HOME  E-DEMOCRACY 98  E-DEBATE WEB MN-FORUM

Thomas Fiske      Response 8

Question 8: One of the most important tasks for our governor will be putting together an effective management team to govern Minnesota. Name one person you think would make a great state commissioner, and what agency do you think they would best lead? Why?

My running mate, John Hawkins, is a person I would like to see
lead in government here. He has been in the forefront of winning
solidarity for labor struggles, Black rights and opposition to
Washington's wars for 30years. He has been totally selfless and
totally dedicated to advancing the cause of the working-class.

However, little will change even if people like John are
appointed to head up state government agencies under the current
set-up. They would simply be administering the same laws, the same
civil bureaucracyand the same repressive apparatus of courts, cops
and prisons that have been set up by the ruling rich over many
decades.

What is needed is something entirely different. The United
States lives in a world where a deep economic and social crisis has
begun. The takebacks that the rich have imposed on working people in
the U.S. over the last three decades will be increased, just as
happened during the depression of the 1930's. The resistance that we
see today such as the strikes against UPS, US West, GM and Northwest
will step up to meet the new attacks.

The main theme of these new fights can be seen in the struggles
that are taking place today. Among the most prominent of the demands
will be: for a shorter work-week with no cut in pay; decent
conditions of work; affirmative action; defense of social security
gains such as unemployment insurance; stop cop brutality; woman's
right to choose abortion.

As working people go through the experience of these struggles,
which make deeper and deeper challenges to the prerogatives of
private property of the rich, they will begin to realize that the
logic of their fight is to replace the existing capitalist government
with a government of their own, a workers' and farmers' government.