Unlike the European experience where the communists and socialists comprised the leadership element of the popular front against fascism, the popular front (I prefer peoples coalition) here during the Depression years had at its core the Roosevelt administration and the CIO and its member unions. The left in general and the communists in particular were organically embedded in that coalition and the surge of mass struggles from below of those times. Today circumstances are different in many ways. Nevertheless much can be learned from that experience, including the imperative of unity, not least multi-racial uniity.

In the mayor’s race for New York where the front runner is Zohran Mamdani, the Islamophobia from various quarters is ugly, pervasive, and unrelenting.

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.