Views in brief

Austin stands up to the deformers

IN RESPONSE to "Keep Eastside open": Although we left Texas a few months ago and were not present for the current unveiling of Austin schools Superintendent Maria Carstarphen's assaults on public education (in league with the state of Texas "education" establishment), we are happy to read of the continuing struggle, and of people pushing back at the agents of corporatism who wield their power with utter disregard for the wishes or interests of the communities they impact.

Very few charter schools are anything but schemes for private profit that feast on public money and starve public education. We congratulate activists, including author Mike Corwin, on your efforts. Remember, you have an important ally on the new Austin Independent School Board (AISD). Gray Panther national board member Gina Hinijosa is committed to the principle of public education and was elected by a progressive coalition of forces that presently represent our best hope for turning AISD against the for-profit charter exploiters.

The fight will be long and hard, but I never saw you shrink from the fight. Stay strong and courageous. There's more support out there than you might think!
Leslie Aisenman, Sylmar, Calif.

Is Leninism alien to U.S. workers?

IN RESPONSE to "The SWP crisis and Leninism": The whole discourse on the crisis in Leninism for me points out the greatest weaknesses in the British Socialist Workers Party and especially the International Socialist Organization (ISO), both organizationally and theoretically.

In many respects, the ISO is among the strongest and most democratically functioning of any socialist organization currently functioning in the U.S. Its work is widely respected by a broad range of radicals who would themselves never dream of joining the ISO. Why?

First of all, there is the extreme reliance on "scripture" that reminds one more of medieval scholasticism than of reasonable people basing their arguments on their own reasoning and their own values. Then there is the Eurocentric basis of the scriptures used.

Of course, we are internationalists, but by the same token it is important to recognize what is different and unique about American culture, and especially about the American working class.

Are the experiences of European radicals of a century ago easily transferable to the American scene today? Personally, I think not, and this is especially the case in reference to the most repressive regime in Europe at the time which was, after all, what Lenin was dealing with.

Speaking of "scripture," on his one trip to the United States, Frederick Engels was so frustrated with the arrogance and sectarianism of the German American socialists here toward native-born American workers that his singular instruction to them was: Learn English. As a metaphor, this is a lesson yet to be learned by American Marxists.

Rather than Leninism or even Luxemburgism (in the tradition of Rosa Luxemberg) I think it makes more sense for American radical internationalists to look at the traditions of American radicalism and think of ourselves as Debsian, in the tradition of Eugene Debs. Of course, the Debsian tradition too is nearly 100 years old, but in spite of the caste cultural changes of the last 100 years, it is rooted in the American experience and specifically in the experience of the American working class and of American experience.

Then there is the issue of the term itself: "Leninism." While there is definitely merit in defending Lenin's contribution among scholars and academics, I think this is less than a meaningless discussion for the masses. It is at best a distraction. What is more mere attachment to the term Leninism is the greatest impediment there is to the regroupment, merger and amalgamation of all the revolutionary democratic forces in the nation and the formation of a genuinely mass organization of left opposition.
Gabe Gabrielsky, Los Angeles

A distortion of Leninism

IN RESPONSE to "The SWP crisis and Leninism": Interesting that so many people forget that the Bolsheviks were a permanent faction within the Russian Social Democratic Labor Party, along with the Mensheviks and the Inter-district Committee.

Leninism is an organizational method of democratic centralism based on the principles of dialectical materialism, not an organizational method that bans permanent factions; otherwise the Bolsheviks would have had to ban themselves.

The existence of temporary or permanent factions depends wholly on the historical period and the nature of political disagreements, not on parliamentarian democracy banning discussion.
Nathan Selles-Alvarez, New York City

Higher wages, fewer workers?

IN RESPONSE to "Maximum lies about the minimum wage": Great article. There is another, and I believe equally important myth about minimum-wage hikes causing layoffs of existing employees.

An example of my point would be if McDonald's employs three minimum-wage employees all working 40 hours per week and earning $15,600 annually--for a total of $46,800.

Now, pretend the minimum wage is increased to $9 per hour. McDonalds would layoff one of the three employees, in theory, to offset the increase costs. So now, two employees will be forced to do the work of the previous three. Increasing the minimum wage is a forced methodology of increasing productivity.

If I am wrong about my theory, then why is McDonalds looking at purchasing Baxter the Robot, created by the inventor of iRobot from MIT? Baxter costs $22,000 and has a lifespan of 3,600 hours. That equates to $3.50 an hour.

McDonald's would invest in capital equipment to achieve more efficient productivity and lower overhead, but they would be against a forced layoff created by higher wages to achieve the same necessary efficiency in productivity.

Here is the problem with Baxter that is not a problem with a higher minimum wage: Baxter pays no taxes, buys no clothes and purchases no washers or dryers other durable goods. People with more disposable income pay more in taxes and purchase more with their extra discretionary income.

Thanks for the article.
Bruce, from the Internet