The tension between immediate demands and long-term goals has always been a fundamental question of Marxist tactics. In anti-war struggles, for example, calls to withdraw U.S. troops immediately have been juxtaposed to setting a date for this process. In both the Vietnam and Iraq wars, while embracing the demand for complete withdrawal, the CPUSA leadership argued that setting a date was the best way to achieve the broadest support for the long-term goal. In both cases, the party was criticized for allegedly not embracing the ultimate goal.
The same dynamic appeared in the movement to free Angela Davis with some upon her arrest demanding “Free Angela now!” and the party leadership arguing “Set bail now” was a more achievable demand.
Today, this question takes the form of demanding Trump’s immediate impeachment as opposed to fighting against repealing Obamacare.
These issues and more are debated in an interview with CPUSA chairman, John Bachtell, with Eric Mann on Los Angeles’ KPFW. Mann a longtime labor radical and independent communist engaged Bachtell in lively hour-long conversation in the LA. studio. You can listen here.
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