Communists do not have separate demands from various segment of the working class. IN fact it is these real world demands that creates the line of march. Here is how Marx and Engels defined the task and role of communists. ^^^ CB: So, stop talking about a communist polarity Comment Do you support the American invasion of Afghanistan? Do you support the demand of the antiwar movement to remove US troops from Afghanistan? To speak of unemployment and the fight against it as the cornerstone of the communist polarity and will always be talked about on a Marxist list serv. On the other hand I deeply respect those who are not communist and the non-communists have just as much of a right to put forth their views. I believe the dividing line on a Marxist List serv is between communism and anti-communism. The communist polarity in American society is objective. It is not a subjective disposition or ideology. Those sectors of the working class more than less shut out of the civic society of the bourgeoisie are an objective communist formation, because their spontaneous demands are for socially necessary means of life. In a word welfare. The fight for welfare is the communist polarity in American society with a huge section of the working class slowly warming to the idea that government must provide for the people when the free market capitalist fails and it is failing big time. That is the communist polarity and it is going to be talked about on a Marxist List serv. Communism is not to be understood as an ideology but rather the historic movement of people - real human beings, that emerged with the emergence of classes as a property expression, in human history. As long as communism is understood as some kind of conspiracy on the part of individuals . . . the bourgeois point of view, the deepening revolution in the mode of production makes no sense. We have entered an era of revolution. ************* CB: Correct. Don't raise aboltion of private property now. That's the ultimate goal,not the current line of march Comment "Don't raise abolition of private property now?" I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about. Abolition of private property is not a demand, reform or a concession to be sought from the bourgeoisie. . The line of march, in my opinion. is as I have described it for the past 10 years. The demands of the poorest workers is the line . . . as these demands intersect with various layers of the working class. Now, discussion of all of Marx projection and thinking is appropriate for a Marxist List serv. There is of course a deeper issue and that is the communist approach to work in the legislative and electoral arena. I have some direct experience in this arena, as well as negotiation with the representatives of institutional capital. Communist most certainly must volunteer or be assigned to this arena of struggle. Most of our communist work is however non-electoral. *************** CB; Sure but, we aren't there yet. The agenda of what is doable now is being set by O. And by the way, over the last 30 years, the other "team" has built up a 49 to 0 lead. So, we have to make a lot of touchdowns. You can't score 7 touchdowns on one play. Comment Interesting analogy. We are to understand that the extension of unemployment benefit is not a concession but a touchdown. Brother, not very long ago you were cheerleading for communist to support the bank bailout plan and schemes to nationalize the banks, only to back off this position. No matter how hard communists on various list screamed against the idea of nationalizing the banks you refused to listen. Apparently, in a moment of spiritual awakening to decided that maybe nationalizing banks is not a bright idea, given the fact that there is no mathematical way to value assets or even determine a rational model to stabilize the Ponzi schemes of the bourgeoisie. Further, when asked how will this help the working class, no one could answer the question. What is wrong is a misunderstanding of capitalism, this moment of deepening crisis and the meaning of concessions; and fights in the legislative and electoral arena. Simply defining what is taking place in the legislative arena as the legislative arena, allows communists and Marxist to understand there is a larger field of social struggle. There is a profound misunderstanding of the legislative and electoral arena. First of all Obama does not set the agenda for what is doable. Here does not even set the agenda. Even the most backwards trade union leader knows that real life sets and creates the need for an agenda. What sets the framework for what is doable is a complex intersection of class needs or identity of interest. The needs of capital and the workers connected to capital as the social process, are expressed in the political sphere as the agenda that various sectarian factions within the ruling class address. What is doable arises as a social response to economic and social strife expressing the widening breach between the productive forces and the social relations of production as the latter is destabilized by the former. Maintaining the unity between the latter and the former dictates what is on the agenda as short term and long term goals for the ruling class. I am not bragging to state that early, the day after Obama was elected I wrote extensively on matters of unemployment, health care, housing and other needs of the working class - all layers, and what specific points are doable based on class intersection. The archives of this list and Pen-L: will prove this. The point is that the working class has not scored a touchdown at all. In fact the working class is being pushed back. One year form now we shall see why we have to redouble are efforts in and most certainly outside the legislative arena just to stand still. Your logic is tragic. WL. **************Need a job? Find employment help in your area. (http://yellowpages.aol.com/search?query=employment_agencies&ncid=emlcntusyelp00000005)
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