By Walter Smolarek |沃尔特斯莫拉雷克|

As the seemingly endless period of political campaigning in the United States will soon draw to a close, we on the left must access the damage; but more importantly, we must understand the means by which the damage was dealt; the “representative democratic” system.正如似乎无休止的政治运动在美国很快将提请结束时，我们就必须进入左边的损失，但更重要的是，我们必须理解的手段损害处理;的“代表的民主制度” 。 In this execution of bourgeois democracy there were two lines of direct benefit: one to the ruling class as a whole by (falsely) reaffirming its political legitimacy and another to the corporate media, into which the tremendous fiscal reserves gathered by the Obama and McCain campaigns are deposited.在此执行资产阶级民主有两条线直接受益：一个统治阶级作为一个整体的（虚假）重申其政治上的合法性，另一个是企业媒体，将其巨大的财政储备所收集的奥巴马和麦凯恩运动存放。 Hopped up on the new opiate of the masses (a Harvard millionaire’s take on “change”), voter turnout is bound to be high while ratings skyrocket and ad revenues explode.跳频了新的鸦片群众（哈佛大学百万富翁的采取“变” ） ，选民投票率必然要高，而收视率暴涨和广告收入的爆炸。 All the while this political-media reciprocation makes it clear that by way of an election-industrial complex the ruling class finally found a way to make this pesky habit of voting carry its financial weight.所有这些虽然这一政治媒体往复清楚地表明，由一个选举的工业园区统治阶级终于发现了一种方法，使这个讨厌的习惯进行表决的财政体重。

Political Entrenchment 政治壕沟

Before we delve into the (relatively new) economic benefits to certain sectors (obviously not the economy as a whole), we need to review what makes bourgeois parliamentarianism so necessary to the maintenance of capitalism.在我们深入探讨的（相对较新的）经济利益的某些部门（显然不是经济作为一个整体） ，我们需要审查什么使资产阶级议会制非常必要的维护资本主义。 Going back in history to the transition from feudal to bourgeois rule, it would be a tough sell for the budding capitalist class to mirror the absolutism of the landed gentry.回首历史上的封建主义过渡到资产阶级的统治，这将是一场艰苦的售价为萌芽资产阶级镜像绝对的士绅降落。 On the one hand, some concessions had to be made, but on the other the dictatorship of a minority class still had to be enforced.一方面，一些让步必须作出，但其他的独裁统治阶级的少数仍然没有得到执行。 A system dependent on corporate cash, electoral ostracism, and (as will be focused on later) media hegemony had to be forged, dressed in sparkling rhetoric to entrap progressive forces and dupe the vast majority.系统依赖于公司的现金，选举排斥，以及（如将集中在后）媒体霸权已是伪造，穿着闪闪发光的言论，以坑害进步力量和欺骗的绝大多数。 The established media, as an institution dependent on the capitalist system, will naturally play a leading role in presenting this illusion of choice.既定的媒体，作为一个机构依赖于资本主义制度，自然会发挥主导作用，提出这一幻想的选择。

Before we can understand just how warped the version of the election the corporate media gives, we have to get the real picture.在我们可以理解是多么扭曲的版本选举公司媒体可以给，我们必须得到真实的景象。 We have John McCain, a millionaire from a military family who famously owns seven houses, and opposing him is Barrack Obama, a Harvard-educated millionaire lawyer.我们有参议员麦凯恩，百万富翁从一个军人家庭谁拥有七个著名的房屋，并反对他是巴拉克奥巴马，美国哈佛大学教育百万富翁律师。 As for the current financial crisis, we know where both of their interests lie.至于目前的金融危机，我们都知道他们的利益所在。 As of late September Obama’s number one截至9月底奥巴马的头号 contributor贡献者 is Goldman Sachs, closely followed by Citigroup at number three while 35% of Obama’s top 20 donors are connected to big banks.是高盛，紧随其后的花旗集团在3号，而35 ％的奥巴马的前20名捐助者都连接到大银行。 At the same time, the five largest donors to the McCain campaign are major banks, with Merrill Lynch taking the top spot, kept company by the 60% of his top 20 contributors who are major players in the banking industry.与此同时， 5个最大的捐助者对麦凯恩竞选的主要银行，美林采取榜首，保持了公司60 ％的排名前20位捐助者谁是主要角色的银行业。

Both candidates are ardent imperialists; they just differ on their preferred target.两位候选人都热切帝国主义，只是不同的他们的首选目标。 McCain, as architect of the surge, has made it clear that he’d like to continue the occupation of Iraq indefinitely.麦凯恩，因为建筑师的激增，已明确表示，他希望能够继续对伊拉克的占领下去。 Obama is widely seen as the peace candidate, although he has used phrases like “奥巴马被广泛认为是和平的候选人，尽管他使用的词语，如“ residual forces剩余部队 ” in order to mask the fact that he plans on leaving behind tens of thousands of soldiers to deny the Iraqi people sovereignty. “为了掩盖事实，即他的计划留下数以万计的士兵否认伊拉克人民的主权。 However, he has, quite openly, called for an escalation in Afghanistan.然而，他已经很公开，要求在阿富汗的升级。 Apparently moving mass-slaughter east a few hundred miles is change we can believe in. On Iran, McCain and Obama keep referring to the government as a sponsor of terrorism (read: not subservient to the West), and both back sanctions that, as the tragedy in Iraq during the later half of the 1990s has shown, are just as devastating as weapons of mass destruction.显然移动大规模屠宰东部几个100英里是改变我们可以相信在伊朗问题上，麦凯恩和奥巴马继续提到政府的支持恐怖主义（改为：没有屈从于西方国家） ，并同时返回的制裁，作为这一悲剧在伊拉克下半年20世纪90年代已经表明，同样毁灭性的大规模杀伤性武器。 Obama might carry a bigger carrot and McCain a bigger stick, but every action they’ll take towards the Third World will advance the same arrogant imperialist system.奥巴马可能会进行更大的胡萝卜和麦凯恩更大的坚持，但每一个行动，他们要实现的第三次世界将推进同傲慢的帝国主义制度。

A race between almost identical candidates presents a twofold problem to the media and the bourgeoisie.阿之间的比赛几乎相同的候选人提出了双重的问题向媒体和资产阶级。 First, something this inconsequential doesn’t sell advertising time.首先，这个无关紧要的东西不出售广告时间。 Second, not only will people be bored, but, infinitely worse, they’ll be angry.第二，不仅是无聊的人，但无限更糟的是，他们将愤怒。 God help the capitalists if people vote for a progressive like上帝帮助资本家，如果人们投票逐步像 Cynthia McKinney辛西娅麦金尼 or a revolutionary like或是像革命 Gloria LaRiva凯莱德拉里瓦 . 。 Collectively and in a decentralized fashion driven by a common goal, a script rivaling the latest Hollywood blockbuster was put together.集体的和分散的方式推动一个共同的目标，一个脚本媲美最新的好莱坞大片组合起来。

The country is in crisis, an unpopular president has led an unpopular war and the economy is on the verge of collapse.我国正处于危机之中，一个不受欢迎的总统领导了一个不受欢迎的战争和经济正处于崩溃的边缘。 Who appears to rescue the ignorant masses?似乎谁拯救无知的群众？ Barrack Obama!巴拉克奥巴马！ He looks different than those who proceeded him, his name sounds different (his bank account looks the same); he has to represent change, right?他看起来不同于谁接着他，他的名字不同的声音（他的银行帐户期待同） ;他代表改变，对不对？ But this untested man might not be up for the task; who could challenge this newcomer in the tradition of the hard-line heroes of yesteryear we once trusted with our safety (and the rest of the world burned in effigy)?但是，这考验的人可能不是最多的任务，谁能够挑战这个新人在传统的强硬路线的英雄的岁月，我们曾经与我们值得信赖的安全性（及世界其他地区的焚烧肖像） ？ A maverick, a war hero (don’t let the burnt flesh of innocent Vietnamese men, women, and children lead you to call him something else), John McCain.阿特立独行，一个战争英雄（不要让肉烧无辜越南籍男子，妇女和儿童引导你叫他别的） ，参议员麦凯恩。 And the best part is that you get to “decide”!和最好的部分是，你去“决定” ！ * Not applicable to undocumented workers or felons *不适用无证工人或重罪

Economic Perks 经济佩克斯

Beyond the theoretical consequences that overt tyranny (or, more accurately, what would very soon replace it) would have on the financial situation of the corporate media, there is a direct business opportunity that presents itself to motivate not only the executives at the top but the rank-and-file reporters for almost impeccable collusion with the greater capitalist superstructure.除了理论的后果，公开的暴政（或更准确的说，什么很快取代它）可能对财务状况的媒体，有一个直接的商业机会，提出自己激励不仅是高级管理人员在顶端，但在普通的记者几乎无可挑剔勾结更大的资本主义上层建筑。 Tremendous yields are derived from the spectacle of the bourgeois elections, demonstrably so with the television news networks.巨大的收益来自壮观的资产阶级选举，显然这样的电视新闻网络。

CNN, one of the giants of cable news, attracted roughly 2 million viewers in February of 2008, when the primary elections were heating up.有线电视新闻网，一个巨人的有线新闻，吸引了大约200万观众在2008年2月，当时的主要选举升温。 Between 2004 and 2008 (when coverage of the 04 presidential election, mid-term election, and 08 presidential election flowed together almost without a pause), CNN doubled its 2004年至2008年（当时报道4月的总统选举，中期选举和总统选举08一起流出几乎没有停顿） ，美国有线新闻网一倍 profits利润 , making an extra $200,000,000. ，使额外的$ 200,000,000 。 Media behemoth News Corp. (owner of Fox News)媒体巨头新闻集团（老板福克斯新闻） reported报告 (also in February 2008) a 9.5% increase in revenue and a $10,000,000 increase in net income, greasing the wheels of Murdoch’s acquisition of Dow Jones. （也于2008年2月）增加9.5 ％的收入和$ 10000000增加纯收入， greasing车轮默多克收购道琼斯。 NBC (owner of MSNBC) saw a huge全国广播公司（ MSNBC的老板）看到一个巨大的 increase增加 in revenue as the primaries began, 8% ($33,000,000) and a 10% increase in profits.在收入的初选开始， 8 ％ （三千三百点○万美元） ，并增加了10 ％的利润。

Beyond increases in ad revenue for the television stations, print, radio, even non-media sectors (signs have to be made, venues rented, etc.) benefited.除了增加广告收入的电视台，报刊，电台，甚至非媒体部门（标志必须作出，场地租用等）从中受益。 To understand the magnitude of this, we have to look at the enormous sums of cash raised by the campaigns.要了解的程度，我们必须看看巨额现金所提出的运动。 Cumulatively, the Obama campaign and the Democratic Party have gathered $511,040,553.日积月累，在奥巴马竞选和民主党聚集五一一零四零五五三美元。 Their Republican counterparts have together raised $415,950,247; meaning that the twin parties of war and capitalism have, together, nearly共和党同行共同提出四亿一千五百九十五万零二百四十七美元;也就是说，这两个政党的战争和资本主义有，加上近 one billion dollars 10亿美元 to funnel to their close friends, the bourgeois captains of industry.以漏斗他们亲密的朋友，资产阶级船长产业。 Coupled with increases in profit for local news outlets as well as international ones, it wouldn’t be a stretch to say that American “Democracy” is a multi-billion dollar industry.加上增加的利润为当地的新闻媒体以及国际的，它不会是一个延伸地说，美国的“民主”是一个价值数十亿美元的产业。

Our Democracy 我们的民主

When speaking of building a society based on the participation of the masses of society, they have failed (as I hope I’ve just made obvious), we will succeed.在谈到建立一个基础的社会群众参加的社会，他们失败（我希望我刚刚取得了明显） ，我们将取得成功。 What will our democracy look like?是什么将我们的民主呢？ Sparing the details of how this new apparatus of government will be established or what exactly the institutions by which the will of the people is executed will look like, there are several principles we must adhere to.保留的细节，如何这一新仪器的政府将建立或什么机构，其中人民的意志被执行的样子，有几个原则必须坚持。 First of all, for the people to truly be masters of their collective destiny, civic institutions must be participatory.首先，为人民真正当家作主的集体命运，民间机构必须是参与性。 At all levels, the representatives must be constantly in touch with constituents.在各级，代表必须经常联系选民。 Of course, different institutions of state power will carry this out as appropriate; municipal officials may rely on community meetings while national delegates may hear the voice of the people via mass organizations (trade unions, cooperative federations, etc.).当然，不同机构的国家权力将携带这一点，适当;市政官员可以依靠社区会议，而国家的代表会听到人民的声音通过群众组织（工会，合作社联合会等） 。 All elected officials must be subject to swift recall at any time and, most importantly, they must be of the same stock as the vast majority of society; they must be working class people themselves.所有当选的官员必须服从迅速召回在任何时候和最重要的是，它们必须是相同的股票绝大多数的社会;他们必须工人阶级人民自己。

The above, however, is secondary.上述情况，但是，是次要的。 Civic institutions are set up to meet the needs of those who hold material power, the ruling class.民间机构的设立，以满足那些谁拥有的物质力量，统治阶级。 So what institutions of economic participation can assure that the people rule?因此，机构参与经济活动可以保证人民的规则？ First, democracy must begin at the workplace level.首先，民主必须首先在工作场所的水平。 The day to day administration of the means of production, whether it’sa fast food restaurant or a major auto plant, must be left to the workers and their democratically elected workplace leaders.日常管理的生产资料，无论是快餐店或大型汽车厂，必须由工人和他们的民主选举工作的领导人。 In facilitating this democratic process, trade unions or other independent, revolutionary mass organizations could play a very helpful role.在推动这一民主进程，工会或其他独立的，革命的群众组织可以发挥非常有益的作用。 In order to eliminate the anarchy in production, and inequality and stratification amongst the working class itself as well as defend this new society, a planned economy is an absolute must.为了消除在生产的无政府状态，以及不平等和阶层之间的工人阶级本身以及捍卫这种新的社会，计划经济是一个绝对的必须。 This, by necessity, will be done at a broad, national level.这必然将做广泛，国家一级。 However, the process by which these plans are made must be based primarily on consultations with all sectors of society so that it truly represents the needs and wants of the vast majority and prevents bureaucratic corruption.然而，这一进程的这些计划作出的基础必须是主要的协商与社会各阶层，使之真正代表需求和欲望的绝大多数，并防止官僚腐败。

The radical left must organize the fight for a new society, but do so tactically.激进的左必须组织斗争的一个新的社会，但这样做的战术。 Does this mean voting for the lesser of two evils?这是否意味着投票较小的两个弊端？ Certainly not; in fact, Obama’s “Hope” will do nothing but pump life into the dieing capitalist system.当然不是，事实上，奥巴马的“希望”将什么也不做，但泵的生命濒临死亡的资本主义制度。 Does this mean running tactically in the elections?这是否意味着在战术上运行的选举？ Certainly; if possible, we should use bourgeois institutions as a platform to spread the message that there is an alternative to this wretched system.当然，如果可能的话，我们应该利用资产阶级的机构作为平台，以传播信息，即有一个替代这种可怜的系统。 We must expose the hypocrisy of the bourgeois show elections, in large part by pointing out the profiteers and their role in shaping public opinion.我们必须揭露虚伪的资产阶级表明选举，这在很大程度上是由指出奸商的作用，以及在塑造公众舆论。 As neo-liberalism begins to collapse, let’s use the 2008 elections as both a starting point for a mass movement and an example of the fact that capitalism and democracy are antithetical.由于新自由主义开始崩溃，让我们使用2008年大选作为一个起点群众运动和一个例子，一个事实，即资本主义和民主是对立的。