A NEW 1989?
The U.S. Mass Strike Dynamic Expands
by Nancy Spannaus
Sept. 17—On Oct. 6, 1989, Erich Honecker, head of state of the communist German Democratic Republic, presided over a gala celebration of East Germany's 40th anniversary, and proclaimed that the regime's brilliant successes would last 100 years into the future. Overwhelmed by a mass citizen uprising, which coalesced around the slogan "Wir sind das Volk" ("We Are the People"), Honecker was forced to resign within weeks. By Nov. 9, the Berlin Wall separating East and West Germany had come down, and the communist dictatorship was on its way to oblivion. Like a tsunami coming from nowhere, the mass strike of the people had prevailed over tyranny.
The current uprising of hundreds of thousands of Americans, who have been massing around town meetings, and holding demonstrations around the country, can only be compared, in recent history, to the mass strike upsurge of East Germany 1989. The Sept. 12 demonstration in Washington, D.C.—which drew at least 200-300,000 people and thus, was the second-biggest protest in the capital since the Vietnam War, next to the 1995 Million Man March—was not the end of the process, but rather a major milestone in its growth. For the first time in decades, the American people are beginning to assert themselves and their rights, against an administration and a government that have either blatantly disregarded their interests, or assaulted them outright.
Like Honecker, President Obama, egged on by his British controllers and fascist advisors, has decided to ignore the force and quality of the popular opposition. They are making a potentially fatal mistake. The vast majority of the American population is making it clear that it will not tolerate the current policy of bank bailouts, mass unemployment, and Hitler-like austerity, which, at this point, is aimed at cutting what the Administration considers "unnecessary" medical care for those "too expensive" to treat. Many of the people who have taken to the streets for the first time in their lives, do not have any idea of what the alternative is, but they have determined to fight a policy of what they perceive as mass murder.
At this point, it is virtually certain that President Obama will not, and cannot prevail, especially with his Hitler health plan. The crucial remaining question is how rapidly the mass strike ferment can be consolidated around the leadership of the one political leader who has a solution to the economic and political breakdown crisis of the United States: Lyndon LaRouche.
Who's in Control?
As of now, the answer is: no one.
There has been an intensive, and coordinated, effort by the U.S. and international media to both mischaracterize and downplay the ongoing mass political ferment. The political organizations which are claiming credit for mobilizing the upsurge—ranging from Dick Armey's Freedomworks, to the Tea Party, to right-wing radio talkshow hosts—are simply trying to take advantage of the popular outrage, but they don't control the crowds. As in any genuine mass strike, the popular mood of revolt is spreading with a dynamic of its own, and can't be turned off and on by its self-appointed leaders.
From their interaction with tens of thousands of the participants in town meetings, and at the Sept. 12 demonstration, LaRouche PAC organizers can authoritatively assert that the people in motion come from all over the political spectrum. They are independents, retired unionists, disaffected Democrats, Republicans, and people who were totally apolitical—until now. They have been galvanized into action by the fact that they perceive that their government has sold out to the Wall Street crowd, and has now turned against them. Time and again, demonstrators have told LaRouche PAC organizers that they never thought they would ever come out into the streets, but that they are so frightened and angry now, that they feel they must do something.
Even more important, the vast majority of people—as at the Sept. 12 event—are seeking answers, and unwilling to be pigeonholed into any category. Thus, while many will mouth the "anti-government" line, they are willing, when challenged on the necessity for government intervention, to think about how the problems they face could actually be solved.
Unprecedented Crowds
The most striking phenomenon, however, is the enormity of the crowds. Far from calming down since the August Congressional recess, the number of people coming out for protests against the Obama health swindle (and others) has dramatically increased.
For example, as the Tea Party caravans passed through towns and cities across the country, on their way to the Washington, D.C. demonstration, crowds of more than 10,000 people gathered in numerous locations. While Obama was addressing a mere 4,000 laborcrats on Labor Day in Cincinnati, an estimated 18,000 people gathered on Sept. 5 in suburban Cincinnati, to confront three Congressmen, including House Minority Leader John Boehner. "I've never seen anything like this," a stunned Boehner said afterward. "These people are scared to death. They're scared that the country they grew up in is not going to be the country their children and grandchildren grew up in."
Two days later, in New Lenox, Ill., where a crowd of 400 was expected, more than 10,000 people showed up to greet the Tea Party Express caravan.
And, on the day of the Saturday D.C. march, satellite rallies were held all around the country, including one in downtown Fort Worth, Texas, which was estimated to have brought out 10-20,000 participants.
These huge crowds were supplemented by gatherings of anywhere from a few hundred to 3,000, in other cities. For example: Dallas, Texas, 2,500; Cranberry, Pa., 2,000; Toms River, N.J., 3,000; Salt Lake City, Utah, 1,500; Wasilla, Alaska, 1,000.
The gatherings are by no means over. More caravans are currently on their way across the country to Washington, and report-back rallies are planned from the Washington demonstration. There is a deliberate blackout of events, except in some of the local press, and sometimes, they were not covered there.
The best estimate is that more than a million Americans have been involved in this mass strike activity, since it took off at the end of July. And the fact that the news media won't cover it? That will just feed the revolt.
What Are the issues?
While the horrors of the genocidal health-care bill demanded by the President and his fascist advisors take center stage in the mass actions, there is no single issue which is motivating people to get off their couches and come out onto the street. At the Sept. 12 demonstration, for example, there were hundreds of home-made signs, featuring issues that ranged from the bailout, to the Fed's money-printing, to the expanding war in Afghanistan. At one town meeting after another, angry citizens would bring up the outrageous diversion of taxpayer money to the banks, as well as their overall distrust of government.
If there is one symbol, or flag, of the popular upsurge, however, it is the Obama Moustache poster, which was devised by LaRouche PAC in the early Summer. At meeting after meeting, LaRouche PAC organizers sporting the picture of the President with a toothbrush (Hitler) moustache, have been greeted with cheers, with demands for more copies of the posters, and general appreciation. Many demonstrators have asked to carry the poster themselves, to simply march around, and when LaRouche PAC organizers have been attacked by pro-Obama thugs, in many cases, other citizens have massed to their defense.
Why is the Obamastache poster so popular? Because it represents the truth about the President's health-care policy.
The American public, by and large, is sick and tired of not being told the truth. But, starting with his April 11 webcast, LaRouche told the ugly, shocking truth about President Obama: specifically, the fact that he is a narcissistic, Nero-like personality being advised by behaviorist fascists, and committed to implementing such a policy. From there, LaRouche went on to document the fact that Obama's health-care policy is based on the Hitler commitment to eliminating "lives not worthy of life." It stuck.
As LaRouche got the word out, the LaRouche PAC website became increasingly the center of the mobilization against what is now called Obamacare, including among intelligent Republicans. Soon, the scandal about the threatened "death panels" swept the country—and no lies Obama or any other member of the Administration could tell could sweep it away.
In effect, LaRouche is the leader of the mass strike movement—not just because he raised the clarion call, but because he uniquely has presented the solution to the crisis which lies behind the Administration's fascist policies. It is the bankrupt British imperial system of globalization that is demanding fascism today, just as it did in the 1930s, LaRouche has argued. That is what must be defeated, with the American System policies put forward by LaRouche.
It Will Get Hotter
There is no question but that the mass strike process will expand, although not necessarily in a linear manner. Americans have lost faith in their government—and the crisis which their government is refusing to confront, is about to get much, much worse.
Take joblessness, for example. While officially 9.7%, actual unemployment is counted, even by Bureau of Labor Statistics statisticians, to be at least at 20%—and probably much higher than that. On top of that, as many as one-third of the unemployed are getting no help at all, and many of those who are, are about to lose it over the next months.
Then take homelessness. One of the biggest scandals of the country is the zooming rate of homelessness, which has led to the setting up of makeshift shanty towns, or "tent cities," all around the United States. There is no exact count of the homeless, of course, but there are visible encampments in Columbus, Ohio; Chattanooga, Tenn.; Athens, Ga.; Sacramento, Los Angeles, San Diego, Ventura, Ontario, Calif., and undoubtedly many other cities. The situation is so desperate that local officials are demanding provision of sanitation, in order to head off the potential of contagious disease.
Which brings us back to the health crisis, which is about to get much, much worse with the expansion of the flu epidemic. Already, ICU facilities are inadequate to deal with the outbreak of swine flu in certain regions of the country, and it's going to get a lot worse.
Combine this physical breakdown with the expected next round of financial blowout around the end of the fiscal year, and it's clear that the U.S. population is not going to buckle under—especially after they've defeated the health bill. They will instead be demanding solutions for the very salvation of the nation—and that will mean turning once again to LaRouche and his economic programs: bankruptcy reorganization and a massive reconstruction program, based on re-establishing the Hamiltonian credit system we never should have let the British take away from us.
To this, either Obama will submit, or the nation will face a disaster beyond belief. Unlike in Germany 1989, we have a leadership in place, and it must be heard.
