1 day ago
NEW YORK (AFP) — A rare bird in the political world, the US Communist Party is feeling rather smug in these days of capitalist turmoil.
At the party's New York headquarters on 23rd Street in Manhattan, regional party chairman Libero Della Piana, 36, laid out why he thinks Marxist-Leninism's time has finally come.
"We are very excited, we feel that we are at a turning point," Della Piana, an imposing half-Italian, half-African American with a pony tail, told AFP.
"We can afford to be less on the defensive for the first time since Ronald Reagan, and we can say our word in rebuilding America on a new basis, rebuilding a better world, instead of one based on the greed of the few."
The US Communist Party was founded in 1919 and never really took off. It was ostracized during the Cold War and members faced discrimination, even firing from their work, during the anti-Communist drive of the 1950s.
Today, the party claims to have 3,000 to 3,500 members -- seemingly not a threat to the giant Democratic and Republican parties contesting next month's White House election.
But American communists think that the collapse of Wall Street and huge disillusionment among the public with the economy has put them on a roll.
"We receive more and more phone calls, we have more inquiries from people, we see an increase in interest," Della Piana said. "We hope to be part of the discussion. I can see a role for the Communist Party in this next period."
"The crisis' number one lesson: the market cannot regulate itself," he said. "Otherwise it goes out of control."
Communist youth coordinator Erica Smiley, 28, said "the major issues for the young are: peace, jobs, health care, education, and we provide them with answers."
Whether the communists will be able to deliver remains open to question.
One plus is that their recently renovated New York headquarters, featuring the obligatory tomes of Lenin and Marx, is prime real estate -- a serious and very capitalist nest egg.
But few people were about during a visit by AFP on Monday and the atmosphere was collegial and slightly sleepy, rather than revolutionary.
"They are all out working to get people to vote," explained Bill Davis, 65, who has been a faithful member for 37 years.
There is no communist running for the White House and the Communist Party does not endorse Democrat Barack Obama.
Yet many staff here wore his picture on lapel buttons, while Republican John McCain was relegated to a box of tissues -- the tissues being pulled through his mouth.
>>There is no communist running for the White House and the Communist Party does not endorse Democrat Barack Obama.<<
Two lies, one sentence.
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The CPUSA website article: http://www.cpusa.org/article/view/916/
“The Communist Party USA (CPUSA) called for a landslide in the November 4 elections to defeat John McCain and strengthening the Democratic Party majorities in Congress.
We have a chance to sweep the Republicans from power in a landslide.”
October 16th, 2008, 14:38
Toad
Re: US communists say their time has come
Untrue. There is no CPUSA candidate, and they have not "officially endorsed" any candidate from any other party.
"... While we do not endorse any particular candidates, we do endorse and join in the anti-Bush/anti-right wing sentiments that are driving so many people to activism. ..."
Yes they vastly prefer Obama by ideology, but they actually haven't officially endorsed him.
Just clarifying facts, what this site is dedicated to.
October 16th, 2008, 14:51
Malsua
Re: US communists say their time has come
They won't come out and officially endorse him because they don't want to put the
"approved by communists" label on him.
If there's a dog race, two dogs are in it and I'm rooting for one to lose, there is in effect no difference between that and rooting for the other to win.
October 16th, 2008, 14:53
Toad
Re: US communists say their time has come
No, I agree with you. There's definately a candidate they vasty prefer to win, and would further their own goals.
October 16th, 2008, 17:15
Ryan Ruck
Re: US communists say their time has come
Thanks for posting this Beetle. Caught it earlier myself and was going to put it up.
Their numbers may be small but their (likely foreign funded) acts are much further reaching. We had a thread on Anomalies.Net which went into who and what was behind a lot of these anti-American groups. What was noticed is that many of the protests with signs, banners, and equipment had those provided by various Socialist and Communist groups and, there was picture evidence to back that up.
One thing people should keep in mind, the last time there was great economic turmoil in the US, the Communists/Socialists made great inroads in the US. In fact, in The Perestroika Deception, Anatoily Golitsyn discusses such things. When I get some free time I'll post the excerpt that talks about it. Very interesting since it talks about an economic crisis around the time of national elections in the US being used to cause a lurch to the far left in the US.
October 16th, 2008, 19:36
Beetle
Re: US communists say their time has come
Hey, it was my pleasure to post. I didn't know if it should go under Russian or not. If you want to move it, it is your site. So, I will apporve it. ;-)
I would like to see the data on economic problems during elections and the move to the left.
Also, I think like others on the board. In the manner that the CPUSA will not officially endorse Obama, but he is their choice. And they wont do it because they know the commie label would be bad for their candidate.
Did you see what Obozo said to Joe the Plumber? What I got out of it was income redistribution. If we can't call Nobama Hussein, can I call him Barrack MarxLennin Obama? Hey, I just want to be PC!!
October 16th, 2008, 20:05
Malsua
Re: US communists say their time has come
Barack "Marx-Lenin" Obama.
I like it. It's accurate.
October 16th, 2008, 20:28
Beetle
Re: US communists say their time has come
Quote:
Originally Posted by Malsua
Barack "Marx-Lenin" Obama.
I like it. It's accurate.
Well, you can't say Hussein, but nobody said anything about Marx-Lennin. :D
October 16th, 2008, 20:55
Ryan Ruck
Re: US communists say their time has come
Ask and ye shall receive Beetle. :D
This is from Anatoliy Golitsyn's book, The Perestroika Deception with this section being written in March 1989:
Quote:
Conservatives are confused about Gorbachev and 'perestroika'. The old assumptions have been upset. They are out of ideas. They have lost perspective. The Soviet strategists, however, are concerned that the conservative crisis and confusion are temporary affairs. They believe the conservatives may recover and resist 'restructuring'. For this reason, strategic objectives of Soviet political warfare include:
First of all, the neutralization of anti-Communist influence, especially in the conservative parties, as an important factor in the political life of the United States, West Germany, France, and Britain.
Secondly, securing the victory of the radical Left in the next presidential elections in 1992 in the United States and the victory of the Socialist and Labour parties in the national elections in West Germany, France, and Britain in the 1990s. The Soviets plan to hold the International Conference on Human Rights in Moscow in 1991; and their keen interest in American participation in it is due to their desire to influence the outcome of the elections in favour of the radical Left. In their assessment, the Left will be prepared to carry out and accelerate 'restructuring' in the United States.
The Soviet strategists believe that an economic depression in the United States would provide even more favourable conditions for the execution of their strategy. In that event, the Soviets and their allies would shift to the doctrine of class struggle and try to divide the Western nations along crude class lines.
The final period of 'restructuring' in the United States and Western Europe would be accompanied, not only by the physical extermination of active anti-Communists, but also by the extermination of the political, military, financial, and religious elites. Blood would be spilled and political re-education camps would be introduced. The Communists would not hesitate to repeat the mass repressions of their revolution in 1917, of the Soviet occupation of Eastern Europe in the Second World War or of the Chinese Communist victory of 1949..
This time, they would resort to mass repressions in order to prevent any possibility of revolt by the defeated, and to make their victory final. The Author bases this conclusion in part on the following information. While the long-range strategy was being formulated in the late 1950s, the Soviet strategists asked for a KGB estimate of the number of West Germans who would need to be isolated in order to turn West Germany into a neutral country. The KGB estimate was 150,000 Germans.
Only the red emphasis is mine. Other emphasis is from the book.
Look what happened in the Presidential election in 1992, we got 2 terms of Bill Clinton who sold us down the river to the Chinese Communists and the Russians. Now, look what is happening in this election with this economic crisis...
October 17th, 2008, 01:51
Beetle
Re: US communists say their time has come
First of all, the neutralization of anti-Communist influence, especially in the conservative parties,
Have you seen the RINOs who are running the RNC right now?
This was interesting: The Soviet strategists believe that an economic depression in the United States would provide even more favourable conditions for the execution of their strategy. In that event, the Soviets and their allies would shift to the doctrine of class struggle and try to divide the Western nations along crude class lines.
I am forced to ask, why are Bush and others who represent the people, supporting anything that resembles socialism? Buying up banks and holding them is not a good idea. IF, (and that is a big IF) if they bought them and then sold them later, they might make a profit for the people. But who the heck trust our Government to do what it says. I thought income tax was only going to be needed to pay for WW 1. Almost a hundred years later and eight million words later, we have a tax code that is complicated and unfair. So, NO I don't trust the guvment to own banks or any other kind of business for that matter.
Secondly, securing the victory of the radical Left in the next presidential elections in 1992
This sounds like 2008. Especially this statement: the Left will be prepared to carry out and accelerate 'restructuring' in the United States.
Our media has gone out of its way to make Obozo 'the one'. Not to mention College Professors and freaks from Hollyweird.
Now, as for this. I will issue one warning to the commie SOBs: If you do this: The final period of 'restructuring' in the United States and Western Europe would be accompanied, not only by the physical extermination of active anti-Communists, but also by the extermination of the political, military, financial, and religious elites.
You better call in an airstrike. Give me Freedom, or give me something to aim at. You can have my guns, after you pull them from a large pile of empty brass. Aint talking either. I am just sending a warning, in hopes that you will see enough to leave me and mine alone.
Look what happened in the Presidential election in 1992, we got 2 terms of Bill Clinton who sold us down the river to the Chinese Communists and the Russians. Now, look what is happening in this election with this economic crisis...
I see it. Problem is, there are a mess of American voters who don't.
