> WW News Service Digest #189 > > 1) Election Fraud: Millions Can't Vote in U.S. > by [EMAIL PROTECTED] > 2) Florida WWP Supporter Jailed > by [EMAIL PROTECTED] > 3) Nader Program Contradictions--Part 5 > by [EMAIL PROTECTED] > 4) Bush-Gore Deadlock--Big Business Parties Duel > by [EMAIL PROTECTED] > 5) Socialists' Goal: Make Elections an Arena of Struggle > by [EMAIL PROTECTED] > 6) Student Inspired by WW Candidates > by [EMAIL PROTECTED] > 7) Antioch Hears Moorehead on Election Eve > by [EMAIL PROTECTED] > 8) Electoral College > by [EMAIL PROTECTED] >------------------------- >Via Workers World News Service >Reprinted from the Nov. 16, 2000 >issue of Workers World newspaper >------------------------- > >ELECTION FRAUD: MILLIONS CAN'T VOTE IN U.S. > >By Deirdre Griswold > >If any truly independent body of international election >monitors existed, it would find that U.S. elections are >fraudulent--not only because of the blatant way in which >campaigns are bought by big money, but also because millions >and millions of workers, mostly people of color, are >actually disenfranchised. > >There are two main ways in which this exclusion of workers >from the list of eligible voters happens. > >4.2 MILLION STRIPPED OF FRANCHISE > >According to a recent report from The Sentencing Project, >some 4.2 million people in this country, overwhelmingly from >the working class, have had their voting rights stripped >away because they are either in prison or were convicted at >one time or another of a felony. Just as African Americans >are disproportionately arrested, convicted and sentenced to >jail, they are also disproportionately deprived of the vote. > >Overall, 13 percent of all Black men, or 1.8 million, are >not allowed to vote. The laws vary from state to state, but >in Alabama and Florida, where slavery has left its legacy of >racism, nearly one third of Black men are disenfranchised. > >The U.S. now officially has the highest rate of >incarceration in the world, having surpassed Russia. > >"Being Black" is a major factor determining whether a person >becomes a convicted felon. One out of every 35 African >Americans is behind bars. > >Of the drug users in this country, African Americans >reportedly make up 14 percent. But they comprise 35 percent >of drug arrests, 55 percent of drug convictions, and 75 >percent of those imprisoned on drug charges, according to >criminal defense attorney Rose Braz. > >The racist criminal justice system has removed close to 2 >million Black people from being potential voters. > >IMMIGRANT WORKERS DENIED VOTING RIGHTS > >There are also millions of immigrant workers who contribute >to the economy but cannot vote. Just looking at people of >Latin American origin, there were 18.4 million Latinos of >voting age in the U.S. in 1996. According to the League of >United Latin American Citizens, only 35.7 percent of them, >or 6.6 million, were registered to vote. In the whole >population, the Federal Election Commission reported that >74.4 percent of people of voting age were registered that >year--a rate more than twice as high. > >Some 4.9 million Latinos, or 74 percent of those registered, >did vote. That's a much higher rate than the national >average that year of 49 percent of registered voters. > >Thus, if the vote were extended to all permanent residents, >to all those whose labor every day contributes to the wealth >of this country, it is clear that many millions of people >who are now excluded, overwhelmingly workers, would gain the >franchise and use it. > >OLD ENOUGH TO DIE BUT NOT TO VOTE > >There are about 8 million people in the U.S. who are 16 or >17 years old. They can be charged as adults and tried as >adults in the criminal justice system. When they reach 18, >they can even be executed in many states for crimes >committed when they were juveniles. And, with their parents' >permission, they can become part of the imperialist war >machine by joining the Army. But they can't vote. > >In Cuba, 16- and 17-year-olds have the franchise and help >elect representatives to the National Assembly. > >Cubans choose their candidates from among their fellow >workers and neighbors, people they know, not candidates they >hear about mainly from paid advertising, as in the U.S. >Voting is secret and there are several candidates for each >position. > >Cuba is a socialist country, run by and for the working >people. The U.S. is the bastion of world capitalism and is >controlled by a small class of the super-rich. > >Defenders of U.S. capitalism point to the elections as proof >that the majority rule. But it is becoming increasingly >clear that elections here are totally stacked against the >majority--many millions of whom don't even have the formal >right to vote. > >- END - > >(Copyleft Workers World Service: Everyone is permitted to >copy and distribute verbatim copies of this document, but >changing it is not allowed. For more information contact >Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., NY, NY 10011; via e-mail: >[EMAIL PROTECTED] For subscription info send message to: >[EMAIL PROTECTED] Web: http://www.workers.org) > > > > >From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Date: Wed, 8 Nov 2000 23:39:19 -0500 >Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII >Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT >Subject: [WW] Florida WWP Supporter Jailed >Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >------------------------- >Via Workers World News Service >Reprinted from the Nov. 16, 2000 >issue of Workers World newspaper >------------------------- > >FLORIDA WWP SUPPORTER JAILED > >Wil Van Natta, the Florida state chairperson for Workers >World Party's Moorehead-La Riva campaign, was arrested by >federal marshals the day before the elections on charges >stemming from a protest he helped lead three months earlier. > >On Aug. 6--the tenth anniversary of U.S./UN sanctions on >Iraq--Van Natta and other activists protested at a Federal >Building in West Palm Beach. They attached a sign to the >building which read, "Help us stop the genocide in Iraq." At >that time, he was detained by local police and released >without charges. > >This time, three months later, Van Natta was handcuffed and >anklecuffed, dragged from his job as a lifeguard/EMT and >held overnight in jail. He was charged with damaging federal >property and disorderly conduct. On Election Day the charges >were lowered and he was released. > >Other Florida organizers for the Moorehead-La Riva campaign >say this arrest took place in an atmosphere of intimidation >and election corruption in Florida. They cite numerous >reports of tampered and missing ballots. > >Monica Moorehead commented, "Florida officials were hoping >that arresting Wil would send a clear message to others to >not get involved in fighting the racist death penalty, the >attacks on affirmative action and immigrants rights, >sanctions imposed on the Iraqi people and much more. But it >will only serve to expose the undemocratic nature of the >capitalist system that will begin the inevitable process of >building an independent, multinational movement for real >social change and equality." > >--Marsha Goldberg > >- END - > >(Copyleft Workers World Service: Everyone is permitted to >copy and distribute verbatim copies of this document, but >changing it is not allowed. For more information contact >Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., NY, NY 10011; via e-mail: >[EMAIL PROTECTED] For subscription info send message to: >[EMAIL PROTECTED] Web: http://www.workers.org) > > > > >From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Date: Wed, 8 Nov 2000 23:39:19 -0500 >Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII >Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT >Subject: [WW] Nader Program Contradictions--Part 5 >Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >------------------------- >Via Workers World News Service >Reprinted from the Nov. 16, 2000 >issue of Workers World newspaper >------------------------- > >CONTRADICTIONS OF THE NADER PROGRAM---PART 5: >CAPITALIST COMPETITION OR SOCIALIST COOPERATION? > >By Fred Goldstein > >Ralph Nader has pointed the finger at the main enemy, the >giant monopolies. He has performed a progressive service in >unmasking the Democratic and Republican parties as taking >their marching orders from big business. > >In a speech on the Capitol steps in Madison, Wis., on Nov. >1, he said that whoever wins doesn't matter much "because of >the corporate government in Washington" that runs things. To >the applause of the crowd, he accurately described the two >parties as fighting to get into the White House in order to >get payoffs. > >For everyone who has grown up under the political monopoly >of these two big-business parties, this can only be a breath >of fresh air and a political breakthrough that is long >overdue. And the enthusiasm with which younger people are >greeting Nader's attacks on corporate welfare, low wages, >environmental destruction and the commercialized culture is >a particularly hopeful sign. > >WHAT CAN BE DONE? > >The Nader movement, like the Seattle resistance movement, >has opened up the broad question of what to do about it all. >And that is where enthusiasm and resistance must be >accompanied by analysis and understanding. > >The struggle against the monopolies and all their abuses >must be fought every day in every arena, whether it is >against strike-breaking, toxic dumping, handouts to the >military-industrial complex, racist police brutality, the >corporate prison industry or murderous sanctions against >Iraq. > >But sooner or later the questions of program, perspective >and class orientation must be answered if the movement is to >succeed. > >Nader sees the struggle against the monopolies as a matter >of bringing back competition to capitalism. When asked >during the "Talk Back Live" show on CNN on July 5, "Are you >a Marxist?" Nader replied, "No... I believe in democracy. I >believe in competition. I think big corporations are >destroying capitalism. Ask a lot of small businesses around >the country how they're pressed and exploited and deprived >by their big-business predators." > >Nader's general view is that monopoly domination destroys >democracy, while competitive capitalism that empowers small >business will somehow bring it back. And the way to bring >democracy back is to build a popular movement that will >advance from election to election. > >In its early stages this "watchdog party" will act as a >pressure on the big capitalist parties. When it has mustered >enough electoral power, it will be able to transform the >system and reintroduce old-style capitalist competition >through legislation, regulation and the active mobilization >of progressive advocacy and pressure groups: the unions, >civil rights groups, consumer groups, women's rights groups, >environmental groups, and so on. > >DEMOCRACY AND THE RULE OF CAPITAL > >Imperialist democracy exists today mostly in the United >States, Europe and Japan. In these electoral systems the >masses periodically choose political parties to take office, >but the monopoly capitalist class continues to run society >on the basis of wage slavery and the profit system. > >The capitalists, with their police, military, courts and >government bureaucracy, maintain the continuity of >capitalist exploitation, oppression and imperialist >expansion from year to year, regardless of which party or >parties get into office. This happens even in the most >representative parliamentary systems in Europe. > >"Democracy," when based on private property and class >exploitation, turns out to be a political form by which the >capitalists maintain their class dictatorship over the >workers and all of society. Likewise, putting the emphasis >on parliamentary, regulatory and pressure-group methods of >controlling, let alone breaking up, the giant monopolies >leaves much to be desired. A movement that has set such an >ambitious task as overcoming the powerful corporate >predators must base itself firmly on social reality. > >All of history shows that the struggle under capitalism to >push back the monopolies and expand the democratic rights of >the masses must be fought in the streets, the communities >and the workplaces. It must involve militant, fighting mass >movements if deep improvements in the lives of the masses of >people are to be made. > >But putting aside political analysis and the question of >method, Nader's social goal itself, his broad program, must >first be analyzed. > >BIG VS. SMALL BUSINESS > >A necessary condition to reviving competitive capitalism >would be to break up big business and replace it with small >businesses. But this is like trying to break up a giant >ocean liner into small boats. This is hardly a solution to >the problem. > >If the ocean liner, which is a great technological >achievement, is going in the wrong direction, then the >answer is not to break it up into small units but to seize >the controls from the ship's commanders and turn it on its >proper course. > >Replacing big business with small business is not something >for the working class to look forward to. Small businesses >are less apt to have unions. Bosses in small plants and >shops tend to have more power over the workers. They usually >pay lower wages and provide fewer if any benefits. They have >an easier time evading labor laws and are apt to super- >exploit immigrants and undocumented workers. > >Furthermore, even if it were possible to break up the >monopolies, they would quickly reconstitute themselves >because the laws of capitalist competition and maximization >of profit would drive them to swallow each other up and >reproduce monopoly capitalism. > >One of the achievements of Marxism was to show that the >development of giant industry had the effect of >concentrating the working class into larger and larger >units, facilitating collective class action against the >bosses. Given the incessant competition that workers are >subjected to under capitalism, it is easier for 73,000 >Verizon workers, for example, to stand up to the telephone >monopoly than it is for 50 to 100 workers to deal with some >small shop owner. > >Large industry increases the potential social power of the >working class, putting them in a stronger position to wage >the class struggle, shut down capitalism altogether and run >society on a socialist basis. > >MONOPOLY CUTS TWO WAYS > >In fact, Nader's promotion of pre-monopoly capitalism is a >reflection of the anti-historical economic aspirations of >the class of medium and small proprietors who are being >crushed by the insatiable appetite of the monopolies. > >But there is a Marxist, working-class, anti-monopoly view >that is rooted in historical reality and shows the way out >the morass. > >Marxism has also shown that monopoly and big business have >played a contradictory role in history. Both sides of the >contradiction must be understood in order to figure out how >to move society forward. > >On the one hand, the monopolies live by plunder and >exploitation. They are the fundamental source of all social, >economic and political reaction. > >They are behind all the anti-labor legislation, union >busting, low wages at home and abroad, industrial death, >injury and toxic illness. They ruthlessly carry out massive >layoffs. Their system produces inevitable economic crises >that bring mass unemployment, poverty, dislocation and >suffering to hundreds of millions of people. > >They are behind militarism, war and intervention all over >the world in order to protect their global investments and >profits. The monopolies thrive on the Pentagon budget. Their >class war of capitalist globalization against oppressed >Third World countries destroys Indigenous cultures, ravages >local economies and plunders local resources in the name of >the so-called "free market." > >Through their ownership of the media, their control over the >education system and the publishing industry, and the >financing of right-wing politics, they promote racism, >national oppression and all forms of social oppression at >home. This is their time-tested means of dividing the >working class and reaping super-profits from wage inequality >for people of color, women, immigrants, disabled people and >any sector of society they can victimize. > >They poison the land, the sea and the air and are willing to >risk destroying the atmosphere, the glaciers and the planet >itself in pursuit of monopoly profits. They destroy entire >communities when they march in with mega-stores, or march >out taking factories and large enterprises for relocation in >pursuit of the highest profit. > >Imperialist monopoly is a malignant growth that threatens to >consume all of society if left to grow unchecked. > >HISTORIC ROLE OF MONOPOLY CAPITAL > >But there is another side to the development of big business >and monopoly capital that is crucial to the development of >humanity. In their global pursuit of maximum profits and the >highest productivity of labor, which are directly linked, >these bloodsuckers have created a worldwide integrated >economic apparatus. > >This global productive apparatus, once it is liberated from >the hands of the billionaire parasites who run it for >private profit, holds the potential for raising the material >level of existence for the entire human race. > >This development has come at an incalculable cost in blood >and misery. It is unplanned development that is completely >uneven, arbitrary and advances only in areas where it serves >the profit interests of big business. > >For example, the monopolies can plunge into developing the >productive forces of East Asia while leaving Africa >devastated, despoiled and totally underdeveloped. > >They can develop instruments to mine the moon and planets >but will block solar energy because of the profit interests >of big oil. They will develop the most sophisticated laser >surgery while undermining preventive medicine in order to >protect the pharmaceutical companies. > >They do not develop world production out of concern for >humanity but out of lust for profit. Nevertheless, they have >created a vast, socialized world system of production in >which hundreds of millions of workers on all the continents >have been brought into a global division of labor. It could >serve as the platform for the transition of humanity from >the age-old state of scarcity to a condition of abundance. > >GLOBAL SOCIALIZATION OF LABOR > >The monopolies have organized scientific workers, engineers, >technicians, researchers, production workers, service >workers, maintenance and transport workers, agricultural >workers and hundreds of millions of peasants into objective >cooperation on a world scale. And this organization is >behind the enormous increase in the world productivity of >labor. > >The problem is that it is all done on the basis of a >predatory struggle by each monopoly grouping to gain "market >share" and eventually to vanquish its rivals. They struggle >against each other by competing to exploit more workers more >intensely. That is what capitalist globalization is all >about. > >General Motors has 388,000 workers on all continents; >General Electric has 340,000 workers in 100 countries; IBM >has 307,000 workers in over 170 countries; Exxon has 123,000 >workers across the globe. The same holds true for AT&T, >Proctor & Gamble, Citicorp and all the Fortune 500. This >exploitation--the appropriation of unpaid labor in the form >of surplus value--is the basis of their wealth and political >power. > >The U.S. has a $10 trillion economy. The economic hardships >in this society do not flow from insufficient wealth. They >flow from the fact that the capitalist class sets the >priorities based on the profit motive. This determines what >is produced and how the wealth is distributed. That is why >there is such obscene inequality of wealth. If it is less >extreme in Europe, that is because the class struggles of >the past by the working class have forced more concessions >on the weaker European ruling class. > >In the hands of the workers, this wealth could easily be >used to rebuild the communities and give everyone free >education, health care, medicine and child care. There would >be plenty left to help oppressed countries make up for the >underdevelopment caused by U.S. imperialism. > >Cuba, an underdeveloped country with 10 million people under >economic blockade by the U.S. government, has managed to >provide everyone with free quality health care and free >education. The masses there are involved in political life >and have a strong enthusiasm for socialism and their >revolution. > >If Cuba can do that, imagine what could happen in the United >States under socialism. > >The goal of the movement must be to help organize the >working class and the oppressed in this country to take this >vast productive structure out of the hands of the monopolies >and run it collectively for the benefit of humanity. That >means to fight for socialism and eventually for communism >and a classless society. > >To look backward towards capitalist competition not only >means setting one's sights on an unattainable and >undesirable goal, but it keeps the movement from looking to >a socialist solution, which is the only way to take society >forward. > >- END - > >(Copyleft Workers World Service: Everyone is permitted to >copy and distribute verbatim copies of this document, but >changing it is not allowed. For more information contact >Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., NY, NY 10011; via e-mail: > _______________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki - Finland +358-40-7177941, fax +358-9-7591081 e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.kominf.pp.fi _______________________________________________________ Kominform list for general information. Subscribe/unsubscribe messages to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Anti-Imperialism list for anti-imperialist news. Subscribe/unsubscribe messages: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] _______________________________________________________
