By: Trevor Loudon
New Zeal

A few extracts from a report on the 2010 Election Results: Time to Organize! by Communist Party USA Political Action Commission chair Joelle Fishman.

Emphasis added:

The struggle for the direction of our country and for jobs and relief in this economic crisis, for equality, democracy and peace, is dramatically escalated by the 2010 election results.

This was a hard fought campaign within the long-term struggle to defeat the right wing. While there were some significant victories, overall it is a big setback.

Lenin observed that no strike is lost, because workers learn from the experience and become stronger.

Similar could be said about this year’s election…

The Progressive Caucus, which lost only three members out of 80, will now have a more prominent role within the smaller minority Democratic caucus. Co-chair Raul Grijalva of Arizona, who was among those targeted by the right-wing because of his stands for immigration reform, defeated his tea party opponent with an outpouring of support from labor, peace and immigrant rights groups…

Of the 25 Congressional candidates endorsed by the Peace Action PAC, 16 won election, strengthening the possibilities to challenge the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and bloated military spending…

On January 3, 2011 the 112th Congress will be sworn in. The new political landscape will demand a lot of street heat and unity and tactics to enlarge the coalition and keep the Republicans in check…

Our long-term strategy for a broad all peoples front, and within that to build the independent strength of labor and allies, remains an essential concept in the face of tea party Republican extreme reactionary policies…

Our Party was in the thick of the battle of 2010. We contributed and we learned a lot. We have found an openness to our ideas and our participation. We have deepened our relationships with other organizations and activists.

The communists are down, but far from out. They will work with their allies in the Congressional Progressive Caucus, to fight the Republicans in Congress and with their friends in the labor movement and the “people’s movement” to battle their opponents with “street heat” – intimidation and possibly violence.

It could be a turbulent two years in Congress and on the streets of America.