Bashing Bush?

Further, Z argued during the campaign, that Bush, saddled by powerful opposition due to a strong Nader turnout and subsequent Nader and Green activism would impact short and long-term justice better than Gore, coupled with a weakened opposition due to relatively low Nader support and reduced Green and Nader activism. This too was accurate. The problem now is that Bush is in office (despite having lost the election), but about five million potential Nader voters ignored our argument and voted for Gore, and, since the election, Nader and the Greens have done little to solidify their gains. As a result, we have Bush and an apparent lower rather than higher movement readiness to oppose him.

Still, the outcome of installing Bush's cabinet appointees is not a foregone conclusion, but a matter of struggle, just as it would be if Gore were proposing other agents of elite rule subject to the same overarching corporate pressures as Bush's choices, and with the same broad commitments to preserving elite hierarchies throughout society, if not returning us to a pre- 20th century condition.

This past year has seen increased receptivity to radicalism. Movements opposing top down globalization and corporate power have been particularly inspiring and promising. Issues and constituencies have become linked and tactical confidence has grown.

A concern we have, however, is that it would be very easy for all that momentum to focus overwhelmingly on Bush and his Cabinet. They are such juicy targets, especially Ashcroft. But railing against representatives of the Republican Party is not intrinsically radical.

The problem of the left is to restrain the Bush administration's extremist agendas, but in ways that oppose the defining institutions of our society. Our goal shouldn't be to foster a pendulum swing from Republicans back to Democrats, but to promote insights that transcend that false dichotomy and reach well beyond.

We need to bash Bush, yes, but not in ways that lead toward being confused about the Democratic nominee for president in 2004 or 2008.

We need self-conscious, independent, and radical organizing, grass-roots activism, radical organization building, and third party militancy all seeking systemic reforms leading toward social redefinitions and revolution, not toward another electoral choice of the “lesser evil.”                   Z