BY JUAN DUFFLAR AMEL

The article below appeared in the May 13, 1996 issue of Trabajadores, the weekly newspaper of the Central Organization of Cuban Workers (CTC), under the headline: "Elections in the U.S.A.: The SWP is a working-class alternative to capitalism." Translation from Spanish is by the Militant. BY JUAN DUFFLAR AMEL

For James Harris, a worker and unionist in Atlanta, running for U.S. president as the Socialist Workers Party candidate means "challenging the political power of the U.S. ruling classes."

Member of the National Committee of the Socialist Workers Party, a party with a long record of union and civil rights struggles, he thinks the traditional political parties, the Democrats and Republicans, don't offer any solutions to the serious problems workers face under capitalism because they are parties of reaction, war, racism, and economic depression.

"As a revolutionary party," he told Trabajadores, "the SWP presents a working-class alternative. It doesn't aim simply to win the presidential office, but rather to make fundamental changes in U.S. society, where the class struggle is sharpening. We argue that the real road for such radical changes is the establishment of a workers and farmers government.

"Our election campaign advocates these ideas, identifies with the struggles of the oppressed and exploited for their just demands, and joins fights for women's rights and equal rights for immigrants. We also speak out against the wars fostered by imperialism and the aggression against Cuba, a nation whose right to defend its sovereignty and socialist revolution we fully support."

Harris cited some of the main difficulties a working-class party that is "small and lacking millions of dollars" faces in the U.S. presidential campaign

"The first obstacle," he emphasized, "is getting on the ballot itself, because of the thousands of signatures required to get on the ballot, while Republicans and Democrats get on the ballot almost automatically.

"Another big hurdle is the hostility of the capitalist mass media toward our political perspective, since they refuse to publicize it, which is simply a way to try to keep socialist ideas from the U.S. working class. And they do this consciously, while giving coverage to the parties that have millions of dollars to pay for election campaigns and advertising, as with Ross Perot's Reform Party, or worse, the ultranationalist and fascist ideas of Patrick Buchanan."

The SWP leader stated that as a socialist party, it puts forward internationalist politics and "is not based on national politics and we emphasize that.

"That is why we collaborate closely with socialist and communist forces in other countries, why we fight to reverse the Helms-Burton law, end the U. S. blockade and normalize U.S. relations with Cuba, and why we oppose the ongoing campaign against immigrant workers," he added.

He told us his ties to our country go back many years, recalling his first visit to Cuba with the Venceremos Brigade, where he participated for several months in the cane-cutting brigades during the 1970 sugar harvest.

"Now we've attended the 17th Congress of the CTC, to learn about the experiences of the working class in power, to see how it governs society and studies, discusses, and corrects errors or weaknesses. We've seen what's possible to achieve in this world: something we have been fighting for all our lives, and which in Cuba is no longer a utopia."

Reiterating his solidarity with our people, Harris said he is part of the Atlanta Network on Cuba, which, with the approach of the world Olympics, is organizing a warm welcome for the Cuban athletes.

"This organization, is made up of friends and supporters of the Cuban revolution, and democratic-minded individuals. The [Cuban] Olympic team will see that Cuba has friends all over the world and, in particular, many friends in Atlanta."  
 
 
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