Revisionism

Two Thirds Of “Progressive” Democratic Congressional Candidates Completely Silent on Foreign Policy

September 14, 2018 Bruce A. Dixon, Blackagendareport.com Educate! Electoral Politics, Foreign Policy, Revisionism

To achieve a Democratic majority in the US House of Representatives Democrats must overcome the result of two decades of relentless Republican gerrymandering in state legislatures. Traditionally the maps from which congressional representatives were elected were only drawn once a decade based on census results, but beginning in the 1990s Republicans asserted and won the right to re-draw legislative maps pretty much whenever they feel the need. Their technique is to concentrate Democratic voters into a relatively small number of districts where Democrats reliably win by enormous margins, while spreading out the Republican vote to a greater number of districts in which Republicans reliably win with much smaller margins.

The Establishment’s Bi-Partisan Fear Of Popular Revolt

September 12, 2018 Gareth Porter, Truthout.org Resist! Electoral Politics, Populism, Revisionism

The two most powerful think tanks in Washington, representing center-left and center-right political elites, have responded to the populist shocks of the 2016 presidential election by trying to reposition themselves and the Democratic and Republican Parties as more sympathetic to populist concerns even while maintaining their attachments to the interests of big business and the complex of war-making. The Center for American Progress (CAP), linked to the Democratic Party establishment, and the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), which is close to the Republican Party, have issued two long papers in recent months reflecting their high anxiety over the rapid growth of populism on both sides of the Atlantic...

Spike Lee’s Film Makes Cop That Spied On Blacks Into Hero

August 31, 2018 Boots Riley, Blackagendareport.com Educate! Police, Propaganda, Racism, Revisionism

This contains spoilers, so read no further if you don’t want the film spoiled. This is not so much an aesthetic critique of the masterful craftwork of this film as it is a political critique of the content of and timing of the film. I also want to say, as I tweeted last week, that Spike Lee has been a huge influence on me. He’s the reason I went to film school so many years ago. He’s the first person I sent a demo tape of my music to when he had 40 Acres and a Mule Musicworks, and he has inspired me as a cultural critic as well. He never held his tongue about what he thought of Tyler Perry films or any other films that he happened to see and be displeased with. Spike doesn’t hold his tongue. Although I’m gonna lay out my disagreement, I hold him in highest respect as a filmmaker.

Undeserved Eulogising Of John McCain Serves To Bolster An Imperialist Narrative

August 27, 2018 Staff, Morningstaronline.co.uk Educate! Electoral Politics, John McCain, Revisionism, US Imperialism

NO-ONE’S death should be celebrated, but nor should it be accompanied by undeserved eulogy as US senator John McCain’s is. He is described in the US mass media, routinely echoed by our own subservient networks, as a war hero, but where is the heroism in bombing a major city to terrorise the population into surrender? McCain’s F4 Phantom fighter bomber was shot down over the Vietnamese capital Hanoi in 1967, forcing him to parachute into Truc Bach lake where, given the nature of his injuries, he would have drowned but for local people who plunged into the water to rescue him. Hanoi reported his capture and knew that his father and grandfather were both four-star admirals in the US Navy, making him a prime candidate for any prisoner exchange.

An Open Letter To ‘Socialists’ Who Might Be Fronting For The Democratic Party

August 25, 2018 Quetzal Cáceres, Blackagendareport.com Educate! Electoral Politics, Revisionism, Socialism

First, a confession. When I learned of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s primary victory against incumbent dinosaur Joe Crowley, I was, as embarrassing as it is to admit, moved to tears. I’m the emotional type, take after my mom. I’m also a Xicanx, a life-long socialist, and was overwhelmed to see a young brown woman step up and raise the socialist banner. Now, however, as weeks have passed since her primary victory, as she has made the rounds of the talk show circuit, been feted by progressive circles, interviewed by corporate and “Left” media, and shilled for Democratic Party candidates, she has said enough (and sometimes more disturbingly not said enough) to make one wonder if she’s making up this whole socialism thing as she goes along.

Socialists Need To Fight For Economic Change — Not Just Another Version Of Capitalism

August 18, 2018 Richard D. Wolff, Huffingtonpost.com Strategize! New Economy, Revisionism, Socialism

“Socialism” has become the new political buzzword. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) surprised many during his 2016 presidential run by winning the votes of millions as an explicitly “socialist” candidate. In 2018 we’re seeing a rash of candidates running on socialist tickets. Most high-profile of these is Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who was propelled into the public eye ― along with her progressive policies like job guarantees and universal, single-payer health care ― following her unexpected victory against veteran incumbent Rep. Joe Crowley in a New York Democratic primary. In contrast, capitalism, once defended as a seemingly unassailable ideology, is showing deep fractures. While the U.S. economy booms, “workers have been getting ripped off,” a New York Times editorial said in August.

Why The U.S. Needs More Worker-Owned Companies

August 17, 2018 Peter Walsh, Michael Peck and Ibon Zugasti, Hbr.org Create! Cooperatives, New Economy, Revisionism, Worker Cooperatives

The gap in wealth in the United States between the ultrawealthy and everyone else has reached its widest point in decades. One way to narrow the divide is through the use of worker buyouts, in which ownership of a company transfers from a single person or a small number of people to the workers of the company. Currently, about 10% of Americans hold equity stakes in their workplaces. By providing more workers and employees with opportunities to buy shares, companies can help workers and communities raise their standard of living and simultaneously feel more invested — literally — in the success of the enterprise. In that way, worker buyouts also increase firms’ competitiveness: Research suggests that employee-owned companies are more durable and resilient during economic downturns.

In Unprecedented Move, Former Mayor And Ex-legislator Will Be Running Mates With Lula

August 16, 2018 Staff, Peoplesdispatch.org Create! Brazil, Elections, Electoral Politics, Revisionism

It’s an unheard-of situation: three candidates running together for Brazil’s presidential elections. The unusual case is actually due to the peculiar scenario ahead of the elections, as the name at the top of voting intention polls – former Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, from the Workers’ Party (PT) – has been in prison for the past four months and is unable to exercise his political rights at the moment. The plan involves nominating, at first, Workers’ Party member and former São Paulo mayor Fernando Haddad as Lula’s running mate. Once their registration with the electoral court is reviewed and ratified, which should happen by September 17th, Manuela D’Ávila, from the Communist Party of Brazil (PCdoB), takes on the running-mate slot next to whoever the PT candidate may be, Lula or Haddad.

A Worker-Owned Future

August 3, 2018 Peter Gowan, Jacobinmag.com Create! Revisionism, Workers

Last year’s British Labour Party manifesto has received substantial attention from those — including myself — who see it as a comprehensive program for rolling back the tide of neoliberalism and revitalizing the labor movement, public services, and industrial strategy. But it also contains the seeds of a deeper critique that — if Labour wins and Jeremy Corbyn’s movement withstands attacks from hostile forces — could lead to a significant expansion of democratic control in work and production. Labour not only promises to bring rail, mail, water, and energy into public ownership but commits itself to putting “democratically owned public services irreversibly in the hands of workers, and those who rely on their work.”

Bipartisan Dysfunctionality Puts The World At Risk

August 2, 2018 Staff, Gp.org Educate! Electoral Politics, Party Politics, Revisionism

All of humanity is being put at risk by the duopoly of Democrats and Republicans opposition to dialogue with Russia. The combination of Russophobia and the Democratic Party's compulsion to criticize Trump's every action, even when he accidentally does something sensible, is preventing the two largest nuclear powers, with the two most advanced militaries in the world, from working together to create a safer and more secure world. President Donald Trump and President Vladimir Putin finally met for a lengthy meeting. Not much was accomplished, but it might be the beginning of an important dialogue, which could have significant positive impacts. Russia and the United States are involved in many conflicts where de-escalation is possible if a working relationship is established. There are global crisis situations that could be reduced if the two nations work together, and bring other nations with them, to confront those problems.

Rebel Cities 9: Iceland’s Slow-Burning Digital Democratic Revolution

July 30, 2018 Steve Rushton, Occupy.com Create! Class Struggle, Iceland, Revisionism, Revolution

For the last decade, Iceland has been a subject of democracy folklore. The country is often neglected due to its size and location, but when it receives attention it is almost mythologized. One reason for this is that the people there, from the bottom up, are innovating with digital democratic experiments. The folk are co-creating the law. Icelanders to their credit have twice peacefully ousted governments; they are world leaders in transparency laws and digital freedom; and through referendum the nation decided not to bail out its failed banks. Through a crowd-sourced Constitution, Iceland showed a pathway for 21st Century democratic renewal, although successive politicians blocked the final destination. In addition, the Pirate Party of Iceland, a new direct democracy party, has often polled highest yet has not made it into government.

Nordic Countries Show State Ownership Works

July 25, 2018 Matt Bruenig, Peoplespolicyproject.org Educate! Nationalism, Private Ownership, Revisionism

Neal Meyer has a piece at Jacobin where he seeks to define the phrase “democratic socialism.” I had a similar post in late June here at People’s Policy Project. Overall, Meyer’s piece is fine as far as these things go. But there is a turning point in the essay in which he attempts to distinguish “social democracy” from “democratic socialism” where he makes clearly false factual claims that really need to be corrected if we want to have a serious discussion about this idea. Here’s Meyer: In rare instances — usually following massive wars and economic crises — progressive governments have been able to win victories. The Scandinavian countries are what we call “social democracies,” societies with robust social safety nets and labor movements that check the worst tendencies of capitalism and limit the power of the wealthy in key ways.

Miguel Diaz-Canel Reaffirms Cuba Will Not Shift Towards Capitalism

July 23, 2018 Staff, Mltoday.com Create! Cuba, Revisionism

The new Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez reaffirmed on Tuesday in Havana that Cuba is not and will not shift towards capitalism, a decision which also means an oath to the leader of the Revolution, Fidel Castro. In his speech before the special plenary dedicated to the Commander in Chief at the closing of the 24th Encounter of the Sao Paulo Forum, the Cuban government ratified that, there will not be “any concessions of any type for those that are looking to move us away from the historic internationalist positions of the Revolution”. You can only expect from Cuba, efforts and decisions to fight, unify, multiply, organize, combat and triumph, there will never be space for division or weakness, said the Cuban Head of State to over 600 representatives.

Socialist International Of 140 Global Political Parties Adopts BDS, Calls For Military Embargo On Israel

July 9, 2018 Staff, Imemc.org Resist! BDS, Israel, Labor Movement, Revisionism, Socialism

The Council of the Socialist International (SI) has called for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) for Palestinian rights at their meeting in the United Nations in Geneva on June 26-27. SI also called for a “total embargo on all forms of military trade and cooperation with Israel.” Socialist International brings together 140 global political parties, including 35 parties in government in South Africa, Argentina, Spain, Colombia, Portugal, Tanzania, Luxemburg, Romania, Iraq and elsewhere. The SI has reaffirmed the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination and called on governments and civil organizations to “activate Boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) against the Israeli occupation.” It called for the “total embargo on all forms of military trade and cooperation with Israel as long as it continues its policies of occupation and Apartheid against the people of Palestine.”

Betraying Labor

June 5, 2018 Greg Godels, Mltoday.com Educate!, Strategize! Class Struggle, Electoral Politics, Labor, Revisionism

At a time when ex-FBI chief James Comey’s self-serving, self-righteous book becomes a bestseller, in a season when ex-Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, the enthusiastic apologist for genocide against Iraqi children, joins Comey on the bestseller list with a preposterous lecture on fascism, it may well be time to retreat to the library. I found some solace and much enlightenment from a dusty, cobweb infested paperback in a corner of a basement book self. I had read Organize! some years ago, maybe forty or more years ago. Published posthumously by the author’s daughter and a colleague, the book is a memoir of one of the US working class’s most valuable leaders– Wyndham Mortimer– at one of labor’s most important junctures.

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