On December 2, 2025, in the state of Tennessee, an election was held, in a ‘’ruby red’’ Congressional District, as the previously elected Republican Member of Congress had resigned, in the middle of his two year term. This election captured the attention of the mainstream press, and calls for a little explanation.
Usually, such ‘’Special Elections’’ receive little attention, from the mainstream press. But then ‘’usually’’, the country is not in a state of Revolution! These are not ‘’usual’’ times! The country is currently experiencing a Revolution, and the effects are being felt, even in such rather remote states as Tennessee.
All of the journalists who are reporting on this election, both those who work for the mainstream press, as well as those who consider themselves to be ‘’Leftist’’, are accurately describing the events, as they unfold. Yet none of them are making any mention of the under lying cause of this ‘’seismic shift’’, this drastic change of voter attitude, from the ‘’MAGA world of Trump’’, to the ‘’Left’’. But then, it is very likely that none of them are capable of understanding the fact, that the Second American Revolution is underway.
For the benefit of those who may not be aware, the expression ‘’ruby red’’ is a reference to the parts of the country which are considered to be solidly Republican, pro Trump, or ‘’MAGA’’, Make America Great Again, as that is the slogan of Trump.
By way of contrast, areas of the country, which are pro Democratic, are considered to be ‘’blue states’’. They are classified as more progressive, or ‘’Leftist’’. The terminology is not mine.
This particular Congressional District has certainly earned the dubious distinction, that of ‘’ruby red’’. In previous elections, it has consistently voted, overwhelmingly, in favour of Trump and his reactionary policies. Not any more!
In this particular election, the Democratic candidate was Aftyn Behn. The more cynical narrators, are of the opinion that her qualifications include the fact that she is ‘’White, Blonde and Attractive’’. This is offset somewhat, by the fact that she once stated that she ‘’did not like country music’’. In a state such as Tennessee, this borders on blasphemy! Clearly, she is hardly the ‘’sharpest tool in the shed’’.
Yet even though her chances of winning the election were negligible, the Democratic Party bosses decided to offer some limited support. They gave her a script to recite, in which she stressed the fact that ‘’working people were struggling, trying to make ends meet’’. This was her response to any and all questions, from all journalists, concerning all subjects. Regardless of how hard they tried, none were able to ‘’pin her down’’, on any subject. She just stuck to her standard response.
Her Republican opponent was Matt van Epps. As a true ‘’MAGA’’ politician, he had the full support of President Trump. In fact, on the last day before the vote, Trump went on the air, in support of van Epps. As well, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson went to Tennessee to campaign for van Epps. They were clearly worried that he might lose this election!
As is well known, the Republicans won the election, but the margin of victory was nowhere near the overwhelming margin that was expected, as it had been in previous elections. Clearly, the Revolution has reached even into this rather remote area of Tennessee.
This particular state is mainly ‘’rural’’, which is to say that it has ‘’low population densities’’. In other words, there are not a great many people, it is spread out, and generally complete with a considerable number of family farms.
This stands in stark contrast to ‘’urban’’, which is to say ‘’high population densities’’, a great many people living in rather small areas. These are generally referred to as cities.
The life styles of people who live in rural areas, are generally far different from the lifestyles of those who live in urban areas. These different life styles are generally reflected in their political affiliations. More or less as a result of this, those who live in rural areas are more likely to support Trump, and his MAGA policies, while those who live in urban areas, tend to be more cultured, which leads to ‘’having their horizons broadened’’, so that they are more likely to ‘’lean towards the Left’’, even to the point of embracing socialism.
Yet a great many common people, both workers and family farmers, within the state of Tennessee, have had a ‘’change of heart’’, and are now voting ‘’Leftist’’. This has happened as a result of the Second American Revolution.
This has wide ranging implications for the Revolution. The ruling class of monopoly capitalists, multi billionaires, the bourgeoisie, must be overthrown. That can happen only through an insurrection. It stands to reason that it only makes sense to carefully prepare, for that insurrection.
On that subject, Marx had a few select words of advice: ‘’Insurrection is an art quite as much as war or any other art, and is subject to certain procedural rules which, when neglected, will bring about the downfall of the party neglecting them….Firstly, never play with insurrection, unless you are fully prepared to go the whole way…Insurrection is an equation with very indefinite magnitudes, the value of which may change every day; the forces opposed to you have all the advantage of organization, discipline and habitual authority; unless you bring strong odds against them, you are defeated and ruined. Secondly, once you have entered upon the insurrectionary career, act with the greatest determination, and on the offensive. The defensive is the death of every armed rising; it is lost before it measures itself with its enemies. Surprise your antagonists while their forces are scattered, prepare the way for new successes, however small, but prepare daily; keep up the moral superiority which the first successful rising has given to you; rally in this way those vacillating elements to your side, which always follow the strongest impulse and which always look out for the safer side; force your enemies to retreat, before they can collect their strength against you; in the words of Danton, the greatest master of military tactics yet known: ‘Be audacious, be audacious, and be more audacious!’’’
This advice of Marx, was carefully considered by Lenin, on July 3-5, 1917. These dates have gone down in history, as the ‘’Revolutionary July Days’’. There was a spontaneous uprising, and in fact, Lenin could have taken that opportunity to call for an insurrection. He did not. Instead, he called for calm. The question is, why?
Because the insurrection would almost certainly have failed! It was too soon! At that time, the most advanced members of the common people, workers and farmers, did not support an insurrection! More work had to be done, in order to raise the level of awareness of those advanced workers and farmers.
As Lenin phrased it, ‘’If the revolutionary party has no majority in the advanced contingents of the revolutionary classes, and in the country, insurrection is out of the question. Moreover, insurrection requires: 1) growth of the revolution on a country wide scale; 2) the complete moral and political bankruptcy of the old government; 3) extreme vacillation in the camp of all middle groups, i.e., those who do not fully support the government, although they did fully support it yesterday’’. (italics by Lenin, and i.e. means ‘’that is’’)
As is well known, it is my opinion that the ‘’No Kings Protest’’ of October 18, 2025, marked the beginning of this, the Second American Revolution. As well, I am convinced that this Revolution will closely resemble the Great Russian Soviet Socialist Proletarian Revolution, of 1917. For that reason, we can- and must!- learn from that Revolution.
An insurrection in Russia, in July of 1917, would have failed, due to the fact that the most advanced members, of the classes of workers and farmers, did not support the Revolutionary Party of Lenin, at that time referred to as the Bolsheviks. That was the reasons Lenin called for calm! It was too soon! More preparation was required! Harvest the crop only when the fruit is ripe!
It was necessary to raise the level of awareness of the workers and farmers, especially the most advanced workers, as it is the workers, the proletariat, which is the only consistently revolutionary class!
At that time, the majority of common people, in Russia, were farmers, and many of them were illiterate. So raising their level of awareness was a ‘’tall order’’. Yet the Revolution, which had resulted in the overthrow of the nobility, in February of that year, was still raging. For that reason, countless common people were still ‘’in motion’’, politically active, or ‘’thirsting for knowledge’’, if you will. Lenin and the Bolsheviks provided them with that knowledge.
This brings me to a statement Lenin made, which sums up the experience of all three Russian Revolutions, of the Twentieth Century. It is the previous experience of all revolutions, especially the experience of the Russian Revolutions, which we can- and must- learn from, as our Revolution closely resembles the October Revolution.
This summary of the experience of those Revolutions, is referred to as ‘’theory’’. It is our duty to apply those lessons to our current Revolution. This provides us with the best chance of success.
It is of such critical importance, I think it should be placed in poster form, and hung in the homes of all advanced workers, as well as in all Union halls:
‘’The fundamental law of revolution, which has been confirmed by all revolutions, and especially by all three Russian revolutions in the twentieth century, is as follows: for a revolution to take place, it is not enough for the exploited and oppressed masses to realize the impossibility of living in the old way, and demand changes; for a revolution to take place, it is essential that the exploiters should not be able to live and rule in the old way. It is only when the ‘lower classes’ do not want to live in the old way, and the ‘upper classes’ cannot carry on in the old way, that the revolution can triumph. This truth can be expressed in other words: revolution is impossible without a nation wide crisis (affecting both the exploited and exploiters). It follows that, for a revolution to take place, it is essential, first, that a majority of the workers (or at least a majority of the class conscious, thinking and politically active workers), should fully realize that revolution is necessary, and that they should be prepared to die for it; second, that the ruling classes should be going through a governmental crisis, which draws even the most backward masses into politics (symptomatic of every genuine revolution is a rapid, tenfold and even hundredfold increase in the size of the working and oppressed masses- hitherto apathetic- who are capable of waging the political struggle), weakens the government, and makes it possible for the revolutionaries to rapidly overthrow it.’’ (italics by Lenin)
There is a reason I deliberately started this article, with a reference to the ‘’Special Congressional Midterm Election’’, within the state of Tennessee. That reason was not to bore readers. Who cares about the winner? It was to drive home the point that this ‘’uprising’’, as a result of the Second American Revolution, is now ‘’broad and deep’’. It has even reached one of the most remote corners of the country!
Without doubt, the Revolution has reached countless people. Those who were formerly apathetic, are now politically active! They are no longer content to ‘’live in the old way’’! They are ‘’demanding change’’! Politically active!
That is one requirement for the Revolution to be successful. But what of the second requirement, that the ‘’upper classes cannot carry on in the old way’’?
To answer that question, we have only to examine the headlines, of the mainstream press. It is not a ‘’pretty site’’. A cursory examination would lead us to believe that the journalists are doing their best to depress people, by spreading ‘’doom and gloom’’. And in fact, a considerable number of working people do not follow the news, for that reason. Or at least, they never used to follow the news!
That is changing, due to the Revolution.
It is safe to say that the ‘’Epstein Scandal’’, has attracted the attention of countless people. It is further safe to say that no one is ‘’buying’’ the ‘’official cause of death’’, as being that of ‘’suicide by hanging’’, if only because it is simply not possible to hang oneself, while in prison.
Not that too many people are too ‘’broken hearted’’, concerning the death of one child molester, a most prolific pedophile, one who was allegedly responsible for the rape of possibly one thousand underage girls!
No, the reason for the concern, is that Epstein allegedly ‘’made a career’’ of selling those underage girls, to numerous ‘’rich and powerful’’ men. And not just Americans! As long as they had the money! Epstein did not care about the nationality! Especially as these ‘’encounters’’ were very likely video recorded!
Assuming that to be true, then it gives a great many people, all of whom are very rich, and very powerful -the two tend to go together!- with a good reason to want Epstein dead! After all, ‘’dead men tell no tales’’.
The murder of a great many people, in the Caribbean, has also ‘’caught the attention’’ of the ‘’public’’. President Trump has decided that these fishing boats are carrying drugs, bound for America, and must be destroyed. In one example, after one air strike, two survivors were seen in the water, clinging to the remains of the boat. So a second air strike was ordered, a ‘’double tap’’, to make sure all were killed. Cold blooded murder! Also a war crime! Working people are quite concerned about this too.
Other ‘’issues’’ which are ‘’cause for concern’’, among the ruling class of monopoly capitalists, the multi billionaires, the bourgeoisie, are the possible impeachment and removal from office, of Trump; the possible Supreme Court ruling, to the effect that the tariffs imposed by Trump are illegal; the fact that Trump is calling for the murder of several Members of Congress, both House of Representatives and Senate, as they are ‘’guilty of sedition’’; a former 4 Star General is now openly opposing Trump; the head of the FBI was allegedly caught lying under oath; various members of the administration, as well as his personal lawyers, are ‘’quitting in droves’’; the courts have ruled that his ‘’presidential immunity’’ is not absolute, that it does not apply to his personal business.
All of this has led to a ‘’Constitutional crisis’’, as the mainstream press is referring to it. This sentiment is echoed by the Leftist press. They are mistaken. It is not a Constitutional crisis. It is a crisis in capitalism! The exploiters, the ruling class of multi billionaires, can no longer rule in the old way!
The two requirements, for a successful revolution, according to Lenin, have just been met. The ‘’lower classes’’, the common people, both workers and farmers, are no longer content to ‘’live in the old way’’. As well, the ‘’upper class’’, in this case the monopoly capitalists, the multi billionaires, the bourgeoisie, ‘’cannot carry on in the old way’’. Excellent!
This is not to say that a successful conclusion, to this, the Second American Revolution, is a ‘’sure thing’’. Most emphatically, it is not. The bourgeoisie is not to be underestimated! They are not entirely stupid! They have been in power for a great many years, and during that time, have ‘’learned a thing or two’’.
In response to this ‘’Constitutional crisis’’, as they refer to it, they have brought out their ‘’big guns’’, so to speak. They are doing their best to reassure people, to ‘’calm the waters’’, to pacify people, to quell the Revolutionary motion!
Those who are engaged in this less than noble pursuit, include a former president, Bill Clinton. As well, Warren Buffet, one of the richest men in the country, if not the world, is ‘’trying his hand’’ at quelling the Revolution.
I mention this, as it is an indication of the strength of the Revolutionary motion. Even though the monopoly capitalists may not understand that which is happening, they can feel the pressure, and are responding.
Now it is our duty, the duty of conscious people, Scientific Socialists, Communists, to raise the level of awareness of the common people, the workers and family farmers. The most advanced workers must be raised to the level of true Communists, aware of the revolutionary theories of Marx and Lenin. They in turn, will raise the level of awareness of the less advanced, as the less advanced pay strict attention to the most advanced.
Just as it was necessary to raise the level of awareness of the Russian common people, in the summer of 1917, so too, it is necessary to raise the level of awareness of the American common people, both workers and family farmers. At least, the most advanced members of the common people, especially the workers, the proletariat, must become convinced of the necessity of overthrowing the monopoly capitalists, the multi billionaires, the bourgeoisie, of smashing the existing state apparatus, and establishing the Dictatorship of the Proletariat.
But is that even possible? Absolutely! The fact is that, in 1917, under far more difficult circumstances, Lenin managed to accomplish just that. In fact, within a few short months, he was able to prepare the common people for the Insurrection, that which has gone down in history as the Great Russian Soviet Socialist Proletariat Revolution, in October of that year.
We have the advantage of a numerically large working class, a proletariat. This is significant, as it is the proletariat which leads the revolution. It is the ‘’only consistently revolutionary class’’, according to Lenin. As well, there are relatively few family farmers, if only because the bourgeoisie has done such a fine job of driving them into bankruptcy.
Then too, the working class is quite cultured. Most workers are literate, and have access to various digital devices. The goal of raising their level of awareness is now much easier.
Bear in mind that, just as a spontaneous uprising took place in Russia, so too, such an uprising could happen here. The chances of such a spontaneous uprising being successful are slim, and would almost certainly result in the wide spread crushing, of all common people, with considerable brutality.
No one can predict just when such an uprising will take place! They are similar to earthquakes. We know they are going to strike. We just do not know when! For that reason, we had best be prepared.
Having said that, it is also true that, unlike earthquakes, such spontaneous uprisings can be forestalled! It makes so much more sense to prepare for an insurrection. To plan it out carefully, to organize it, to strike at the right time, at the right place, in all key parts of the country. Just as happened in Russia, on October 25, 1917, old style calendar, or November 7, new style calendar. A successful insurrection! Which gave birth to Soviet Socialist Russia!
A similar thing has to take place here, in North America. We have got to get organized, to prepare for the insurrection. All people who are Scientific Socialists, true Communists, must come together and form a Communist Party. Without such a Party, to give direction, such an insurrection has less chance of being successful.
As well, in the interests of raising the level of awareness of the working people, may I suggest flooding social media, as well as displaying on posters and banners, the following slogans:
Workers of the World, Unite!
Scientific Socialism!
Dictatorship of the Proletariat!
Peace! Democracy! Socialism!