Author: Gerald Mcisaac

The confirmed deaths due to the corona virus has now surpassed the number of Americans killed in the Viet Nam war. The confirmed cases of the virus, in America alone, is now over one million. The chief adviser to the president, his own son in law, is now referring to the response by the federal government as a ”great victory”. That is one way to put it, although I can think of others. The term ”national disgrace” comes to mind. The total number of deaths due to the virus is far higher than the ”confirmed cases”, as so many people prefer to die at home, surrounded by family, rather than alone in a hospital.

The press is now reporting that within the last six weeks, thirty million working people have applied for unemployment insurance benefits. That number is expected to rise dramatically as ever more businesses go broke. For the moment, a great many small businesses are able to meet their payroll due to government grants, referred to as Economic Stimulus Packages. Another such package has just been approved by the federal government, to the tune of half a trillion dollars. The last such package, of a few hundred billion, lasted only a few weeks, so this one will not last long either. When that money runs out, many more ”small businesses” will in turn go broke, resulting in more unemployment.

It should be noted that a ”small business” is defined as a business employing less than five hundred people. There are a great many such businesses which are merely subsidiaries of huge corporations. The money given to them is nothing less than corporate welfare. All of this comes at tax payer expense, of course.

The governors of various states are calling for money to support the hospitals and medical support agencies. The federal government is aware of the severe financial hardship caused by the virus and the Depression. Their response, as clearly stated by the minority leader of the Senate, is that ”it is better for the states to go bankrupt, rather than be funded by the federal government”. Even the federal leaders are aware that the country is facing bankruptcy, and as that is the case, are prepared to allow the individual states to go broke instead. It is to the credit of the minority leader that he has blurted out the fact, which the federal government is trying to keep secret, that they plan to allow the states to go broke. Every so often the loyal servants of the bourgeoisie speak the truth.

Trump is also calling for people to use disinfectant to combat the corona virus. It is not clear if he is suggesting that people drink this poison or to ”mainline it”, to use a needle to shoot it into their veins. Either approach is sure to be most unpleasant, possibly fatal. Even for Trump, it was a stupid thing to say. Then again, possibly it was merely a typical Trump statement. Just as typical of Trump is the fact that he now denies saying precisely the thing he said. Perhaps that is his idea of damage control.

The press is now pointing out that it is routine for Trump to lie. As soon as the press points out one lie, the members of his staff -belly crawling boot lickers, one and all- come out with a separate set of lies, as a separate means of damage control. Then Trump denies his original lie with an altogether new set of lies, in the process also contradicting the lies of his boot lickers. This may sound like political satire, but is the sad truth.

At least one of the states is heeding the call of Trump to open up for business. Such businesses as beauty shops, tattoo parlours and nail solons are now open, as part of a ”phased reopening” of the state. So on the one hand, citizens are being advised to stay at home, except those who are working in ”essential services”. All are being advised to exercise ”social distancing”. Those who are not working in essential services are being advised to leave their homes only for purposes of shopping for groceries or emergency medical appointments. On the other hand, they are being encouraged to go for a hair cut, get a tattoo and manicure. Just how they are expected to get their hair cut, a tattoo and manicure while staying home and exercising social distancing, is not clear.

Citizens of various states are heeding the call of Trump to protest ”social distancing”. It is the federal government, led by Trump, which is calling for social distancing, yet Trump is encouraging people to protest and defy this same order. There is an expression, to the effect of ”be careful what you pray for, you may just get it”. Trump would do well to take this to heart, as he may get what he wants. In spades, no less. These same protesters will likely turn against him, and capitalism in general, and start calling for revolution and a socialist republic. From there, it is a small step to calling for the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat.

There are also reports of demonstrations in the state of Michigan, at the government building within the state capital. People there are protesting the ”stay at home” orders. It is also reported that some of these protesters are also carrying firearms. If true, this is a huge escalation of the class conflict. This is especially significant as the state of Michigan is part of the industrial heartland of the country. We can expect the industrial proletariat to play a key role in the forthcoming revolution.

This is to drive home the point that the situation is revolutionary. We have a medical crisis caused by the virus, and a crisis of over production, which has given rise to a Depression. We have a great abundance, more than enough for everyone. Under capitalism, this is a terrible curse. It is only under socialism that a surplus is a great blessing.

People are protesting because they want jobs. Working people are proud, too proud to stay at home and receive hand outs. That is a fact, just as it is a fact that we currently live under capitalism. The capitalists are in charge, the billionaires, the bourgeoisie. They do not care what workers want. They care only about their profits.

As the title of this article suggests, I am writing this with working people in mind. I most sincerely hope to God that there are a great many such people who are reading this. Aside from the virus, we are entering a Depression, one which is anticipated to be more severe than the Great Depression of the twentieth century.

Our parents and grandparents suffered through that Depression for ten years. To give an idea of the desperation faced at that time, I can give the example of my father, who dug ditches for twenty five cents an hour. Perhaps the billionaires of today think that our generation will also tolerate such massive unemployment, hunger and disease. If that is the case, they are sadly mistaken.

The one and only way out of this Depression is through scientific socialism. This stands in stark contrast to utopian socialism. The difference is that scientific socialism is based upon the scientific theories of Marx and Lenin. Those theories have been proven to be correct. Experience has shown that revolutions which follow the advice of Marx and Lenin are successful, while revolutions which do not follow their advice always fail.

The fact is that the working class, technically referred to as the proletariat, must overthrow the capitalist class and crush them under the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat!

Notice that I have deliberately used capital letters to stress the importance of that Dictatorship. That is a strong term, no ifs, ands or buts. It is also a fundamental tenet of Marxism that there is no other way to establish socialism. Bitter experience has proven that, beyond any shadow of a doubt. Any and all revolutions which have taken place, without crushing the bourgeoisie under the iron rule of the proletariat, have failed!

The capitalists, the billionaires, the bourgeoisie, are well aware of this. In fact, the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat is their worst night mare. The middle class people, the small business owners, the petty bourgeois, are also aware of this. Most of them are now ruined, or about to be ruined, and are joining the ranks of the working class. It is up to middle class intellectuals to bring this awareness to the working class. By and large, this is not happening, so that calls for an alternative. There is more than one way to skin a cat.

Most working people are literate and have personal computers. Those of us who grew up with rotary telephones may not be terribly proficient with those computers, but our grandchildren are available to help us out. Just take my advice and do not try to explain the finer points of rotary phones. There are certain things the younger generation simply cannot understand. Perhaps that is just as well. Besides, being referred to as a dinosaur can become rather tiresome.

With that in mind, may I suggest to fellow working people that a careful reading of the Essential Works of Lenin is a fine place to start. Imperialism, the Highest Stage of Capitalism, is quite easy to understand, and gives a fine idea of the problem we are facing, that of monopoly capitalism. Then State and Revolution explains the importance of smashing the existing state machine, that which has been set up by the capitalists, the bourgeoisie, in order to crush the working class, the proletariat. Such a state apparatus must be replaced by an entirely different set up, a proletarian apparatus, in order to smash the ”desperate and determined” resistance of the bourgeoisie. As well, the book What Is To Be Done?, explains the resistance we can expect to encounter, among those who claim to be socialists or Marxists or Communists, but are opposed to the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat. At the moment, that is almost all ”socialist” parties.

That should give working people a fine understanding of the basic principles of Marxism. It is certainly a place to start. Then such workers can advise their friends and coworkers. As well, the internet is available, with various ”social networking” sites, assuming that is the correct term. In this way, the level of awareness among the working class can be raised. No doubt the most advanced workers will be raised to the level of true Marxists. There is no time to waste, as the revolution could break out any day now.

Having said that, there is no way to predict the exact day of the revolution. Our task now is to prepare for the revolution and the subsequent Dictatorship Of the Proletariat. Working people, proletarians, must learn the skills in leadership now, which they will need after the revolution. For that reason I encourage working people to become active in working class organizations of all sorts, from trade unions to sewing circles. As well, feel free to join the two mainstream political parties, as card carrying members, and run for any and all political office, on behalf of both parties.

The fact is that at the time of the revolution, leaders will emerge! Many of these leaders will be servants of the bourgeoisie, boot lickers one and all. They will try to divert the revolution onto some harmless path of social reform, away from the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat. Many of them will do this in the name of Marx and Lenin, no less. They must be opposed. That is where true leaders of the working class come into the picture, proletarian leaders. This is not to imply that such leaders must be working class. Bear in mind that both Marx and Lenin were middle class, members of the intelligentsia. To be prejudiced against middle class intellectuals is to be prejudiced against Marx and Lenin! The important thing is not the class background, but the class they serve!.

This is to say that a true Marxist political party, a Communist Party, must be formed. Only such a party can provide the working class, the proletariat, with the leadership, the direction, it so desperately needs. Usually it is the middle class intellectuals who take part in the creation of such a party. As yet, that is not happening. Or if it is, it is a well kept secret, which only defeats the purpose. We need a Communist Party, one which openly calls for the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat. As that is the case, and as middle class intellectuals are not performing their duty, it is up to working class intellectuals to rise to the occasion.

Proletarian intellectuals are few in number, but they do exist. The important thing is quality, not quantity. They have also been schooled in the class struggle. If nothing else, bitter experience has taught them about the conflict between the classes. Not a great deal of persuasion is required to convince them that the capitalists must be crushed under the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat. Now it is a little matter of raising their level of consciousness to that of Marxists. Then they can take part in the formation of a proper Communist Party.

Now is not the time for false modesty. Such advanced workers know who they are. To such proletarians I can only say, spare all of us the ”aw, shucks, I’m just a simple country boy” routine. Now is not the time for a song and dance. Now is the time for working class leaders to come forward and give direction. Your own people, your working class, is counting upon you.

As for those who think that we can have a political party which will represent all citizens, regardless of class, you are mistaken. We live in a class society, so any political party stands for the proletariat or it stands for the bourgeoisie. There is no alternative, no middle ground. At present, we live under the dictatorship of the bourgeoisie. After the revolution, the only way to establish socialism is through the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat.

We will know that we are being successful in getting our message to working people when various Marxist slogans are commonplace:

Scientific Socialism!

Dictatorship Of the Proletariat!

Workers of the World, Unite!

Victory or Death!

As I write this, the official death toll, as a result of the corona virus, has reached 44,000. In one week, the death toll has doubled. The true death toll is far higher, as those who choose to die at home, surrounded by family, are not counted in the ”official” toll. For this reason, there are fewer admissions to hospitals and the ”curve is flattening”, to use the stilted language of the government officials.

A more accurate picture is presented by the World Health Organization, WHO. An official from that agency stated quite clearly that the ”worst is yet to come”. As well, the Centre for Disease Control, CDC, expects a second wave of the virus this winter, which ”could be worse”, as it will likely strike at the same time as the flu epidemic.

As well, the country is entering a deep Depression, one which is expected to be even more intense than the Great Depression of the previous century. The government has responded to these twin crises by spending trillions of dollars, which is thousands of billions, on that which it refers to as ”economic stimulus packages”. It is also calling for an end to the ”stay at home” orders and to the ”social distancing” policies, in an attempt to ”jump start” the economy.

The press is mainly focused on the havoc caused by the corona virus, and the various plans to reopen the economy. There is even the occasional interview with economists, those who do their best Guy Smiley imitations. Such economists ignore the fact that the country is now head over heels in debt, facing bankruptcy. Millions of small businesses are ruined, and the rest are hanging on by their finger tips. Millions of workers are now unemployed, with a great many more about to join them. As soon as the government hand outs run out, the rest of the small businesses will face bankruptcy. The employees and the owners will soon join the many millions of unemployed. There is simply no way out of this Depression.

This is a true crisis in capitalism, technically referred to as an economic crisis compounded by a medical crisis. Such economic crises occur periodically, as the capitalists produce ”too much”. This gives rise to a surplus of goods. According to the ”law of supply and demand”, a great supply tends to reduce prices, while a great scarcity tends to raise prices. The capitalists love scarcity, as it tends to raise prices and consequently profits. By contrast, an over abundance tends to reduce prices and profits suffer.

I am writing this for the benefit of the working class people, proletarians, those who are just now becoming politically active. Those who were formerly members of the middle class, petty bourgeois, are already well aware of this, as they used any and all scarcities to their advantage.

Now we have a great abundance of most commodities while at the same time we have a severe shortage of certain other commodities. The contrast between the price of oil and the price of medical equipment is most striking. We now have so much oil it has been reduced to a negative value! The stock traders now report that a barrel of oil is now worth less than nothing! On the other hand, the price of medical equipment has increased ten fold!

The corona virus pandemic has forced governments around the world to encourage their citizens to stay at home and to practice ”social distancing”. As a result of this, people are using less gasoline. This contributes to the glut of oil on the market. At the same time, the ”first responders”, as well as medical personnel, require personal protective equipment, or PPE, as the virus is so contagious. So now the capitalists are making a great fortune from the sale of medical equipment.

The point must be driven home to working people that this economic Depression was not caused by the virus. The virus is a crisis in itself, a medical crisis, which is causing the Depression to be more intense. The problem is not that society has too little. The problem is that we now have too much! We have a vast surplus, and this, from the standpoint of the capitalists, is a disaster.

It may be objected that under monopoly capitalism, the capitalists can come together and agree to limit the supply, thereby ensuring a continuous shortage. They certainly make every attempt to do just that. The organization known as OPEC, Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, was set up with that in mind. The trouble being that the capitalists of all countries have one characteristic in common. All are completely devoid of principle.

Each and every capitalist has the moral fibre of a mobster. They do not hesitate to ”cut the throat” of the other, as that is the term they use. All are determined to ”make a buck”, so that their word is meaningless. They can and do ”turn on a dime” on each other.

That is one side of the coin, or as Marxists are fond of putting it, one aspect of the contradiction. The other side is the fact that many millions of working people, those who have formerly been apathetic, are now ”awake”, politically active, more consciously aware and determined to enact change. Now is the time to raise that level of awareness, to make them aware of themselves as a class, with their own class interests, which is diametrically opposed to the interests of the capitalists, the bourgeoisie.

That is the point where Marxists come into the picture. It is up to Marxists to raise the level of awareness of the proletariat. The best way to do this is through the use of specific examples, and not mere ”preaching”, the use of revolutionary phrases. That may sound rather harsh, and perhaps it is. The fact remains that working people get tired of listening to the same old expressions, which may be revolutionary but remain a bore. The contrast between the price of oil and the price of medical equipment is anything but a bore.

That contrast should get the attention of working people. Then the fact can be presented that under capitalism, a surplus is a curse, while under socialism, a surplus can only be a bonus. The idea is to go from the particular to the general. The particular should be of interest to people, and rest assured, the prices of gasoline and medical equipment is of interest to almost everyone.

Once a Marxist has the attention of an individual, or a group of people, their attention can be drawn to the general. Point out the fact that the ruling class, the monopoly capitalists, the bourgeoisie, are not about to give up their wealth and power without a fight. That is the reason it is necessary to overthrow them through revolution. After that, it is also necessary to crush them under the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat.

As for those who may object that the working people are not capable of understanding this, may I suggest that you do not know too much about working people. The only reason the members of the working class are not discussing the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat is because they are as yet not aware of this! It is up to Marxists to bring this awareness to the working class. Bear in mind that as Lenin pointed out, ”without a revolutionary theory, there can be no revolutionary motion”!

Currently the middle class, the petty bourgeois, is in the process of being wiped out. Many of those people are aware of the revolutionary theories of Marx and Lenin. Now is the time to ”spread the word”, to let your fellow proletariats know of those theories. Face the fact that you are no longer middle class. Those days are ”gone with the wind”, never to return.

Prepare for the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat.

For many years, I have been searching for various orders of prehistoric reptiles. Within each order, there are no doubt numerous species. The flying reptiles are referred to as pterosaurs, and are divided into those with long tails, called rhamphorinchus, and those with short tails, called pterodactyl. The long tailed species are far more numerous. All are predators, as well as nocturnal, which is to say that they avoid the light, spending all the day light hours in caves. They hunt in darkness, and as is characteristic of all predators, they have a keen sense of smell. As is also characteristic of predators, they are far more likely to attack when they smell blood. For that reason, they frequently prey upon females of child bearing age. They also prey upon children, as youngsters are easier to pick up and carry away.

These flying reptiles did not go extinct sixty five million years ago. They are very much alive and preying upon us, to this day. That is a fact, just as it is a fact that there are four orders of swimming reptiles which are also very much alive. They also prey upon us. These include the mosasaurs, ichthyosaurs, long necked plesiosaurs and short necked plesiosaurs. Within each order there are numerous species. Now it is just a matter of proving they exist.

I am sure that the various species of swimming reptiles have adapted to life in fresh water as well as salt water. I am also sure that the freshwater reptiles are nocturnal, and I strongly suspect that the same is true of the salt water reptiles. At the same time, I am no longer sure that all of the swimming reptiles lay eggs. The scientists suspect that at least some of them give birth to live young.

In particular, the animal in Okanagan Lake, also known as ogopogo, matches the description of the ichthyosaur. It is the scientific opinion that this reptile went extinct eighty million years ago. It is my opinion that they are completely mistaken.

I was also of the opinion that almost all reptiles lay eggs. The exceptional ones carry eggs inside their bodies until they hatch, then give birth to live young. Of course most reptiles are not exceptional, so it logically follows that the easiest way to prove the existence of these swimming reptiles is to locate the eggs they lay. As they lay eggs in sand, the easiest way to locate this nesting site is to keep an eye out for birds of prey, which gather immediately before the eggs hatch. Locate the flocks of birds of prey and locate the nesting sites. These birds of prey are referred to as raptors. All quite simple, or so I thought.

My investigation into the Okanagan Lake monster, opopogo, has left me puzzled, at least at first. Numerous eye witness accounts agree on the size and shape of the animal, among other things. Videos support these accounts. Yet people who live around the lake, swear that the only sand on the beaches has been trucked into the sites. There is no naturally occurring sand on those beaches, merely gravel. As that is the case, there is no way the ichthyosaurs can lay their eggs in gravel. The one and only alternative is that it must give birth to live young.

That being the case, the animal must either be a mammal, or perhaps a reptile with characteristics of mammals, in that it gives birth to live young. It is extremely unlikely to be a mammal, as pound for pound, mammals require ten times as much nourishment as reptiles. As this is a very large animal, it is very unlikely that one lake could support a population of such mammals. I am still convinced that it is a reptile.

Further research has revealed that there are fossils of the ichthyosaur which suggest the animal gives birth to live young. Even more surprising, it is clear that the animal gives birth head first. In that case, it is necessary for the animal to come out of the water to give birth, as otherwise the youngster would drown, in the process of being born.

Now the problem is one of locating the beach where the animal gives birth. This may not be as difficult as it sounds, as in this case also, it is very likely that birds of prey will gather. Not that the raptors are likely to prey upon the youngster, but the act of giving birth is bound to give rise to other material, referred to as afterbirth, which is merely food for predators.

It is possible that this lake is exceptional in that there is no naturally occurring sand along the beaches, and that is the reason the ichthyosaur can survive here. Perhaps the other apex predators, mosasaurs and plesiosaurs, lay eggs and therefore require sandy beaches. If that is the case, then this animal has no competition, at least not in Okanagan Lake. That remains to be seen.

From the fossilized remains of mosasaurs and plesiosaurs, it is not clear how they reproduce. It is very likely that they lay eggs, as do most reptiles, but that has yet to be determined. Either way, it is still my opinion that the best way to locate these animals, in fresh water or salt water, is to look for their nesting sites. The gathering of birds of prey, raptors, is sure to take place. As far as these raptors are concerned, there is no difference between freshly hatched eggs and the ”after birth” of an animal. Both are food.

From our viewpoint, that of humans, it is every bit as urgent to prove the existence of these swimming reptiles, as it is of proving the existence of the flying reptiles. All are predators, they prey upon us, and it is vital that the members of the public be notified. To be fore warned is to be fore armed.

For this reason, I am appealing to the members of the public to assist in locating these reptiles. The scientists either cannot or will not do this. Now it is up to us. Countless lives are at stake. Together, we can make a difference.

The fatalities in America, as a result of the corona virus, continue to soar. The reported deaths are currently over thirty six thousand, while the deaths of people who choose to die at home, surrounded by family, are not reported. As well, over twenty two million workers have filed for unemployment benefits within the last month! Even that number is expected to ”rise dramatically” as those who are currently employed, if only on paper, by various small businesses, are ”given their walking papers”. The three hundred fifty billion that Congress made available to small businesses has just run out. Without more government hand outs, far more workers will be laid off. As well, the current small business owners, the petty bourgeois, will also be joining the ranks of the proletariat, also unemployed.

This is to say that the country is sinking ever deeper into a depression. The political scientists, the Marxists, may say that the ”contradictions are sharpening”. I mention this for the benefit of the working people who are reading this article, and I most fervently hope there are a great many such people. All Americans are well aware that the country is deeply divided. Not so many people are aware that it is about to break apart. The country is on the verge of revolution. Separate republics are in the process of formation. The capitalists within those emerging republics are determined to make sure that capitalism persists, even after the revolution.

This could happen. It must be stressed that revolution does not necessarily lead to socialism! During a revolution, people rise up spontaneously, not consciously! I refer to this as an Act of God, while other Marxists, those who may object to the use of the work God, tend to refer to it as a ”mass movement”. I make no apologies for my belief in God. I respect the beliefs of all others, and merely ask the same respect in turn.

The important point to remember is that the vast majority of people who are about to rise up in the approaching revolution are not ”conscious people”. No one wakes up one morning and decides to take part in a revolution. Yet that is precisely what happens. That is also the reason we say that such people are acting in a ”spontaneous” manner. This is not to denigrate the importance of the spontaneous element. This is to say that the people who are spontaneously taking part in the revolution need to become aware that they are part of a working class, technically referred to as the proletariat. They also have to be made aware of the existence of the capitalist class, the class of parasites opposite to them, the billionaires who make up the class of people referred to as the bourgeoisie. The proletariat and the bourgeoisie are class enemies. In other words, we have to raise the level of awareness of the proletariat. In fact, the most advanced workers must have their level of awareness raised to the level of Marxists.

The most advanced workers are exceptional. Their importance lies in the fact that the vast majority of workers, those whom are somewhat less advanced, pay strict attention to what they say. Advanced workers are well respected. The less advanced workers, those who may scoff at middle class intellectuals, listen closely to the advanced workers.

This is not to say that we, as Marxists, should ignore the less advanced. We want to raise their level of awareness, and the best way to do this is through repetition and the use of slogans. Signs and banners must proclaim the existence of classes, that of workers as well as capitalists. Such terms as scientific socialism and Dictatorship Of the Proletariat must become common place. All workers must become aware that it is the Marxist belief that the capitalists must be overthrown and crushed under the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat.

Recently, the governors of various states have formed a loose alliance, in that they have agreed to ”work together” to ”reopen their economies”. On the east coast, the states of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Rhode Island and Massachusetts have formed a ”coalition”. In the midwest, the states of Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana and Kentucky have agreed to work in ”close cooperation”. On the west coast, the states of California, Oregon and Washington have also formed ”regional pacts”.

These loose ”coalitions” or ”alliances” or ”regional pacts” constitute nothing less than the nucleus of separate republics which are forming out of the impending collapse of the American empire. It is Trump who is forcing these states to come together, to form these alliances. He claims to have ”total authority”. He also stated that the governors who dispute his claim are ”engaging in mutiny”. As Trump put it, ”We have the authority to do whatever we want…will take strong action against states” who dispute this authority. He went on to compare this to the Mutiny On the Bounty.

At that time, the penalty for mutiny was death by hanging. Had the mutineers on board the Bounty been caught, no doubt those people would have faced the death penalty. Equally without doubt, all governors are aware of this. The fact is that Trump has just threatened the governors of all states with the death penalty, if they defy his authority!

Of course Trump does not have this legal authority. Under the constitution, there is a clear division of power, between state and federal branches of government. This does not impress Trump in the slightest, as he has all the power he says he has. As far as he is concerned, the constitution is merely a scrap of paper. No wonder the governors of various states are banding together! Their lives are on the line!

No doubt there are numerous people who think that is an exaggeration. They probably think the idea of the Commander in Chief of the American armed forces, sending troops into individual states, with the intent of hanging any and all governors who dare defy him, is madness. As I am not a medical professional, I am not about to argue the mental status of Trump. I will merely point out that Trump ”welcomes mutiny”, and is prepared to take ”strong action” against mutineers. We know this for a fact, because those are precisely the words he used!

As for those who are skeptical, may I draw your attention to a previous head of state, one whom also made some very wild, reckless statements. He threatened to invade neighbouring countries, kill most of the citizens, and enslave the rest. He also threatened to kill a whole race of people, an act of genocide. He was not joking. We know this for a fact, as he went on to do precisely as he threatened. It is not clear why so many people were shocked.

It was Marx who pointed out that in a time of crisis, ”the ruling class can no longer rule in the old way. They have to change their method of rule”. This is a time of crisis, the bourgeoisie are the ruling class, they can no longer rule in the ”old way”, and they have decided to ”change their method of rule”. They have decided to set Trump up as a dictator.

In a very short time, the situation has changed dramatically. It is doubtful that there will be a federal election in November, or if there is such an election, it will likely be pointless. The bourgeoisie have almost certainly decided that Trump will continue as ”president”, but with unlimited powers. He is one of their own, a fellow billionaire, and they can count on him to protect them.

No doubt other states will form other coalitions, or possibly join the coalitions which already exist. For their own safety, they are being forced into this. There is safety in numbers. It is very likely that Trump will send federal troops into states which he considers to be ”mutinous”, with the intention of hanging the governors of those states, as well as anyone else who dares defy him. It will no doubt come as a comfort to know that member states are about to come to their aid. This is another way of saying that America is on the brink of another civil war! Now it is up to conscious people, Marxists, to transform this approaching civil war into a revolutionary war, a class war, a war for scientific socialism, a war for the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat.

Trump has already introduced a ”three phase plan” to open up the country, because as he put it, ”there has to be a balance…there’s also death involved in keeping it closed”. He neglected to point out just what death was ”involved in keeping it closed”. Trump is merely focused in opening up the country, returning to ”business as usual”. He refuses to face the fact that those ”good old days” are gone, never to return.

Perhaps the idea of American troops invading states will be sufficient to motivate conscious people, those who are aware of the revolutionary theories of Marx and Lenin, to become active. A Communist Party is desperately needed. That is the one and only Party which can provide the proletariat with the leadership they need. All other parties will merely steer the revolution onto the bourgeois path. Recall the words of Lenin: ”Without a revolutionary theory, there can be no revolutionary motion”. (my italics)

Trump has already been busy, hurling insults at various governors who have the gall to stand up to him. He appears to have a particular hatred for the governors of New York and Washington state. He is calling for citizens of those states, among others, to defy the bans on social distancing and to not stay at home. The governors are in turn confused and frustrated, as Trump consistently contradicts himself, first saying one thing one day and the exact opposite the next. Crazy or not, he is clearly not stable.

Any day now Trump could send troops into states which he perceives to be ”mutinous”. It is not clear that those troops would obey his orders. It is clear that such an act would likely cause the start of a civil war. Perhaps the thought of American troops invading American states will inspire American intellectuals, working class as well as middle class, to do that which needs to be done.

Form a Communist Party.

Since the publication of my article Ichthyosaurs In Okanagan Lake?, I have received quite a response. I have been told that Okanagan Lake is considered to be the Cryptid Capital of Canada, a regular ”hot spot” for cryptid sightings. Many people who consider themselves to be ”cryptid scientists” are trying very hard to find proof of the existence of the animal.

They have drawn my attention to a video which was recently posted on the internet, of an animal which they insist is the animal referred to as ”ogopogo”. After carefully reviewing the video, I strongly suspect that it is authentic. The reason for this belief is quite simple. It is too ridiculous to be a fake! No self respecting forger would fake a huge animal with seven humps, and seven sets of fins protruding from each hump, all working in tandem, much as a set of oars on a huge canoe, propelling the animal through the water.

The individual who took this video estimates the length at 120 feet, or 36 meters. Other sightings have estimated the length of this animal to be ”as long as two city busses.” A city bus is 35 to 40 feet, or 14 meters, so the length of the animal could be 70 feet or 28 meters. Either way, that is one huge animal.

I should add that for the purposes of this article, I am expressing the length in metric as well as imperial measurements, for the benefit of those who are not used to metric.

All of those who have seen this animal up close -and there is no shortage of them- swear that the animal has a huge set of eyes. The one and only swimming animal which has such a huge set of eyes is the ichthyosaur, with eye sockets of 25 centimetres or 10 inches. The scientists swear that this animal went extinct 80 million years ago. I suspect the scientists are mistaken, the eye witnesses are correct. Now there is the not so little matter of proving this.

For the moment -strictly for the moment- all we have to go by, aside from eye witness accounts, is fossilized remains. With that in mind, the scientists assure us that in Germany, there are Holzmaden shale quarries with 180 million year old marine fossils, including ”dolphin like reptiles”, or ichthyosaurs. These are referred to as ”fish lizards”. Their remains are in remarkably fine shape as the animals were buried in deep sea with low oxygen content. It is thought that the animals evolved from lung breathing, land dwelling reptiles. They were thought to have leathery skin, slender jaws and bodies built for speed. They are considered to be the ”dolphins of the Mesozoic age”. Remarkably, there are ”chemical clues” that suggest these prehistoric animals had whale like blubber.

The largest such fossil discovered so far was in the United Kingdom, with a length of 85 feet, or 25 metres. Other fossilized remains make it clear -at least to the scientists- that the animal was viviparous, in that it gave birth to live young. It is thought that it usually gave birth to several young, and very likely on land, as the youngsters were born head first.

This is most significant, at least in terms of proving they exist, as giving birth can be a long and tortuous experience. Any woman who has gone through the experience can testify to that. In the case of dolphins, the calves are born tail first, and after several minutes the whole body emerges, the calf immediately swims to the surface and gets its first whiff of fresh air. The point is that the only reason the dolphins can give birth in the water is because the calves are born tail first. If they were born head first, the calf would drown.

The ichthyosaurs, otherwise known as ogopogo, do not have the option of giving birth in the water. As the youngsters emerge head first, they have to give birth on dry land. It is very likely that they use the same beach each year, and that could explain the sightings of the animal on beaches. Assuming that to be the case, it is simply a matter of identifying those beaches. At least, it is a pleasant thought. Then cameras can be set up to catch them in the act. Also, it is almost certain that the animals will leave behind a good bit of DNA.

As they are related to dolphins, I did some research on dolphins. They are intelligent animals, remarkably so. Also complex, far more so than most other animals. They are capable of breeding at several times each year, and the gestation period for bottle nose dolphins is twelve months. In the case of places such as Florida, this is not a problem, as it is always warm. On the other hand, in such places as Okanagan Lake, it is a problem. Mating season must be adjusted to fit the gestation period of the female, as otherwise calves could be born in winter, with no chance of survival.

That begs the question of the length of the gestation period of the ichthyosaurs. On this subject, the fossils are silent. There is only so much we can learn from fossils. The orca, otherwise known as the ”killer whale”, is the largest species of dolphin in the world, and the gestation period of that animal is 16-17 months. So it is reasonable to assume that the gestation period of the ichthyosaur is considerable.

Further eye witness accounts of the cryptid researchers suggests that the animals move around in pods -assuming that is the correct word- much as orcas travel in pods. As Okanagan Lake is 135 kilometres or 84 miles long, and 4 to 5 kilometres or 2.5 to 3 miles wide, it is a rather large lake. Further, it is an average of 76 metres or 249 feet deep. Most of the fish in the lake are rainbow trout and salmon, no doubt the main supply of food for the animal. Equally without doubt, as the animal is a carnivore, it also preys upon other sources of food. In fact, it almost certainly preys upon any and all animals that stray into the water. So how is it that no one has reported any people being attacked by this animal?

They may be more intelligent than the average reptile, possibly instinctively aware that it is not a good idea to prey upon our species. The alternative, that they are really mammals which are classified as reptiles, is dubious. The fact is that mammals, pound for pound, require ten times the nourishment of reptiles. In order for that lake, large as it is, to support a population of mammals that size, is to stretch the imagination to the limit. It is far more likely that these are reptiles with characteristics of mammals.

That may not be quite as strange as it sounds, as monotremes are mammals which have characteristics of reptiles. The platypus and the ichidna lay eggs, as do reptiles. Or at least most reptiles lay eggs. The ichthyosaurs give birth to live young, and they do so on land.

That is the key to proving they exist.