Rebuilding a U.S. left will be impossible without debating a wide variety of strategic and tactical moves. The value of these debates, however, depends on our ability to articulate the political issues and stakes at the center of them. This talk will examine some of the most basic political questions facing anti-capitalists and sketch out some ways in which different answers will produce very different ideas about what to do. In short, this talk will not only make the case for socialism, but also show the relationship between our long-term goals and how we approach politics today. In doing so, it aims to arm socialists to be able to navigate a number of pressing political questions we face.