The struggle against Trump and the right is a form of the class struggle. In fact, it’s the main form of the class (and democratic) struggle at this moment. Only someone with a dogmatic cast of mind would think otherwise. Politics, including class politics, never come in pure form.

When millions recognize that the existential challenge of this moment is to defend democracy, the debate over whether Trump represents a right wing, white nationalist authoritarian danger or a fascist danger can easily turn counterproductive and sterile. The accent, it seems to me, should be on doing everything we can — big and small — to defeat Trump and his motley coalition in next year’s elections.

I don’t think that many of Trump’s supporters care if he tells the truth or not. Their support for him turns on what he represents symbolically, not on what he says. Neither though is pretty,

I was re-reading the Communist Manifesto and I couldn’t help but think that in its visionary sweep it swept away too much in its path that might impede nascent capitalism’s march and socialism’s inevitability. Too much melts into air, the complexities of economic, social, and political life are sidelined, and the working class supposedly by the force of its inner logic of development scales the political heights of capitalism in short order and then digs capitalism’s grave. This deterministic vision, not surprisingly, found its way into the communist movement.in the 20th century. It didn’t take up all the space, but its presence was (and still is) undeniable.

I understand that much can happen between now and next November, especially with Trump in the White House. But I think there is good reason to be confident about the elections next year. And yet I come across a lot of pessimism, which I don’t believe is well grounded. I often hear as an argument that we didn’t think Trump would win in 2016. That’s true, but much has changed in a few years and his victory back then was underwhelming to say the least and contingent on some factors that aren’t easily repeatable.