By Leon V., Red Phoenix correspondent, Florida.

Attempted putschist Donald Trump surrendered and was booked at Fulton County Jail in Georgia yesterday for a criminal racketeering and conspiracy charge, and although he was immediately released, the outrage and fervor of his fanbase must not be underestimated. This comes after his fourth case this year, as he and 18 of his associates face are being charged for crimes under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) for their attempts to overthrow the 2020 election in Georgia. While this case is only for a state felony in Georgia, the other charges against Trump and his team in New York are under federal jurisdiction.

Trump’s processing throughout various courthouses has been peaceful on his part, but that has not applied to his followers. Mobs of his fascist supporters swarmed the Fulton County Jail yesterday to protest against the “unfair treatment” of Trump. With the multitude of charges levied towards Trump across four indictments, it’s possible that at least one of them will stick. Should Trump be imprisoned it could ruin his ticket as the Republican candidate, which would be a disaster for the Republicans and their business overlords. However, being in prison doesn’t disqualify a candidate from running for president. Eugene Debbs, of the Socialist Party USA, ran for president from jail in 1920 and gained nearly a million votes. As we move further into speculation, it is possible that Trump, fueled by his own ego, could run as an independent or third party. This would spell almost certain defeat for the Republicans and would secure another four years for Biden.

However, a win for the Democrats is not necessarily a win for the working class. The ruling class behind the Republican Party are the same capitalists who control the Democrats. While a Democrat victory might delay the rise of fascism in the executive branch, it only slows the momentum for four more years, while doing nothing to stop the progression of fascism and legislative bigotry from the Supreme Court and on individual state levels. It is naive to expect the Democratic Party to fully capitalize on this moment for the betterment of the people, even when the cards are stacked in their favor.

Shortly after his release, Trump returned to Twitter after the expiration of his 18-month exclusivity contract with Truth Social to share his own mugshot with the slogans, “Election interference,” and “Never surrender!” This is ominously reminiscent of when he ordered the Proud Boys to “stand back and stand by” in a tweet on Sep. 29, 2020 — less than four months before the Jan. 6, 2021 storming of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.

During this time, we Marxist-Leninists must keep agitating and educating the exploited and oppressed. Labor and national liberation movements are gripping the country and we have a duty to expand our efforts in these movements and imbue them with the vital life-blood of Marxism-Leninism. As the contradictions of capitalist society increase, the force and threat of fascism becomes ever more present.

Around the country, fascists and right-wing extremists have begun to launch legal and physical attacks on women, people of color, LGBTQIA+ people, and the working class as a whole. With their idol’s criminal charges and his candidacy threatened, we cannot predict what the fascists will do. Above all else, stay safe and keep organizing. On a final note to all: be vigilant.

All power to the working people!

No Trump! No KKK! No fascist USA!

Last updated on Aug. 25, 2023, 6:31 pm ET.

Categories: Government, U.S. News