With the imperialist war in Iraq and a failed health care system, it sure is tempting to buy into the Democratic Party’s empty promises and outright lies. In a time when the nation has dug itself into a hole it is now extremely difficult to get out of, it is tempting to support anyone who promotes any kind of change. But NO ONE who wants real social change, NO ONE who is a genuine revolutionary, votes Democrat.
In the first place, it has become exceedingly clear that the Democrats are as much an imperialist party as the Republicans. The Democrats have consistently passed pro-war legislation, have consistently been non-committal on ending the Iraq war, and yet nearly all current “anti-war” organizations are tied with a thousand threads to the Democratic Party and its “progressive” wing.
Let us be clear that any promises the Democratic Party and its “progressive” wing make are merely attempts to appease the public while the mainstream politicians go on passing pro-war legislation (thus far, they have been successful). For example, in March, MSNBC and other media like the Wall Street Journal reported on a closed-door meeting between House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and some of the “progressive,” “anti-war” Democrats. In it, the “progressives” agreed to make sure Pelosi’s $100 billion escalation of the Iraq war passed in the “Out of Iraq Caucus.” Then, when the Democrats were sure the legislation would pass, these same “progressives” voted against it when it reached the floor!
And lo and behold, these “progressives” were then invited to ANSWER Coalition “anti-war” rallies!
Thus, it becomes apparent that the “progressive” wing of the Democratic Party has a special role: to make the Democratic Party appear anti-war to the public so that mainstream Democrats can go on fulfilling their imperialist interests. It is also obvious that the Democrats’ only opposition to the current situation in Iraq is that the strategy isn’t “working” and thus threatens the power of U.S. imperialism.
Therefore, neither the mainstream or “progressive” democrats deserve our support. But many will argue that electing a Democrat to President in 2008 will make it easier for the anti-war movement to win and that the Democrats are “the lesser of two evils.”
To this, I answer: CHOOSING THE LESSER OF TWO EVILS STILL LEAVES YOU WITH EVIL!
If we cannot show the imperialist politicians that we will not vote for them and that we have broken from the entire economic and political system of imperialism, then they have no reason to listen to us, and no reason to end the war. Supporting the Democrats and voting for them in 2008 will only weaken the anti-war movement, because it shows that we are not a threat. In short, giving imperialist politicians our support is no way to defeat imperialism!
Why the Left is paralyzed
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The Left is paralyzed for many reasons, but one of the biggest reasons is that nearly all anti-war organizations are still tied in some way to the Democrats and their “progressive” wing, or similar “progressive” but imperialist parties, like the Green Party. At anti-war rallies, groups will often invite politicians as speakers, and they will promote the same old reformist solutions, like writing a letter to your congressman or signing a petition.
The say that all we need do is give up our militancy and start kissing ass, and the politicians will end the war.
But this has effectively led the Left into complete pacifism and stagnancy, because by resorting to signing petitions and writing letters, the Left has shown the ruling class that it is not a threat, and therefore, the politicians will not feel remotely pressured to end the war. Thus, we need anti-war organization that breaks from both imperialist parties, and, in fact, the entire economic system of capitalism and the imperialist system from which it is inseparable.
What is imperialism?
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Imperialism is an economic and political system into which we are born where the ruling class uses its military and economic power to force its influence upon other countries for profit. Imperialism only leads to death, destruction, and endless war. Because it is a direct result of the capitalist mode of production, no “saviors” from above can “fix” this economic system, as it is not a “policy.” The rich ruling class, which finances all of the politicians, will never eliminate imperialism and the capitalist system which creates it because they thrive on its profits.
Learning from the generation of ‘68
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The U.S. Government did not end the Vietnam war because the people elected the “right” candidates or signed petitions or wrote letters to their representatives. The war in Vietnam ended because the masses threw off their reformist misconceptions and took to the streets. Likewise, change today will not come from electing the “right” candidate into office come 2008. There are no “right” candidates. Because of the nature of the imperialist system, all politicians are representatives of the ruling class and thus will fight for the continuation of the imperialist system that gives them so much money.
Rather, we must take to the streets, and through militant mass action, show the ruling class that we will not support them and that we have broken entirely from the economic and political system of imperialism. Only then will the government feel threatened enough to end the war.
The Red Beacon (TRB) 
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