tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5282058542643659653.post3502699387042965505..comments2024-01-27T16:02:00.027-05:00Comments on Marxist update: Trump: A capitalist politician, not a fascistJay Rothermelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09531989615494104215noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5282058542643659653.post-80684091384966605642016-04-03T09:45:13.644-04:002016-04-03T09:45:13.644-04:00The SWP's orientation toward the Trump "m...The SWP's orientation toward the Trump "movement" is unique on "the left." There is not necessarily something unprincipled about this. As this article points out, it would be wrong to write off every one of his supporters as a racist or fascist. Still, it is odd for a "party" of less than a hundred souls to devote its meager resources to this. Wouldn't Bernie's rallies be a more fruitful arena for selling The Militant or finding potential recruits?<br /><br />There seems to be something deeper going on here: The SWP's new orientation toward the white (or as they quaintly call it, the "Caucasian") working class. A recent issue of The Miltant reported that presidential candidate Alyson Kennedy campaigned in an overwhelmingly white, and rather prosperous, suburb of Chicago. And the SWP's Philadelphia branch moved its headquarters from black North Philadelpia to Mayfair, an area of the city that is 95% white.<br /><br />I have a feeling that when the SWPers set up their literature tables at Donald Trump rallies, they're not promoting books by Malcolm X.John B.https://www.blogger.com/profile/00603354267259344759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5282058542643659653.post-66405586174403560192016-03-26T12:40:16.822-04:002016-03-26T12:40:16.822-04:00Yes, I have been reading those back issues.
My op...Yes, I have been reading those back issues.<br /><br />My opinion is that The Militant's analysis back then was hysterical. While there's little doubt that Buchanan himself is a racist and even an anti-semite (far more so than Trump, actually), as a politician he really is just on the far end of mainstream bourgeois politics, as is Trump. He wasn't and isn't really a fascist, nor is Trump. In the 2000 election the Republican Party moved to the right and marginalized him. In the end he got less than a quarter of the vote of Ralph Nader.<br /><br />By the way, I agree with The Militant that it's a mistake to disrupt Trump's rallies. Actually the periodic interruptions of his speeches have become part of his "schtick." They don't appear to have hurt him at all. Nor do they infringe on his "freedom of speech," since with his money he has a thousand times the free speech of regular working people.<br /><br />As usual whatever valid points the SWP makes are undercut by its hectoring, self-righteous tone. Sincere anti-racist activists are not wrong to ignore this irrelevant, shrinking little group.John B.https://www.blogger.com/profile/00603354267259344759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5282058542643659653.post-34530383654033008722016-03-26T11:57:58.976-04:002016-03-26T11:57:58.976-04:00You raise a good point John.
I've been reread...You raise a good point John.<br /><br />I've been rereading the 1992 issues as they are uploaded to the archive. Have you, too?<br /><br />In them SWP candidates even participate in counter-demos at Buchanan campaign events during the 92 primaries. <br /><br />I am going to post this question on FB for discussion. Feel free to send me a friend request or respond to mine.<br /><br />Jay RothermelJay Rothermelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09531989615494104215noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5282058542643659653.post-78341860479910720072016-03-26T11:50:06.303-04:002016-03-26T11:50:06.303-04:00I'm still waiting for the clarification from T...I'm still waiting for the clarification from The Militant of how Trump differs from Patrick Buchanan, whom it had no difficulty characterizing as a fascist.John B.https://www.blogger.com/profile/00603354267259344759noreply@blogger.com