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I think the victory of Ms. Ocasio-Cortez in a Democratic Party primary is fantastic news, but I would not have campaigned for her or voted for her. Whether or not she does anything progressive, radical or even revolutionary in the future is besides the point. What is important now is the fact that the voters in that district voted for her and her program over the machine hack and his program. Those mostly working class voters are radicalizing. Her program will not ever be promoted or voted into being by the Democratic Party, so those voters will either have to give up and go home, or will come into conflict with their party over this program. That's a good thing. How should revolutionaries relate to this movement? United in the streets in demonstrations, united in the labor movement, but separate when it comes to elections. The idea that we always have to be with the masses, especially in a country like the United States where a substantial part of the masses have reactionary consciousness on many issues, is wrong. Sometimes we have to explain and wait. Despite the growing mass movements, and their tendency to grow together, when it comes to supporting the party of war in the United States (that would be the party of Wilson, Roosevelt, Truman, Kennedy, Johnson, Clinton and Obama) we have to separate ourselves from working class supporters of that party, including the ones who are trying to take it over and change it. Ms. Ocasio-Cortez 's election is not much different from the election and reelection of Ron Dellums in Oakland/Berkeley. Dellums made lots of radical speeches and received the enthusiastic support of a large part of the left in the Bay Area. He was instrumental in deflating the movement for the Peace and Freedom Party. Ms. Ocasio-Cortez may turn out to be different. Maybe, she will move left and break with the Democrats. Maybe she will become a revolutionary. Maybe, she will do great things. But for now she is part of one of the two most powerful imperialist political parties on the planet. Anthony _________________________________________________________ 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
