When FDR swept into the presidency with his New Deal, too many workers
believed they had won the day. But they had only won a partial
victory. Roosevelt pushed through some critical consessions, but they
were concessions that kept control in the hands of the Ruling Class.
Remember, Roosevelt could not have been elected to a record third and
fourth term without the quiet support of those who owned the USA.
If Joe Biden is elected, this will not be a victory for the Working Class
We need to mount heavy pressure on Biden if we are just going to hold
the line.
Carl Jarvis
On 10/11/20, Roger Loran Bailey <dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Should I hold my nose and vote for the ‘lesser evil’?
https://themilitant.com/2020/10/10/should-i-hold-my-nose-and-vote-for-the-lesser-evil/
BY TERRY EVANS
Vol. 84/No. 41
October 19, 2020
“I’d rather vote for something I want and not get it than vote for
something I don’t want and get it,” Eugene V. Debs, the presidential
candidate for the Socialist Party and supporter of the 1917 Russian
Revolution, told working people over a century ago.
Debs’ comments are as true today as they were then, as backers of both
President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden insist
workers do the opposite. Both say working people should cast a vote for
them because they are the “lesser evil,” despite the unbroken records
both have of upholding the rule of the top capitalist families, the
class that is responsible for the crisis conditions workers face.
At a rally in Canton, Ohio, in 1918, Debs called on workers to turn
their backs on the Republicans and Democrats and to look to our own
class and build our own party. “Be true to yourself and to the best you
know,” Debs urged, and back a revolutionary working-class party that
“stands for a principle and fights for a cause.” He was sent to federal
prison for this speech and campaigned for president in 1920 from his cell.
Last month Biden told factory workers in Wisconsin that Trump looks down
on them because he thinks he’s “better than you.” Days before, Trump
said that Biden’s Democrats “had waged war on the American workers for
half a century.” They’re both right.
Whether Biden or Trump wins in November, he will use the presidency to
loyally protect the ruling capitalist families who have thrown millions
of us out of work, cut wages, sent the elderly to die of coronavirus in
nursing homes nationwide, and left workers defenseless against rising
inflation — all measures enforced to defend their profits, but
increasingly intolerable for working people.
Neither the Democrats nor Republicans offer any proposal aimed at what
workers most need — a road to fight to reverse today’s massive
joblessness, get millions of us back to work at union-scale pay and
provide adequate unemployment relief now for as long as needed until
everyone has a job. Instead, both start from what the bosses say is
“reasonable” or “possible,” with the overriding aim to defend at all
costs the dog-eat-dog private profit system.
In contrast, the Socialist Workers Party presidential ticket of Alyson
Kennedy and Malcolm Jarrett campaigns on a program for workers and our
unions to organize to defend ourselves. To speak out and act in the
interests of all those exploited and oppressed by capitalism. To unify
working people in action. To build our own party, a labor party, to
organize us in our millions to take political power into our own hands.
It’s not good intentions, but through working-class struggle that we can
gain self-confidence to see ourselves as a class that is capable of
making history.
Join us in the final weeks of campaigning to take this perspective —
along with the Militant and books by Socialist Workers Party leaders and
other revolutionaries — to workers and farmers in cities, towns and
rural areas!
Front Page Articles
For federal public works program to provide jobs
For a shorter workweek with no cut in pay to stop job cuts!
Laws protect cops in lack of charges over Taylor killing
‘Trump-Biden debate shows workers need our own party’
Join fall drive to expand the reach of the ‘Militant,’ SWP campaign!
Protests continue across Belarus despite government attacks, arrests
Feature Articles
Armenia, Azerbaijan fighting fueled by regional rivalries
Also In This Issue
Workers in UK discuss how to fight gov’t, boss attacks on jobs
US gov’t steps up executions, kills 7th prisoner in 3 months
‘Militant’ fights yet another Florida prison impoundment
New Hong Kong protests defy cops, repression
Should I hold my nose and vote for the ‘lesser evil’?
Campaign to sell Militant subscriptions and books Sept. 26 - Nov. (week
one)
Socialist Workers Party-Building Fund Sept. 26 - Nov. 24
On the Picket Line
Canada Dominion workers win solidarity in six-week-long strike
Ky. Teamsters continue strike for contract at DSI Tunneling
Operating Engineers enter fifth week of strike against Macy’s
25, 50 and 75 years ago
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--
_____
Robert G. Ingersoll
“Give me the storm and tempest of thought and action, rather than the dead
calm of ignorance and faith! Banish me from Eden when you will; but first
let me eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge!”
― Robert G. Ingersoll, The Works Of Robert G. Ingersoll, Vol. Iii
