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The momentum of anybody involved in politics must be taken into account. Or, put another way, one's program, one's past. That is what has a huge impact in determining what direction one will take in the future. Ocasio-Cortez ran as a Democrat. She clearly proposed that the future is through the Democratic Party. Her involvement in DSA does not lead her away from the Democratic Party; on the contrary, it helps bind her to that party since DSA is controlled by those who believe in working within the Democrats. Even if it weren't, we have to recognize that when she gets to congress, she'll be forming all sorts of connections. In a thousand different ways, she'll be edged closer and closer to the Party. The Democratic Party operates as a powerful pole of attraction in "progressive" politics. Unless one has a clear base built around opposing this pole, one will get pulled ever more into its orbit. And that is doubly true for an elected official such as Ocasio-Cortez. This is not a "formal" question. As we try to explain in the article, the absence of a mass working class political party in many ways defines the present political situation in the US today. Filling this vacuum is the #1 task for the present period. The election of people like Ocasio-Cortez actually makes that task more difficult, not less. As for the individual issues, from environmental to Palestinian rights to strengthening the unions - the Democratic Party will not be a vehicle for any of those. Trying to do so through building the "progressive" wing of the Democrats is like chasing the end of a rainbow. John Reimann On Thu, Jun 28, 2018 at 11:37 AM, A.R. G <[email protected]> wrote: > It seems like the primary problem described in the article is formal, not > substantive. That is, that OC will not be able to make these changes > because she is running as a Democrat. > > A genuine question: What difference does it make if she isn't dependent on > the Democratic Party structure? She is clearly depending on the wider Left > and indeed she has been publicly attacked by the Democrat Establishment at > every step of the way, from Pelosi to Gillibrand and others. The people who > are actually propping up her campaign are DSA members, not the Democrats. > So why does it matter? > > In Bernie's case, the reason it ended up mattering is because he still > needed the party establishment to clinch the primary, and they not only > used the superdelegate system to undermine his abilities, but also had the > DNC undermine his campaign at every stage. OC has already gotten past those > restrictions as far as a Congressional seat is concerned. > > If she were running for President I might share your pessimism but she is > running for a Congressional seat. If other challengers surface in other > parts of the country they can form an opposition bloc that will prevent the > Establishment Democrats from continuing to make concessions to Trump. If > they need a party to provide infrastructure then DSA will still be there > and is likely going to grow as a result of these kinds of upsets. > > Amith R. Gupta > > On Thu, Jun 28, 2018 at 2:31 PM, John Reimann <[email protected]> > wrote: > >> It depends on what you mean by "legit". For those of us who see politics >> in class terms (which is to say, those of us who are Marxists), the real >> issue is the development of a mass working class political party - as >> explained in the article. Ocasio-Cortez's election will not lead in that >> direction. >> >> John >> >> On Thu, Jun 28, 2018 at 11:03 AM, A.R. G <[email protected]> wrote: >> >>> Great interview >>> <https://theintercept.com/2018/06/12/watch-glenn-greenwald-interviews-democratic-primary-challenger-alexandria-ocasio-cortez-of-new-york/> >>> by Glenn Greenwald with Ocasio-Cortez prior to her amazing success. Note >>> also that she is willing to defend Palestine >>> <https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/ali-abunimah/supporter-palestinian-rights-wins-huge-upset-new-york-election> >>> so you know she's legit (hooray!). >>> >>> Amith R. Gupta >>> >>> On Thu, Jun 28, 2018 at 1:49 PM, John Reimann via Marxism < >>> [email protected]> wrote: >>> >>>> ******************** POSTING RULES & NOTES ******************** >>>> #1 YOU MUST clip all extraneous text when replying to a message. >>>> #2 This mail-list, like most, is publicly & permanently archived. >>>> #3 Subscribe and post under an alias if #2 is a concern. >>>> ***************************************************************** >>>> >>>> >>>> The Wall St. Journal editors didn’t mince their words: “Republicans are >>>> chortling after Tuesday’s primary defeat of New York Democratic >>>> Congressional baron Joseph Crowley by Sandernista Alexandria >>>> Ocasio-Cortez, >>>> but they might want to hold the Schadenfreude [pleasure from somebody >>>> else’s misfortune],” they wrote.... >>>> >>>> What does the election of DSA member Ocasio-Cortez mean? What does it >>>> show >>>> about the mood in the US? How will it affect the Democratic Party. And, >>>> most important of all: Does this provide a way forward for the working >>>> class? >>>> >>>> see: >>>> https://oaklandsocialist.com/2018/06/28/alexandria-ocasio-co >>>> rtez-elected-what-does-it-mean/ >>>> _________________________________________________________ >>>> Full posting guidelines at: http://www.marxmail.org/sub.htm >>>> Set your options at: http://lists.csbs.utah.edu/opt >>>> ions/marxism/amithrgupta%40gmail.com >>> >>> >>> >> >> >> -- >> *“In politics, abstract terms conceal treachery.” *from "The Black >> Jacobins" by C. L. R. James >> Check out:https:http://oaklandsocialist.com also on Facebook >> > > -- *“In politics, abstract terms conceal treachery.” *from "The Black Jacobins" by C. L. R. James Check out:https:http://oaklandsocialist.com also on Facebook _________________________________________________________ Full posting guidelines at: http://www.marxmail.org/sub.htm Set your options at: http://lists.csbs.utah.edu/options/marxism/archive%40mail-archive.com
