1. The elaboration of an appropriate strategy and tactics isn’t about one’s political desires and hopes. It informed by a vision, but grounded as well in material realities of the moment. To slow down and then defeat what is coming down the track will take a super-sized coalition of disparate people, organizations, and political formations. Thinking big, not smsll and reflexively, strikes me as the thing to do in present circumstances.

2. I’m no expert on cyber warfare or the inner workings and conflicts in the country’s security apparatus, but in regard to the charge of Russian interference in our elections, I have two observations. One is that the dismissive attitude of some on the left strikes me as predictable, reflexive, and premature. The other is that it’s a problem when our talking points are not that different than Trump’s.

3. We will soon see many retrospectives on the Obama Presidency. A problem I anticipate is that too many will take place in a vacuum. That is, all the contending forces and circumstances won’t frame and inform them. And I have in mind here not only the scorched earth and racist outlook and policies of the right wing, but also the political and organizational weaknesses of the broader democratic coalition and the left.

4. And far more importantly than anything I say above: Watch and listen to the inspirational Meryl Streep.

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-et-golden-globes-2017-live-watch-all-of-meryl-streep-s-1483932724-htmlstory.html

Trump will soon be in the White House, Republicans as of last week control Congress, and the Supreme Court by the spring will be back in possession of right wing extremists. A similar situation is found in a majority of states. And the power and reach of the right doesn’t end here.

Our side, on the other hand, has a well spring of political, cultural, media, and people resources and experience as well as the majority of voters who cast their ballot for Hillary Clinton in the election (and many more who didn’t vote at all) to prosecute our struggles. But our political and organizational capacities don’t match our adversaries at this moment.

Just read an article in the Nation – part of the special issue on President Obama – authored by the historian Greg Grandin. He ends his article with the famous observation of Rosa Luxemburg, “Socialism or Barbarism.” And then he adds, maybe on second thought, “or Social Democracy.” On one one level of analysis, this has undeniable merit and urgency, although I do think that socialism, if it is going to resonate with tens of millions, has to be accompanied by qualifying adjectives such as democratic, participatory, peoples, etc.

But I’m getting distracted here. My main point is that Grandin’s invocation of Luxemburg fails miserably as a strategic guide at this moment when in a few short weeks Trump and his right wing party will control the main levers of federal power and much more. In these circumstances, the strategic-political imperatives are twofold. One is a many sided, many leveled defense, and where possible an expansion, of broadly defined democracy and democratic rights. The other is the assembling of a broad, diverse, multi-class, multi-racial people’s coalition that possesses the moral authority, reach, and power to successfully prosecute such struggles. Socialism should be part of the conversation, but it isn’t an immediate strategic task or realistic possibility, given the balance of class and social forces at this moment. Every season has a purpose.

Once in office Trump will have his hands’ full negotiating the tension between his populist image and his anti-populist policies. And it will only get worse over time. Of course, the democratic, multi-class, people’s coalition that opposes his policies will have its hands’ full too. For the foreseeable future, it will be on the defensive by and large. In other words, our side won’t be setting the agenda for the most part at the national level; at the state and city level a different situation obtains in many cases. We will be reacting to what will likely be a broad scale, deeply reactionary, and anti-democratic political-legislative offensive in the early months of Trump’s presidency. Only expansive concepts of struggle and unity that have an eye to activating the nearly 70 million Clinton voters first of all will have any success in this unprecedented situation.

None of this suggests in the least that we should mothball an alternative vision for our country as we engage on the immediate terrain of struggle. It is needed now more than ever.

Hope, in the words of Tom Waite, “everything is alright with you and your dreams come true,” as we say goodbye this evening to the old year and look ahead, albeit with a mix of trepidation and resolve, to the new one.

Happy New Year!