Look at Obama yukking it up with Trump at the funeral of former president Jimmy Carter. State funerals for former heads of state are big political deals—and what leaders do at them carries symbolic weight. As one comedian put it, Obama is like “Ha ha, cool joke, guy I just called ‘future Hitler’ for two months.”

But this ain’t funny. Obama is signaling something: “Right now, I (and by extension, you who are watching) have more in common with this fascist than not.” This is the same Obama who “reassured” people after Trump was elected the first time that “we’re all on the same team.” 

This represents the fundamental truth that they are both representatives of this vicious, cut-throat system of capitalism-imperialism.

But all jokes aside, the fact is that these two political gangsters represent very different roads—potentially very sharply opposed and antagonistic roads—for how those who run this system should deal with the multiple crises engulfing their system, here and around the world. Those potential antagonisms, in certain situations (especially if there is massive upheaval from “below”) could explode into open conflict, including within their forces of suppression—and that is part of what goes into making it a rare time when revolution is more possible. But that upheaval is the last thing these Democrats would want.

In speaking of the very similar way that Democrats called on people to accept Trump’s victory right after the election three months ago, Bob Avakian said:

Once more, the Democrats themselves are driving home the crucial point I have repeatedly emphasized (for example, in my article FASCISM AND THE WHOLE SYSTEM, available at revcom.us): The Democrats, and the “mainstream” section of the ruling class that they represent, cannot fight the fascists the way they need to be fought—and this fight needs to be waged as part of fighting to abolish this whole system.

Fascism is not a “swear word”—or just some kind of negative label to put on your opponent in the course of an election. Fascism, as represented by Donald Trump, is a white supremacist, male supremacist, anti-LGBT, immigrant-hating, aggressively environment-destroying, anti-scientific, religious fundamentalist fanaticism, determined to use the power of the government to forcibly compel obedience to its dangerous and destructive lunacy, and to viciously persecute those who oppose or resist. And, now that the election is over, here are the leading Democrats anxious to cooperate with and assist the fascist Trump!

For the Democrats, the “stability” of the rule of this system of capitalism-imperialism, even in the form of fascism, is more important than actually defeating fascism.

Yet another glaring demonstration of the reality that this whole system, and every part of its ruling class, is completely rotten, criminal and thoroughly illegitimate!

As opposed to what the Democrats are helping to impose on people, what is needed is bold defiance and a determined refusal to go along with any of this—now, and in an ongoing way. 

As I said in message #102: This is not a time for demoralization and despair—it is a time for righteous anger and revolutionary determination.