Seattle protest against Trump's victory called by Socialist Alternative, photo Socialist Alternative

Seattle protest against Trump’s victory called by Socialist Alternative, photo Socialist Alternative   (Click to enlarge: opens in new window)

Bryan Koulouris, Socialist Alternative, US

One of the most reactionary, bigoted and predatory administrations in modern history has taken office. The Trump presidency, from the vicious tweets to the bizarre press conferences to the reactionary cabinet picks and executive orders, has millions of people understandably feeling they are in an unfolding nightmare.

Trump’s policies can be defeated, but it will take determined resistance, mass civil disobedience and disruption of ‘business as usual’ to win.

‘Business as usual’ is the system that’s resulted in only eight people now having more wealth than 3.7 billion people – half the world’s population. ‘Business as usual’, under Democrats as well as Republicans, is perpetual climate destruction, war, income inequality, racism and sexism. Business as usual helped open the door to Trump’s populist demagoguery.

Trump formally scrapped the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal that the Obama administration constructed to push back against China’s growing economic power. We certainly do not mourn the end of this anti-worker, anti-environment pact. But Trump’s alternative seems to be to threaten a trade war with China.

Contrary to administration claims, tariffs will not bring manufacturing jobs back in large numbers. A trade war is more likely to push the world economy into recession.

What choice?

Under capitalism we face the terrible ‘choice’ between destructive corporate globalisation and protectionist trade wars.

To stop the right-wing onslaught, we need to instead focus on mobilising from below with 100 days of resistance to Trump’s agenda.

We need to base our movement on the needs of working people and not limit our demands to what the Democratic Party leadership will accept.

We can build the biggest possible protests by calling for popular measures like defending and extending reproductive rights, ending deportations of immigrants and establishing improved Medicare for all. We need to keep fighting for a $15 minimum wage, tuition-free college and an end to mass incarceration.

We need unity and solidarity of all people actively opposing Trump to stop his attacks. Women facing cuts to Planned Parenthood, which provides reproductive health services, should be backed up by everyone who is standing against Trump; the same goes for immigrants and anyone else in this predator’s crosshairs. Unions, community groups, women’s organisations, Black Lives Matter activists and socialists should all mobilise together with clear demands and decisive action.

Socialist Alternative thinks that we need a new party of the 99% to be an uncompromising force in fighting Trump’s agenda. The Democratic Party leadership helped pave the way for Trump’s victory, and their politicians are overwhelmingly controlled by the corporate elites.

Mainstream Democrats didn’t stop Bush’s agenda, and they haven’t delivered on their promises to combat racism and sexism or improve the lives of working people. This is why some working people were seduced by Trump’s pro-worker demagogy, something which will be undermined by experience.

Trump is the embodiment of predatory capitalism, and while successfully fighting his agenda, working people can lay the basis for a world without exploitation, poverty and discrimination. Join us in the fight for socialism! We have a world to win!