Ohio Communist/Democrat Rick Nagin - Is U.S. Socialism Possible?

Cross posted from KeyWiki Blog

Rick Nagin is both a leader of the Communist Party USA and a leading activist in the Ohio Democratic Party.

Rick Nagin, center, campaigning with congressman Dennis Kucinich, 2009

In this article in the latest Peoples World, Comrade Nagin surveys the current political balance of forces within the U.S. and concludes - yes indeed, a socialist America is definitely possible.

Given the unprecedented economic, political and military power of the U.S. ruling class, it may seem like a pipedream to believe that working people can ever take over.

And yet, there are good reasons to believe the foundations of this colossus may not be that strong...

An especially significant factor in the growing challenge to corporate power is the re-emergence of organized labor with militant and class-conscious leadership. This was signaled by the election in 1995 of John Sweeney, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, as president of the AFL-CIO, ending decades of conservative leadership that actively collaborated with Cold War anti-communism and offered scant resistance as the corporations suppressed wages and sent jobs abroad.

Labor now has become the magnet around which a broad and growing coalition of progressive forces has emerged. This has taken organizational form in struggles for jobs, health care reform, the right of workers to form unions, the defense of social security and, especially, elections. In fact, labor was critical to Democratic electoral victories in Congress in 2006 and the 2008 Presidential election...

It was the alliance between liberal and centrist Democrats, the coalition of progressive forces including labor, the African-American community and youth as well as many independents that enabled Barack Obama to be elected. The right-wing, ousted after 30 years of increasingly extremist rule refuses to accept the result of this election and has resorted to unprecedented disruption aimed at destroying the Obama presidency and breaking up the Obama coalition. They hope racism, anti-immigrant prejudice, threats of violence and anger over the continuing economic crisis can be channeled into Republican votes. They have launched and financed the so-called tea party movement raising the specter of fascism.

Labor and its progressive allies recognize the danger and are mobilizing to defend democratic, civil, economic and social rights from the right-wing threat. Once again the progressive coalition is allied with the Democrats as the only way to defeat the ultra-right. The focal point has become the November midterm elections with the aim of holding the line, minimizing setbacks and, where possible, making gains.

Having held power since 1980, the right-wing is deeply entrenched in all branches of government particularly in military, foreign policy and intelligence circles. It also controls major sections of the media, think-tanks and religious groups. Its power will not be destroyed in a few elections and sessions of Congress. We are in for a protracted battle.

The ramifications of this battle go far beyond electoral and legislative politics. Defeat of the right wing of the U.S. ruling class would be a major, possibly decisive, blow to corporate power and set the stage for far-reaching advances, including the possibility of socialism. In other words, the defeat of the ultra-right is both an immediate political and long-range strategic necessity for the working class and broad sections of the people.

The historical experience of countries that established socialism in the 20th century shows that the working class had first to ally with sections of the capitalist class in order to defeat the most reactionary forces. Only then was it possible to overcome the capitalists as a whole.

The building of a multi-class coalition of democratic forces to defeat the ultra-right is a necessary stage in achieving socialism in our country.

The last few sentences are key - "the working class had first to ally with sections of the capitalist class in order to defeat the most reactionary forces. Only then was it possible to overcome the capitalists as a whole"

This is not good news for the Democrats, the "green businesses", the armies of consultants, "progressive" business people and "new media" entrepreneurs who have jumped on the Obama/Communist Party bandwagon.

It means, that when the time is right, they will be crushed just as mercilessly as the rest of us.