Because the Party of Communists USA (PCUSA) is a Marxist-Leninist Party, we follow Vladimir Lenin’s admonishments when it comes to electoral involvement. In his book ‘Left-Wing’ Communism: An Infantile Disorder, Lenin argues against Communists who oppose participating in bourgeois elections because they believe electoralism is dead. Lenin was clear when he wrote that as long as any considerable masses of people have illusions about bourgeois elections, electoralism “is not yet politically obsolete” and “participation in parliamentary elections and in the struggle in parliament is obligatory.” This is necessary, continued Lenin, precisely to help educate the backward strata and to awaken and enlighten the masses. “As long as you are unable to disperse the bourgeois parliament and every other type of reactionary institution, you must work inside them.” Otherwise, warned Lenin, “you run the risk of becoming babblers.”
In their dogmatic refusal to work with the German Social Democratic Party, communists in Germany took the position “After Hitler, us.” Obviously, we aim to set up a third party that is worker-led. This election season, Trump and the Republican Party are gearing up to stay in control of Congress.
Donald Trump is clearly a leader on the road to fascism in this country. Under Stalin’s leadership in the 1930s, communists decided that all people should unite against fascism. Our Party aims to help build a third party as a progressive force in American electoral politics. If Trump’s MAGA (Make American Great Again) movement takes control over the congress, it will be another nail in the coffin of American Democracy and there won’t be a chance to make a third party.
The Trump regime has been able to weaken our democracy through violent acts with ICE agents illegally intimidating our communities. They have also used the conservative Supreme Court to break legal precedent to nullify our rights in the American Constitution. The attack on labor also continues under the Trump regime.
Since his inauguration, Trump has used ICE as a weapon to extra-judicially detain not just immigrants but naturalized citizens. People that have supported protests against these unlawful acts have also been detained or been killed by Gestapo tactics. Trump is targeting Ilhan Omar because she is a black muslim woman and an immigrant. Comrade Gus Hall said that the capitalists in the United States use racism to divide the working class.
Trump’s recent legislation has tried to lump together various ideologies that he opposes. Legislation such as House of Representative Bill 8387 clearly states that any individual who has socialist, communist, or Islamic beliefs should be barred from U.S. citizenship. It is interesting that he is lumping ideologies that have nothing to do with each other; these words are simply “buzz-words” to alienate the American public. The President’s executive order that attacks Cuba as a “sponsor of terrorism” is another example of this tactic which lumps together all of Trump’s obsessions.
Trump and MAGA will continue to use the Supreme Court to dismantle our democracy through rulings that have favored big money and reaction. For example, earlier this year the Court ruled to gut the Voting Rights Act of 1965 which outlawed discriminatory voting practices adopted in many Southern states after the Civil War.
Labor will continue to be on the chopping block. Already, Trump has jeopardized public-sector unions. In order to ban unions and fire workers, Trump used an excuse that “national security” takes precedence over the constitutional right for public employees to organize unions.
Trump’s war against Iran has clearly created a situation where the cost of living has skyrocketed and average Americans find it extremely difficult to purchase gas, groceries, healthcare, and other expenses. Meanwhile, Trump has favored the wealthy corporations exemplified by his supporter Elon Musk who has now become the world’s first trillionaire.
Communists have always understood that when reality changes, tactics must change.
The American working-class has to use its electoral power to vote for candidates and legislation that are opposed to Trump’s fascism. By following Trump, the Republican Party is going towards fascism and has to be stopped. Voting against MAGA should be a goal for communists and the American working-class as a whole, who value democracy and want to alleviate the hardships of living under capitalism.
Make a plan to vote by November 3rd. The earlier the better, and vote like your life depends on it!
Secretariat
Central Committee
Party of Communists USA
10/30/2026
