Author: Gerald Mcisaac

The Corona virus has now spread around the world, which is to say that it is now at pandemic levels. If it was confined to a single country, it would be referred to as an epidemic. I mention this for the benefit of those who are not clear concerning the subject. This pandemic is being blamed for the crisis in capitalism, the collapse of the global economy, which is now being referred to as a depression. Such is not the case. This depression is the natural result of capitalism, precisely as predicted by Marx.

It has been reported that the country of Italy has been very hard hit by the virus, with possibly 6,500 deaths so far. The whole country is in a state of ”lockdown”, with good reason. The medical personnel are doing their best, at great risk to themselves, with the equipment which is available. It is reported that the medical professionals are exhausted and desperate. It is very likely that a similar situation will soon be faced by the citizens of America, as the United States is expected to become the latest epicentre of the pandemic.

Within the country, New York City is considered to be the ”centre of the epidemic”. The number of people who are now known to have the virus has ”sky rocketed”, if for no other reason than that more people are now being tested for the virus. In many cases, people who have the virus show no symptoms. These same people spread the virus, through no fault of their own. Such people are known as carriers. It only makes sense to isolate people, to exercise ”social distancing”, as a means of containing the virus.

As I write this, perhaps one third of the American people are being told to stay at home, unless they absolutely have to leave their houses for essential service jobs. Even then, they are being advised to stay a safe distance from each other, six feet or two meters.

The Surgeon General, Dr. Jerome Adams, says ”this week, it is going to get bad”. As he is the top medical professional in the country, all would be well advised to listen carefully to that which he says. That includes President Trump, who has his own ideas. It should come as no surprise to anyone to learn that Trump is ”at odds with the medical profession”. He clearly thinks that he knows more about the medical situation than the medical professionals. But then it is not reasonable to expect anything better from someone who is so supremely ignorant.

This in no way changes the fact that the medical professionals are treating patients who are infected with the Corona virus, at great personal risk to themselves. The only thing they are asking for in return is the proper ”personal protective equipment, or PPE”. By that they mean masks, gowns and surgical gloves. In addition, the patients who are desperately sick, short of breath, need ventilators. There is a severe shortage of ventilators, just as there is a shortage of hospital beds.

These are the facts, just as it is also a fact that Trump is fond of giving speeches, even at press conferences. That is a man who loves the sound of his own voice! At these conferences, and in front of his medical advisers, no less, he states things which directly contradict the opinion of those same medical professionals. As one of them stated it, ”I can’t jump in front of the microphone and push him down.” No doubt the temptation is do so is very strong. At least the thought is most pleasant.

The frustration of the medical professionals does not end there. As president, Trump did exercise his authority to activate the Defence Production Act, which gives him the authority to force businesses to produce medical equipment. Ordinarily, this Act is used as a means of forcing industry to produce war material. Now it is being used to force the same industry to produce medical supplies. Or more accurately, it could be used for that purpose, but it is not. Now that Trump has activated that Act, he refuses to enforce it. Industry can produce such medical items or not, as they see fit. For the moment, they see fit to not produce such items. Perhaps the profit margin is not sufficient to justify the expense of retooling the factories. This is the way the capitalists think. As Trump is a capitalist, this he understands.

As I write this, it has just been reported that the stock market is down from its all time high by 37 percent, or just over a third. For some strange reason, the reporters are of the opinion that those of us who watch the news are half Philadelphia lawyers and half rocket scientists. I mention this for the sake of the odd viewer who is neither, is not familiar with percentages, and is not even a mathematician. They also mention that the market is on track for having its worst month since 1931, at the height of the Great Depression. That is not a coincidence.

This is not to say that our fearless leader, Donald Trump, is indifferent to the suffering of American citizens. Indeed not. He has given it a great deal of thought and come to the conclusion that ”the cure cannot be worse than the sickness”. He has therefore decided that the country must be re-opened for business, that all shutdowns must end, that the six foot exclusion rule must be tossed, and the pandemic will be over within the next few weeks. President Trump is truly a man of action! In fact, he wants the country ”opened up and just raring to go by Easter”. In fact, he announced this on the very day the daily death toll from the Corona virus reached a record high.

If nothing else, this provides all of us with a very clear cut setting for the class war. And it is a war, with the ”lower classes”, which is to say the working class, the proletariat, in partnership with the family farmers, as well as the middle class, the petty bourgeois, against the monopoly capitalist class, the bourgeoisie. The capitalists have made their position quite clear. Their spokesman, Donald Trump, no less, is more concerned with the economy than with the fact that countless people are getting sick and dying!

Think of it. The medical professionals are of the opinion that the pandemic is about to ”become much worse”, that the ”worst is yet to come”, that we have a ”desperate shortage of medical equipment”, everything from ”personal protective equipment to ventilators”, and the only thing the capitalists are concerned about is their profit! It has been reported that two million people applied for unemployment benefits in one week, and it is anticipated that another seven million will soon join the ranks of the unemployed, and yet the press is focused on the stock market!

As the news outlets are owned and operated by the capitalists, this is understandable, and we should not blame the journalists for reporting on that which concerns the capitalists. They are merely doing their job, and many of them sneak in news tidbits as best they can. This in no way changes the fact that the capitalists are deeply concerned with the stock market, as that is a reflection of their profits. As the stock markets are plunging, the capitalists are responding by ”propping up the markets”. In fact, the Federal Reserve Board, otherwise known as the Fed, has pumped countless billions of dollars, even trillions, into the market, as well as reducing the interest rates to effectively zero. This they refer to as ”economic stimulus”, and the markets have responded by continuing to drop. In fact, some economists expect the market to lose another third of its value, reducing the country to depression levels, not seen since the Great Depression.

As all measures to stop the decline of the stock market have had almost no effect, the capitalists have decided to pump more money into the market. As anyone with a lick of sense could tell them, it has not worked before and is not about to work now. But then capitalists are convinced that money solves all problems. Any evidence to the contrary is quietly ignored.

This bring us to the ”Fed”, the Federal Reserve Board. Countless people have heard of this outfit, and it clearly has great power, so it stands to reason to look into this secretive organization. The people on this Board control the ”Federal Reserve System”, the ”central banking system of the United States of America”. It was reportedly ”created by Congress to provide the nation with a safer, more flexible and more stable monetary and financial system”. As the economy of the country is now in free fall, it is safe to say that it has fallen short of this noble objective.

The key component of the Fed is the Federal Reserve Bank, the ”nations central bank, an agency of the federal government and reports to and is directly accountable to the Congress…the Fed has control of the money supply through its power to create credit, with interest rates and reserve requirements.” It does not take an economist to realize that the Fed has incredible power.

Yet there is more to it than that. The Congress has decided that the Fed has four functions. The first is to manage the inflation rate at preferably 2 percent, and to keep prices stable. The effect of inflation is to gradually lower the standard of living of the working class, as wage increases rarely keep up with inflation. This means that in the past, such as immediately after the Second World War, it was customary for a family to have one parent working, usually the father, while the mother stayed home and raised the children. That is now a thing of the past, the ”good old days”, which they were not, but working people did enjoy a higher standard of living. As a result of inflation, our standard of living has dropped considerably, so it is safe to say that the Fed has achieved its goal of reducing the standard of living of the working class. It is also safe to say that the Fed has failed miserably in its goal of keeping prices stable.

The second goal of the Fed is to ”supervise and regulate many of the nations banks to protect consumers”. This begs the question, what do they mean by ”consumer”? If they are referring to the fellow capitalists, then the Fed is performing a magnificent job. If they are referring to the common people, then that is a different story completely. But of course the only concern of the capitalists is with other capitalists.

The third role of the Fed is to ”maintain the stability of the financial markets and constrain potential crises”. Any way you look at this, the Fed has also failed miserably, in this objective. The ”financial markets”, by which we can only assume they mean the stock market, is in free fall, the unemployment rate is expected to hit 20 percent, countless small businesses are expected to close, and the country is entering a depression, one which is expected to be even more intense than the Great Depression. So much for ”constraining potential crises!”

The fourth role of the Fed is to ”provide banking services to other banks, the US government and foreign banks”. The income of this bank is ”derived primarily from interest earned on US government securities that the Federal Reserve has acquired through open market operations.”

The economists are concerned now, as the Fed has placed all their money -and then some- into the stock market, in an attempt to prop it up. The results are clear for all to see. The most kind and considerate of the economists refer to the stock market as ”volatile”, in that it may ”rise one day and fall two days”. It has been compared to a roller coaster, with the trend downwards.

As a result of this, the economists are warning that the ”entire global financial system is at a tremendous level of risk. Governments could conceivably be facing bankruptcy.”

It is not too often that economists blurt out something completely honest, but this is one such rare event. As that is the case, perhaps we can pause and cherish the moment.

Now that the pause is over, let us face the fact that even the bourgeois economists are facing the fact that the Federal Reserve Bank is on the verge of bankruptcy! If that happens -when that happens?- various governments around the world, including the United States of America, are anticipated to go broke!

The capitalists have not yet exhausted their bag of tricks. The leaders of both parties, of both houses of Congress, the Senate and House of Representatives, are currently in negotiations, trying to ”hammer out a deal” of possibly more than two trillion dollars, in an attempt to ”stimulate the economy”. One of those leaders has reported ”broad bipartisan support” and that ”conceptually we are there”. By way of translation, this is ”bourgeois speak” for the fact that they are ”at each others throats”, no where near agreement. The press is reporting that behind closed doors, they are not even civil with each other.

The more passionate supporters of the bourgeoisie are determined to give hundreds of billions of taxpayer money to the biggest, richest, most powerful corporations, those who are ”Too Big To Fail”. This includes the major airlines, auto manufacturers, hotel chains, restaurant chains, ocean cruise chains, computer manufacturers and casinos. Small companies, which are described as those who employ less than 500 people, as well as individuals, are ”Too Small To Succeed”. As far as the capitalists are concerned, the rest of us can go the way of the dodo bird.

This stands in sharp contrast to other voices, those who are possibly even more passionate supporters of the bourgeoisie! They are determined that this ”economic stimulus package” should go to the ”little guy”, which is to say the small business owner and the working people, especially those who are losing their jobs. They would like to see a check sent to all Americans, as well as ”Unemployment Insurance on Steroids”, so that those who are out of work will receive their full income, at least for a short time.

No doubt the reason for this benevolent attitude, coming from those who are the most avid supporters of the bourgeoisie, has nothing to do with concern for the ”common people”, the ”little guy”. They are just well aware that the working class is in motion, demanding change, becoming aware of themselves as a class, politically active. These people have ”their ear to the ground”, are well aware that a revolt is brewing, a full scale revolution could break out any day now, and ”drastic steps” must be taken to forestall that revolution. Their idea of drastic steps is to send a little money to the working people, to ”throw a few coppers to the Natives”, to effectively ”buy people off”. As a few paltry dollars will stop the revolution!

I have news for all of you, those of you who are belly crawling boot lickers of the bourgeoisie. We are not our grandparents. We are not about to put up with all the crap our grandparents put up with. This is not 1929 and this depression is not about to drag on for ten years and end with a war. We are well aware that there are over six hundred billionaires in the country, and they are all living ”high off the hog”. We also know that those people are monopoly capitalists, imperialists, members of the class of people whom are technically referred to as the bourgeoisie. They are the members of the ruling class, responsible for this depression, this crisis in capitalism. This depression is proof that capitalism does not work. To suggest that this depression came about as a result of the Corona virus is nonsense. This depression came about as a result of capitalism, pure and simple, just as predicted by Marx.

The current situation is exceptionally sharp and clear. The last of the middle class, the petty bourgeois, the small business owner, is now facing bankruptcy, being forced into the ranks of the working class, the proletariat. Now in America, there is effectively no middle class! It is a war of the monopoly capitalist, the billionaires, the bourgeoisie, against the working class, the proletariat. There is no longer any vacillating petty bourgeois to ”muddy the waters”, to confuse the issue with their petty bourgeois mentality. They no longer exist.

It is a fundamental tenet of Marxism that the proletariat is destined to overthrow the bourgeoisie, smash the existing state apparatus and establish the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat. Before long, the working class will rise up in revolt, but spontaneously, as it is not yet aware of itself as a class, complete with its own class interests. Still less is it aware of its destiny to crush the bourgeoisie under the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat. It is absolutely essential that the proletariat be made aware of this, and it is the duty of every conscious person, every scientific socialist, by which I of course mean Marxist, to carry this awareness to the proletariat. The best way to do this -if not the only way- is through the leadership which can only be provided by a party. I am of course suggesting the name Communist Party, Dictatorship Of the Proletariat, or CP,DOP, as a means of distinguishing ourselves from the parties which claim to be Marxist, but are not.

I am also suggesting that all Americans be encouraged to join the two mainstream political parties, Democrat and Republican, as card carrying members, party bosses. As such, they will get to decide the individuals to run for any and all political offices, will be able to flood Washington and state capitals with Leftist people, can work to abolish the Electoral College, increase the minimum wage, abolish all student loans, increase the pensions, defend our democratic rights, and in the process, will receive most valuable training for the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat. They will learn first hand that the bourgeoisie are in charge, and fully intend to remain in charge.

In summary, I am suggesting an extremely exclusive Communist Party, an organization of dedicated Marxists, those who are committed to revolution and the subsequent Dictatorship Of the Proletariat. The members of this Party can focus on raising the level of awareness of the working class, especially the most advanced workers, to that of the level of Marxists. These people will know they are making progress when the term Dictatorship Of the Proletariat is commonly discussed among working people.

I am also suggesting a very broad based coalition of Leftist people, which would include anyone and everyone who is the slightest bit interested in defending our democratic rights. They should be encouraged to join the two mainstream political parties. This of course includes seniors, students, workers, unemployed and homeless. In fact, everyone who is dissatisfied with the current political situation, in which a handful of people live in extreme wealth, while the vast majority live in extreme poverty. The more advanced will run for political office, or at least make the attempt. In this manner, they will receive valuable training in leadership, which will serve them well after the revolution, when such workers will be placed in key positions, within the newly created Dictatorship Of the Proletariat.

No doubt this latest crisis in capitalism, this depression, will help to motivate conscious people, Marxists, to form a proper Communist Party. Equally without doubt, it will also inspire people to take action, to join the two mainstream political parties. It is to be hoped that it will also motivate certain people, by whom I am of course referring to the leaders of the Womens’ March, as well as the Students Protest Movement, to once again become active. I have complete confidence in you. You have done it before and you can do it again. The difference this time is to not focus on narrow issues, but to focus on capitalism and the class of capitalists, the bourgeoisie. They can and must be destroyed.

With that in mind, I will close this article with my usual suggestions for slogans. I mention these slogans as they are so important. It is the best way to raise the level of awareness of the working class. It gives people a place to start.

Scientific Socialism!

Dictatorship Of the Proletariat!

Workers of the World, Unite!

The crisis in capitalism continues to intensify. The price of oil is now less than half of the lofty peak of that which it once occupied. The Corona virus has spread around the world, and various countries have responded by closing all sports events, religious gatherings, schools, malls and even their own borders. Citizens are being encouraged to ”self isolate”, to stay at home and avoid groups of ”more than ten”. It is not clear how members of large families are expected to do this.

As far as the capitalists are concerned, the situation is pretty grim. Not because people are getting sick and dying, but because those who ”self isolate” are not spending their money. How can they? They are not allowed to travel or even go to the store. As a result of this, the profits of the capitalists are suffering. From the capitalist viewpoint, that is the real tragedy.

Experts in the field of health are reporting that the elderly, as well as those who are suffering from ”preexisting conditions”, are most at risk from from contracting the Corona virus. They are also reporting that young people may have the disease, while showing no symptoms. Such people are known as ”carriers”, those who spread the disease, through no fault of their own. Still, the health experts are encouraging young people to not get tested for the virus. Go figure.

Those same ”health experts” are reporting that the death rate from those who contract the disease may vary from one to four percent, depending upon the level of medical treatment available. As it is anticipated that possibly half of the people in the country may soon be infected, it stands to reason that the death toll could number in the millions.

In response to this, Trump has just announced that ”various health organizations are now working together in an unprecedented manner”, in an attempt to develop a virus. It is doubtful that he realizes he has just announced a crushing condemnation of capitalism! He has effectively admitted that under capitalism, even the health organizations do not cooperate! They are in competition with each other, at the expense of the health, and even the life, of the citizens.

Health officials are reporting that we have reached a ”tipping point”, although they are careful not to explain what that means. Most simple souls consider a ”tipping point” to be the point whereby a fluid overflows the side of a container, but clearly the health experts are using that expression to describe a phenomenon which they consider to be more elaborate, beyond the grasp of mere mortals.

The Treasury Secretary, Steve Mnuchin, is of the opinion that we can expect the unemployment rate to reach twenty percent, a rate not seen since the Great Depression. Not that we have to worry about another Depression, as the capitalists have refused to give a definition to the word! As a Depression is not defined, it ceases to exist. Impeccable logic!

The stock market reached ”bear market territory” at the point where it lost twenty percent of its value, and has since lost another fifteen percent. The ”financial experts” were asked if it could lose another thirty percent of its value, and the self described experts were clearly irritated at the question -the nerve of some people!- and were careful to avoid giving a straight answer.

The ”health care workers” are concerned that the hospitals are facing a critical shortage of beds and ventilators. As those who are infected with the virus tend to experience ”respiratory distress”, or are short of breath, to phrase it in simple English, the use of ventilators can be the difference between life and death. These shortages are indeed serious.

It should come as no great surprise to anyone that our fearless leader, Donald Trump no less, is taking no responsibility for the crisis. As the wits phrase it, ”the buck stops nowhere near the Oval Office”. As president, he earlier said that the Corona virus would end by a ”miracle”. but as that has not happened, it is clear that the Lord has fallen down on the job, refusing to take orders from Trump. Imagine that.

The government is reporting that all ”fiscal policy responses” have as yet failed to have any effect on the falling stock market. These ”fiscal policy responses” include dropping the interest rates to effectively zero, and having the Federal Reserve ”pump hundreds of billions of dollars” into the stock market.

It is note worthy that the financial experts are no longer talking in terms of billions, but in terms of trillions. It is reported that the Fed, as it is called, pumped a trillion and a half into the market, yet it had almost no effect. Now the government officials are talking about handouts to the tune of several trillion, national debt be damned! As Mnuchin just announced, the ”economy will come roaring back”. In a time of crisis, this is just what we need. A philosopher! Such starry eyed optimism will no doubt be a great comfort to those who are losing their jobs and life savings!

The capitalists are concerned, to the point of being frantic, with the financial state of the major airlines. It is being reported -shock and horror!- that those companies could go broke within a couple months, unless they receive a massive ”capital infusion”. In other words, the politicians are desperate to ”bail them out”, to give them a huge ”handout”, although they ”bend over backwards” in an attempt to avoid using these terms. My personal favourite is the reference to corporate welfare as ”increasing liquidity”. As a result of this, the politicians have determined to bless them with an initial gift of possibly fifty billion, with many more billions to follow, along with tax breaks. Of course, other major companies, such as those involved in various tourism industries, including the cruise ship industry, hotel chains and restaurants, will also be smiled upon by the government. By contrast, small business owners can expect to receive a great deal of sympathy. Try taking that to the bank!

Among the capitalists, it is understood that some businesses are ‘Too Big To Fail”, while other companies, as well as individuals, are ‘Too Small To Succeed”. This is not to say that Trump is completely heartless, indifferent to the suffering of the ”little guy”. On the contrary, he has graciously agreed to ”suspend all home foreclosures and evictions”. This should come as a great comfort to those who are about to lose their jobs and houses and join the ranks of the homeless. It has been delayed for a certain time! Gee thanks, Mister Billionaire President! You are too kind!

The braver of the capitalist analysts are predicting that a ”shutdown is inevitable”, businesses should send all non essential employees home, and that we are entering a ”depression era period”. As the ”Big Three” American automakers are reported to have just shut down, and the Las Vegas casinos are apparently following suit, that conclusion is something less than a stroke of genius. No doubt those corporations, including the gambling establishments, those which take such great delight in separating us from our hard earned money, will also qualify for a government handout!

As I write this, it has just been reported that all the gains of the stock market, which has been made since Trump was elected, have been erased. The stock market has now lost 35 percent of its value. This is not to say that Trump is indifferent to the suffering of the common people, the ”little guy”. In fact, he is graciously planning to send a check of one thousand dollars, a ”grand”, or possibly more, to all citizens. Those who receive this bonus can use it to buy an old car, to be used as a shelter, as a replacement for the home they are about to lose. In this way, they can join the ranks of those who are homeless and forced to live in their cars. There is no shortage of such people, and they are among the more fortunate. The less fortunate are forced to live under bridges.

In fact, the proposed ”grand hand out” is nothing more than an added humiliation, a mere addition to the degradation of being unemployed and homeless.

To put this financial downturn in scientific terms, it is a fundamental tenet of Marxism that a commodity sells for the cost of production. This means that for a while, a commodity will sell for a price above the cost of production, and there is great joy in the land of capital, or at least Wall Street, because business is making a profit. Then there comes a surplus, the price of the commodity drops, and it sells for a loss. Doom and gloom reigns on Wall Street. There is weeping and wailing in the land of capital. Even the capitalists admit that business proceeds in a ”boom to bust cycle”, yet at the same time they expect the stock market to merely rise steadily. Each time the market takes a dip, the capitalists lose money, and they are shocked. This merely proves the fact that the capitalists are masters of self delusion.

As for those who think that these fluctuations in the stock market should level out under this stage of capitalism, monopoly capitalism, which is referred to as imperialism, you are mistaken. As Lenin stated quite clearly, if not emphatically: ”The statement that cartels can abolish crises is a fable spread by bourgeois economists whom at all costs desire to place capitalism in a favourable light. On the contrary, when monopoly appears in certain branches of industry, it increases and intensifies the anarchy inherent in capitalist production as a whole.” (italics by Lenin)

As I write this, for the first time since the birth of the latest capitalist crisis, the press is now using the ”D word”, which is to say Depression. The implication is that the crisis is quite severe, and the Corona virus is anticipated to last for possibly eighteen months. As long as it lasts, we can expect people to ”self isolate”, if for no other reason than that they have no choice. At the same time, those same people will not be at work producing, or shopping, or travelling, or spending their money, if only because they do not have money to spend. It stands to reason that profits will suffer.

Strangely enough, the more optimistic stock brokers, die hard capitalists one and all, are practically yelling at investors to ”stay the course”. Perhaps they feel that by ”raising the volume”, investors will be more impressed. Or perhaps they are merely wired on some good drugs. They are going to need such drugs, and lots of them.

This brings us to the rational souls who are pointing out that the country is deeply in debt, to the tune of 23 trillion dollars, and that is merely the amount the federal government admits to owing. The real amount is not mentioned. These sane individuals question the sanity of going far deeper into debt. The response is that now is not the time to quibble over the national debt! This is similar to the expression ”damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!” Those are famous last words. Torpedoes are not damned. Torpedoes do the damning. Those who challenge torpedoes do not often live to regret it.

In much the same way, fool hardy souls can ignore the national debt. The national debt will not ignore the country. The people who own the national debt, those who are technically referred to as members of the bourgeoisie, will demand payments on that debt. What is more, they will receive payment, if only because they are members of the ruling class. Even though the tax base is shrinking, because businesses are closing and individuals are losing their jobs, the interest payments on the national debt must continue. This can and will be done, but only at the expense of such little details as disability pensions, old age pensions, hospitals, schools, clinics, libraries, play grounds, national parks, police and fire protection, and so forth. Regardless of how difficult the depression becomes, the bourgeoisie are determined that they will not lose a dime. They never lost a dime in the first Great Depression, and they have no intention of breaking with that tradition now.

With that in mind, the press is reporting that various small business owners are looking at bankruptcy. No doubt this is true, as the capitalist monopolies become ever more complete. Ever more small business owners, referred to as petty bourgeois, are being forced into the ranks of the working class, the proletariat. That is merely a fact, just as it is a fact that those same people bring with them the class awareness, which is foreign to the proletariat.

In this article, I have gone to considerable length in quoting from press reports. I have also expressed myself in popular language, using colloquialisms which common people can understand. The reason for this is that common people watch the news, and in fact they watch it religiously. They then discuss it among themselves, trying to make sense of this. They also read, and in fact they read a great deal. The trouble is that they are limited in their comprehension due to the fact that the working class is not aware of itself as a class!

I most passionately hope that members of the working class are reading this article. To such people I can only say that I am writing this, with you in mind. You, as the members of the proletariat, must become class conscious. You must overthrow the ruling class, the bourgeoisie, and crush them under the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat. This can only be done through revolution, and this requires the correct Marxist leadership. Otherwise, those who are devoid of principle, referred to as opportunists, will merely sit themselves up as the new rulers.

Bear in mind that this class awareness can only come from members of the middle class, so do not hold the class background of an individual against them. Marx and Engels were members of the middle class, for example. Each of them could have chosen to live a comfortable bourgeois life style, but chose to do the right thing. They devoted their lives to the service of the working people, proletariat, peasant and petty bourgeois.

We can expect those who are current or former members of the middle class to bring the class awareness to the working class, the proletariat, but do not count on this. As yet, this has not been happening, or at least not in sufficient quantity. Not to despair, the works of Marx and Lenin are readily available, or at least the most essential works. With that in mind, I encourage all workers to read The Communist Manifesto by Marx and Engels, State and Revolution by Lenin, What Is To Be Done? by Lenin, and Imperialism, the Highest Stage of Capitalism, by Lenin. A careful reading of those works will give workers a solid grounding in scientific socialism, other wise known as Marxism.

I am sure that everyone, working class as well as middle class, will now agree with me when I say that the situation is now at a critical point. It continues to intensify, with the rich, the bourgeoisie, becoming ever richer, and the common people, the working class, the proletariat, as well as the middle class, the petty bourgeois, becoming ever more poor. In fact, ever more members of the middle class are becoming ruined, their businesses are going under, as the capitalists consider them Too Small To Succeed. The government handouts are strictly for the major corporations, those who are Too Big To Fail.

Now it is up to middle class intellectuals, including those who have been forced into the ranks of the working class, to share your understanding of the awareness of classes, including the Marxist necessity of revolution and the subsequent Dictatorship Of the Proletariat.

Bear in mind that time is not on our side. The revolution could break out any day now. I will close this article with my usual slogans, as they are so important:

Workers of the World, Unite!

Scientific Socialism!

Dictatorship Of the Proletariat!

Now that Super Tuesday, Round 2 is over, the press is reporting that the former Vice President, Joe Biden, is moving his campaign from possible ”Democratic presidential contender” to ”defeat Donald Trump” mode. He is putting out ”peace feelers” to Senator Bernie Sanders, inviting Sanders to join him in opposition to Trump.

The press is also reporting that the Corona virus is now at the level of a pandemic, so that it has spread around the world. The whole country of Italy is now in ”lockdown”, with all public gatherings banned. In several countries of the world, all schools have been cancelled. among other things. As well, various parts of America are being ”quarantined”. The government authorities are going to the extreme length of not allowing fans to attend professional ball games. Even the NBA has cancelled all games ”for the foreseeable future”. Such a response is unprecedented, costing the capitalists a great deal of money.

As well, partly as a result of the Corona pandemic, the stock market has now officially entered ”bear market territory”. Each day, the market ”swings wildly”, although the trend is downwards. It is reported that the capitalists have lost ”trillions of dollars”. Countless people are becoming sick and many are dying, and the only thing the capitalists can think about is their money!

One professional analyst, a truly starry eyed optimist, suggested that Trump should do something with which he is ”not comfortable”, and that was to be ”honest with the American public”. Someone should advise that misguided soul that it is not a matter of Trump being ”comfortable” with the truth, but the simple fact of the matter is that Trump is simply a ”stranger” to the truth. He is simply not capable of being honest. Trump lies constantly because that is simply his nature.

That same optimist thinks that perhaps Trump should bring together the country! As if, after a life of lies and deception, of treachery and intrigue, plotting and scheming to separate all and sundry from their hard earned money, Trump is now about to ”turn over a new leaf” and play the role of Mother Theresa! That is not about to happen.

The simple fact of the matter is that these are the news items the press is reporting, and these are the same news items the members of the public, the working people, are hearing and talking about. At least, most members of the public watch the news. There are many working people who cannot bear to watch the news because it is too depressing. Those who do watch the news tend to find these events discouraging, at best.

The implication is that conscious people, which is to say Marxists, are not doing their duty. As the working class is not aware of itself as a class, it is not capable of developing class consciousness. This is fine by the ruling class, the monopoly capitalists, the bourgeoisie. They are supremely well aware of themselves as a class, just as they are equally well aware of the fact that the class opposite to them, the working class, the proletariat, is the source of all their wealth. The best way to exploit the proletariat, to ”fleece the sheep”, is to keep them ”in the dark”, unaware of the fact that they are members of a class, with their own class interests. In this, the bourgeoisie have succeeded rather well.

If there are any Marxists who are active in raising the level of awareness of the working class, they are doing a wonderful job of keeping a low profile. Perhaps they are afraid of bringing down the wrath of the capitalists upon their tender heads. Perhaps their fears are well founded. To this I can only respond that the internet has provided us with a valuable tool, one which we should use to its full capacity. It is possible to use the internet, post articles, appeal to the members of the working class, while remaining anonymous.

Then too, there are many well educated people, either current or former members of the middle class, who are supremely well aware of the revolutionary theories of Marx and Lenin, yet do not consider themselves to be Marxists. They may consider these theories to be mere curiosities, to which they are completely indifferent.

As well, there may be a number of working class people who have received a university education, and in the process, have learned those same theories, thus becoming class conscious. It matters not. The only thing that matter is their willingness to carry that class awareness, along with the Marxist revolutionary understanding, to the working class. The current revolutionary situation is now at the point where there is a desperate need for that awareness, among the working class. As this is all too frequently not happening, it is necessary to resort to alternative methods.

The working class is going to have to educate themselves! It is absolutely essential that the most advanced members of the working class read the most essential works of Marx, Engels and Lenin. I would suggest forming study groups, although it may not be necessary to get together physically. The various computer programs offer fine alternatives, such as getting together on skype, for example. Most working people are now literate, and have computers, or some such digital device. For those who are weak on computers, feel free to ask the advice of your children, as do I. They are sure to help us, if only at the expense of being called a ”Caveman” or a ”dinosaur”. This in no way changes the fact that they love us. It is a small price to pay.

As previously mentioned, in other articles, I can suggest such key works as The Communist Manifesto, by Marx and Engels. Perhaps the most important work of Lenin is State and Revolution, as well as What Is To Be Done?, and Imperialism, the Highest Stage of Capitalism. That should give workers, those who are new to the revolutionary movement, a fine grounding in Marxist theories.

It is essential that a party be formed, one which can truly represent the working class, the proletariat. Of necessity, it must be exclusive, restricted to only the most dedicated revolutionaries, true followers of Marx and Lenin. I am suggesting the name of Communist Party, Dictatorship Of the Proletariat, or CP,DOP. It is only the true Marxists who call for the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat. The phoney Marxists deny this necessity, or evade it, all in the service of the bourgeoisie. By openly advocating the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat, we are distinguishing ourselves from those who claim to be Marxists, but are completely devoid of principle.

As yet, the vast majority of people, including the most advanced strata of the proletariat, have not embraced the scientific theories of Marx and Lenin. Many have not even heard of the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat, although soon that will change. That in no way changes the fact that countless people are now politically active, taking an interest in their lives, determined to enact change. In that case, we can suggest that all Americans join the two mainstream political parties, Democratic and Republican, as card carrying members, ”party bosses”. It is free, open to all citizens.

It is the party bosses who set policy, and determine the individuals to run for any and all political office. The Americans who join the two parties will then be able to do as the capitalists suggest, which is to ”change the system from within”. They can nominate Leftist people for all offices, at a local, state and federal level. The capitals can be flooded with Leftist people, including Washington. Sanders can be nominated to run for president on behalf of both parties. The Electoral College can be abolished. All schools can be tuition free. All student loans can be abolished. All medical care can be free. The minimum wage can be increased. The pensions can be raised. No doubt seniors, students, workers and unemployed will be flocking to the two parties. Equally without doubt, the capitalists, the bourgeoisie, will have none of this.

This brings us to the current political situation, in that the press is reporting that Biden has a ”commanding lead” over Sanders. That could change dramatically, if Leftist people get active! That includes not only joining the two parties, but to also hold demonstrations, carry signs and banners, disrupt primary meetings and town halls, demand the abolition of the Electoral College, demand a more fair and equitable democratic process. Insist on Sanders for president, on behalf of both parties!

As the women and students have proven themselves to be such excellent organizers in the recent past, they can no doubt do so again. Granted it is not fair to place this burden upon them, but then life is not fair. Under normal circumstances, the most advanced, highest paid members of the working class would assume this role, but as so many of them have been bribed by the capitalists, the burden is now on those people.

This is not to say that flooding Washington with Leftist people, including Sanders, will result in a socialist republic. It will not. The ruling class, the monopoly capitalists, the bourgeoisie, will never allow this. They will no doubt respond by changing their method of rule. At that time, they will ”show their true colours”, as is the popular expression. As a result of this, countless people, those whom honestly thought there could be a peaceful transition to socialism, will come to realize that we are right. Such people will then embrace scientific socialism, which is to say revolution and the subsequent Dictatorship Of the Proletariat.

So on the one hand, we need a very small, exclusive group of people, true followers of Marx and Lenin, within the CP,DOP. It is up to these people to raise the level of awareness of the members of the public, the working class, the proletariat, and the middle class, the petty bourgeois. In particular, the working class has to be made aware of itself as a class, with interests which are diametrically opposed to the class opposite to itself, the capitalist class, the bourgeoisie. The working class absolutely has to be made aware of the fact that it is destined to overthrow the bourgeoisie and establish the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat!

On the other hand, we also need a very broad based coalition, from as many sections of the public as possible. This means working people and middle class people, as well as farmers. Most members of the middle class and farmers have been wiped out, forced into the ranks of the working class, but the remnants of those classes still exist. Even though they are rather few in number, we want them on our side. We can use all the help we can get!

The bourgeoisie has been in power for many years, and is deeply entrenched. They can and will be overthrown, but it will not be easy. Over the years, numerous efforts have been made, yet they remain in power. The one tactic which has not been employed against them is to ”join them”. By that I mean to hit them at the point where they are weakest, within the two parties. Destroy them from within.

As for those who are skeptical -I welcome such an attitude- may I suggest that there were possibly millions of Americans who marched at the inauguration of Trump, most of whom were women, and countless students also marched in their protest against being used for target practice. If all of those Americans choose to join the two parties, then I personally guarantee change.

I can also suggest that middle class intellectuals who are determined to enact change may consider forming a society of their choice. As members of that society, they can lobby the government for significant reforms. To each his own.

It is very likely that a broad spectrum of the population will choose to join the two parties. This includes people on the Left, as well as those on the Right. This is bound to create a certain amount of conflict. To those who are concerned, I can only respond that we place principle before personality. We do not have to love each other. We merely have to respect each other. When personalities clash, which is bound to happen on occasion, it is best to remind ourselves that our goal is to overthrow the bourgeoisie. A little irritation is a small price to pay.

We may also take comfort in the fact that our differences may lie with the leaders of various groups and factions, but not with the rank and file! This applies to people on both sides of the political spectrum, Left and Right. It is Abraham Lincoln who is credited with saying words to the effect that ”the best way to destroy the enemy is to turn him into a friend.”

Without doubt, experience is a fine teacher. Those on both sides of the political spectrum will soon realize that the bourgeoisie are not about to allow Americans to ”change the system from within”. They are in charge and fully intend to remain in charge. They are quite prepared to crush anyone who dares challenge their authority. That is the reason it is so important to come together, to have as broad a base as possible.

With that in mind, I will close my article with the usual slogans. When these slogans are widely seen on banners and posters, we will know we are reaching the American public.

Sanders For President!

Scientific Socialism!

Unite the Left!

Join the Two Parties!

Workers of the World, Unite!

Now that Super Tuesday is a thing of the past, the journalists are in their glory. They are quite cheerfully reporting that Biden is the clear front runner, and it appears to be a two way race between Biden and Sanders. The billionaire who dropped out, Mike Bloomberg, is now supporting Biden. As Bloomberg has already spent half a billion of his own money, he has a ”party machine” well established. He is reported to have hundreds, if not thousands of people, serving at his beck and call. He and numerous other politicians have bent over backwards, in an effort to show their support for Biden.

The reason I mention this is because it is the very thing the common people are watching, if for no other reason than they have no choice in the matter. Working people watch the news and discuss it, in an attempt to make sense of that which is happening. It is up to conscious people, Marxists, to explain to working people, in terms which they can understand, precisely what is happening. It is the duty of the journalists to sanitize the news, to report events devoid of all class content. This they do supremely well, if only because they are not able to examine a situation in class terms.

The significance of the fact that Bloomberg has enlisted a small army of people to work in the political arena is an example of the ”state apparatus” which has been set up by the capitalists, the bourgeoisie, as a means of crushing the working class, the proletariat. This is the point which must be driven home to the working people, using common terms followed by the correct scientific terms, at least for the benefit of the most advanced. More popular terms can be used for the less advanced, while being careful not to be condescending.

Now we are faced with ”Super Tuesday, Round Two”, of March 10, in which voters of six ”key states” will get to cast their ballots. In certain states, all voters are allowed to vote in the Democratic primaries, while in other states, only ”registered members” of the Democratic Party are supposed to vote. In such states, those who are registered as Republicans or Independents are barred from voting in the Democratic primaries. As Donald Trump is not a complete idiot, he has noticed that such a rule is impossible to enforce. So he got the bright idea of encouraging everyone to vote in the Democratic primaries, in an attempt to disrupt the democratic process.

I think this is a fine idea, but for different reasons. It is important to encourage people to become as politically active as possible, and that certainly includes voting, wherever and whenever possible. The fact that certain voters, in certain states, may not be ”allowed” to vote in the Democratic primary, yet do so anyway, may mean that those voters are being a bit ”naughty”. It also means that those same people are concerned with the current state of affairs, to the point where they are prepared to wait in line, in some cases for hours, for an opportunity to cast their ballot. That is most commendable, not to be discouraged. The implication is that these same voters are among the most advanced members of the public, the working class. They are doing their part, going to great length to change the system. It is safe to say that they are working to their full capacity.

Now it is up to conscious people, Marxists, to do our part. It is up to Marxists to ”expand their horizons”, so to speak. It is not reasonable to expect these advanced workers to take the next step, to consciously become revolutionary, to call for the overthrow of the monopoly capitalists, the bourgeoisie, and to establish the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat, as they are not aware of themselves as a class!

Granted, there are several organizations and parties in North America who claim to be socialist, democratic socialist, independent socialist, Communist or Marxist-Leninist. Those who claim to be socialist, but not Marxist, are utopian socialists, and they deserve our respect. We are all entitled to our beliefs and we must respect the beliefs of others. This does not mean that we must share the beliefs of others. We can disagree without becoming confrontational.

This stands in sharp contrast to the people who claim to be Communist or Marxist-Leninist, but whom have revised the theories of Marx and Lenin. Some of these people openly admit to being revisionists, and for this we give them credit. They maintain that there is no need for revolution and the subsequent Dictatorship Of the Proletariat, that which I consider to be the very heart and soul, the ”touchstone”, of Marxism. Numerous others are more subtle. They do not deny the necessity of the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat, just as they do not admit this necessity. They merely avoid the issue. They are careful to make no mention of the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat! This is commonly referred to as ”straddling the fence”, and as wits have pointed out, ”must be hard on the rear end”. In scientific jargon, this is referred to as ”moving to the centre”. In fact, it is another form of the revision of Marxism.

As it is absolutely necessary to raise the level of awareness of the working class, the proletariat, to make them aware of themselves as a class, this must be explained to them. It is hoped that by using popular terms, followed by the correct scientific terms, they will be better able to understand this. Bear in mind that the most advanced members of the proletariat must be raised to the level of awareness of Marxists.

As working people are focused on the Democratic primaries, it is up to Marxists to point out the fact that the election is ”rigged”, to put it in popular terms. The ability of either candidate to win a majority of delegates, at the Democratic National Convention -preferably Sanders- is determined by the party bosses. It is such people, the card carrying members of the Democratic Party, the ”party bosses”, who ”call the shots”. They make the rules and change the rules as they see fit. This is all the more reason for working people, in fact all members of the public, whether working class or middle class, to become card carrying members of both mainstream political parties, Republican and Democratic, or at least Democratic. Under no circumstances should working people be placed under any pressure to join both parties. Merely point out to people that it costs nothing, and as ”party bosses”, they get to determine the candidate for any and all political office. In addition, such card carrying members can make sure that the election at the Democratic National Convention is fair and ”above board”. For that matter, those same card carrying members, with their new political power, can take steps to amend the Constitution, abolishing the Electoral College, thus making the democratic process more democratic. Or to phrase it more accurately, they can try.

The fact of the matter is that the monopoly capitalists, the bourgeoisie, are in charge, and fully intend to remain in charge. They are not about to allow a self described ”independent socialist” to separate them from their wealth and power. For that matter, Washington can be flooded with Leftist people, not that it will do any good. At least, they have every intention of making sure it does no good.

In our opinion, that of Marxists, this will do a world of good. It is sure to provide working people with valuable training towards the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat. They will learn, from their own bitter experience, that the bourgeoisie are in charge and fully intend to remain in charge. After the revolution, workers with very little training, or even no training whatsoever, will be placed in positions of authority. Any training they receive now will prove most valuable after the revolution.

As there are so many self proclaimed socialists, and even self proclaimed Marxists, who deny the importance, or at best evade the issue of, the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat, perhaps we had best examine the matter. Two and a half years after the Russian revolution, Lenin spoke from that experience: ”The Dictatorship Of the Proletariat means a most determined and most ruthless war waged by the new class against a more powerful enemy, the bourgeoisie, whose resistance is increased tenfold by their overthrow…and whose power lies, not only in the strength of international capital, the strength and durability of their international connections, but also in the force of habit, in the strength of small scale production …and small scale production engenders capitalism and the bourgeoisie continuously, daily, hourly, spontaneously, and on a mass scale. All these reasons make the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat necessary…”(italics by Lenin)

Here in North America, thanks to the monumental efforts of the bourgeoisie to eliminate any and all competition, regardless of how insignificant that competition may be, we have far less ”small scale production”, but we do have a great deal of ”force of habit”, as well as ”the strength of international capital”. There are still a significant number of people, either current or former members of the middle class, the petty bourgeois, as well as many members of the working class, the proletariat, who have apparently not ”received the memo”, in that they are still determined to ”get ahead”. This is not about to happen, the ”good old days” of the ”little guy” owning a small business is a thing of the past. Any starry eyed optimist who dares to attempt such a thing will quickly receive his ”comeuppance”. In other words, the bourgeoisie will ”nip such an attempt in the bud.” They are not about to tolerate such ”shenanigans”.

As for the reader who objects to such popular language, I can only respond that I am mainly focused on the advanced members of the working class, and it is such popular language all can understand. It gives them a place to start. Welcome, my Brothers and Sisters, my Comrades!

In my opinion, the problem now is to prepare for the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat. If we are not properly prepared, the revisionists and those who are completely devoid of principle, technically referred to as opportunists, will merely see the revolution as an opportunity to seize political power. They will not hesitate, and if successful, will merely set themselves up as the new rulers. In response to those who think that the sheer power of the revolution will inspire those people to ”turn over a new leaf”, to act in a manner which is honest and principled, may I respond that perhaps you are confusing these people with the ”Grinch Who Stole Christmas”. It is beat not to confuse the fantasy of children with reality. For that matter, it is difficult to separate the revisionists from those who are devoid of principle, possibly because the two are one and the same.

For that reason, I am encouraging all truly conscious people, Marxists, to come together and form an honest Communist Party, Dictatorship Of the Proletariat. The most advanced members of the public, working class and middle class, are making a supreme effort, doing their best, trying to figure things out. Whether they know it or not, they are looking for leaders. That is your cue, feel free to act on it.

After the formation of the Party, then act as the leaders you are. Raise the level of awareness through encouraging the study of classic works of Marx, Engels and Lenin. Organize demonstrations and protests at ”town halls” and primary meetings. Carry signs and banners which contain class content. Encourage workers to join the two mainstream political parties, to run for office on a state and federal level, to support Sanders, to demand the abolition of the Electoral College. This is the best way to train the proletariat for their approaching Dictatorship.

If all goes well, we will not have to make too many compromises with the unprincipled, the supposed Marxists, at the time of the revolution. The better prepared we are now for the revolution, the smoother will be the transition to the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat.

As I have long maintained that the best way to get through to as many people as possible is through the use of slogans, may I suggest the following:

Unite the Left!

Sanders For President!

Join the Two Parties!

Scientific Socialism!

Workers of the World, Unite!

The Nevada primary is now history, and the small herd of Democratic candidates for the nomination for the presidency has thinned out slightly. Steyer has just thrown in the towel, so that is one less member of the bourgeoisie who wants to occupy the oval office, while another billionaire, Bloomberg, has yet to run in even one primary. That has not stopped him from already spending a reported 400 million dollars on his candidacy. Altogether, he and the other candidates have spent a billion dollars, and there is still eight months to go before the election!

Perhaps the Leftist people should disrupt these ”town halls” and ”primary debates” with signs and posters which question the wisdom of spending such money on advertising, when there are so many people who are homeless, hungry, working for minimum wage or unemployed, scraping by as best they can on food stamps. The bourgeoise can afford to waste such money on campaigns, but have no money for the working class.

As I write this, I have just learned of a ”town hall” meeting which was disrupted and even cancelled in Minnesota, the home state of Senator Amy Klobuchar. She was not allowed to speak, forced to leave the high school, due to the protests of Black Lives Matter. This is certainly encouraging, and we hope to see more such disruptions. It is hoped that further disruptions of such meetings will contain class content, going beyond the racial implications. Possibly as a result of this -it could be that Klobuchar can take a hint- she has just thrown in the towel, will no longer attempt to run for the presidency. It may have occurred to her that as she cannot campaign even in her home state, the reception she is bound to receive in other states is bound to be even more discouraging.

Or it could be that the bourgeoisie, working through their loyal boot licking servants, have decided that the best way to stop Sanders is by narrowing down the field. They may have ordered Klobuchar to step aside, while at the same time ordering her to throw her support behind the former Vice President, Biden. The same could well be true of Pete Buttigieg, a candidate who has also stepped aside and endorsed Biden.

The latest line of political hog wash is that the Democratic Party has to appeal to the ”moderate” wing of the Democratic Party. Apparently those who have rather spontaneously gravitated towards socialism are considered to be too ”radical”. Very soon, those who consider utopian socialism to be radical will be faced with scientific socialism, in the form of the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat. Then they will learn the meaning of the word radical, at least in the form of the Dictatorship.

The press is further reporting that the field is narrowing down to Sanders versus Biden. As it is common practice for government officials to ”leak” classified information to the press, it is reasonable to assume that they have access to plans and details which the capitalists would prefer to conceal from the public. But then the capitalists are also constantly squabbling among themselves. As a means of ”stabbing the other in the back”, one will disclose confidential information to the press, ”off the record”, which is bourgeois speak for preferring to remain anonymous. As the members of the press have the democratic right, as guaranteed in the Constitution, to refuse to reveal their sources, this is perfectly legal.

Now the press is focusing on Biden versus Sanders, or capitalism versus socialism, although as yet they are careful to avoid the word capitalism. They are using the expression ”results versus revolution”, which is not terribly accurate but a step in the right direction. Not that Sanders is a revolutionary, and is not calling for revolution, but the bourgeoisie are thoughtfully raising the issue. As their thinking is now completely muddled, this is not too surprising.

Sanders has responded to this attack by saying that the government supports and gives tax breaks to the sixty billionaires in the country. Someone should correct him, in that there are over ten times that many billionaires in the country. Aside from that little detail, he is absolutely correct.

It is up to conscious people, by whom I of course mean Marxists, to point out that the ”results” to which Biden is referring, is nothing other than reforms. As a utopian socialist, Sanders is of course determined to ”change the system from within”, which means no revolution. He refers to himself as an ”Independent Socialist”, which is another term for a utopian socialist, and such misguided souls actually believe it is possible to elect Leftist people to any and all political office, including the presidency, and establish a socialist, democratic republic, under capitalism. These are their beliefs, and we have got to respect those beliefs, especially as a great many common people are also of that opinion.

It is further the duty of Marxists –wake up, people!- to assist Sanders and other Leftist people, whether socialist, democratic, communist, Marxist or just plain working class progressive, to run for any and all political office. This will serve the dual purpose of raising their level of awareness, as well as the awareness of the working class, and provide valuable training for the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat. After the revolution, workers will, of necessity, be placed in key positions of authority. Any training they receive now, under capitalism, will prove to be most valuable.

That is the reason I am suggesting that all Americans join the two mainstream political parties, as card carrying members, party bosses. I have no doubt the students and seniors, in particular, will be anxious to do so. Then, as party bosses, they can nominate their own candidates for all offices, on behalf of both parties. Once elected, those politicians can fight for free tuition, cancellation of all student loans, free medical, increase the pensions, raise the minimum wage, housing for the homeless, guaranteed annual income, welcome to immigrants, etc. This can all be paid for by forcing the billionaires, the bourgeoisie, to pay their fair share of taxes. As if that is about to happen!

As all Marxists are well aware, the bourgeoisie are in charge and fully intend to remain in charge. No change of face in Washington or anywhere else is about to change that. At the point where their authority is challenged, when ”push comes to shove”, then they will change their method of rule. That point is rapidly approaching.

For what it is worth, this infatuation with reforms is characteristic of all utopian socialists, as well as all ”would be” Marxists. Those who claim to be Marxists, but are focused only on reforms, denying the necessity for revolution and the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat, are referred to as revisionists. Some of these people openly admit the fact that they believe Marxism should be revised, while others deny this, while practicing it in deeds. Either way, the fact of the matter is that any reforms they manage to secure, under capitalism, are absolutely paltry.

Also in the news, the Republicans are concerned that Biden may be a threat, so they are trying to open a ”Burisma Probe”, in an attempt to discredit the former Vice President. The fact that he very likely had nothing to do with any illegal activity which may or may not have taken place, is of no consequence. They are also reported to be ”deposing” Hillary Clinton, over her role in the ”email scandal”, whatever that is. The idea is to ”throw mud” at the democrats, as that is the popular expression.

As working people watch the news, and in fact they follow the news rather closely, it is up to Marxists to also pay close attention to that which is being reported. We can then use these news items as a means of raising the level of awareness of the working class. From the point of view of the capitalists, the significance of ”Super Tuesday” lies in the fact that fourteen states have primaries on that day, with a third of the delegates ”up for grabs”. From the point of view of Marxists, the significance lies strictly in the fact that it makes a mockery of the democratic process. It is strictly democracy for the bourgeoisie. The abolition of the Electoral College can only serve to make their rule more difficult. Now that is a cause which should serve to unite all Leftist people!

As I write this, the results of the Super Tuesday votes are being reported, and the capitalists are delighted that Biden is a clear front runner. He now has more delegates who are committed to him than Sanders. That concerns us, as Marxists, because that concerns working people. It is also being reported, by self described political ”pundits”, that the allocation of delegates is quite complicated. It depends not only on the state, but also on the district within the state, and the rules change according to the will of the leaders of the Democratic Party. The only reason they have for mentioning this is because their viewers, the members of the public, the working people, are trying to make sense of this.

It is not the duty of Marxists to explain to working people the precise details of the electoral system, especially as the party bosses change those rules, as they see fit, in order to maintain the rule of the capitalists, the bourgeoisie. It is sufficient to choose one detail, such as the role of ”Super Delegates”, those who are not elected, but chosen by the party bosses, and vote as the bosses order. From the particular, it is necessary to go to the general, which is the fact that Trump is not the problem. The problem is the fact that the bourgeoisie rule, and will continue to rule, until they are overthrown and crushed under the Dictatorship Of the Proletariat.

The fact is that conscious people, Marxists, tend to be former or current members of the middle class, the petty bourgeois. The reason is that members of the working class tend to be not terribly well educated, through no fault of their own. The bourgeoisie goes to great length to make sure of this. That in no way changes the fact that workers, or at least the most advanced members of the proletariat, must be raised to the level of Marxist. They will lead, and the less advanced will follow.

The best way to raise the level of awareness of the workers -if not the only way- is by becoming involved in matters which interest them. At the moment, that means the primaries and the approaching presidential election. It is reported that the primaries will run until possible June, although the party bosses can change this, as they see fit. That in no way changes the fact that this has the attention of the public, the working class and the middle class, so it is up to Marxists to get active!

Explain to working people, in terms they can understand, the fact that they are members of a class of people referred to as the proletariat, and that the monopoly capitalists, the billionaires, are members of a class of people referred to as the bourgeoisie. Further, our interests are diametrically opposed. Be sure to use popular language followed by scientific terms, as workers have to learn these terms. At the same time, do not be condescending.

Encourage people to join the two mainstream political parties, as card carrying members, party bosses. Also encourage more marches, more disruptions of town halls, rallies and primaries. Make every effort to unite the Left. Carry banners and posters which contain class content. Support Sanders for president, as well as Leftist candidates for other offices. Harass the bourgeoisie at all opportunities. Allow them no peace.

In the interests of raising the level of awareness of as many people as possible, the use of slogans is recommended. It gives people a place to start. With that in mind, may I suggest:

Sanders For President!

Abolish the Electoral College!

Unite the Left!

Scientific Socialism!

Workers of the World, Unite!

Dictatorship Of the Proletariat!