech, Democracy, and “Repressive Tolerance” Jul 07 0 comments There has recently been controversy on the Left over "free speech" for right-wingers (not necessarily fascists). Should it be supported or physically opposed? Some leftists have revived interest in the ideas of Herbert Marcuse on "repressive tolerance" and why it should be opposed. Marcuse's theory is reviewed and arguments are raised against it from a revolutionary anti-authoritarian perspective. Not My President! Dec 17 2 comments The rise of a U.S. movement which rejects the legitimacy of Trump's presidency. more >>May Day In Vermont-Put People and The Planet First! Apr 30 Vermont Sierra Club 0 comments On May Day, 2012, march as a Popular Front in Montpelier, Vermont in support of: [Vermont, USA] Stop The Press! Dec 07 2 comments The Montpelier based Catamount Tavern News, Vermont’s only union affiliated newspaper, has decided to shutdown the presses EZLN reveal details of new strategy Jul 19 EZLN 0 comments The EZLN has announced the end of the Red Alert due to the end of the consulta and the announcement of the Sixth Declaration of the Selva Lacandona. This set of communiques includes the re-opening of the Caracoles and details of the "Sixth Committee" which is to meet with people or organizations who do not participate in elections to form 'the other campaign'. Meetings will then be held in Chiapas of various sectors with the aim of issuing a common statement agreed by all on September 16. Upping the Anti editorial statement Apr 18 Upping the Anti 0 comments Editoral statement of new Candian publication called 'Upping the Anti' published by the Autonomy & Solidarity website which "is an on-line network for anti-capitalists who believe that revolutionary transformation will come from workers and oppressed people self-organizing from below and not from the top down organizing of any state, party or union bureaucracy" |
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Spring zu Komment: 1Just to be clear, this is not supposed to be a discussion about whom to vote for--whether Leftists should vote for Hillary the Democrat, Dr. Jill Stein the Green, Jeff Mackler of Socialist Alliance, or no one at all. It provides background for such a discussion or related discussions on What is to be Done?