This article is part of the discussion leading up to the Communist Party USA’s 29th National Convention May 21-23, 2010. CPUSA.org takes no responsibility for the opinions expressed in this article or other articles in the pre-convention discussion. All contributions must meet the guidelines for discussion. To read other contributions to this discussion, visit the site of the Pre-Convention Discussion period.

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Upon reading much of the Pre-convention discussion I must agree with Michael Scheinberg’s points in “Kicking it up a notch” and also some of the comments on Party Democracy. While not wanting to play into sectarianism, these are areas of vital importance to our Party. Many of us do good work within working class struggles but how do we maintain that all important “Communist Plus’? That is what defines our work. It is an absolute necessity to enlarge class consciousness if we are to truly defeat the ultra-right and undermine their growth among the least educated of our class. I believe the best approach is a consistent anti-corporatist line than must be shown as the basis of every issue. Let’s face it, the reason what is “possible” within the system we now have is that the system itself is owned by corporate interests which have undermined and stolen representative democracy. More and more otherwise non-politicized people are realizing that. The Supreme court ruling making corporations “people” brought this to the surface. We need to be building on this because it is central to all that we do and who we are, after all, the antithesis of a corporate dictatorship (otherwise known as fascism) is working class democracy (otherwise known as socialism). Corporations are the instruments of bourgeois power and when we fight corporate power, we are in effect fighting capitalism. While I am absolutely against those who would suggest changing the name of our party, “anti-corporatism” can be used in the struggle without feeding into the anti-communism that lingers in the minds of many. Undoing anti-Communism happens in the struggle itself as people realize the implications of corporatism, grow a class conscious understanding and get to know Communists by our work. That will inevitably lead to the growth of our party. As for our day to day work, Comrade Bruce Bostick is right that we need to be in the forefront of the crisis facing workers who are struggling against unemployment, foreclosures and the theft of hard-won benefits. Still, outreach is vital and as great as the People’s World Website is, it is no substitute for a paper which can be handed out or picked up in factory lunchrooms, tables, or anywhere working people gather. Websites are fine for those looking but a paper reaches many who don’t know to look and who don’t cruise the web looking for socialist sites. The decision to discontinue the paper needs to be revisited and such weighty decisions should be made by the party as a whole. Overall, I am impressed by the range of discussion. It shows us to be a healthy, dynamic party and is what separates us from the ultra-left sects. I hope that our Party leaders will not react to valid criticism with defensiveness and that those who are critical will place Party Unity above sectarianism whatever the decisions made collectively at the convention.

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