First off, I'd like to welcome msszczep to the community!
msszczep has written a couple of thoughtful posts about unifying the Left, here and here. Both very thoughtful posts, you should go read them.
I do however, think that msszczep's idea of emphasizing reduction in markets is substituting one course of action for another. Their preferred course of action is on the same rhetorical 'level' as an emphasis on Voting Rights. It's not that it's incorrect because some other course of action is better, it's incorrect that it's not broad enough. It's exclusionary. Only the people who come to the Left because of voting issues will be enthused. But let's take a closer look as to why.
Here's what msszczep's proposal is:
I think that the Grand Unifying Theme should be the challenge and eventual abolition of the institution of markets.
Minimizing the role markets have to play in our lives is a
result of some Grand Unifying Theme [GUT], but not the theme itself.
It has to be. Because if it's not, the LGTBQ people will feel left out, so will the disenfranchised, so will the environmentalists, the poor and the technocrats (who will be mostly opposed to this idea, BTW).
Let's take a look at Whitman's quote again:
"Thunder on! Stride on! Democracy. Strike with vengeful strokes!"
It gets its punch from the war-like tone - Thunder, Stride, Strike with vengeance! But what is the Theme? It's hidden there, in the middle, protected by war-like outriders,
Democracy.
That's a call that can mean many things to many people. The LGTBQ community sees representation, the disenfranchised see voting rights, the environmentalists see social action on climate change, the poor see opportunity and the technocrats, they see social acceptance of government by the numbers.
What does "Market Minimization" offer people who aren't Left economically as a main reason for being on the Liberal side of the house? Not much.
GUTs need to broad and inclusive. They have to be, because they don't serve their purpose of uniting otherwise.
My proposal?
Justice
The LGTBQ crowd will see representation.
The disenfranchised will see voting rights.
The environmentalists will see social action on climate change.
The technocrats will see a smoothly running system.
The Poor will see opportunity.
And those of us who understand Marx and his critique of capitalism will see a reduction in the role markets play in society.