resistance.

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