On Sun, Aug 2, 2026 at 04:29 AM, John Reimann wrote: When our general conception of what is happening in the world is contradicted by the actual facts, then it's time to reconsider our general conception. This is one of those times. Marv Gandall writes: "Trump may try to contest the election, of course, but if anything the odds are less in his favour than on his previous attempt in 2020." He ignores what happened in 2020. He wanted to call out the National Guard on two separate occasions, first during the George Floyd protests and then after he lost the election. On both occasions, top officials in his administration opposed it and made clear that they would not obey. These included top military officials such as Mark Milley and Trump's AG, Bill Barr. Trump learned from that and made sure not to appoint any such types this time. All you have to do is look at his recent cabinet meeting to see that.
Marv then comments on the numerous policies that the capitalist class is unhappy about and says that they won't allow Trump to steal the election because that would set him free to continue those and similar policies. He implies that the capitalist class won't "passively accept a fundamental assault on their sacred icon, the US Constitution." That's exactly the point! Passively or not, what has stopped Trump's assault so far and what force will stop him? The Supreme Court? We should never forget the immense significance of the MAGA majority's ruling that nothing Trump does or did while conducting his duties as president can be considered to be criminal. Think about that ruling. It means he can take a bribe from a foreign power to carry out a policy contrary to the interests of US capitalism and that is not illegal. He can order the murder of domestic opponents and that is not illegal. This unprecedented ruling is based on nothing in the law nor the constitution. The Supreme Court MAGA majority is not under the control of the capitalist class. *The Supreme Court remains firmly under the control of the capitalist class. It has surrendered none of its powers to decide commercial disputes within the class or to act as the ultimate guardian of its power and property rights. Its rulings have instead been mainly aimed at the democratic rights and social gains of women, blacks, immigrants, trans people, and the poor and most vulnerable in society.* *The Court has made it easier for the administration to accomplish these rollbacks by executive decree rather than more cumbersome legislative or regulatory action in accordance with the Unitary Executive Theory favoured by the Trump appointed conservative majority.* *The Court has also sanctioned increased employer attacks on worker protection and union rights. It has ruled against the labour movement in matters such as DEI hiring , DOGE's mass firings of federal employees, company reprisals against union organizers and their access to workplaces, dues check-off provisions in the public sector, union liability for damage to property during strikes, and it has weakened the power of regulatory agencies like the NLRB and OHSA charged with overseeing conditions in the workplace.* *All of the above measures have met with the approval of the US ruling class. Even its liberal wing represented by Jamie Dimon and others have remained silent or complained only mildly about the "excesses" of the anti-democratic and anti-labour executive decrees of the Trump administration supported by the conservative-controlled judicial and congressional branches of government.* What other institution can stop Trump? The US military brass? They are now led by a complete MAGA flunkey and the members of the US officer corps is famous for its looking towards their own careers first and foremost. It's possible that a layer of the NCO's could revolt, but not without a mass movement from below. I don't see that happening. All of which indicates what I've been writing about for a few years now: That what we face is a strong tendency towards Bonapartism. That's the general conception that Marv (and others) should consider. *I've considered it at length in other threads with Tony, Hari, and others. In my view, the term "Bonapartism" and the scholarly discussion surrounding it survives only because Marx did not live into the 20th century to describe its modern fascist incarnation.* Under Bonapartism, the capitalist class loses its control over the Bonapartist. I don't think we are all the way there yet, but if Trump overturns the November election results, that will be a huge step - possibly a decisive one - in that direction. John here is hedging his bets. "Under Bonapartism, the capitalist class loses its control over the Bonapartist. I don't think we are all the way there yet, but if Trump overturns the November election results, that will be a huge step - possibly a decisive one - in that direction.” Without question it will be “decisive” and not only "possibly" - IF Trump overturns the elections. That’s what this discussion has been about. *I believe his odds are less this time than during his first term, that his standing with the elites and the masses is lower than it has ever been, and that if the Democrats take the House, his executive authority will be much reduced. For this, I’ve been accused by John and his co-thinkers of “complacency to the hilt”.* *They believe otherwise. They think the odds are greater than ever before that Trump will be able to cancel the election and wrest power and autonomy from the bourgeoisie.* *It remains to be seen whether I’m being too complacent or they’re sharing the widespread liberal panic about a looming fascist takeover.* One last point: In general socialists have ignored Trump's attacks on the capitalist democratic institutions. These include the attacks on major capitalist law firms, on major universities and on the capitalist media. Socialists have also tended to ignore Trump's weaponization of the DOJ for his own personal interests. They have tended to ignore Trump's unprecedented corruption - the tens of millions of dollars the capitalist class has been forced to pay Trump - pure extortion. *Not so, if you routinely read and listen to the mainstream liberal or alternative socialist media. These sources are regularly cited on this list to document the above abuses.* I think most socialists figure that's all within their class so why should we care? This method of thought is also inherent in the insistence that the Republican and Democratic parties are basically the same so we should never do anything to try to keep the Republicans - meaning Trump and his minions - out of office if the only alternative is the Democrats. *Also not so. Absent a socialist electoral alternative to their left, most anticapitalist socialists, including myself, favour Democrats over Republicans. This is because the former are more inclined to defend, however half-heartedly, the democratic rights and social gains won in struggle by the working class and its allies. Also, there is an understanding that the consciousness and militancy of the masses are advanced through victories rather than defeats. Within the DP, most socialists* *favour its left wing, the DSA.* *The same holds true for all of the developed capitalist countries where forces to the left of the liberals and social democrats are also now far removed from power. The only other choice available to socialists is effective abstention from electoral politics and relegation to the political sidelines with a corresponding lack of influence within the working class.* Behind this super revolutionary view actually lies passivity. Joseph Green is right - it's "complacency to the hilt". It's time to wake up. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Groups.io Links: You receive all messages sent to this group. View/Reply Online (#42734): https://groups.io/g/marxmail/message/42734 Mute This Topic: https://groups.io/mt/120549500/21656 -=-=- POSTING RULES & NOTES #1 YOU MUST clip all extraneous text when replying to a message. #2 This mail-list, like most, is publicly & permanently archived. #3 Subscribe and post under an alias if #2 is a concern. #4 Do not exceed five posts a day. -=-=- Group Owner: [email protected] Unsubscribe: https://groups.io/g/marxmail/leave/13617172/21656/1316126222/xyzzy [[email protected]] -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
