Since you’re using me as an example, my point is about the enormous efforts and resources some organizations pour into increasing voter turnout and electoral strategies over the time-tested and far more effective strategies of actually struggling and organizing. No, an individual taking a couple hours to vote isn’t a problem. It’s a problem when an organization makes preparing for, canvassing for, advertising for, and organizing for elections their primary focus. That takes far more effort than even week-long strikes, yet it’s a common strategy.
The point isn’t that individuals shouldn’t spend a couple hours to vote. The point is that voting cannot establish socialism, so organizations that pour a ton of resources into electoral campaigns are wasting valuable resources that could be poured into unionizing, organizing tenants, educating cadre, and growing the organization through on-the-ground struggle.
It’s intensely dishonest to frame it as opposition to spending a couple hours voting on election day. The entire political theatrics that surround elections is a months-years long process that takes up mountains of resources better spent on growing and organizing than pinning all hopes on candidates being able to change the system from within.
It’s a problem when an organization makes preparing for, canvassing for, advertising for, and organizing for elections their primary focus
Things that will also be happening when doing any other organizing. So taking some time to also have a candidate in primaries to shift the conversation further left is worthwhile. Not to even bring up minimizing harm as a last resort when needed.
So forgive me, but I don’t see my framing as dishonest.
Your framing was that Marxists oppose “sparing a few hours to vote.” This is incorrect, and now that I drew attention to this mischaracterization you’re pivoting hard from this. Many Marxist orgs do run candidates, such as PSL, but this is never the focus, as resources can always be better spent. You used my comment as an example, so it’s important that I set the record straight.
Your framing was that Marxists oppose “sparing a few hours to vote.” This is incorrect
Your wording, and that of many others in .ml is ultimately one that is demoralizing those who are also helping on that front and one that is by and large read as against voting, as well as being self defeating. Maybe you personally are not, so perhaps pass some notes to the rest of the crew.
So, to retread that comment, I said 2 important things:
Organizing is the method by which to grow working class power and gain change
Marxists do not emphasize voting because capitalism cannot be reformed into socialism from within
I fail to see how identifying a working strategy and arguing against a failed strategy is “demoralizing.” If anything, knowing for a fact that organizational practice is key, effective, and practical is extremely uplifting. I am also explicitly in this comment against focusing on elections, not against voting in any and all capacities.
Perhaps you should stop spreading disinformation and sowing division by misrepresenting the views of Marxists? Then you likely wouldn’t see such strong pushback from people correcting the record. It’s the same tired strawman as those that say socialists support Trump because we also oppose the DNC.
Since you’re using me as an example, my point is about the enormous efforts and resources some organizations pour into increasing voter turnout and electoral strategies over the time-tested and far more effective strategies of actually struggling and organizing. No, an individual taking a couple hours to vote isn’t a problem. It’s a problem when an organization makes preparing for, canvassing for, advertising for, and organizing for elections their primary focus. That takes far more effort than even week-long strikes, yet it’s a common strategy.
The point isn’t that individuals shouldn’t spend a couple hours to vote. The point is that voting cannot establish socialism, so organizations that pour a ton of resources into electoral campaigns are wasting valuable resources that could be poured into unionizing, organizing tenants, educating cadre, and growing the organization through on-the-ground struggle.
It’s intensely dishonest to frame it as opposition to spending a couple hours voting on election day. The entire political theatrics that surround elections is a months-years long process that takes up mountains of resources better spent on growing and organizing than pinning all hopes on candidates being able to change the system from within.
Things that will also be happening when doing any other organizing. So taking some time to also have a candidate in primaries to shift the conversation further left is worthwhile. Not to even bring up minimizing harm as a last resort when needed.
So forgive me, but I don’t see my framing as dishonest.
Your framing was that Marxists oppose “sparing a few hours to vote.” This is incorrect, and now that I drew attention to this mischaracterization you’re pivoting hard from this. Many Marxist orgs do run candidates, such as PSL, but this is never the focus, as resources can always be better spent. You used my comment as an example, so it’s important that I set the record straight.
Your wording, and that of many others in
.mlis ultimately one that is demoralizing those who are also helping on that front and one that is by and large read as against voting, as well as being self defeating. Maybe you personally are not, so perhaps pass some notes to the rest of the crew.So, to retread that comment, I said 2 important things:
Organizing is the method by which to grow working class power and gain change
Marxists do not emphasize voting because capitalism cannot be reformed into socialism from within
I fail to see how identifying a working strategy and arguing against a failed strategy is “demoralizing.” If anything, knowing for a fact that organizational practice is key, effective, and practical is extremely uplifting. I am also explicitly in this comment against focusing on elections, not against voting in any and all capacities.
Perhaps you should stop spreading disinformation and sowing division by misrepresenting the views of Marxists? Then you likely wouldn’t see such strong pushback from people correcting the record. It’s the same tired strawman as those that say socialists support Trump because we also oppose the DNC.