This piece is a contribution to the Pre-Convention Discussion for our 32nd National Convention. During Pre-Convention Discussion, all aspects of the party’s program, strategy, and tactics are up for consideration and debate. The ideas presented here are those of the author or authors alone, and do not necessarily reflect the positions of the Communist Party USA, its membership, or their elected leadership bodies. — Editors

It’s election season in the USA, and once again, we are being asked to choose between the lesser of two evils. We have Donald Trump with his dangerous racist rhetoric, misogyny, open bribery and crimes. And we have Joseph Biden with his uncritical support for genocide, repetition of Zionist lies, and continuation of Trump’s fascist border policies. How is one to proudly cast a vote for either of two obvious evils?

George Jackson in 1969 expressed this conundrum, “The fascists already have power. The point is that some way must be found to expose them and combat them. An electoral choice of ten different fascists is like choosing which way one wishes to die.”

R Palme Dutt in 1935 spoke on the dangers of lesser evil voting, “the continued hesitation and retreat of the reformist working class leadership at each point (policy of the lesser evil) encourages the growth of fascism. On this basis, fascism is able finally to step in and seize the reins, not through its own strength, but through the failure of working class leadership. The collapse of bourgeois democracy is succeeded, not by the advance to proletarian democracy, but by the regression to fascist dictatorship.”

Tailing the Democrats is not an option. The DNC is the party of Silicon Valley, defense contractors, war in Ukraine, and genocide in Gaza. If neoliberalism is akin to fascism, Zionism certainly is a fascistic ideology. We cannot back Biden for president in 2024.

We also cannot back the Republicans. They are the party of Christian Nationalism, right to work laws, abortion bans, and homophobia. No, we will not support the GOP nor Trump.

Section Four of the CPUSA Party Program states, “Both Democrats and Republicans have collaborated over many decades to restrict ballot access for ’minor’ parties… Many media outlets also restrict democracy by focusing on the horserace and personality aspects of elections, reporting endlessly on polls and perceptions rather than on coverage of the issues of importance to voters.”

We, CPUSA , are a minor party. We are running candidates in local races, but not POTUS in 2024. While we recognize that electing socialists into the bourgeois system will not change it (only revolution can) we understand that electoral struggle is one method to spread our message of working class solidarity, and to show the masses that the system under which we live is the locus of our pain. We should utilize bourgeois electoralism to advance our cause.

There are many minor parties running candidates with platforms that align with our goals. So the question is “Shall we form a United Front against fascism with one or more of these minor parties?”

The Party for Socialism and Liberation is running a presidential campaign in 2024, and standing with them could be an opportunity to form a United Front.

The PSL candidates, Claudia De la Cruz and Karina Garcia, have seven major policy goals stated on their website:

1. Seize the Biggest 100 Corporations
2. Overthrow the Dictatorship of the Rich
3. End the Rule of Money
4. Cut the Military Budget by 90%
5. End the War on Black America
6. Defend Women’s Rights, Full Equality for LGBTQ People
7. Save the Planet from Capitalism

These goals are not wholly different from the CPUSA platform. Their campaign is under no delusion that they might win, or if they were to, that their victory would fundamentally change the United States. It couldn’t, but as Lenin explained, running socialist candidates at all levels is one way to spread our message of socialism.

CPUSA members have experience working with PSL comrades in our communities. They have been active in the FREE PALESTINE movement, rallied against Dobbs, and worked with us lobbying city councils regarding policing issues.

Dr. Cornel West is running a progressive campaign for president as an independent candidate. His platform contains the following pillars:

1. Economic Justice
2. Worker Justice
3. Environmental Justice
4. Health Justice
5. Racial Justice
6. Transformative Justice
7. Voter Justice
8. Education Justice
9. LGBTQIA Justice
10. Gun Violence Justice
11. Immigration Justice
12. Global Justice

CPUSA has worked with Dr. West in the past through the Poor People’s Campaign. While not a Marxist, he is an anti-imperialist. Take a look at his campaign pillar, Global Justice. This plan includes the goals of closing global U.S. military bases, disbanding NATO, ending weapons shipments to Ukraine, ending military aid to Israel and pressuring the UN to establish a program for Palestinian liberation, ending the embargo on Cuba, and no intervention in Haiti.

Dr. West’s platform of anti-imperialism stands in stark contrast to the stances held by either major party in the US. Working through an independent grassroots campaign like his is one way to spread our message of working class solidarity and anti-imperialism. He has aligned with us in the past, and would likely welcome our alliance in this election.

If we want to stop fascism in the United States, we must work with other progressive forces, and this election is an opportune time to reach out. We have built-in allies in PSL, Dr. West’s campaign, Palestinian liberation groups, peace advocacy, labor unions, and workers all over the country disillusioned with the corporate-aligned imperialist parties. We can use our collective power to show that we don’t have to settle for an “evil” candidate, but demand a different system. We can disrupt this election cycle, and use it to bring working class Americans into the struggle.

So, let’s form a true United Front against fascism in 2024. Let’s join forces with other socialist parties, unions, and unaffiliated comrades. Let’s work together to defeat all faces of fascism, including both major political parties and their corporate overlords. Let’s stand firmly against Zionism, and all aspects of settler colonialism. Let’s collectively say, “No!” to militarization of the border, “No!” to oppression of women and trans people, and “No!” to over-policing Black and Brown neighborhoods.

Let’s say, “Yes!” to solidarity, “Yes!” to working class power, and “Yes!” to socialism. Let’s say, “Yes!” to a United Front against the fascist threat. We have nothing to lose but our chains.

Comments