Ep. 85: Gil Schaeffer on DSA's New Program and the Bills Coming Due

“The bourgeoisie has fought democracy for the last 230 years, because democracy would be the transfer of power into the hands of the majority. And the explanation of why all of the other parts of the minimum program are so hard to achieve is because we don’t make the laws… the conquest of political power is key.” Lucas and Luke talk with Gil Schaeffer, a frequent podcast guest and blog contributor. Gil’s most recent article is “Political Slavery and Modern Democratic Constitutions,” in which he engages with Mike Macnair’s comments on constitutions and universal and equal rights. Here, Gil talks about DSA’s new Workers Deserve More program and the explosion of discourse around abolishing the Senate. Thanks in no small part to Marxist Unity Group, DSA is slowly (and fitfully) positioning itself at the vanguard of the struggle for a democratic constitution. Gil also discusses the lessons we should draw from the Chartists, the US Civil War, and the Civil Rights Movement; why and how we should rethink the traditional Marxist minimum-maximum program; and the conjuncture of multiple crises, including the end of Medicare and the ballooning cost of the war with Iran. It takes a lot of work to plan, record, and edit each episode. If you enjoy these conversations with Gil and our other guests, please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Your support is the motivation we need to keep going.