Dissent Magazine has posted a piece ,”The End of Progressive Neoliberalism,” by Nancy Fraser from Dissent. www.dissentmagazine.org/...
I wondered how folks such as the writer justified the position of not organizing all available forces to defeat Trump. It is good that she came out of the closet. I think she represents many. I have been looking for someone to speak up from this perspective ( not my own).
From her essay she seems to consider the contamination of our politics by the Clinton, neoliberal machine as a greater danger than the potential victory by Trump and his neoliberal proto fascists.
I have some issues of dissent from this piece. There is a left in the US. Weak, yes, but it exists. For example the CCDS says of the election,
“”The movement for justice and progress in the U.S. has suffered a great setback. And the depth of the reactionary movement that led to this setback was underestimated by most on the left. It’s necessary to reflect on what it has taught us and about our shortcomings but it’s also vital to assess our strength to meet this great challenge.” I think they are referring to the Fraser position when they say,
“And the depth of the reactionary movement that led to this setback was underestimated by most on the left.”
Democratic Socialists of America’s position is here:
www.dsausa.org/...
There were a good number of socialists ( not liberals) who worked night and day to defeat Trump including myself. Most did so on some form of this perspective.
www.dsausa.org/...
While she makes good points in criticizing liberals ( she calls them progressive neoliberalism), I encourage her and her allies to continue to explain their your own views.
I will use data from California in response since I know the data from here more than national data. The Trump election is most likely going to eliminate health care for some 2-4 million children, in particular the children of the undocumented. Some 2-4 million workers ( immigrants) now face deportation. At least 40 % of these are parents of U.S. citizen children. Some 1-2 million US citizen children will have one or both of their parents deported while the child is left behind in the US.
These and other potential consequences are described here:
www.dsausa.org/...
In addition we should consider the potential threat to the environment, to global warming, to labor unions, and of course to war- among other issues .
Please go further to explain the position that working to defeat Trump was a liberal position, not that of a real left. As an activist in a socialist organization, and an activist on immigrant rights for over 30 years, I have difficulty understanding this perspective.
Duane Campbell, Sacramento
Duane Campbell
campd22702@gmail.com
http://www.choosingdemocracy.blogspot.com
http://www.democracyeducationinstitute.org
http://MexicanAmericanDigitalHistory.org