Mass media tend to report (and thus, Americans tend to view) foreign aid as a form of vague humanitarian assistance or "handout" to other countries. In reality, foreign aid performs two primary functions for the capitalist ruling class: (1) geopolitical positioning to strengthen hegemony for US capital (in other words, a way to establish control/influence of foreign governments), and (2) a subsidy for the US arms industry. Function 1 is obvious to many, but function 2 is something that is often overlooked. The way function 2 works is

The capitalist/fascist ruling class is not a monolith. Despite the advantages of shared class interests and a firmly embedded structure of oppression, they are (as individuals and cliques) still susceptible to division, power grabs, distrust, and backstabbing. This applies to not only the theatrical spectacle of Democrats "versus" Republicans but also within the internal organization of the parties themselves, which are packed full of sociopaths, elitists, and megalomaniacs who are completely out of touch with the real world. The same dynamic also

Working-class people are literally commodities in a capitalist system. This reality is hidden from us through our schooling and media because it's a reality that most human beings would resist if made clear, which would not be good for the capitalists who control our society... We are referred to as "human capital" in executive boardrooms and as "human resources" directly to our faces, yet many still don't make the connection because systemic/material/class analysis is an alien concept in our programming. Beyond this mental/cultural conditioning is a

Labor unions in the US were gutted of their radical, anti-capitalist roots and largely eliminated from the private sector during three distinct periods: the first Red Scare (New Deal era), the second Red Scare (Cold War and Mccarthyism), and the early stages of the neoliberal era under Reagan. This ongoing process led the remaining unions to become highly corporatist/bureaucratic and often fully vested in capitalism, colonialism, and imperialism. In terms of culture, union leadership systematically turned rank-and-files away from the roots of class

This is a very crude diagram, but it is helpful in understanding where we are, especially in regard to how the two ruling parties slide in unison as a response to capitalism's evolution. This is purely from a structural/economic viewpoint (the left being public control of the means of production and the right being private control of the means of production). With the US being the global epicenter of capitalism/imperialism, there has been no actual ideological left party within the ruling system. And, as capital has become more centralized out of

Republicans have spent the past 40 years expanding the Southern Strategy into parts of the Midwest and rural coastline, still relying heavily on racist, bigoted & xenophobic sensationalism to appeal to voters. Unfortunately, this is still a successful strategy in 2024 Amerikkka. Meanwhile, Democrats have assumed the role of warhawks from the 80s/90s neocons, using everything from outdated cold war propaganda to their own brand of xenophobia to push for more wars. The fact that Obama and Hillary both praised Reagan during their campaigns, and Kamala..

Capitalists have their debts and taxes canceled every single day in the US without any consequences due to an elaborate system of debt/tax dodging they created through corporate governance, buying politicians, and lobbying. This has amounted to several trillions of dollars being forgiven over the past few decades. But it's never exposed by media, never talked about by politicians, and never chastised by the American public because (1) capitalists are united by their material interests, (2) capitalists control all avenues of power and

The Musk-Milei connection is a perfect representation of where capitalism is headed. As rates of profit continue plummeting & the costs of labor/living become increasingly imbalanced, billionaire capitalists will now seek to replace their neoliberal cohorts & models of governance with fascist-adjacent leaders & states to secure their wealth against the coming mass unrest. The libertarian model is neoliberalism on steroids because it does not attempt to operate under false pretenses of liberal democracy. So, while neoliberalism unleashed capital like never

Sons and daughters of the privileged class are leading the charge against genocide - a cause that ultimately represents working-class interests. So, in a sense, they are serving as class traitors, whether they consciously understand the class implications or not. This is a GOOD thing, and we appreciate their moral courage!

Meanwhile, much of the US working class is more concerned about traffic disruptions. This is due to both:

(1) material reality: of which the former are afforded the opportunity to think about the greater interests of humanity and

The US is rapidly deteriorating because capitalism was thrown into overdrive in the 1970s/80s under the banner of neoliberalism. Massive deregulation ironically led to the formation of a full-fledged corporate state, which allowed capitalists to siphon trillions of dollars from the working masses.

Mass homelessness, tent cities, drug-addicted populations, dilapidated city centers, ghost towns, food deserts, poverty wages, skyrocketing costs of living, forced debt, etc. are all products of this very conscious move by the capitalist ruling class, which

Decades ago, there was an arranged marriage between husband & wife. The husband, who had widespread support from his family & the community, was excited and eager to begin this new life. The wife, who had much less support, did not approve of the arrangement but had no choice. The marriage immediately became abusive. Over the years, the husband regularly beat and raped the wife, put guns in her face and threatened to kill her, called her demeaning names, and restricted her ability to do much of anything. Eventually, the husband confined the wife to a

Labor unions in the US were coopted during the New Deal era, stripped of their anti-capitalist roots & turned into forces of class collaboration with capital. This made them weak/vulnerable & ultimately led to their destruction in the private sector over the next several decades. We are finally starting to see a slight recovery in terms of labor activity in the US, as strikes and work stoppages are incredibly important avenues of class struggle, but what is also desperately needed to complement this activity are things like

🧵 Crime is a social construct. In the US, it is an inherently classist and racist construct that exists as a codified form of mass oppression, primarily designed to protect the wealth/property and stability of the oppressor class (capitalists) from the desperate underclasses. So, when politicians talk about "law and order" or "stopping crime," they are really just talking about violently crushing the already-desperate elements within the working class. And they rely heavily on two specific things to carry this out: (1) the sanctity of property,

We've been conditioned to believe the welfare state is a form of socialism when, in fact, it is a feature of capitalism.

When land and the means of production are placed in private hands for profit (as they are under capitalism), the masses are rendered landless and homeless.. commodities who must sell ourselves to capitalists for wages that may or may not allow us to purchase basic needs, which also become commodities in this process. Like all markets, the "labor market" is driven by competition to fill a limited number of "jobs."

Bourgeois (capitalist) democracy is a brilliant scheme for the (capitalist) ruling class because it gives off the appearance of freedom via constitutional documents, legal systems, voting, and a variety of supposed civil/human rights... However, beneath the facade is an extremely strict power dynamic represented primarily by class distinctions (the minority class who own/control property and the means of production overseeing the majority class whose only basis of survival is our labor).

The real tragedy of the Trump phenomenon is that it has roots in some very accurate observations: the government IS a corrupt "swamp," the "deep state" and military industrial complex DO have undue control, and mass media IS mostly "fake news" (propaganda). But what it misses.. completely, or intentionally covers up, is the fact that all these things, which are direct byproducts of capitalism/imperialism, have developed over the course of two centuries for the purpose of benefitting and protecting capitalists like Trump, both in the US and throughout

The United States is imploding at a very fast rate. 1% of the country has stolen 90% of the wealth. Federal debt is higher than the GDP for the 8th consecutive year, an unprecedented phenomenon that is only growing. Safety nets have been gutted. Food stamps are being drastically reduced. Costs of basic necessities like food and shelter have skyrocketed. Homelessness is growing exponentially, with tent cities becoming the new norm. Food pantries are being swarmed and emptied daily. Houses are being hoarded by landlords. Drug overdoses are everywhere.

So-called inflation is not a natural phenomenon; it is the inevitable result of a system (capitalism) that feeds off the majority (workers) to enrich a minority (capitalists) with neverending streams of wealth... In the modern era, capitalism has reached an advanced stage where the rich have guaranteed themselves perpetual accumulation, with zero risk. Within this arrangement, the capitalist state ("US government") not only covers any "losses" capitalists may accrue, but it also..

There is nothing the rich & powerful fear more than worker/community-control of the means of production, aka freedom for the masses. From the lords of old, the slave-owning founding fathers & the industrial-age oil/rail tycoons to the modern corporate executives, royal families, media moguls & oligarchs around the world, their self-preservation has always been about fooling the people. That's why we're taught socialism/communism is "evil" without ever being taught what it really is. That's why we're taught capitalism is "liberty" and "free enterprise"..

In capitalist/consumer society, happiness is largely a myth (because it's rooted in an intentionally scarce construct: money) & contentment is nearly impossible to attain because we are in a constant state of frenzy trying to survive & cope without money (without basic needs)... So, the default for the working-class majority is depression, anxiety & despair. Add in the fact that our only purpose in this society is to work & consume (to make others rich) & we find ourselves stuck in a seemingly endless & meaningless existence, just waiting for death...

Bernie's raw assessment of the US in 1978 was right on. Bourgeois politics are a funny thing. As someone who has become a career senator of this very state of "poverty, wage slavery, and mind-destroying media and schools," you have to wonder how much he has either.. (1) compromised his principles, or (2) changed his views to maintain this career.

Is he the best of the rotten bunch? Clearly. Does he still seek some justice for the US working class? Of course. Does he hammer away at corporate corruption and excess? Absolutely.