On Green Party’s Candidate

(Letter)

29 March 2008

Dear comrades,

The WV No. 911 (28 March) article on Obama, “Break with the Democratic Party of War and Racism!” states that as Marxists we do not “extend any political support to any capitalist politician—Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, John McCain or Ralph Nader—Democrat, Republican or Green.” This implies that Ralph Nader is the capitalist Green Party candidate for president. However, in February Nader declared that he would not run for or accept the nomination to be the Green candidate.

Instead, the front-runner for the Green nomination is a black woman, Cynthia McKinney, who as a Democrat from Georgia was driven out of Congress in 2002 for her criticism of Israel. If you want a real populist who is not a bible-thumper, McKinney is as close as you get in America. She calls for amnesty for immigrants, repeal of the Patriot Act, the Secret Evidence Act and the Military Tribunals Act. A February 6 editorial by Workers World Party enthuses that McKinney “has a program supporting the struggle for Black rights and women’s rights, anti-war and pro-worker and in solidarity with immigrants.” These reformists previously endorsed McKinney’s successful campaign in 2004 to return to Congress on the Democratic Party ticket.

Blacks don’t have a lot of illusions in Ralph Nader, but some do in McKinney, especially those who do not support Obama. Of course, she sings the same old song of “money for jobs, not for war” and is running to hold the Democrats “accountable.” The role of “progressive” bourgeois politicians like McKinney is to head off and contain any potential social struggle, keeping it safely within the confines of the capitalist system.

Best comradely regards,
R.S.