A socialist begging for a raise in minimum wage! You think too small with risible conviction. Why would people be moved to act when your horizon is so low and you’re just playing catch-up with the capitalist and just begging for crumbs?

The workplace is a central part of society and must be democratized. That is Socialism. Socialism is neither against markets nor against private property. Socialism is against the toxic employer-employee relationship and against that oppressive relationship that it brings to communities. It is against the snuffing out of the joy of working and of life. It’s against the exploitation of workers and the remedy is not the pathetic demand for raising the minimum wage. It’s about self-determination and the dignity of people. It’s about taking over the workplace. Every workplace. I favor the coop path to socialism but the endgame must be clear that ‘we the people’ want the whole enchilada and not whatever the billionaires and CEOs allow to their serfs.

As for voting, I didn’t mention that. I said organize and democratize. I said form a truly socialist party and not just a ‘please, please employer can I have a little more’ pseudo-socialist party. Whether the endgame occurs through voting, civil disobedience or whatever is unclear. What is clear is the beginning which is to organize, to have a bold and clear vision and to be proud of being a socialist.