With the launching of Socialist Workers election campaigns in a number of states, workers and farmers have an important opportunity to join with a fighting, working-class alternative in the political arena to the capitalist rulers and their parties.

In response to the deepening attacks by the bosses and their government against the rights and living standard of working people in this country and around the world, the Socialist Workers candidates point to the only road forward for ending capitalism’s growing worldwide disorder. That is through a revolutionary struggle led by workers and farmers to take power out of the hands of the superwealthy ruling class and to replace it with a government of our own.

The socialist campaigns are part of the resistance to the capitalist offensive against working people. They raise immediate, concrete demands on the government as part of the fight to defend workers and farmers from the ravages of the dog-eat-dog system of capitalism. They help promote books that explain these perspectives, such as Capitalism’s World Disorder and Cuba and the Coming American Revolution.

The candidates and their supporters will be deepening their involvement in the important struggles being waged by working people, from carpenters, garment workers, meat packers, bus drivers, and others standing up against union busting, to protests in defense of immigrant rights. In addition, the socialist candidates will be speaking out in opposition to Washington’s war preparations against Iraq; in support of the Cuban Revolution and for self-determination of the Palestinian people; and for the independence of Puerto Rico and an end to Washington’s military occupation of the island of Vieques.

Socialist campaigners will be in the streets alongside those protesting police brutality, like in Inglewood, California, where the cop beating of a Black youth was once again captured on videotape; and those in New York and New Jersey demanding justice and jail time for the cops who killed garment worker Santiago Villanueva.

The socialist candidates begin with an international perspective. That’s why Martín Koppel, the SWP candidate for governor of New York, is visiting Paraguay and Argentina: to meet and exchange experiences with revolutionary-minded youth and working people involved in mounting struggles in these countries. And he will be making the lessons of these fights an important part of his election campaign.

Important petitioning drives are already under way or will soon be launched to win ballot spots for the SWP candidates. In Washington, D.C., supporters there are in the midst of collecting 3,000 signatures to place SWP candidate Sam Manuel on the ballot for mayor. And during the first two weeks of August an intensive petitioning effort will be undertaken in New York to gather 7,000 signatures to win a ballot spot for Margaret Trowe in her race for Congress. Those wanting to help in these efforts should contact the socialist campaign offices at the numbers listed in the article on page 10.

The Militant endorses the Socialist Workers campaigns, and we urge all our readers to pitch in to make the petitioning drives and all the other campaign events organized for the socialist candidates over the coming months a success.
 
 
Related articles:
SWP campaigns announce candidates in Florida, New York, and Washington
Socialist Workers in Minnesota near goal in gubernatorial ballot drive  
 
 
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