I want you all to get involved in politics.
This post is aimed at young folks and disenchanted Leftists of all ages who understandably wonder what the point is of supporting Democrats. While this could easily turn into a long discussion of ideology, democracy, and organizing models – which might parody the point I am making today – I will be brief and to the point. I know many of you find these things important (as do I, to be clear) and wonder how you can act with integrity without being grounded in ideology. In the lived world that carries on whether we feel prepared for it or not, we need to be pragmatic and focus on action, and not get lost in scholarly reading and debate. After all, there is an election next Tuesday that quite honestly could accelerate damage to our democracy in ways that may not be repaired for years or decades. Instead of focusing on specific ideological paths, I suggest you embrace a politics of antifascism. At least right now and, unfortunately, in the foreseeable future.
Yes, we have a terrible system that does not adequately represent the myriad ideas across the political spectrum and, while seemingly playing to the middle seems in practice to skew to the Right. We have a two-party, first-past-the-post electoral system that is rooted in a constitutional scheme designed to give more power to rural voters. We have one party that is turning into an actual fascist party before our very eyes and another that always seems to disappoint. It is because of this – not despite it – that you need to get involved in politics.
In America the movement for fascism has taken over the Republican Party. In our two-party system, the only opposition – as far political parties go – is the Democratic Party, a weak and sometimes feckless liberal capitalist party. America has no Leftist political party that can compete electorally. And trying to create one outside of the two major parties will not work without very big reforms – some of which might require constitutional amendments.
For young folks as well as seasoned Leftists, supporting Democrats can seem like not just a waste of time, but a betrayal of values. I am not going to argue they’re wrong. After all, I was a Green Party member in the ‘90s – which included a stint as legal counsel to a Green state party organization. However, to conflate support for Democrats with support for Republicans is a false equivalency – and a dangerous one at that. Both parties are capitalist, to be sure; but one wants to destroy democracy while the other supports it (even if it is not doing nearly enough to protect voting rights right now).
Activists must understand the American political context better – and participate in it pragmatically at different levels. Does this mean becoming a capitalist or betraying one’s values? No, it does not. There are at least three types of political engagement in America that are relevant here, and activists must understand that and act accordingly: direct action/mutual aid; internal party politics; electoral action.
In other words, we need to be anarchists, socialists, and Democrats … depending on the situation. Regardless of what you may believe, these are not mutually exclusive ideas - at least not within our current political landscape. We have to work together and we can do that as long as we refrain from arguing over ideological and organizing differences that mean nothing to voters and folks in need of help in your community. You can accomplish many different things within any of these types of political engagements, but what’s important for this discussion is understanding how doing all of them help create and maintain an antifascist politics. In brief:
1. Get involved in your community. You do not have to do that through electoral work. Work with a local organizing group that is helping make tangible and progressive change in your community. Or get involved in your local union, if you have one – or organize one at your workplace. Or get together with some friends and neighbors and create a mutual aid society to help out on specific problems you have in your community. There are plenty of different ways to be engaged in your community through mutual aid and direct action. This is how you can practice anarchism.
2. Get involved in the Democratic Party. We have one of the worst democratic arrangements available for incorporating alternative views: a two-party system utilizing a first-past-the-post electoral method. You can read more about this here. Until we can meaningfully reform our electoral system, we need to push one of the two major parties to the Left. It will not be the Republican Party, that’s for sure. This is how you can create a socialist electoral presence that can win elections in the near to mid term.
3. Stay involved with your minor political party, if you support one. Whatever work you may be doing with your minor party is worthwhile advocacy, but do not let it become a spoiler for electing fascists. I think folks working with the Greens should be focused on reforming politics at the local level (RCV, fusion, multi-member districts, etc.) and running for local offices. Local politics is where you can experiment with new ideas early on. It is here that you can put pressure on Democrats to adopt socialist and other Left policies without spoiling partisan state and federal elections. Left minor parties should be working with Democrats at the state and national levels right now. If there were ever a time for a popular front in America, it is today.
4. Support and vote for Democrats in all state and federal elections. In the short-term, this is probably the most effective way to stop fascism.
IMPORTANT CAVEAT: Do not let any self-appointed ideological gatekeeper dissuade or shame you into thinking you are a sell-out. Some of these folks are actually working to elect fascists directly (because they are fascists) or indirectly (because they embrace a view that we need things to get very bad before people will act). Most, however, are well-intentioned but embrace strict adherence to ideology without regard for the consequences because of a misplaced sense of what political integrity means. There are also some that just complain. No matter what their reason or motivation, they are not being helpful. Ignore them.
Ideology is useful to understanding how systems work and how you can influence them, but strict adherence to ideology has done nothing but damage to humanity. When you hear people say things like that you probably hear them make reference to Stalin or Mao. But in America we have collectively adhered to a very powerful ideology that has done much damage because so many of us won’t be practical about solving problems if it means deviation from that ideology. That ideology is free market capitalism. The slavish adherence to the ideological promises of free market capitalism are directly tied to why we have done so little to address climate change.
Serious harm results from capitalism if you let it run amok, but that’s true for all ideologies – which is why they are guideposts, not rulebooks. And that’s the real problem with sticking to ideologies over problem-solving – ideologies are theories about how the world should or does work. Like any good theory, we must change it when facts and experiment show that it’s wrong here or there (or everywhere).
Let’s be clear about what really prevents Leftists from working together: sectarianism borne from strict adherence to ideology and organizing models.
Strict adherence to ideology accomplishes nothing but division and perhaps a (false) feeling of integrity for not compromising, even with potential allies. The important thing is not ideology, but in one’s values to genuinely make the world a better place. Focusing on ideological divisions on the Left benefits fascists by creating and maintaining those divisions, which then leaves antifascist political action weak and disorganized. When organizing, be pragmatic: use whatever model works as long as you are not being intentionally dishonest about what you are doing.
In closing: don’t despair, organize!
We need to support Democrats in elections to stop fascism.
We need to work within the party to transform it from a capitalist party to a democratic socialist party – something that could take a very long time, but won’t happen without any effort.
We need to engage in direct action and mutual aid to make real change in our communities now.
Get involved! And make sure to turn out and vote in person, early, or by mail in the next week.