Date: Mon, 14 Apr 1997 20:27:43 +0200
Subject: M-G: Reply to the LP  on the women's question!


In a letter today and LP woman accused that horrible Malecki for talking
down to people in a typical male chauvinist way. Promising never to speak
to Malecki again. OK That is and honest accusation and reply to my
accusation that the LP is sucking up to the Democratic Party.

However in my defense I should mention that I am a member of the
"Kommunal"Workers Union and the biggest union in Scandinavia. We have a
majority of about 80% of women in our trade union. And it is in fact one of
the more radical trade unions on the left wing of the Social Democracy.
Another radical trade union is the second largest in Scandinavia and it is
called "Handels" which also is on the left wing of the Social Democracy.
Note I said Social Democratic and not Communist.

In fact they stand on the front of the barricades on the struggle for a six
hour working day, against discrimination, low pay work, and a number of
other key issues facing the working class and women today.

In fact many of them would laugh at the incredible cowardliness of the LP
in regards to its electoral support to the democratic Party and would be in
the front lines of the battle on issues like "welfare", childcare,
healthcare, and not in the least the struggle for women in their struggle
against dubble oppression.

Why don't we discuss some of these issues in regards to the LP and see who
is the real defenders of women in the coming struggles. Who knows you might
even be able to expose that horrible Malecki. And some of the right wingers
in the Labor Party can tell us that Malecki is not only one of those
horrible ultra left Trotskyists and a nut but also a women hater and male
chauvinist pig.

I certainly would be willing to take this discussion. Let's say some fairly
Social Democratic demands that these women are fighting for. The six hour
working day. State subventions of heathcare and medicine based on income.
Daycare centers for ALL children as a right in every state in the country,
equal pay for the same work, a minimum garanteed welfare program for all as
a garantee!, The right to 1 year pregnancy leave and one year more if the
man in the family stays home with full pay.

Now there are a few points that we can start the discussion here with. Now
I just can't wait to here how are pro democratic party people take this
kind of discussion. these are fairly simple Social Democratic slogans and
programs that are either goals or reality today. It would seem to me that
any serious LPers should see most of the above demands as a "minimum"
program to mobilize women in support of an independent LP that breaks with
the democrats and begins fighting at least for some elementary Social
Democratic politics.

We could go even futher. We could start talking about fighting for women to
become leaders and fighters both in the LP and the unions linked to a
program that *really* fights in the interests of poor and working class
women. 

Some of the above would be a real step on the way to a mass labor party.
They say that Clinton got elected by the women's vote. Just think of the
possibilities the LP would have if they boldly came out with a radical
Social Democratic program which posed the question of who really represents
poor and working class women.

Naturally one could fiance some of the above with a progressive tax based
on income and a sales tax on all items except clothes and food of let's say
20%..

Then we could begin to talk about economic democracy. Thus all inheritances
would have a 50% tax on it. Extra taxes on the stock-market for every stock
that is bought and sold..

This is fairly normal Social democratic praxis here in order to finance
these kinds of welfare reforms for poor and working class people. In other
words nobody on the United States should starve, not have a roof over their
head, be without child care or very cheap health care and almost free state
subventions medicine. One could in fact take in the right for all children
under the age of 16 be given free dental care.

These are some of just elementary stuff on the women*s question going on
here. So come on now my friends in the LP. Why not talk about these things.
Why not get out their and begin fighting for the above which I consider a
minimum program. I naturally want to go much futher in giving real rights
and real freedom for poor and working class women. But the above and a
clear declaration by the LP that they say Break With the Democrats and
fight for a *real* workers party in the United States would certainly be a
great step forward!

Or are you people to afraid to go out their and fight in the interests of
poor and working class women in the United States? Are you afraid that you
will alienate the pro democratic party trade union leaders (mostly men) by
declaring that the LP fights for the above Social Democratic politics? 

Come now people you accused Malecki for talking down to you and being a
nut, communist sectarian crazy. Well, these are the kind of things that the
women here everywhere are discussing if they are not already a reality and
the struggle is around defending some of this stuff from being
cutdown..This is everyday stuff that every women is interested in 
fighting for in there quest for a better life for themselves and their
children.

I think that I stand beside these women on the barricades. I say honestly
to them that I want to go much futher then you but i am prepared to stand
side by side in your struggle. What are the LPers in the states really
doing for women? I know you are very vocal in the struggle to defend free
speech for fascists and ban the horrible coackroach from the LP list. But
the gauntlet is thrown. 

It is the LP who is sucking up to the Democratic Party that is not
interested in really fighting around the *real* needs of women in the
United States today. It is certainly not Malecki..Please by all means prove
me wrong. I in fact would be quite happy to see that the LP has a program
along the above lines. We could even add a few more. My trade union has a
whole list of burning demands if you people run out of ideas. However I do
not thing it is the ideas that are the problem. The problem is that the
leadership is not interested in really fighting around a radical Social
Democratic program that would be a great step forward for women if
realized! What the leadership is interested in is mindless activism that
does not go beyond the bounds of the Democratic party and especially its
left wing bureaucracy in the trade unions.

Now who is it that is really pissing on women? Is it Malecki or is it the
LP leadership. Now you got a real chance to expose that horrible Malecki
for the male chauvinist pig and women hater that he really is..

I shall patiently await your replies and try to answer them in the best way
I can. And the best way I can would be to get the women in the LP to nail
the LP leadership to the wall for their anti women pro democratic party
bluff..

Warm regards
Bob Malecki


 
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