CPUSA Using Democratic Congress to Implement Socialist Agenda
Another report from the recent Communist Party USA National Committee meeting to assess the results of the recent US mid term elections.
Believe it or not, the CPUSA played a big role in the Democrat's victory, mainly through their influence in the union and "peace" movements.
The CPUSA seeks to use their allies in the Congressional Black and Progressive Caucuses to push through elements of the Party's agenda.
From the latest People's Weekly World
“The right-wing stranglehold on Congress has been broken,” Joelle Fishman, chair of the Communist Party USA’s political action commission, told a meeting of its national committee here, Nov. 18-19. “This election is a beginning in the great task of changing direction in our country.”
Over 80 activists from around the country gathered to assess the Nov. 7 elections and the political agenda for 2007. Fishman opened the meeting with her report, “Carrying the People’s Election Victories Forward,” available at www.cpusa.org. CPUSA National Chair Sam Webb presented a working paper for discussion on the “Nature, Role and Tasks of the Communist Party.”
National committee members from key election states, including Missouri, Ohio, Indiana, New York, Minnesota and Pennsylvania, spoke about political victories and issues motivating the voters.
Fishman said the election results were a mandate to withdraw from Iraq, pass health care and labor reform legislation, and end political and corporate corruption.
She applauded the big role of the labor movement, with unity in action of AFL-CIO and Change to Win unions. Because of this decisive contribution, “labor emerges from this election in a key position to lead,” and its agenda is front and center, Fishman said.
Erica Smiley, Young Communist League USA national coordinator, noted that concern over student loan rate increases and financial aid cuts motivated young voters.
Sounding a caution that the right is already “working to ease the impact of what happened on Nov. 7,” CPUSA Executive Vice Chair Jarvis Tyner urged the party’s leadership body to help push forward a progressive agenda.
Many speakers discussed the role of the Communist Party in their area. Webb’s report, along with many remarks from the floor, projected the necessity of a bigger Communist Party to help broaden and deepen the movement for progressive change in the country.
Elena Mora, New York Communist Party district organizer, said the electoral work showed the correctness of the party’s strategic direction — that the overriding struggle was to decisively defeat the ultra-right. “We worked as hard as we did in this election not in spite of being Communists, but because of being Communists,” she said.
The people’s election victory Nov. 7, Fishman said, shows “our country needs a larger and stronger Communist Party with vibrant clubs in the neighborhoods and workplaces connected to the issues and struggles that will move the people’s agenda forward.”
Now, beginning the new tasks of changing our country’s direction, and looking toward the 2008 presidential elections, “we will have to think through the key issues and tactics and how we can make our contribution” to strengthening unity and moving ahead, she said.
“The Bush agenda is not changed, although he will also have to adjust to the new situation,” Fishman said. “The permanent war policy, privatization of Social Security, punitive anti-immigrant measures, union busting, repression of civil rights and civil liberties are still all on the table.
“So, there will be pulls on the Democrats toward the right in the name of bipartisanship. However, a majority of committees will be chaired by members of the Progressive, Black, Hispanic and Asian Pacific Caucuses, which are closer to the grass roots, ready to listen and respond. It will take a struggle to change the direction of the country and fulfill the meaning of this election,” she said.
“The organizing that went into this election victory now has to be turned to organizing grassroots pressure for a people’s needs program.
“Now the work begins,” Fishman said.
Believe it or not, the CPUSA played a big role in the Democrat's victory, mainly through their influence in the union and "peace" movements.
The CPUSA seeks to use their allies in the Congressional Black and Progressive Caucuses to push through elements of the Party's agenda.
From the latest People's Weekly World
“The right-wing stranglehold on Congress has been broken,” Joelle Fishman, chair of the Communist Party USA’s political action commission, told a meeting of its national committee here, Nov. 18-19. “This election is a beginning in the great task of changing direction in our country.”
Over 80 activists from around the country gathered to assess the Nov. 7 elections and the political agenda for 2007. Fishman opened the meeting with her report, “Carrying the People’s Election Victories Forward,” available at www.cpusa.org. CPUSA National Chair Sam Webb presented a working paper for discussion on the “Nature, Role and Tasks of the Communist Party.”
National committee members from key election states, including Missouri, Ohio, Indiana, New York, Minnesota and Pennsylvania, spoke about political victories and issues motivating the voters.
Fishman said the election results were a mandate to withdraw from Iraq, pass health care and labor reform legislation, and end political and corporate corruption.
She applauded the big role of the labor movement, with unity in action of AFL-CIO and Change to Win unions. Because of this decisive contribution, “labor emerges from this election in a key position to lead,” and its agenda is front and center, Fishman said.
Erica Smiley, Young Communist League USA national coordinator, noted that concern over student loan rate increases and financial aid cuts motivated young voters.
Sounding a caution that the right is already “working to ease the impact of what happened on Nov. 7,” CPUSA Executive Vice Chair Jarvis Tyner urged the party’s leadership body to help push forward a progressive agenda.
Many speakers discussed the role of the Communist Party in their area. Webb’s report, along with many remarks from the floor, projected the necessity of a bigger Communist Party to help broaden and deepen the movement for progressive change in the country.
Elena Mora, New York Communist Party district organizer, said the electoral work showed the correctness of the party’s strategic direction — that the overriding struggle was to decisively defeat the ultra-right. “We worked as hard as we did in this election not in spite of being Communists, but because of being Communists,” she said.
The people’s election victory Nov. 7, Fishman said, shows “our country needs a larger and stronger Communist Party with vibrant clubs in the neighborhoods and workplaces connected to the issues and struggles that will move the people’s agenda forward.”
Now, beginning the new tasks of changing our country’s direction, and looking toward the 2008 presidential elections, “we will have to think through the key issues and tactics and how we can make our contribution” to strengthening unity and moving ahead, she said.
“The Bush agenda is not changed, although he will also have to adjust to the new situation,” Fishman said. “The permanent war policy, privatization of Social Security, punitive anti-immigrant measures, union busting, repression of civil rights and civil liberties are still all on the table.
“So, there will be pulls on the Democrats toward the right in the name of bipartisanship. However, a majority of committees will be chaired by members of the Progressive, Black, Hispanic and Asian Pacific Caucuses, which are closer to the grass roots, ready to listen and respond. It will take a struggle to change the direction of the country and fulfill the meaning of this election,” she said.
“The organizing that went into this election victory now has to be turned to organizing grassroots pressure for a people’s needs program.
“Now the work begins,” Fishman said.
posted by Trevor Loudon at
12/01/2006 04:02:00 PM
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