Capitalists can't afford decent wages and benefits and compete in the global economy. The center is collapsing along with the polarization of economic outcomes and the demise of the middle-income working class. Either the left strikes out on its own with a relevant program for a radical redistribution of wealth, income, and power, or it condemns itself to irrelevancy defending a corporate liberalism that has no political-economic basis anymore. Fusion foments confusion. The left needs to be independent, not collaborating in elections with the same politicians we are fighting on the issues the rest of the year.
Fusion just confuses an independent left party's message.
Proportional representation is something we can propose with reasonable chances of success in local elections. And once we win proportional representation, people will be able vote their hopes instead of their fears. Lesser evil voting disappears because a vote for first choice will no longer be perceived as a vote for the worst evil. Being 5-10 percent spoilers can be our wedge in to proportional representation. From there our support should increase as people vote their hopes, our votes and legitimacy grow, and our analysis and program reach more people.