Archive

Monthly Archives: June 2026

Fear: Autocracy’s Tool

June 7, 2026
chauvinism, civil rights, democracy, history, politics, strategy
Leave a comment

The Nazis did not control Germany because they coerced every resident. They did it with fear. The Trumpsters today do not have the capacity to coerce the American population. They are hoping to do it with fear.

The gigantic turnouts at national demonstrations proves that fear isn’t working for the Trumpsters. Nevertheless, they will keep trying because it’s all they have.

Progressives must stand up to the fear campaign. Our defense is the American people. The overwhelming majority of Americans believe in fair play for all, including protesters and activists.

The Ku Klux Klan did not stop African Americans from voting in the South by coercing them individually. They did it with fear. The courageous leaders of 1954 were successful in overcoming the Klan because they were able to reach the American majority. The key, for them, was television. It worked.

Television continues to work for those seeking justice, but the internet is a close second. The more our ideas and activities are presented to the American people, whether through mainstream media or through the internet, the safer we are. In other words, the more effective we are in outreach the safer we are.

An unfortunate incident in Alvarado, Texas, last year derailed the thinking of some activists. When the Trumpsters took advantage of the errors of some well-meaning activists, some learned the wrong lessons. I have personally heard otherwise-rational North Texans say that we should start going underground or stockpile weapons. I can almost hear the Trumpsters laughing, because they think their fear campaign is succeeding.

Another terrible example is the one-or-two deluded people who dress up in military-looking outfits and carry weapons to demonstrations. I plead with them to get rid of their weapons or leave, but they don’t. They are risking everyone around them. They are either seriously deluded egotists or they are outright provocateurs working directly for the Trumpster cause! They should be treated as provocateurs because, effectively, that is what they are.

There is no doubt that the Trumpsters will threaten some individuals because that is how they spread fear. In those cases, the best defense is not a weapon. The best defense is one’s phone. If I were threatened, I’d rather have a cell phone with Facebook Live than a dozen machine guns!

–Genelantz19@gmail.com

Sense and Data Centers

June 7, 2026
Uncategorized
Leave a comment

Tech is ripping the people’s movement apart. 

Environmentalists and community organizers are currently pushing for moratoriums on data centers. Unions, especially the Building Trades, are supporting them.

By the end of June, 2026, the AFL-CIO national convention will have debated data centers. The Texas Democratic Party will, too. The Texas Organizing Project will present a movie and a talk by a leading North Texas  politician who is usually thought of as the most pro-worker. The Texas AFL-CIO will continue a procession of discussions, investigations, and tentative proposals. Several leading politicians, including the Democratic candidate for Governor of Texas, have already declared their opposition. Some unions have chided the Democrats. Some union leaders, building trades and Teamsters,  have signed up for one of Governor Abbott’s commissions.

The Dallas newspaper says that Texas follows only Virginia in having created the most data centers and is likely to take the lead. Texans in areas not known for political activism are flooding into county political meetings to protest. A few county commissioners here and there have taken action. One tech company is suing a county official for $10 million dollars because he voted for a moratorium.

It’s Worse

It’s not as bad as it looks. It is far worse. 

The outraged masses have hardly even begun to look at the long-range purpose of data centers. After data centers have gobbled up all our knowledge and culture, they will focus their computers on their main purpose – taking away people’s jobs. The information industry and tech jobs are already suffering. Former taxi drivers are counting the driverless cars on our streets. Driverless trucks are already coming into Dallas from Houston. Big tech companies have computers developing tens of thousands of “agents” – each of which has a specific job replacement target.

Artificial Intelligence is creating a second industrial revolution. In the first one, a group of weavers organized to destroy automated looms. They added “luddites” to our dictionaries, but they didn’t stop the first industrial revolution.

And Worse and Worse

The big tech companies are doing much worse things than destroying our livelihoods. They are also running wars. Thousands of satellites guide automated drones and missiles to administer death everywhere on behalf of whoever controls them. 

I haven’t seen anything about this from the Communications Workers of America, but many of their jobs will be sacrificed when, not if but when, satellites replace our cell phone system. Just last week, the Federal Communications Commission relaxed some rules to allow more satellite communications. So far, satellite phones are primarily on airlines and in rural areas, but the software is in place for a total takeover.

Who’s In Charge?

Elon Musk is fascism’s poster boy. He is likely to become the world’s first trillionaire, and it is primarily because of his close relationship to reactionaries in politics. He runs the satellite system and has a partnership with T-Mobile.

 But nearly all of the big tech corporations have gone to bed with the Trump Administration, because government contracts are the quickest and biggest way to riches. 

There’s nothing inherently wrong with automation and progress. The problem is who “owns” it and who is using it, and who is getting shafted by it.

What’s the Answer?

The answer to big tech, Artificial Intelligence, and automation in general is to take the ownership away from a few greedy parasites and let it be democratically run by the people. But of course, that’s the answer to everything, isn’t it?

A temporary “answer” to automation is to shorten the hours of work. That could be done by amending the Fair Labor Standards Act, a Communist idea from the 1920s, to mandate a shorter work week and a higher premium for overtime work. The old CIO slogan was “30 for 40 with no cut in pay.” That was a good one that people could understand. 

Another idea that might be even easier to understand is early retirement. If we amended the Social Security act to allow an improved Medicare for all and better Social Security payments, we might advance the slogan, “Retire at 50.” That would work.

As for the satellites, war, fascism and Elon Musk, we’re going to need a better system.

–genelantz19@gmail.com

Some Recent Headlines

June 7, 2026
strategy, elections, history, civil rights, environment, economy, politics, democracy
Leave a comment

All week every week, I collect news articles in hopes of reading them over KNON radio. Here are some recent articles and bits of my observations:

The best understanding always flows from the general to the particular, so I’m going to take a worldwide view and then bring it down to my home in North Texas.

The Economic Situation

We are in the middle of a worldwide shift toward the end of American economic domination.

The Multipolar Moment: What U.S. Hegemony Decline Means Telesur

U.S. economy grew at a modest 1.6% annual pace (1st quarter) ap in dmn //Chinese authorities worry if their growth falls below 5%//

German economists have lowered their predicted growth rate to .4% for next year.  Telesur

Trump’s State Visit to Beijing and the New Cold War on Asia Telesur

Trump Between Cuba and Taiwan Telesur

In the U.S., the stock market is booming, but people are beginning to hurt. Construction of data centers and other infrastructure for artificial intelligence is helping some and hurting others. Unions seem paralyzed, but environmentalists and communities are moving into action.

“Households getting discouraged as Wall Street rises” ap in dmn

“Prices in the U.S. are Rising at the fastest pace in years.” NYT

Atmos will be allowed to raise household gas prices $9.46/month.  DMN

“Nearly 88,000 U.S. jobs were directly eliminated by AI in 2026 as companies restructured operations,…” Telesur

Inside the Trump-backed push to bring AI doctors into American medicine WAPO via ARA

“It’s clear that if we don’t harness if properly, A.I. is the single biggest threat to working people of our lifetime.” –Pope Leo quoted in PW

Social Security unraveling: 7,100 workers sacked, performance metrics retired, disability claims falling  Fortune via ARA

Texas billionaires are benefitting from the tech boom, but a spontaneous resistance is growing. Jun 11, 6P: ”Are Data Centers Good for Texas” film by Texas Organizing Project at Texas Theatre, 231 Jefferson in Oak Cliff. 469-550-4750

“Median CEO pay up nearly 6% in 2025” At the median company, the average worker would have to work 200 years to get what his/her CEO makes in one.”  AP in dmn

Musk received $132.3B in one year.  Ap in dmn

Data center divide widens in North Texas   DMN

The hospitality industry in North Texas, especially in Arlington, expects to make major gains from the World Cup. Each Player to Receive $5,000 Per Day at the 2006 World Cup Finals Telesur

Uncertainty about Trump’s warmaking is affecting business decisions.

Bell Textron announced 250 layoffs and some furloughs.  DMN

The fury against data centers is mostly in rural areas. The uprisings in urban areas are largely undirected except that they are always against autocracy. “No Kings” is the most popular slogan​ in American history.

The Political Situation

U.S. imperialism is intervening, with some success but not unequivocal success, in other nations’ power struggles. The world’s wealthiest man, Elon Musk, is the main ambassador for autocracy.

Trump plans anti-anti-fascist summit.  PW

Colombian elections, Bolivian rebellion.  Telesur

China Sends Rice Shipment to Cuba Amid U.S. Blockade Telesur

The economic situation is the most important, but is not the only crisis of capitalism. The world is also dangerously close to suffocating, drowning, or dying from disease because of capitalist domination.

The most vulnerable populations such as seniors and children are hardest hit. Oppressed people are learning how to fight. People of color are by far the most likely to fight back. African Americans, because they are overwhelmingly working class, continue as the spearhead for justice.

Trumpsters, like autocrats through history, are trying to control all information.

“…right now, Republicans are running circles around Democrats on the social media platforms where more and more Americans are getting their news. Case in point: Fox News’ TikTok account has exploded from around 500,000 followers on Election Day 2024 to nearly 11 million today.“  Robert Reich

“Scott Pelley worked at CBS News for 37 years, including as White House correspondent, anchor of the “CBS Evening News” and “60 Minutes” correspondent until he was fired on Tuesday.” In an interview with Time magazine, he said he was fired for standing up for the truth, particularly about what happened in Minneapolis.  Nyt

In another case of President Trump’s erasure of history, the Trump regime’s Justice Department has deleted all the files—documents, e-mails, reports, and everything else—about the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol invasion and insurrection from its website. And bragged about it  PW

The mid-term elections loom before us as an opportunity to set autocracy back. We have no illusions about the straight-jacket of the 2-party capitalist system, but the working class can make gains in spite of it by employing class struggle election policies. Trumpster corruption may be a good election issue. Overwhelming turnout for progressive candidates and ideas is job one.

“Former judges urge inquiry into deal trump struck with I.R.S.“   NYT

”FBI arrests CIA official with $40M in gold bars in his home” NYT

Trump said while surrounded by top administration officials. “I don’t care about the midterms.”  AP

“… in congressional primaries and general elections, the top fundraiser still wins 92 percent of the time.” Niskanen Center Oct 2025

“In latest sign of discontent, 43% of voters are dissatisfied with both parties.” NYT

Pastor Robert Jeffress of Dallas Baptist says that Trump understands the Bible better than the Pope does. Fox News https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1F8TiLkbe4

There are 18.7M voters registered in Texas. 81.19% of VAP are registered. 1.4M voted in Republican runoff. 64% went for Paxton . In the primary, before the runoffs, 2.3M Democrats and 2.2 Republicans voted. Texas Secretary of State and DMN

The Trumpsters are currently trying to rig the system as much as possible. Trump himself has floated the idea of not having elections. The most likely future gives Democrats an edge in many if not most elections. However, it is a certainty that the Trumpsters will try to overthrow all elections that they lose, exactly as Trump did in 2020.

Judge declines to block Trump’s mail-in voting executive order. NBC News/Reuters, May 28, 2026

“A federal judge has declined to halt President D Trump’s executive order creating a federal voter list and limiting mail voting, clearing the way for potential sweeping changes in how American elections are run shortly before this year’s midterm elections.”  AP in DMN

They will of certainty employ the coercive forces that they can command.

To overcome the billionaire autocrats, we will have to organize to fight beyond the electoral arena. Boycotts and other mass actions will be necessary. The most powerful organizations will be those close to labor like YALL and TARA. Civil rights organizations are a close second.

The progressive movement can be well proud of what we have done over the past period.

Strategies and tactics are now under discussion. Some of them, such as military action, going underground, or total reliance on the Democrats, are obvious losers. But other strategies and tactics are not as clear without a vigorous discussion.

 It is our job to make the best recommendations possible and to implement and communicate them as widely as possible.

–GeneLantz19@gmail.com

Fear: Autocracy’s Tool

June 4, 2026
chauvinism, civil rights, democracy, history, politics, strategy
Leave a comment

Fear: Autocracy’s Tool

The Nazis did not control Germany because they coerced every resident. They did it with fear. The Trumpsters today do not have the capacity to coerce the American population. They are hoping to do it with fear.

The gigantic turnouts at national demonstrations proves that fear isn’t working for the Trumpsters. Nevertheless, they will keep trying because it’s all they have.

Communists and other progressives must stand up to the fear campaign. Our defense is the American people. The overwhelming majority of Americans believe in fair play for all, including protesters and activists.

The Ku Klux Klan did not stop African Americans from voting in the South by coercing them individually. They did it with fear. The courageous leaders of 1954 were successful in overcoming the Klan because they were able to reach the American majority. The key, for them, was television. It worked.

Television continues to work for those seeking justice, but the internet is a close second. The more our ideas and activities are presented to the American people, whether through mainstream media or through the internet, the safer we are. In other words, the more effective we are in outreach the safer we are.

An unfortunate incident in Alvarado last year derailed the thinking of some activists. When the Trumpsters took advantage of the errors of some well-meaning activists, some learned the wrong lessons. I have personally heard otherwise-rational North Texans say that we should start going underground or stockpile weapons. I can almost hear the Trumpsters laughing because they think their fear campaign is succeeding.

Another terrible example is the one-or-two deluded people who dress up in military-looking outfits and carry weapons to North Texas demonstrations. I plead with them to get rid of their weapons or leave, but they don’t. They are risking everyone around them. They are either seriously deluded egotists or they are outright provocateurs working directly for the Trumpster cause! They should be treated as provocateurs because, effectively, that is what they are.

There is no doubt that the Trumpsters will threaten some individuals because that is how they spread fear. In those cases, the best defense is not a weapon. The best defense is one’s phone. If I were threatened, I’d rather have a cell phone with Facebook Live than a dozen machine guns!

Shoulders to the Wheel

June 1, 2026
strategy, elections, civil rights, politics, democracy
Leave a comment 
We have until November before a systemic crisis hits.

Five months.

Currently, the billionaire autocracy is doing everything possible to rig the November elections. If they are not confident of substantially winning, they may try to end elections entirely. Trump has already floated the idea without success. If the elections are carried out, they will contest every election that they lose.

That they will use every possible means – legal/illegal, moral/immoral – to contest election outcomes is a certainty. It is proven without possible argument by the precedent they set in 2020.

In 2020, the billionaire autocracy had at their disposal only a ragtag group of fanatics. In 2026, they have nominal control over most of the coercive forces, including police, sheriffs, border patrols, ICE, the National Guard, the Army, the Navy, the Marines, the Air Force, and the Space Force.

The working class will resist. Will we be prepared to win by November?

Certainly, more people have hit the streets than at any time in history. Certainly, consciousness is at an all-time historical high. Certainly, the progressive forces are better organized than ever before. Even unions have begun to wake up. Certainly, the advanced part of the working class has brought the entire movement forward. Will it be enough?

Between now and the certain crisis, our movement must carry out two main strategies:

1) Mobilize the largest vote for progressive candidates and ideas

2) Organize the working class to fight beyond the electoral arena

CONFLICTING IDEOLOGIES

In the flurry of new consciousness, several different philosophies have emerged and begun to be put into practice.

Armed struggle is the least intelligent idea, but a few groups and individuals have already begun to advocate it. Where they tried to implement, they played precisely into the hands of the autocracy. Under current conditions the most likely initiators of any such policy are government provocateurs.

Getting everybody into trade unions is a charming idea. The Industrial Workers of the World tried it and made a good showing in the early part of the 20th century. But it didn’t work then and won’t work now. However, there are emerging organizations working with but not under the trade unions that are very promising.

Overcoming our enemies by winning elections within the only system available is the most popular idea, but this shopworn process is easily discredited, as it should be. American voters reject both capitalist parties.

The New York Times ran a headline on May 29: “In latest sign of discontent, 43% of voters are dissatisfied with both parties.”

Thirty percent of those polled “liked” the Republicans and didn’t like the Democrats. Twenty-three percent liked the Democrats and didn’t like the Republicans. The total number satisfied with both capitalist parties was four percent! The article asserted, “Eighty percent of dissatisfied voters said the economic and political system needed major changes or to be torn down entirely…”

The working class is learning class struggle politics. The alternative to the discredited two-capitalist-party political system is exactly that — class struggle politics.

ORGANIZING BEYOND ELECTIONS IS VITAL

Getting more workers to join progressive organizations, particularly those close to labor and civil rights organizations, is positive action. Many of them have already begun to search for ways to fight the autocracy.

We need political guidance to a viable path. That path is to organize the working class for full democracy.

As we study and practice, we move ourselves upward toward cadre status. As we take our place in working class organizations, we improve our options. Raising money is vital.

Shoulders to the wheel, comrades. We are running out of time!

–genelantz19@gmail.com

Texas Primaries May Predict November Outcomes

June 1, 2026
civil rights, democracy, elections, history, politics, strategy
Leave a comment

The votes of far-right Republican voters and the prayers of Democrats elevated former Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to the top of the ticket for the state’s November elections.

Paxton’s Democratic opponent in November posted, “I’m now officially running against Ken Paxton. If we fail to take back Texas, we could hand this seat to the most corrupt politician in America.” – Candidate James Talarico

Trump and Democrats Celebrate the Texas Primary Results

Paxton may be one of the best-known for nastiness politicians from anywhere. His headlines include charges of corruption, infidelity, investigations, impeachment, and homophobia. A recent People’s World article charges him with forcing a Texas hospital to give up gender affirmation and change to behavior modification!

Texas A.G. Ken Paxton forces hospital to establish conversion therapy clinic

In case anyone doubts the death wish of Texas Republican voters, the race for Railroad Commissioner is clear proof. The Railroad Commission oversees oil and gas and is one of the critical elected offices in the state. The winner was Bo French, who had backing from the West Texas oil billionaires who have sponsored right-wing turnarounds in many and varied state elections, including school boards. Backing French’s opponents were the mightiest of right-wing state politicians, including the Governor and Lieutenant Governor. French’s campaign, based almost completely on racism and islamophobia rather than the oil industry, was too disgusting even for the more traditional hate mongerers.

The race for Attorney General in the Republican primary was all hate and mudslinging. The winner overcame the backing for his opponent from no less a well-known far-right hatesman than Senator Ted Cruz!

The shift among Texas Republicans is clearly toward autocracy without any regard to winning in November.

Texas Matters

The Texas primary elections are important because of the size of the state and the earliness of the returns. There are clear trends that can be used to predict outcomes in November.

Republican winner Ken Paxton put it well in his victory speech, “If Republicans lose this state, we lose the country.”  — Dallas Morning News

In both the Democratic and Republican primaries that were settled in the runoffs on May 26, some of the biggest issues were hardly mentioned. The effect of artificial intelligence on jobs didn’t find a champion. The ongoing war in Iran and the coming threat to Cuba were not issues. Democrats and Republicans showed little interest in China, Israel, nor the exploding military budget.

Big $Money$ Matters

“The matchup became the most expensive Senate primary in U.S. history, topping $130 million in spending by all candidates and their allies.” –Dallas Morning News

The downright silly mud-slinging contest for Republican nomination for Attorney General drew over $14 million, according to news accounts made before the final tallies.

Despite all the Texas craziness, there were some issues that stood out.

Labor Celebrates, and Deserves to Celebrate

In Congressional District 33 around Dallas, labor endorsed Democrat Colin Allred based a great deal of his campaign on corruption among public officials. He especially charged his opponent with profiting from stock trading while holding public office and trust. He won handily and, because of Republican redistricting, expects little resistance in November.

Labor celebrated its victories in the critical Attorney General’s race and in several state legislature races. Our endorsed candidate for Lieutenant Governor lost, but he lost to another highly respected union member. The Texas AFL-CIO is revitalizing the entire state with political training and backup in local areas.

–GeneLantz@gmail.com