It is the bold slogan of the Party for Socialism
and Liberation’s Lindsay/Osorio 2012 presidential campaign, but it is much more
than that. It is our goal. It is why we exist as a political party—to build a
movement of working and poor people throughout the country to overthrow the
tyranny of the 1%; to dismantle their corporations, banks and big oil
companies. Instead of private profits concentrated in the hands of a tiny few, our
campaign puts the needs of humanity first. We are fighting in every arena of
class struggle, taking the message of socialism to the people.
Why
socialism? Because capitalism is a corrupt, rotten and bankrupt system that only
benefits the richest of society, the 1%. Under capitalism, the 99% suffer
myriad daily abuses: unemployment, homelessness, lack of access to health care
and education, food insecurity, racism, bigotry, police violence and
imprisonment. The list goes on and on.
Capitalism
is a dictatorship of the rich, by the rich, for the rich. They own everything. The
rest of us may have a car, some personal possessions, maybe even a house, but
we are forced to work hard every day—for low pay and few benefits—just to
scrape by.
This
is the richest country in the history of the world. Working people create all
of the wealth, but we do not get to enjoy it. Instead of being used to meet our
needs, the 1% and their political managers in the White House and Congress make
sure the money goes straight to the Wall Street bankers, so that it can be
reinvested to generate more profits for the super-rich. Our tax money funds the
U.S. war machine, which is responsible for killing millions of workers and
destroying countries in the name of spreading “freedom” and “democracy.” It
does not have to be this way.
If
we continue to struggle, to organize, occupy, rise up, build a movement of the 99%
and make a revolution, we can win the society that we deserve.
What
would this, a socialist society, look like in the United States right now? What
would the Party for Socialism and Liberation do if we were in charge of the
government and working and poor people were in power? Everything would change. Here is a snapshot:
A
government run by working and poor people would make its top priority to serve
the economic and social interests of the 99%. Such a government would abolish
the current capitalist government and expropriate the private wealth of the banks
and corporations, putting it into the hands of working and poor people and their
state. There would be no more private profits made on the backs of working people.
Wall Street’s reign of terror would end for good.
Civic
participation and representation would be guaranteed through democratically organized
workplace, neighborhood and social committees. There would be no big business
political candidates or parties.
The
legal and criminal justice system would be turned on its head. Instead of perpetuating
racism and class privilege, a new and democratic system would be constructed, based
on building unity and solidarity among the 99%.
There
would be guaranteed freedom of speech and political involvement for all working
and poor people. Safeguarding the environment and making efforts to remedy environmental
degradation would be top priorities.
The
government would institute programs to eliminate poverty, and ensure jobs with
a real living wage, free education through university, free health care and day
care and access to healthy food as rights available to all people. The
revolutionary government would make the highest priority eliminating the legacy
of institutionalized racism, bigotry and inequalities affecting wide sectors of
the working class.
There
would be the right to retire with dignity. Citizenship would automatically be
granted to all people living in the United States. Access to contraception and
abortion would be guaranteed.
Equality
would be realized for LGBT and all people. Since the government would exist to
meet people’s needs, all wars for profit would be ended immediately. All U.S. military
bases would be dismantled. Relations with the peoples of the world would be established
on the basis of mutual solidarity, cooperation and understanding.
Socialism
would allow the peoples of the United State to begin to realize their hopes and
dreams for a better world.
This
is what the PSL Lindsay/Osorio 2012 presidential campaign is about— building
the socialist struggle; pushing for the revolutionary change that we the people
so desperately need. We do not just want to win an electoral campaign; we want
to win the future. We want to overthrow the 1%.
