The 2000 U.S. Presidential Elections and the Anti-Imperialist Left:

Dilemmas, Hard Choices, Opportunities

by Eric Mann

Lian Hurst Mann

Introduction

A nice-looking PDF version of this article is available by clicking this link.

I do not entirely trust any of the candidates and despite this very intriguing article, i am still debating over the green's 5% to the rise of the reactionary right. However i am almost sure if the Green party gains funding, whether gore wins or loses, the democratic party will not have another preseidential candidate in office for a long time. A stronger green party would mean a bigger split in the democratic votes.

Like you said this would be a worthy risk if nader's politics were "exciting." But i believe having nader's 5% would at least open the platform to other parties (possibly a true left party) and would hopefully be an easier opposition than either of the imperialist candidates. But of course as the article pointed out, there is a big risk factor of having a weaker democratic party and a quite possibly a permanently republican president. I do not feel that the democratic party has ever been truly the party of the people, thus do not see an lasting benefits from their pseudo civil rights stance. They exists to serve their corporate masters. Their civil rights stance is not their own but is the work of the past civil rights and human rights organizers. Many of the gains have been through public pressure not benevolent candidates.



This is not a good position but then again we have never had any true choices in the elections, i am still inclining to Nader only in the hopes of broadening the limited choices we do not have.

I still feel that the system will not become truly for immigrants, and non white peoples because of a fundamentally racist/imperialist founding, history, politics, and framework. You mentioned that gore is an "easier" battle than bush but what does it matter? The system would have to be radically changed. Through reforms and presidents, it cannot be fixed, only made slightly better or give us a false sense of "better." When the politcal pendulum switches to the right then we loose whatever gains we thought we had and the process recycles. Again i cannot overemphasize the people's influence and guidance in the gains America as a society has made.

I cannot foresee in the near future a president taking strides to change the rotting flesh behind the pleasantville facade. We as people of color are out of their sight and out of their minds. In an internationally united thirdworld movement we may have the people's power. We are weak and light years from then, but who knows

In solidarity,

VL

For the anal folks, sorry for mispelling "politicians"

I think the Strategy Center might do well to consider the role of identity politics in the division of the Left. It is naive to appeal to or even judge Power on the basis of its respect for cultural identity. America is most certainly a chauvinist and racist country, but the purpose of political organization is not to vent frustrations; it is to articulate a truth compelling enough to convince people to get on the same ship.

If the thought of white affluent males suddenly becoming the economic and civil underclass gives you a rise, then I suggest you reconsider your motives for taking political action. ("Trust not those in whom the urge to punish is strong," said Nietzsche.) Without losing focus on the fact that it is minorities and women who daily receive the short end of the stick, the most truly disturbing outcome of the world's history is that inequality exists period. Within the seed of rage and frustration, fascism lies. The ONLY way to counter dubous notions like reverse discrimination is to get over the infantilism of identity politics and appeal to the best and least resentful part of the disenfranchised. At the best moments in history it is moral superiority which wins battles. Malcolm X would have left us a much greater legacy had he been just as militant as was without being a slave to his understable hatreds. Be careful who you alienate. It is no joke that racism and chauvinisim and imperialism, like any viral organisms, exist only to perpetuate themselves, to breed.

WHO CARES!