PRAGOTI

A debate has raged among the sections of the left in the US. Marginalised but vocal, small but intellectual; the American Left has tried to focus on the correct approach toward gaining political space during a time when America is in the midst of a financial and housing crisis. In the midst of it, there is also the matter of the US presidential elections. It is clear that the voice of the left is represented by Green Party candidate Cynthia McKinney and Independent candidate, Ralph Nader. Shunned by the mainstream media, starved of electoral campaigning resources and kept away from the political discourse in a plutocracy of sorts, the Left candidates are in a losing battle for relevance. Some leftist intellectuals have therefore adopted an approach that calls for defeating the hard right and looking toward a Barack Obama victory, opening as it would newer avenues for the Left in the political discourse (as they call it), while others call this approach still-born, finding it difficult to endorse Obama as his positions offer no substantial change from McCain's.

Intellectuals Noam Chomsky, Howard Zinn call for tactical voting for Obama in Real News videos; James Petras however takes a vote-Nader/McKinney line; and others weigh in their opinions through articles in Counterpunch, the Guardian etc. All of these are posted here and courtesies due to the publishers.