> >BUSH-GORE DEADLOCK: BIG-BUSINESS PARTIES DUEL OVER >WHITE HOUSE SPOILS > >By Fred Goldstein > >The unusual deadlock in the presidential election has >momentarily overcome the people's weariness with the >capitalist election process, in which only half the eligible >voters participated, as usual. > >Millions of workers and progressive people are now feeling >aroused and frustrated because, although Democratic >candidate Al Gore won the popular vote by a slim margin, as >of Nov. 8 he is in danger of losing in the Electoral College >to Republican George W. Bush. > >Further aggravating the situation are charges of massive >voting fraud in Florida, the state that may put Bush over >the 270 electoral votes needed to win the presidency. > >Corruption is part and parcel of the U.S. electoral system. >Richard Nixon lost the 1960 election to John F. Kennedy by >less than one-half of 1 percent of the vote because the >Democratic Party machine fixed the vote in Chicago. At the >time, Nixon decided not to create a political crisis and let >the election stand. > >In addition to corruption, the ruling class is confronted >with a major political embarrassment and dilemma created by >the highly undemocratic Electoral College, whose workings >the masses were largely unaware of. > >GORE, NOT NADER, TO BLAME > >One would think that Gore, having the advantage of belonging >to an administration that for eight years enjoyed an >economic expansion, would be a shoo-in. Now his spin doctors >have to find someone to blame for his poor showing. > >The Gore forces have accused Ralph Nader, the Green Party >candidate who won 3 percent of the national vote, of giving >the election to Bush. But Nader was basically correct when >he said in a Nov. 8 news conference that it was Gore who >defeated Gore. > >An important progressive outcome of the election was that >2.6 million people refused to be frightened into voting for >the lesser evil and stuck to their vote for Nader. They >declared their independence of the two big-business parties, >if not of capitalism. > >The winner-take-all election system in the U.S. ensures that >a vote for the left will not result in any political >representation, as it would under a system of proportional >representation. Yet the Nader voters stuck to their guns on >principle. > >There is no social or economic crisis underlying the present >election debacle. As Nader has pointed out repeatedly, the >two parties are fighting over who gets to the White House so >they can then take their marching orders from the corporate >government behind the scenes. > >The fight over the spoils of a $2 trillion budget can get >very sharp indeed. While both parties are pledging their >respect for law, etc., they will fight tooth and nail for >the presidency. Anything can happen. > >Workers, oppressed communities and militant youths shouldn't >get caught up in supporting one capitalist party or the >other in their battle for the presidency. But they should be >on the lookout for any opportunity to push their own >independent class demands. > >U.S. VOTING SYSTEM TIES MASSES TO BIG-BUSINESS >PARTIES > >Most people in the U.S. think they are voting for the >candidates, but in fact they are voting for slates of >electors in each state chosen by the parties. These slates >of electors are supposed to vote in December, after the >popular election, for their party's candidates. The number >of electors each state gets is equal to its members in the >House and Senate. > >Whoever gets a majority or plurality of the popular vote in >a state--even if it's by one vote--gets all the electoral >votes allocated to that state. > >This system was first devised by the landed aristocrats, >rich merchant class and slave owners who drew up the U.S. >Constitution in 1789. It was meant to ensure that the >elections would be in the hands of elite electors, chosen by >the rich, in case a popular election got out of hand and >went contrary to the interests of the ruling class. > >The winner-take-all system confines the broad masses year >after year to the program and candidates of the two big- >business parties. It prevents left and progressive forces >from being able to make inroads in the electoral arena and >get their message out to the people. > >At each election, the old pragmatic slogan is raised, "Don't >waste your vote." To his credit, Nader has refused to buckle >under to this and has allowed people to express their >opposition to big business's domination of politics. > >GORE TAKES MOST PROGRESSIVE VOTES > >Gore won the popular vote despite a totally demagogic and >uninspired election campaign. But because of the >mobilization of Black organizations, he won over 90 percent >of the African American vote, according to Nov. 8 CNN exit >polls. And he got 62 percent of organized labor's votes. > >The same exit polls showed Gore getting 62 percent of Latino >votes; 55 percent of Asian votes; 54 percent of women's >votes overall and 58 percent of working women's votes; and >70 percent of lesbian and gay votes. Workers making under >$30,000 a year, the elderly and youths also gave Gore >majorities. > >He carried cities of 500,000 or more by a 3-1 margin and >smaller cities by 2-1. Bush got much of his vote from small >towns and rural areas. Gore was strongest in the Northeast >and the West Coast, while Bush was strongest in the old >Confederacy. > >>From a purely democratic point of view, if Bush wins in the >Electoral College, the votes of Black and Latino >communities, unions, women, lesbian, gay, bi and trans >people and all the poorer workers who voted for Gore would >have been nullified by an antiquated, reactionary electoral >system. > >As much as the progressive sectors voted out of fear of >Bush's right-wing politics, the election of Gore wouldn't >bring them salvation. Wall Street and big business are quite >content with both candidates. The Electoral College system >hasn't come into play because the ruling class is somehow >worried about Gore being too liberal or radical. > >CLINTON-GORE CREATED RIGHT-WING CLIMATE > >It's come into play because the election is so close. And >the election is close because for eight years the Clinton- >Gore administration has pushed the Democratic Party to the >right. When Clinton signed the bill destroying welfare-- >driving millions of women and children into deep poverty--he >proclaimed that "the era of big government is over." > >Clinton-Gore made balancing the budget--that is, giving huge >sums to rich bondholders--the sacred mission of their >administration. And they did many other reactionary things. >All this changed the political climate in the country. > >Bush campaigned against "big government." Gore answered by >saying that he too was against big government. But "big >government" is a ruling-class code word for giving aid to >the masses of people who are victimized by unemployment, >poverty and the lack of education, housing and health care-- >all the evils of capitalism. > >It's true that the Republicans are to the right of the >Democrats on many issues. But Gore could not unmask Bush >because he is wedded to the same fundamental policy. > >The electoral process was put in its true perspective by the >Monica Moorehead/ Gloria La Riva campaign of Workers World >Party. They carried on an educational campaign against >capitalist exploitation and virulent national oppression. >Their message was that elections under capitalism don't >solve anything fundamental; that the only true road to >bettering the lives of the people is through militant mass >mobilization and class struggle. > >- 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 23:39:15 -0500 >Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII >Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT >Subject: [WW] Socialists' Goal: Make Elections an Arena of Struggle >Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >------------------------- >Via Workers World News Service >Reprinted from the Nov. 16, 2000 >issue of Workers World newspaper >------------------------- > >SOCIALISTS' GOAL: "TURN ELECTIONS INTO ARENA OF >STRUGGLE" > > >[The following interview with Workers World Party >presidential candidate Monica Moorehead was conducted Nov. 6 >by reporter Kelli Cook of the Florida A&M University student >newspaper, the FAMUAN. Florida A&M is an historically Black >college located in Tallahassee.] > >KELLI COOK: What responsibilities do you feel that you hold >to the women voters by being the only all-female >presidential ticket? > >MONICA MOOREHEAD: [WWP vice presidential candidate] Gloria >La Riva and I have received encouraging letters from young >working women all over the country who feel that we have >given them a voice during these elections. This has provided >us with so much inspiration, because as activists and >revolutionaries, we are against everything that these >elections stand for. On the other hand, we also want to turn >these elections into another important arena of struggle to >help educate and agitate young people especially to get >involved in militant campaigns for social change and >justice. > >We both feel great responsibility towards women voters in >this country because, of course, every president has been a >white male and the majority of people in this country are >women. Women are viewed as the private property of men in >this society. We live in a class society that is riddled >with inequality. Women are viewed as sex objects within this >culture, in books, ads, movies, TV, etc. We see examples >every day of our lives. Women are still paid on average less >than men. One of the goals of our campaign is to help women >feel empowered and to feel we are just as qualified as any >male. > >As two women of color, two workers, two socialists, we truly >understand the many problems that women face in this society- >-economic inequality, sexual inequality and racial >inequality. So many forms of inequality and divisions are >perpetuated under class society and especially under >capitalism--men against women, straight against lesbian, >gay, bi, trans, and whites against people of color. > >We want women voters to register a protest vote against the >two big-business, pro-patriarchy candidates and the system >which they represent. > >KC: Your Web site also talks about a number of issues that >might deal with young Black readers (police brutality, >etc.). Could you give a general statement as to why young >Black students should vote for you? > >MM: Young Black people should vote for us because we are a >party that has always taken a very strong, principled stance >against racism and national oppression. This is one reason >why support for affirmative action and fighting against >racist police brutality, the death penalty and the growth of >the prisons are prominently listed on our platform. These >demands are meant to help expose the institutionalized >racism that exists in this country and to help explain that >the origins of racism are politically rooted in white >supremacy. > >The economic roots of racism come from the capitalist super- >exploitation of nations of oppressed people. The United >States is not "one nation under god." It includes many >nations of oppressed peoples, including African Americans, >Puerto Ricans, Native nations, Haitians, etc. These nations >suffer not only from all forms of racist discrimination and >racial profiling, but also super-exploitation in the work >place with the worst paying jobs, and the highest >incarceration rates. This is really the most prominent >social issue in the country. > >The Democrats and Republicans have not made it a big issue >in their campaigns, however, because both parties depend on >racism to keep people divided and to protect the interests >of the capitalist system--that is, to keep making profits at >the expense of providing everyone with health care, decent- >paying jobs, housing, education and everything else needed >to guarantee a healthy life. > >We would like young Black people, all people of color and >progressive, anti-racist whites to vote for us. A vote for >our ticket is a protest vote against racism and all forms of >bigotry. > >We also want to encourage young Black people to get involved >in the struggle to save the life of political prisoner Mumia >Abu-Jamal, who has been on Pennsylvania's death row for 19 >years. He was falsely convicted of killing a white police >officer and could be facing execution within the coming >year. > >His case epitomizes the struggle against police brutality, >the death penalty, the growth of the prisons and all forms >of racist repression. As a former Black Panther and an award- >winning journalist, Mumia has always been outspoken on >issues of police abuse and has championed the struggles of >poor and working people and people of color here and around >the world. > >If the state is allowed to execute Mumia, it will encourage >this racist system to legally lynch anyone who speaks out in >the name of justice and liberation. Saving his life by >demanding that he have a new and fair trial is the number >one political issue in the struggle to eliminate all forms >of racist repression. Saving his life will be a big blow to >the forces of racism and reaction and a big victory for the >Black community and progressive forces everywhere. > >KC: Is America ready for a Black and female president? > >MM: Yes! If we were allowed the same amount of air time and >access to all forms of media that is enjoyed by the >Republicans and Democrats, we believe that millions of >people in this country would be excited by our platform and >message. > >We strongly feel that nothing is more important than to show >through history and example that the only way to win >fundamental change for the masses of the people is to build >independent social movements of the people themselves. >Pulling a lever in a voting booth every four years alone is >not the key to becoming politically empowered. > >Also, there are millions more people who are disenfranchised >from the political process because they are imprisoned, have >had felony convictions or are undocumented. So how >democratic can voting be with this kind of blatant >discrimination? > >If Gloria and I were voted into office, our main task would >be to motivate and encourage millions >of people to mobilize all over the country to fight against >the forces of big business and for all the rights which >should already be guaranteed under the existing laws of this >country. > >- 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 23:39:16 -0500 >Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII >Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT >Subject: [WW] Student Inspired by WW Candidates >Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >------------------------- >Via Workers World News Service >Reprinted from the Nov. 16, 2000 >issue of Workers World newspaper >------------------------- > >WASH. STUDENT INSPIRED BY WORKING WOMEN >CANDIDATES > >[From a letter to Workers World Party candidates Monica >Moorehead and Gloria La Riva.] > >As a future teacher I feel passionately about providing the >best education we can to all students. I believe that a pay >increase for teachers is one of the best ways to recruit new >blood into the profession, giving teachers higher numbers. > >Thank you for running for president. Thank you for being two >women who call themselves workers and women of color. I feel >that this campaign has the power to touch a lot of people, >including myself, a Latina who will work for her living. > >I have been inspired by the effort that you have taken. >Thank you for being a voice for women of color and for women >who work for a living. You have my support, and I hope that >everyone involved understands how important they are. Best >of luck! > >-Reyna Maestas >Western Washington University >Bellingham, Wash. > >- 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 23:39:16 -0500 >Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII >Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT >Subject: [WW] Antioch Hears Moorehead on Election Eve >Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >------------------------- >Via Workers World News Service >Reprinted from the Nov. 16, 2000 >issue of Workers World newspaper >------------------------- > >OHIO: ANTIOCH HEARS MOOREHEAD ON ELECTION EVE > >On the eve of Election Day, Workers World Party presidential >candidate Monica Moorehead spoke to a multinational group of >students at Antioch College in southern Ohio. She answered >questions about immigrant rights, racism, Cuba, the former >Soviet Union, the environment, and the historical importance >of the Reconstruction period following the U.S. Civil War. >Moorehead explained how all these issues are connected to >the worldwide class struggle. Students applauded and took >literature to further their understanding of Marxist >politics. > >The evening before, Moorehead spoke at the WWP headquarters >in Cleveland, leading a lively discussion on the upcoming >election and the party's December national conference. > >--Martha Grevatt > >- 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 23:39:17 -0500 >Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII >Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT >Subject: [WW] Electoral College >Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >------------------------- >Via Workers World News Service >Reprinted from the Nov. 16, 2000 >issue of Workers World newspaper >------------------------- > >ELECTORAL COLLEGE > >The system of electing the U.S. president through the >Electoral College was established to insure the rule of the >rich merchants and slave plantation owners. "Democracy" was >limited to the richest 10 percent of the population at the >time. > >Socialist candidates from Eugene Debs to Monica Moorehead >have, for the last hundred years, called for the abolishment >of the Electoral College. Like the denial of the vote to >slaves and women, the Electoral College is a part of this >country's history of anti-democratic government. > >Following the 1776 Revolution the framers of the >Constitution were interested in preventing the uprising from >going further. Shays' Rebellion of small farmers was >threatening to spread from Massachusetts to the other >states. Slave rebellions were threatening in the South. > >The rich merchants like John Adams and the big slave >plantation owners like George Washington were frightened >that their victory would be surpassed by an uprising of >slaves and small farmers who wanted the revolution to go >much further. > >The Constitution was their way to impose a federal >government that would guarantee the rule of the rich. States >limited the right to vote to property owners. Slaves and >women as well as Native peoples were specifically forbidden >from voting by the Constitution. The framers of the >Constitution represented only the richest 10 percent of the >population. > >Among those who wrote the Constitution there was not one >small farmer or laborer, no representative of the African >American population, no women or Native people. There was >not one poor person, slave or indentured servant. They were >all bankers, merchants, shippers, slave owners and lawyers. > >The presidency was designed to impose a king-like ruler over >all the country. No one was allowed to vote for the >president or the senators. There was no popular vote for the >president for the first 50 years. The Electoral College was >established so that the president would be determined by a >carefully-controlled clique. The members were all appointed >by the state legislature. Even when the popular vote was >established for the president, it was not binding on the >members of the Elec toral College, in case the popular vote >had to be rejected. Senators were also appointed by the >state legislatures until 1913. > >The government was designed so that the overwhelming power >would reside with those not elected by popular vote: the >president, the Senate and the Supreme Court. > >--Gary Wilson > >- 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) > > > > _______________________________________________________ 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] _______________________________________________________
