2-05-08, 10:16 am

Last week the Communist Party USA launched its presence on YouTube with five new videos: a two-part analysis of the 2008 elections, two brief comments by CPUSA Chair Sam Webb on democracy and the Bush state of the union address, and a comment by Party Executive Vice Chair Jarvis Tyner on the importance of African American history month.

In his commentary on the democracy and the elections, Webb discussed the communists' view of the 2008 elections. 'This election fight coming up,' he said, 'the one that's taking place now, revolves around the issue of democracy.'

Struggle over issues like universal health care as a human right, for equality and against racism, and the right to live in a society oriented toward peace (among others) are struggles around the question of democracy, Webb argued.

'The ultra right, over 30 years,' Webb continued, 'has restricted, cut down on democracy, whether it was workers' rights to organize or something else.'

Webb expressed the view that in the current period, the Democratic Party should be viewed as a tool of the labor-led people's movement to advance its own agenda. 'Our feeling is that if we can defeat [the ultra-right Republicans] and elect a Democratic Party president and a Democratic majority in the Congress,' he added, 'we can create a better playing field, a better terrain on which we can fight for deepening and extending democracy.'

Webb cited universal health care as a key example of a potential victory under a new majority that will require broad unity and committed struggle inside and outside of Washington.

Defeating the ultra right, Webb argued, 'given the political realities in this country means electing Democrats. There is no third independent party that has the capacity to challenge the two parties for political power in the coming elections. That may happen some time in the future, but it is not on the table today.' For this reason, the current struggle to defeat the extreme right, which have extracted a deep cost from the people of this country and the world, has to be aimed at winning Democratic majorities and a Democratic White House.

Webb added a caveat. 'We aren't banking everything on the intentions of whomever the Democratic Party's candidate for president is or on wherever the Democrats are in Congress.' The labor-led people's movement has to continue the struggle to set the agenda in 2009: for ending the occupation of Iraq, for workers' rights, universal health care, and jobs. All the election of the Democrats provides is a better 'playing field' for more advanced struggle.

In his commentary, Jarvis Tyner discussed the significance of the African American freedom struggle and the importance of African American history month. 'The struggle of the African American people to free themselves from racism, inequality, poverty and all the things that go with that has been a strategic struggle affecting the development of American democracy,' he argued. He linked the African American freedom struggle to those of the workers', women's, LGBT people's, and peace movements.

African American history is 'not properly celebrated by simply pointing out the achievement of individuals, these exceptional Black people – of course there are exceptional Black people,' he stated.

'The real history is not exceptional Black people fighting, but the whole people struggling to be free,' he argued.

Tyner encouraged wide participation in African American History Month events around the country. 'When our country studies this and recognizes this and celebrates this, it raises the consciousness of our people, because racism has served as a conduit to convince people that wars are good, that hurting people is good, and that unequal laws are good.' Black history month helps people address that issue, Tyner said.

Tyner also pointed to the historic candidacy of Barack Obama as a challenge to racism, but emphasized the role of the 'broad unity of Black, white, and Brown, of Asian, Native American people, of all people, men and women, young and old, and workers, to do that. To build this all-people's front is decisive to guarantee the future of our nation,' he concluded.

Matt Parker of the CPUSA's internet department said that regular visitors to the CPUSA's Web site at cpusa.org will see more videos soon featuring new comment and discussion responding to current events, to communicate the Party's ideas to the public, and to help educate, agitate, and mobilize in key struggles.

Parker also discussed the unique character of the Internet as a communications and media revolution. The Internet encompasses all past media revolutions such as print, television, and radio etc. But what sets it apart, said Parker, is that 'it's not something the ruling class and corporations can monopolize.'

So far about 5,000 viewers have watched the Party's videos. You can view the videos mentioned in this story at or see the Party's YoutTube page.

Reach Joel Wendland at