by Trevor | Feb 4, 2019 | CPUSA, Democratic Party, Enemies Within, Environmentalism, Green New Deal, Social Movements, Socialism/Communism, Socialist Opinion Shapers
A Chinese naval officer communicates with his French counterparts during a joint exercise 16 March 2004, in the East China Sea STR/AFP/Getty Images
By Trevor Loudon | The Epoch Times | January 22, 2019 Updated: February 4, 2019
Commentary
This article is Part 1 of a two-part series on the “Green New Deal.” Part 2 will address the organizations promoting this massive socialist proposal.
The “Green New Deal” currently being promoted by socialist Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) will halve the U.S. military budget. The proposal, which enjoys support of more than 40 other Democratic representatives, is a plan to re-organize the U.S. economy along what is deemed to be ecologically sound lines.
If fully implemented, the Green New Deal will at best plunge the world into a massive war or, at worst, into an unprecedented permanent tyranny.
Unsurprisingly, the Communist Party USA (CPUSA) supports Ocasio-Cortez’s plan. After all, she is a member of the United States’ largest Marxist organization, the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), which is formally allied to the CPUSA through the Left Inside/Outside Project.
Cuts to Defense
The Green New Deal, described euphemistically by The New York Times as “a call to reimagine an environment-first economy that would phase out fossil fuels,” promotes massive government jobs programs, guaranteed incomes for all, and a whole raft of hugely socialist proposals.
These huge programs will be paid for out of the U.S. defense budget. The Green New Deal calls for cutting U.S. “military spending by at least half” and to close “800 [U.S. military] bases worldwide.”
Right now, the neo-“Evil Axis” of China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran are re-arming at breakneck speed.
Beijing, for example, is openly threatening Taiwan, which is creating grave concern in South Korea, Japan, the Philippines, Indonesia, the Pacific micro-states, Australia, and this author’s country of New Zealand. China is building around 60 military vessels a year right now. The United States is building less than 10 military vessels per year and, thanks to former President Obama, has the weakest Navy in decades.
The commander of the United States Indo-Pacific Command, Adm. Philip S. Davidson, stated in April 2018 that “China is now capable of controlling the South China Sea in all scenarios short of war with the United States,” during his Senate confirmation process.
If U.S. military spending was halved and all U.S. bases west of Pearl Harbor (maybe even including Pearl Harbor) were abolished, what would stop China from dominating the whole Asia-Pacific region? What would that do to U.S. trade relationships and national security capabilities?
Halving U.S. military spending almost guarantees an invasion of Taiwan and the extension of Chinese power right across the Asia-Pacific region. As China already has huge influence in South America and Africa, it would effectively deliver the Southern Hemisphere to China. Russia may not take advantage of U.S. impotence and re-conquer Europe, Iran may not attack Israel and Saudi Arabia, and North Korea may not join in the fun, but this author would not bet on it.
The Green New Deal may not give us World War III—but only because America will be too weak to fight back.
Communist Party USA Support
As mentioned previously, the neo-Evil Axis’s most reliable ally in the United States, the CPUSA, is heavily promoting the Green New Deal.
In a recent presentation to the CPUSA National Board, published online Jan. 7, party chairman John Bachtell urged comrades to get behind the Green New Deal. Bachtell told his comrades: “We have to be seen as being all in on this [Green New Deal] and publicly associated with it.”
Bachtell continued: “We have to think about the Peace New Deal [as well]. … This whole thing has to be connected with the demilitarization of the economy as well.”
Bachtell told the comrades that DSA member Joe Uehlein of the far-left Labor Network for Sustainability, a major backer of the Green New Deal project, estimated the cost of eliminating fossil fuels and implementing a sustainable-energy-only policy would cost up to $10 trillion, which Bachtell explained would come from the “demilitarization of the economy.”
$10 trillion would cover all current U.S. military spending for a decade. As the Green New Deal is supposed to be implemented by 2030, this proposal would mean that the U.S. military budget would be virtually eliminated. That doesn’t even account for the colossal drop in industrial production and trade that would inevitably occur. <
The Green New Deal would effectively end the U.S. military as an effective fighting force and spell the end of NATO and all other Western military alliances.
Would China and its neo-Evil Axis partners sit back while all this unfolded, or would they take advantage of the opportunity to expand their economic and military influence at the United States’ expense?
Considering that the CPUSA is loyal to China, and not to the United States, their support for the Green New Deal is a given. Consider the words from a CPUSA advertisement for a meeting at the Niebyl-Proctor Marxist Library in Oakland, California, held on Dec. 4, 2010:
“The United States government has been committing direct acts of provocation against China’s economy, and other aspects of its society, including its military. …If these confrontations are allowed to become full-blown, it … will demand from all of us new energies on yet another—perhaps the biggest—domestic front against U.S. Imperialism.”
In other words, if the United States gets into a shooting war with China, the CPUSA will work on U.S. soil to help America’s enemy. Of course, this is the very definition of treason.
If the CPUSA is willing to work for China during war-time, why would they not work in peace-time to sabotage the U.S. economy, or to destroy the U.S. military to the benefit of their masters in Beijing?
Bachtell also told the CPUSA National Committee earlier this month that the Green New Deal is “potentially the embarking point for our path to a sustainable socialist society.”
Bachtell claimed that the idea could “frame the entire debate for the 2020 elections.” Also, that it could “isolate the right-wing” and that this, according to Ocasio-Cortez, could “spell the doom of the Republican Party.”
If the DSA and the CPUSA succeed in forcing the Democrats into implementing the Green New Deal, the ramifications are inconceivable. America would cease to be America and would become ripe fruit to be picked by China, Russia, Iran, and/or North Korea.
The Green New Deal is a national suicide pact.
Trevor Loudon is an author, filmmaker and public speaker from New Zealand. For more than 30 years, he has researched radical left, Marxist and terrorist movements and their covert influence on mainstream politics.
Trevor presents his movie, “ENEMIES WITHIN” DVD—BUY NOW!
by Trevor | Feb 1, 2019 | CPUSA, Democratic Party, Enemies Within, Social Movements, Socialism/Communism, Socialist Opinion Shapers
By Trevor Loudon | TrevorLoudon.com | February 1, 2019 – 2:30 pm EST
I’ve been asked to compile a list of socialists and communists in Congress. A friend of mine was challenged to name “even two socialists in Congress.” Altogether, if you add in Islamist connections I think about 100 members of the House of Representatives would struggle to pass a low-level background security check..but guess what? There are no security checks in Congress.
Here’s my list of 50 of the most obvious socialists in the House, with links to my website Keywiki for the backup evidence. Apologies to the many I’ve omitted. Please email me at trevor.newzeal @gmail.com if you’d like to be included in future lists.
Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) Has worked closely with the Communist Party USA since at least 1993. A self-described “Alinskyite.” Traveled to Cuba in 2015.
Ami Bera (D-CA) Has used Communist Party USA campaign volunteers in 2010, 2014 and 2016. Also close to Democratic Socialists of America.
Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) Very close to several key Communist Party USA allies in San Francisco in the 1970s and ’80s. Also some involvement with Democratic Socialists of America.
Barbara Lee (D-CA) Lee has been close to the Communist Party USA for decades. In the 1990s she was a leading member of the Communist Party spin-off Committees of Correspondence. Has been to Cuba more than 20 times.
Ro Khanna (D-CA) Very close to Democratic Socialists of America.
Salud Carbajal (D-CA) Long history with Democratic Socialists of America members.
Judy Chu (D-CA) Was heavily involved with the now-defunct pro-Beijing Communist Workers Party in the 1970s and ’80s. Still works closely with former members today. China’s best friend in the US Congress.
Raul Ruiz (D-CA) Worked closely with Workers World Party members in Massachusetts in the late 1990s.
Karen Bass (D-CA) Was actively involved with the Marxist-Leninist group Line of March in the 1980s. Still works closely with former members. Mentored by a leading Communist Party USA member. Also close to Democratic Socialists of America and some Freedom Road Socialist Organization members. Has been to Cuba at least 4 times.
Maxine Waters (D-CA) Long history with the Communist Party USA. Also ties to some Communist Workers Party and Workers World Party fronts. Has employed staff members from Democratic Socialists of America and League of Revolutionary Struggle.
Joe Courtney (D-CT) Has worked closely with several Communist Party USA leaders.
Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) Has worked extremely closely with the Communist Party USA for many years. Traveled to Cuba in 2014.
Jim Himes (D-CT) His 1988 thesis “The Sandinista Defense Committees and the Transformation of Political Culture in Nicaragua” was a sympathetic portrayal of Marxist government’s civilian spy network. Has worked closely with one Communist Party USA front group.
Kathy Castor (D-FL) Has worked closely with Cuba and pro-Castro organizations to open US trade with the communist island.
John Lewis (D-GA) Worked closely with the Communist Party USA and Socialist Party USA in the 1960s. In recent years has worked with Democratic Socialists of America members.
Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) Has worked with Democratic Socialists of America members through her political career. Ties to some Filipino-American “former communists.” Worked with Communist Party USA affiliated former Congressman Dennis Kucinich to defend Soviet-Russian puppet Syrian leader Bashar-al-Assad.
Bobby Rush (D-IL) Former leader of the Maoist-leaning Black Panther Party. Has worked closely with Communist Party USA and Democratic Socialists of America. Has traveled to Cuba twice.
Jesus “Chuy” Garcia (D-IL) Has worked closely with the Communist Party USA for nearly 40 years.
Danny Davis (D-IL) Was a member of Democratic Socialists of America in the mid 2000s. Has worked closely with the Communist Party USA since the 1980s. Also close to Committees of Correspondence in the 1990s.
Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) Was a member of Democratic Socialists of America in the 1980s and has continued to work closely with the organization. Has also worked closely with some Communist Party USA members.
Dave Loebsack (D-IA) has worked closely with Socialist Party USA and
Democratic Socialists of America members for many years.
John Yarmuth (D-KY) has worked with Committees of Correspondence for Democracy and Socialism members. Traveled to Cuba in 2011.
Jamie Raskin (D-MD) has worked closely with Democratic Socialists of America for many years.
Jim McGovern (D-MA) has supported Latin American socialist and revolutionary groups for 20 years. Has traveled to Cuba at least three times.
Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) Has been endorsed by Democratic Socialists of America. Worked with Freedom Road Socialist Organization front groups and with the pro-Beijing Chinese Progressive Association in Boston.
Andy Levin (D-MI) Close to Democratic Socialists of America for at least a decade.
Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) Democratic Socialists of America member.
Betty McCollum (D-MN) Close ties to communist Laos. Has worked with Democratic Socialists of America members. Traveled to Cuba in 2014.
Ilhan Omar (D-MN) Supported by Democratic Socialists of America- controlled groups Our Revolution and National Nurses United. Reportedly a self-described “Democratic Socialist.”
Bennie Thompson (D-MS) Was close to the Communist Party USA for many years. Also supported one Communist Workers Party organization. Traveled to Cuba in 2000 and worked with Fidel Castro to train leftist American medical students in Cuba.
William Lacy Clay (D-MO) Has worked with Communist Party USA fronts for many years.
Greg Meeks (D-NY) Has traveled to Cuba at least 3 times. Was a strong supporter of Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez.
Grace Meng (D-NY) Very close to the pro-Beijing Asian Americans for Equality. Was also active in a radical Korean-American organization.
Nydia Velasquez (D-NY) Close ties to Democratic Socialists of America. Welcomed Fidel Castro to Harlem in 1995.
Yvette Clarke (D-NY) Addressed a Workers World Party rally in 2005. A close ally of a prominent Democratic Socialists of America member. Traveled to Cuba in 2007.
Jerry Nadler (D-NY) Was a member of the Democratic Socialist Organizing Committee in the 1970s and was involved with Democratic Socialists of America in the ’80s and ’90s.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) A member of Democratic Socialists of America.
Jose Serrano (D-NY) Close ties to the Communist Party USA and Democratic Socialists of America. Was a strong supporter of Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez.
G.K. Butterfield (D-NC) Some connection to Workers World Party and Freedom Road Socialist Organization. Also close to the “former” communist led Moral Mondays movement.
Marcy Kaptur (D-OH) Ties to Democratic Socialists of America. Traveled to Cuba in 2002.
Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) Ties to Democratic Socialists of America.
Steve Cohen (D-TN) Close ties to Memphis Socialist Party USA members. Traveled to Cuba in 2011.
Sylvia Garcia (D-TX) Elected to the Texas State House with Communist Party USA support. Works closely with a major communist-influenced organization.
Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) Long relationship with the Communist Party USA. Traveled to Cuba at least twice.
Marc Veasey (D-TX) Very close relationship with the Communist Party USA.
Lloyd Doggett (D-TX) Has been involved with Democratic Socialists of America since the 1980s.
Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) Has been involved with Freedom Road Socialist Organization-connected groups for many years.
Mark Pocan (D-WI) Close to some Democratic Socialists of America activists. Long-time active supporter of Colombian revolutionary movements.
Gwen Moore (D-WI) Has been mentored by leading Democratic Socialists of America and Communist Party USA members.
Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) Former Young Peoples Socialist League member. Long connection to Democratic Socialists of America.
For more information on socialists and communists in the US Congress watch my acclaimed 90-minute documentary the Enemies Within, or read my book Enemies Within: Communists, Socialists And Progressives In The US Congress.
Trevor Loudon is an author, filmmaker and public speaker from New Zealand. For more than 30 years, he has researched radical left, Marxist and terrorist movements and their covert influence on mainstream politics.
Trevor presents his movie, “ENEMIES WITHIN” DVD—BUY NOW!
by Trevor | Jan 29, 2019 | Bernie Sanders, Democratic Party, Enemies Within, Red Reps, Socialism/Communism, Socialist Opinion Shapers
Supporters of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) on the first day of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia on July 25, 2016. Bernie Sanders promotes Democratic Socialism.
Commentary
So, what’s the difference between democratic socialism and communism?
Usually, five to 10 years.
Seriously, though, this question comes up a lot in the age of Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Many younger people seem to think democratic socialism means all the liberty and prosperity we enjoy today, plus a bunch of free stuff. Indoctrinated young people are led to believe that the only changes in their lives under socialism would be the addition of free college, free health care, lots of public housing, guaranteed pensions, and generous welfare programs. Sweden, Germany, and Norway are the oft-cited examples of the benefits of a welfare state.
Small government advocates will retort that the amount of taxation and regulation required to maintain this kind of system will stifle innovation and entrepreneurialism, strangle growth and job creation, and drive most of us into poverty—Venezuela is the current fashionable example.
The term “democratic socialism” is often used interchangeably with socialism. The purists, though, will condescendingly explain that the qualifier “democratic” distinguishes democratic socialism from the admittedly tyrannical Marxist–Leninist variety of socialism, popularly known as communism.
Some on the left, especially those from America’s largest Marxist organization, the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), will tell you that this will never happen on their watch. We’ll stay “democratic”—they say—all major decisions will come to a vote. We’ll introduce widespread “workplace democracy.” They will point to the stability of Scandinavian countries for their evidence of a model welfare state. “We’ll never let the United States turn into Venezuela, or Cuba, or Bulgaria, or Hungary, or the Soviet Union, or the People’s Republic of China, or the Democratic Republic of Germany (East Germany), or the Democratic Republic of Korea (North Korea),” they assure us.
As an often quoted saying goes, “Any country with ‘democratic’ in its name, isn’t.”
Most young democratic socialists probably sincerely believe they are working toward a freer, prosperous, more equitable society with a mix of public, private, and co-operative ownership. They acknowledge the need for greater taxes (such as Ocasio-Cortez’s 70 percent on “billionaires”) and regulations. Despite the repeated lessons of history, the young socialists don’t believe that greater taxes and regulations will damage the economy and drive huge numbers of people into abject poverty.
The more hardened (and honest) radicals will tell you, “Yes, we will need more taxes and regulations. Yes, that will put businesses out of business. That’s the point!”
In an article from the Spring 2007 edition of the DSA publication “Democratic Left,” DSA National Political Committee member David Green of Detroit wrote very candidly about his organization’s goals:
“What distinguishes socialists from other progressives is the theory of surplus value. According to Marx, the secret of surplus value is that workers are a source of more value than they receive in wages. The capitalist is able to capture surplus value through his ownership of the means of production, his right to purchase labor as a commodity, his control over the production process, and his ownership of the final product. Surplus value is the measure of capital’s exploitation of labor. … Our goal as socialists is to abolish private ownership of the means of production.”
Notice Green doesn’t just want to abolish “big business.” There’s no qualifier there. He is explicitly advocating for the full public ownership of the “means of production”—communism.
As Karl Marx famously said in the “Communist Manifesto”: “The theory of Communism may be summed up in one sentence: Abolish all private property.”
Green was quoted by Reuters in February 2017 as a participant in the Michigan Democratic Party’s spring convention. The Michigan Democratic Party did not seem to mind that a high-ranking socialist was in their midst.
“We need a party that’s open to progressive forces,” Green was quoted as saying. “And that’s why we have to elect progressive leadership within the party.”
Now, according to DSAers and their comrades, abolition of private property will be done “democratically.” There will be a vote in Congress to take away your multi-national corporation, your timber mill, your dairy farm, your gas station, or your convenience store. There will be no rampaging proletarian mob to “expropriate” your business or farm. It will be done in a civilized manner. Incrementally at first. Gradually you will pay more taxes, you will have to deal with more and more regulations, and hiring and firing will get ever more difficult and onerous. If you’re a small business, you’ll probably eventually be forced to sell out to a bigger business that can afford to hire enough lawyers and accountants or bribe enough officials to keep the government at bay before you are forced to shut your doors.
At some point, the slide to socialism and communism may arrive at a temporary equilibrium, where big business will co-exist alongside the “all-powerful state”—China in the last three decades is an example.
Following the “revolution,” Marx argued, workers (the “proletariat”) would take control of the “means of production.” After a period of transition, the government would magically fade away, leading to a classless society based on common ownership of all wealth: “From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.”
Unfortunately, no socialist has ever convincingly explained why revolutionary leaders with control of all the wealth and power would then willingly turn that over to the “masses.”
British historian and statesman Lord Acton understood human nature much better than Marx. His famous dictum, “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely” is the ultimate argument against Marx’s demonstrably unworkable theories of socialism and communism.
Acton’s dictum holds equally true whether the wealth and power is seized “democratically” or by naked brute force.
Naive young Marxists believe that democratic socialism will lead to socialism and eventually to a benevolent classless, leaderless utopia called communism.
Importantly, more sophisticated and seasoned revolutionaries understand that “democratic socialism” and then “socialism” will lead to the centralization of wealth and power into a very few hands. Those revolutionaries intend to be those hands. This is where the communist dream must inevitably end.
There are many roads to tyranny. “Democratic socialism” is but the subtlest and most benign sounding road to communism.
Trevor Loudon is an author, filmmaker and public speaker from New Zealand. For more than 30 years, he has researched radical left, Marxist and terrorist movements and their covert influence on mainstream politics.
Trevor presents his movie, “ENEMIES WITHIN” DVD—BUY NOW!
by Trevor | Sep 9, 2018 | CPUSA, Democratic Party, Russia, Social Movements, Socialism/Communism, Socialist Opinion Shapers
A donkey is shown with the American flag. (Pixabay)
By Trevor Loudon | The Epoch Times | Sep 9, 2018
Commentary
In a move that could have major implications for American politics, the leading socialist and communist organizations in the United States have formally allied to increase their infiltration and manipulation of the Democratic Party.
Communist Party USA (CPUSA) leader John Bachtell partially explained the new strategy in a pitch to Party members to attend an online webinar that was held on May 23, 2018. According to Bachtell, the webinar would feature a panel of representatives from the CPUSA, Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO), LeftRoots, and others.
The event was sponsored by a group called the Left Inside/Outside Project, which is the idea of “building power inside and outside the Democratic Party.” The organization began shortly after the 2016 election as a response to the presidency of Donald Trump. Bachtell claimed that CPUSA “is collaborating with several left groups and progressive activists to promote unity and coalition building in the electoral arena.”
The plan is to encourage all elements of the left to vote, which would result in “defeating the extreme right domination of government and the courts.” This “strategic imperative,” according to Bachtell, is why “building electoral coalitions with every force possible including with the Democratic Party is key.”
Inside/Outside
The Left Inside/Outside Project first announced itself in a letter, titled “The Left We Want to Build: Breaking Out of the Margins,” published on the FRSO-aligned website, Organizing Upgrade, on June 9, 2017.
The letter laid out a bold plan by America’s leading communist groups to massively expand their collective influence both inside and outside the Democratic Party. In the wake of “the ascent of authoritarian white nationalism to the White House and the GOP’s headlock on 25 state governments and Congress,” the letter called for “building a left trend—an alignment of organizations and individuals—based on strategic unity.”
The letter laid out a bold plan by America’s leading communist groups to massively expand their collective influence both inside and outside the Democratic Party. In the wake of “the ascent of authoritarian white nationalism to the White House and the GOP’s headlock on 25 state governments and Congress,” the letter called for “building a left trend—an alignment of organizations and individuals—based on strategic unity.”
Further: “We believe that … only determined, long-term, energetic efforts to break out of the margins based on a common view of how to engage in our electoral system, while also building mass protest, offer a chance to make the left a force in U.S. politics and, eventually, a contender for power.”
The letter went on to propose better coordination among America’s largest Marxist organizations, to increase infiltration of the Democratic Party, and to further pressure it from without, through mass protest action:
“The fight against the far right is strongest when it is energized by an inspiring vision for economic and social justice. Campaigns for openly socialist candidates and progressive challenges to neoliberal Democrats must all be part of the political mix. And the opportunities for broadening the reach of progressive and left forces will be greatest when they both struggle within and work in tandem with the larger anti-Trump or anti-right front.”
The letter described this proposed communist–socialist alliance as a “left trend.”
“All of the organizations and networks we belong to have important strengths, but also very real limitations in terms of size, demographics, or geographic or sectoral concentration. None of them, in their current form, are capable of playing the strategic role we believe the left must play in the next period. A left trend might have that potential—the ability to reach far beyond the existing left to create a force that can move us from defense to offense.”
The letter was signed “In unity and struggle” by key leaders of America’s most powerful Marxist organizations, CPUSA, FRSO, DSA, and the Committees of Correspondence for Democracy and Socialism (CCDS).
Potential Disaster
Broadly speaking, there are two lefts in America. One side is the anti-Democratic Party left—which consists of the Revolutionary Communist Party, Socialist Alternative, Socialist Party USA, Party for Socialism and Liberation, Party of Communists USA, and so on. On the other side are the groups willing to work inside the Democratic Party—that is, those organizations signing on to the strategy outlined above.
These organizations are not to be underestimated. Separately, all these groups are dangerous. Together, they spell potential disaster.
For example, CPUSA claims about 5,000 members, but its support base is much wider. Many Communist Party USA leaders are also Democrats. Examples include Houston Communist Party Chairman Bernard Sampson (local Democratic Party precinct chairman) and Ohio Communist Party Chairman Rick Nagin, who serves on the Cuyahoga County Democratic Executive Committee.
The CPUSA is strong in organized labor, in black churches, and in the “peace movement.” CPUSA strongholds include New York City, Boston, Chicago, Detroit, St. Louis, Arizona, California, and Texas. The CPUSA is aligned with China, Vietnam, Cuba, Venezuela, and the communist parties of Russia, Britain, Canada, Mexico, Iraq, and Iran.
CCDS is only a few hundred strong. It often shares members with DSA, FRSO, and CPUSA. Its strongholds include Boston, New York City, Chicago, Louisville, Kentucky, and the Bay Area. CCDS has close ties to China, Vietnam, and Cuba.
FRSO is extremely secretive about membership numbers. Fewer than 100 cadres are publicly acknowledged. My estimate is around 2,000 members, but that is purely an educated guess. Dozens of front organizations of FRSO are extremely well funded through the Ford Foundation and other large leftist nonprofits.
FRSO is strongest in the following areas: Boston, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, District of Columbia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, southern Florida, Los Angeles, and the Bay Area. FRSO also has smaller bases in Texas, New Mexico, Missouri, Vermont, Ohio, Oregon, and Washington state. FRSO supports Cuba and Vietnam. Some elements also support China and North Korea. The organization focuses heavily on racial politics and is the main force behind Black Lives Matter.
FRSO-aligned activists currently holding public office include Philadelphia City Councilor Helen Gym, Memphis Tennessee County Commissioner Tami Sawyer, and Jackson, Mississippi, Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba.
LeftRoots “is a national organization of 250 front-line organizers and activists, committed to politically developing their members to lead social movements across the U.S.” It is essentially a project of FRSO.
DSA is the giant of the bunch. On the back of the Bernie Sanders movement, DSA has grown from 6,000 to upwards of 50,000 dues-paying members in less than two years. The organization has locals in every state but South Dakota. The larger local groups include Seattle (600 members), Portland, Oregon (350 members), East Bay (850 members), Los Angeles (1,200 members), Chicago (1,100 members), Boston (1,000 members), New York (more than 3,000 members), District of Columbia (1,200 members), Baltimore (450 members), Atlanta (500 members), and Austin, Texas (more than 700 members).
Thousands of DSA comrades are active in the Democratic Party and have taken hold of local Democratic County committees from Maine to Nebraska. In Iowa, DSA controls about 20 percent of the delegates to the Democratic state convention. DSA has run hundreds of members and supporters across the country on the Democratic ticket this election cycle. They include DSA members Kaniela Ing (Hawaii, Congressional District 1), Rashida Tlaib (Michigan, Congressional District 13), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (New York, Congressional District 14), Zak Ringelstein (Maine, U.S. Senate seat), and Connie Johnson (Oklahoma, governor).
The Democratic Socialists of America is in many ways further left than the Communist Party. In 2017, DSA voted to leave the Socialist International because it was too moderate.
Democratic Socialists of America also controls Our Revolution, the reportedly 100,000-strong nationwide organization set up to support candidates sympathetic to the Bernie Sanders movement.
Working Together
David Duhalde, former deputy director of Democratic Socialists of America and now “senior electoral manager” at the activist website Truthout, said in an interview published by the website:
“I have been rather pleasantly surprised about how well the different post-Bernie formations have been doing and working together to keep this political revolution going. I want to give one great example, which is Our Revolution, [which] either locally or nationally endorsed all of our candidates that we endorsed nationally, as well. Not to mention tons of local races.
“We have a very good working relationship with Our Revolution. We often share information and talk about candidates. We, also, have this affiliation program where DSA chapters can be the local Our Revolution chapter, as well. That is to avoid unnecessary conflicts, duplication of efforts. So, our Knoxville chapter which helped elect two DSA members is, also, the Our Revolution chapter.”
According to Bachtell, the CPUSA also has a presence in Our Revolution, as well as other “grassroots” progressive organizations:
“[CPUSA] members were involved with Bernie Sanders campaign and are continuing their activism in Our Revolution, Swing Left, Indivisible, Working Families Party, statewide groups like the New Virginia Majority and local Democratic Party groups and 2018 electoral campaigns.”
The hard left has infiltrated the Democratic Party in virtually every state, from the largest cities to remote rural areas, from New York City and Los Angeles to North Dakota and Central Oregon. In rural areas in Republican-dominated states, the Democratic Party is often a shell, nothing more than a ballot line. It is easily conquered by disciplined socialist activists. In the big cities DSA and their friends can overwhelm local Democratic party branches by sheer weight of numbers.
The shock primary victory of 29-year-old socialist Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez over high-ranking Queens Congressman Joe Crowley is but one of many examples.
Our Revolution and the communists and socialists of the Left Inside/Outside Project are rapidly taking over the Democratic Party.
All in all, the Democratic Party-aligned U.S. left can boast about 57,000 cadres. Support organizations and affiliated unions, churches, civic groups, and non-profits would add several hundred thousand more to that total. If well organized, these numbers are more than enough to solidly take over the Democratic Party.
The party of FDR, Harry Truman, and LBJ is rapidly becoming the party of Marx, Lenin, and Mao. Voters need to be acutely aware of their choices when they go to the polls in 2018, 2020, and beyond.
Trevor Loudon is an author, filmmaker and public speaker from New Zealand. For more than 30 years, he has researched radical left, Marxist and terrorist movements and their covert influence on mainstream politics.
Trevor presents his movie, “ENEMIES WITHIN” DVD—BUY NOW!
