Let's leave the socialist out of the election.

[Exploited Class]

As election night rolls on in the good old United States of America, some media outlets are already putting their best face forward by not showing a party they like, results. There is a socialist running in Oregon for U.S. house, he lost but that isn't what matters. One of the local news media outlets for Portland Oregon has decided to not even show he is running. They will however show the canidates he beat out. Below is screen shots of their coverage.

http://www.exploitedclass.org/results.html

[El Brujo]

Not to mention that the electoral college is maintained for the sole purpose of keeping out independent party's (most of which are further to the left). The idea that it was first thought that "regular people arent fit to make government decisions" when the electoral college was created is undemocratic but they keep it on to maintain the two-party dictatorship (allowing the independent party's to exist in the first place to make it seem like a democracy and that independent view is unpopular). As long as the electoral college exists, no other party's will even have a chance at gaining power because if there is no "electoral votes" for them, their next campaign will not recieve funds. The people who would vote for them are discouraged to do so because their "not gonna win anyways".

If people in society are willing to accept a "lesser ot the two evils", than I could say right now that we're royally fucked.

[Kehoe]

Should a socialist participate in petty bourgeois politics?Is it such a strange matter that when a professing socialist does take part in a political system controlled by corporate America to find himself shunned by a media whose priority it is to promote only those candidates endorced by the same corporate puppeteers?The political consciousness of the nation must first be reformed in order to make them receptive to the socio-political ideology we socialists espouse and which the existent system vilifies and suppresses so as to keep the populace held captive and thus maintain the status quo.The hapless candidates seeking office by means of a socialist platform acheive nothing more than exposing themselves to the ridicule of the dominant parties and their supporters.The task of a true socialist in political matters is the preparation of the people in order that future generations may have an equal voice in the political arena.

[redstar2000]

It always amazes me to find that there are still people who think the capitalist class will allow itself to be voted out of power.

Elections under capitalism only serve two purposes: (1) to decide controversies AMONG different groups of capitalists; and (2) to provide a ritualistic distraction for the working class...in order that no REAL political questions will ever be raised.

Communists, if they can, should raise hell in the workplaces, on the streets, in the schools. If they are successful, no elections are needed. If they are not successful, no election campaigns are going to help a bit.

[Palmares]

Can you defeat the bourgeoisie on their own soil? You can try, but in such small numbers, it is seemingly impossible. There are no favors in the U$.

[nz revolution]

Red Star is right.
I see it that socialists and coomies should run in the elections, but expose it for what it really is, and just cause hell in the parliament, by criticising everything and so on.
Im reading "left wing communism" from Lenin, and he says that you should participate in bourgeoise governments and unions, the idea is to get inside and fuck everything up.

[Palmares]

"...the idea is to get inside and fuck everything up."

Sounds good, I just hope it works. Good luck to those who try.

[Exploited Class]

This wasn't meant to be should you be apart of the American's joke of an election. This post was to simple show people that discrimination is in fact apart of the game. Out right hatred would be a better word, but oh well.

The tactic above is to silence us, even the voting members of us. To not let any one know we actually exist. It isn't meant to be a shocker, it is suppose to just be fact. Look here, they hate us, they fear us, they want to silence us and pretend we don't exist. Thier freedom is only a freedom to chose what they want us to see. Sure, for many of us, this isn't headlines news. It also shows that we are still a real threat to the ruling class, if we weren't, they wouldn't be purposely ignoring us. And that is something I think we should all be aware of.

[nz revolution]

I see what you mean comrade.

Over here in NZ 2 groups got together for the elections the Workers' Party and a group called revolution and formed the anti capitalist alliance.

And yes the media did report our results but didnt say our name. just ACA. I mean the hell capitalist labour party over here gets their name printed in full but not us. I guess our name will make too many people think, "oh my god, anti capitalists, id vote for them"

laters, back soon

[SonofRage]

Quote: from redstar2000 on 5:52 pm on Nov. 6, 2002
It always amazes me to find that there are still people who think the capitalist class will allow itself to be voted out of power.

Elections under capitalism only serve two purposes: (1) to decide controversies AMONG different groups of capitalists; and (2) to provide a ritualistic distraction for the working class...in order that no REAL political questions will ever be raised.

Communists, if they can, should raise hell in the workplaces, on the streets, in the schools. If they are successful, no elections are needed. If they are not successful, no election campaigns are going to help a bit.


What other options are there really? Violent revolution will not work (not anytime soon anyway). I'm sure the government would love to make an example of "Marxist Rebels" on its own soil. I agree we should raise hell, but we should encourage the vast majority of Americans who don't vote to raise hell on election day. We also need to raise hell through protest to get this bullshit, money-run, electoral process changed so that the working man has an actual chance.

[Som]

Still stubborn on the idea of revolution? That will get you nowhere

In the west communism and even socialism are so demonized that any sort of communist rebels will be nothing be a counter-productive irritant for some of the government, and a welcome oppurtunity for the oppurtunists to secure themselves in power. Quite much like that the last time there was a violent leftist group, there was the 'red scare' of the 20s. I read in one article that an anarchist group bombed wall street, which provoked alot of it.

A socialist party with more realistic views trying to work with the system is the only way to get any sort of progress here. It would be better if all the leftist parties, with the greens, formed some sort of coalition, to at least get noticed.

In the current system, the masses still have to consent to the two ruling parties, they just need to eventually see that there are other options.


(Edited by Som at 5:16 am on Nov. 9, 2002)