The Storms to Come: the Election, a November Surprise, and the Aftermath

The GOP ticket's in a heap of trouble, with Palin hurting the ticket, and McCain appearing increasingly desperate and being forced to try to defend traditionally rock-solid GOP states in the face of a surge of support for Obama after the Wall Street crisis struck, including trying to prevent the unprecedented loss of McCain's own home state of Arizona. 

Revulsion for the Bush regime and for McCarthyist baiting by the GOP is evident everywhere. 

At the same time, the reactionary and fascist wind being whipped up by the GOP and its supporters is intensifying. At Western Carolina University in North Carolina last Monday, for example, a murdered bear cub wrapped in Obama posters was discovered. 

Some people are exultant that Obama's going to win. He's clearly got a lead that, barring a dramatic event, should, if the votes are even mostly counted, give him the presidency. 

However, as the two following stories underscore, a November surprise is going to happen, one way or the other, whether Obama wins or he doesn't. Even though he is clearly backed by very powerful ruling class interests and even though his politics are solidly and entirely in the service of their interests, the fact remains that in the minds of the most backward sectors of the society, he's still a black man.  

The people who stole the last two elections are still around and are still hellbent to take permanent control over the society and the world. They believe that they have God on their side. They have demonstrated time and time again that they regard no trick, no stratagem, and no action beneath them, including torture, assassination and murder. 

Even if Obama does win, the contradictions that are on boil in the world, especially in places like Afghanistan and Pakistan, the troubles at home, and the worldwide financial crisis, will not subside. They will intensify. The fascist forces that the GOP has been cultivating for some time and the reactionaries in our society will not fold up their tents and retire to Bermuda should they lose this election. 

The next few days and likely several weeks are going to be tumultuous, dramatic, and perilous.  

Hold onto your hats, hold onto your heads, and realize that nothing that you thought was ever-lasting and immune from radical or revolutionary changes, for good or ill, is as permanent as it may have seemed. 

Police prepare for unrest 

On Al-Qaeda Web Sites, Joy Over U.S. Crisis, Support for McCain  

[Originally published in slightly different form at worldcan'twait.net]