Concept of programme - additional comment

[Mark Lause]

We are, I think, agreed completely on the central issues.

I certainly don't see any problems peculiar to the Trotskyist tradition
or the SWP that did not have their roots in bigger problems afflicting
the wider Left.  Nor do I think we should balk at drawing upon older
utopian and anarchist ideas that might be of help in keeping us
programmatically focused on the question of power.

The Greens--many of them--are talking here about finding some way to
help elect (or at least nominate) a serious contender for the
presidency.  I'd rather get a million people into the streets
demonstrating on a principled basis than to influence the Democratic
nomination in favor of anybody.  More, I'd rather see a million people
in the streets demonstrating against the war than have a thousand
marching for "socialism now."  The reason is that electoral successes
and distinctly socialist sloganeering may not get us anything like such
a mobilization against the policies and power structures.  However, the
mobilizations around principled slogans have their own dynamic.

Solidarity!
Mark L.