If red baiting is the last refuge of scoundrels, we see it once again as a rogue’s gallery including first of al Trump, Cuomo and billionaires, like former Mayor Mike Bloomberg, are rolling out red baiting to undercut Zohran Mamdani’s campaign for Mayor of New York. My guess is that it won’t work, that they will be deeply disappointed (or in a panic) on election day when New Yorkers go to the polls and elect Mamdani.

The challenge of this moment is to join, once again, with people, including Democrats, who hold diverse views and politics in order to further build on the successes of the No Kings Day action on October 18.

While they no doubt will take many forms and pivot around different issues, the political imperative is clear — to further broaden and deepen the anti-MAGA, anti-Trump coalition. Big tent not small tent politics are in order.It is in this context that the broad, non sectarian left and progressive movements should continue to bring their initiative, flexibility, and political understanding.

Yesterday could well become a day that we and others after us look back at in awe. It wasn’t a turning point, but it was a popular explosion of mass energy — organized and spontaneous.And it leaves behind much that can be built on.

What we are seeing now is the state apparatus, particularly its repressive instruments, being deployed not only to crush any perceived “enemies,” but also to intimidate and paralyze the entire democratic, anti-MAGA coalition. To say this is exceedingly dangerous and anti-democratic is to state the obvious.

It’s worrisome, to say the least, to hear Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett dismiss the danger of a constitutional crisis, while adding that “the Constitution is alive and well.” The truth is, notwithstanding Barrett’s assertion, the Constitution isn’t “alive and well” and Trump and the MAGA majority on the Court, which includes Barrett, are facilitating its weakening. So far they haven’t shredded the Constitution completely.

That fact though should bring no comfort to the anti-MAGA majority. The wrecking of democractic rights and structures in the eyes of Trump and the Court’s majority, is seen as a step by step process. Not done all at once, but over time with the aim of leaving behind an empty constitutional shell.

Given these circumstances, the formation of an engaged, united, and far flung anti-MAGA majority – including, not least the Democratic Party – is the order of the day. Only such a formation has the political wherewithal (muscle) to prevent such a turn of events. Anything narrower is nothing but a self inflicted wound and recipe for defeat. And who needs that? We should think and act broadly and boldly.This is a class (or working class) approach to fighting an emerging fascist state.