Flappo posted:

Donald Trump

Urbandale posted:

we do. its pretty common for sectarian MLs to call us trots cuz WWP split from SWP in the 50s. its lulzy but i dont think hes being serious

"The Soviet Union is a contradictory phenomenon. It is a revolutionary social system with a counterrevolutionary leadership. Comrade Cannon expounds on the concentration camps, frame-ups, etc. What he says is true. But this truth alone is insufficient.

There was a time when we were practically the only group in the labor movement consistently explaining this truth from the revolutionary point of view. But today the bourgeoisie has seized upon this aspect of the Soviet state and broadcast it to the four corners of the earth. Today this is practically all the American worker hears. It is drummed into his ears day in and day out by the tremendous capitalist apparatus of radio, television, the press and the pulpit. He identifies the reactionary aspect of the Soviet Union with the entire social system, just as the capitalist class wants him to do. Hence, it is ail the more obligatory to emphasize the other side of the Soviet Union, its class character, its new social system. It is necessary to explain that it is a living, viable workers' state, an historic gain of the working class, a conquest to be defended."
- Sam Marcy (founder of the WWP)

The ideological line of the WWP (and PSL) is Trotskyist - they call for worker revolutions in degenerated workers states, but think their primary work is in defending the social basis of these countries against the imperialist core. The leadership stopped using the Trotskyist language in the 1980s/1990s and just argues for those positions because they don't want to alienate people who come to the party from other traditions. And because it makes working with other parties easier. (For example, if you defend China and then call yourself a Trotskyist then China wants nothing to do with you.)

aerdil posted:

yeah i always thought it was more common to accuse em of being tankies.

btw whats the best way to join the PSL in SF urbandale? show up in fatigues and sidle up to members asking if theyre into doing what has to be done, say hey im not a cop and id have to tell you if i was one, and if they want to see my garage full of bombs?

call the local office, say youre interested in joining the party. alternately go to a public meeting and tell them there. you can also apply online, but phone+in-person are much faster because it doesnt have to route through national first

Urbandale posted:

both WWP and PSL have moved somewhat-comfortably away from marcy while still acknowledging his role in forming the party (we still talk about global class war, for example). there are people inside the party that are closer to these positions (becker, la riva) but theyre old. the majority of the rank + file id describe as largely ML with some maoists

Sure, sure.