Second in Command

In all the talk about the upcoming shallowly covered presidential campaign (I am talking about the capitalist controlled media here), little to no attention is given to the vice presidential picks. A little fanfare is given, but they are largely ignored save for one debate and their work on the campaign trail.

We need to be concerned about the #2 position. After all, the NAFTA treaty, which undermined worker rights and made it easier for capital to do as it pleases made it through Congress because of the vote that the Vice President made. (I wonder if Al Gore thinks about the impact of NAFTA on the environment when he talks about global warming and climate change? Probably not.)

Republican VP Pence is a social conservative wet dream. He is firmly anti-choice, and LGBTQ rights, wanted to make divorce and adultery basically illegal (how does he reconcile Trump and wife #3? Good case of cognitive dissonance there), very much anti-worker rights, and a host of other nightmares for the social and economic left. I imagine his foreign policy reads like the neo conservative and neo liberal handbook. Anti-government unless it means the government forcing a conservative Christian agenda down your throat in violation of the First Amendment and economic hardship for one and all, except the 1%.

The Democratic VP candidate is a corporate shill. Senator Paine is pro “free trade” - which means capitalists are free to do as they please and the citizens of whatever country they are in have to suck it up and take it. Any challenge to corporate rule is not tolerated. He has a very neo liberal outlook on all things economic and fits in perfectly with potential Democratic nominee Clinton on any issue.

I am not going to waste much, if any time talking about the Democratic stance on social issues – those are the means that the pseudo-left Democratic party uses to lasso in (via fear) social activists who might vote for a party or candidate that would actually do something to remedy the situation. Let us face the facts – when it comes to worker rights, unions, LGBTQ people, immigrants, womens rights, and any other social issue, the Democratic party is a group of political opportunists that hook people in and use and try to control them by fear. “Look what the Republicans will do if they get into power.” Can we look at what Democrats have done to these groups when they have been in power?

In contrast, Let us look at the Socialist Action candidate Karen Schraufnagel. On the web-site is a video interview of her speaking about her activism. In the case of the video on Palestinian rights. If you search the Socialist Action archives, you will find a host of articles where she writes about her experiences in social justice and activism. She is an active member of the Minneapolis Branch, I believe she is a member of the National Committee, and is well qualified to serve in the interests of the American working class.

As this election progresses, look at the Republican and Democratic promises and then look at what the parties have done for workers. And then look what Socialist Action has in its platform. And look at how that would help workers. And take the time to read what Karen has written about the rights of people in America and around the world and the work that we need to do to liberate all.

In November vote Socialist Action. You have nothing to lose but your chains.