The Struggle or the Sidelines: DSA and the 2020 Election
Beth H, Nick B, Allie L, Roy Z, Sam L, Tim Z, Zack P
After the 2016 election, organizers across the country joined the Democratic Socialists of America for a political home to sharpen our ideology and create a longer-term vision for political revolution. DSA members knocked on hundreds of thousands of doors for Bernie Sanders, and we felt the collective disappointment when Bernie Sanders suspended his presidential campaign. This is not the outcome that we wanted. In the aftermath of Bernie’s loss, we need an analysis of the political terrain and of what we can do to build power and prevent continued harm to working-class people, especially Black people, Indigenous people, and other people of color. Our analysis is that the moment demands that we work to defeat Trump.
Donald Trump is the leader of a coalition made up of the most reactionary sectors of US capital, and layers of the middle class and white working class people that are fully wedded to white supremacy. We do not have to reach for analogies to fascism in Europe or anticipate an outright coup to understand the threat this political coalition poses. Throughout US history, when the forces of racist reaction take power they unleash state and vigilante violence and set their sights on crushing the left, rolling back democratic rights, and reinforcing the US’s uniquely brutal system of racial hierarchy in every area of US society. We would know these things were coming even if Trump didn’t brag about them, but it’s all the more terrifying that he does. Things are bad now, but the widespread opposition to Trump is rooted in the fact that working people, and especially people of color well know that things can get much worse.
We are not in a coalition with Biden or the politics he represents, except to the limited extent that his election will be a stopgap against repression and a continued roll back of democratic rights, a repudiation of the reactionary ideology and base of Trump, and that he will be an easier opponent for social movements to organize against. From the Anita Hill hearings to the crime bill to the bankruptcy bill and support for the Iraq War, Biden’s brand of neoliberal politics has paved the way for the crisis we now face ourselves in. Had Bernie won the primary, the broad opposition to Trump would be led by the left and a working class political movement. Instead, it is being led by the most conservative wing of the Democratic Party and corporate establishment, who bear so much of the blame for where we find ourselves.
Our ultimate goal is to advance anti-racist and working class forces until the main schism in US society is between a multi-racial working class movement and the capitalist class - and then to decisively win a confrontation between those two sides. But wishing for that confrontation doesn’t make it a reality in this moment, when the main schism in US politics is between Trump supporters and everyone else. Growing DSA beyond our current base is essential to DSA’s long-term strategy, and that means reaching millions of people who are not yet socialists but are politicized against Trump. Building political alignment with organic leaders in BIPOC communities is one of the most important tasks in DSA’s pathway toward becoming an anti-racist mass organization. Previous organizations, especially CPUSA, provide instructive examples on how predominantly white organizations can identify and recruit organic leaders of color, move them into decision-making leadership roles, and organize a larger working-class base. We simply cannot build with working class organizations and leaders of color, much less provide political leadership, by sitting on the sidelines while they are in motion. We need to orient ourselves to the struggle even when we have no good options, demonstrate our commitment to defeating the forces of racist reaction and continue to lay the groundwork for future victories.
Where does that leave DSA? We will not endorse Joe Biden because we voted not to endorse a Democrat other than Bernie Sanders at the 2019 convention, and we should not endorse Joe Biden because he opposes everything our organization stands for, loudly rejects socialist politics, and would surely publicly denounce us given the opportunity. But this does not absolve us from having an analysis of the election, and an orientation to it. The convention resolution does not require us to stop thinking, speaking, and working to defeat Trump’s reactionary politics while we build an independent and powerful left.
DSA members who share the analysis that the left needs to take leadership in the struggle against Trump can and should do three things. First, we should continue our work in labor organizing, tenant organizing, and building our own organization. We will need strong independent left organizations whatever the outcome in November, and that work doesn’t stop when the election rolls around. Second, we should share our analysis clearly and loudly – Donald Trump is a threat to all working people, a better world is possible, November 3rd is only the beginning. Finally, we should take political action over the next month to ensure that Donald Trump loses the election while building socialist and working class organizations.The outcome of the election next month may profoundly shape the terrain we organize on for decades to come. DSA members who want to take action now can join DSA’s GOTV Rally with Nikil Saval, volunteer for locally-endorsed Pennsylvania candidate Tara Zrinsky, and help build a state-wide left alternative in Tennessee by making calls for US Senate candidate Marquita Bradshaw. In states where right-wing, white supremacist vigilantes will attempt to intimidate voters and block access to the polls, we encourage DSA members to join us as we work alongside our comrades in the Frontline coalition and the Movement for Black Lives to protect access to polling locations.
We also invite DSA members and people interested in joining DSA to join Socialist Majority for a discussion on the general election and fighting racial capitalism with Barbara Ransby and José La Luz on Sunday at 7 EST (link forthcoming).
You can join Socialist Majority here.