The Communist Party Endorses President Barack Obama and Democrats for 2012 General Election

The Communist Party chairman Sam Webb has endorsed President Barack Obama and the Democrats for 2012:

Does it make any difference, from the standpoint of the class and democratic struggles, which party gains political ascendency? Some - though not the labor movement nor other mass organizations of the American people - say no, it doesn't. Some even go a step further and say a Democratic victory creates popular illusions, which in turn weaken the people's struggles. And the only way out of this vise is to form a third party now. Communists don't agree with either one of these views.

In our view, the differences between the two parties of capitalism are of consequence to class and democratic struggles. Neither party is anti-capitalist, but they aren't identical either. Differences exist at the levels of policy and social composition. And despite the many frustrations of the past two years, the election of Barack Obama was historic and gave space to struggle for a people's agenda . . .

Now that doesn't mean that we give up our advocacy of an independent people's party, but we also understand that its formation is dictated by concrete political realities and strategic necessities. . . . We don't have any illusions about the Democratic Party, but we don't have any illusions about the Republican Party either. Furthermore, we are also aware of the undeniable fact that no other party besides the Democratic Party stands a chance of beating the GOP next year. Source: People's World

Not that an endorsement from the Communist Party is a big deal, but it's newsworthy to some degree.