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  #1  
Old 08-24-2004, 11:16 AM
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Communist Control Act

50 years ago today the Communist Party was virtually outlawed in the U.S. when the Communist Control Act went into effect. Democracy in action!

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Old 08-24-2004, 12:44 PM
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Is it still in effect?

BTW, it was Democratic. It was voted in and signed into law. Communism is anti Democratic.
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  #3  
Old 08-24-2004, 01:25 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wbain5280
Is it still in effect?

Communism is anti Democratic.
Where did you learn that? Communism has NOTHING to do with democracy. It is possible to have a demcratically elected government that works within a communist economic system. In Canada we have a highly democratic system and we have a communist party.

You Yanks have this weird irrational fear of communism and socialism, and I think it comes from knowing so little about it. By the way, don't start the old "Communism was USSR, etc. and it's bad" thread. We've been down that road before. Those nations used dictatorships to centralize power and money. True communism, as stated by Marx (read any of his works?) cannot function thank to human nature. Communism as we have known it is nothing more than a non-capitalism based dictatorship used for opressive purposes.
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Old 08-24-2004, 01:41 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wbain5280
Is it still in effect?

BTW, it was Democratic. It was voted in and signed into law. Communism is anti Democratic.
So was slavery.
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Old 08-24-2004, 01:49 PM
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What if the GOP sponsored a bill to outlaw the Dems or vice versa? The world was pretty wacked back in the '50s. Still is.......
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Old 08-24-2004, 01:52 PM
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Sen. McCarthy would be proud.
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  #7  
Old 08-24-2004, 01:56 PM
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Originally Posted by blackmercedes
Where did you learn that? Communism has NOTHING to do with democracy. It is possible to have a demcratically elected government that works within a communist economic system. In Canada we have a highly democratic system and we have a communist party.

You Yanks have this weird irrational fear of communism and socialism, and I think it comes from knowing so little about it. By the way, don't start the old "Communism was USSR, etc. and it's bad" thread. We've been down that road before. Those nations used dictatorships to centralize power and money. True communism, as stated by Marx (read any of his works?) cannot function thank to human nature. Communism as we have known it is nothing more than a non-capitalism based dictatorship used for opressive purposes.
I had a college professor back in the early 70s who felt that communism was appropriate for some societies and not for others, and would, in the cases of very poor countries, eventually lead them to capitalism. A communistic period allows a poor nation a chance to eliminate the rampant corruption that comes with many capitalist systems and to implement egalatarianism, and then allows it to return to a more stable capitalism. China is a prime example of this idea in action. Prior to the Communists, the government of Chiang Kai Shek was one of the most corrupt, murderous dictatorships on earth. Communism was a vast improvement for the Chinese people. The same is also true in Russia, Vietnam, Laos, Cuba and Nicaragua. All of these societies have benefited from communism, and have or are now becoming sustainable capitalist societies due to the fact that ruling fascist juntas or corrupt ruling classes have been eliminated. Eventually communism, once it has outlived its usefulness, collapses of its own inherent contradictions. The same is also true of purely capitalist systems, which invariably become utterly corrupt human greed machines. They collapse in the same manner, as it did in the US in the 1930s. In the end, both systems lead to Social Democracy, which is the governmental system that has become prevelant thru out the globe in one form or another and is proving to be the most sustainable long term form of government. The US is totally against the current of history, as the Republicans attempt to turn the clock back to 1928. History has shown they will destablize our society and start the process back towards the equaliabrium of Social Democracy anew.

Last edited by KirkVining; 08-24-2004 at 02:03 PM.
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Old 08-24-2004, 02:11 PM
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To outlaw the Communist Party, to prohibit members of Communist organizations from serving in certain representative capacities, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That this Act may be cited as the ''Communist Control Act of 1954''.

Findings of Fact

Sec. 2. The Congress hereby finds and declares that the Communist Party of the United States, although purportedly a political party, is in fact an instrumentality of a conspiracy to overthrow the Government of the United States. It constitutes an authoritarian dictatorship within a republic, demanding for itself the rights and privileges accorded to political parties, but denying to all others the liberties guaranteed by the Constitution. Unlike political parties, which evolve their policies and programs through public means, by the reconciliation of a wide variety of individual views, and submit those policies and programs to the electorate at large for approval or disapproval, the policies and programs of the Communist Party are secretly prescribed for it by the foreign leaders of the world Communist movement. Its members have no part in determining its goals, and are not permitted to voice dissent to party objectives. Unlike members of political parties, members of the Communist Party are recruited for indoctrination with respect to its objectives and methods, and are organized, instructed, and disciplined to carry into action slavishly the assignments given them by their hierarchical chieftains. Unlike political parties, the Communist Party acknowledges no constitutional or statutory limitations upon its conduct or upon that of its members. The Communist Party is relatively small numerically, and gives scant indication of capacity ever to attain its ends by lawful political means. The peril inherent in its operation arises not from its numbers, but from its failure to acknowledge any limitation as to the nature of its activities, and its dedication to the proposition that the present constitutional Government of the United States ultimately must be brought to ruin by any available means, including resort to force and violence. Holding that doctrine, its role as the agency of a hostile foreign power renders its existence a clear present and continuing danger to the security of the United States. It is the means whereby individuals are seduced into the service of the world Communist movement, trained to do its bidding, and directed and controlled in the conspiratorial performance of their revolutionary services. Therefore, the Communist Party should be outlawed.

Proscribed Organizations

Sec. 3. The Communist Party of the United States, or any successors of such party regardless of the assumed name, whose object or purpose is to overthrow the Government of the United States, or the government of any State, Territory, District, or possession thereof, or the government of any political subdivision therein by force and violence, are not entitled to any of the rights, privileges, and immunities attendant upon legal bodies created under the jurisdiction of the laws of the United States or any political subdivision thereof; and whatever rights, privileges, and immunities which have heretofore been granted to said party or any subsidiary organization by reason of the laws of the United States or any political subdivision thereof, are hereby terminated: Provided, however, That nothing in this section shall be construed as amending the Internal Security Act of 1950, as amended.

Sec. 4. Whoever knowingly and willfully becomes or remains a member of (1) the Communist Party, or (2) any other organization having for one of its purposes or objectives the establishment, control conduct, seizure, or overthrow of the Government of the United States, or the government of any State or political subdivision thereof, by the use of force or violence, with knowledge of the purpose or objective of such organization shall be subject to all the provisions and penalties of the Internal Security Act of 1950, as amended, as a member of a ''Communist-action'' organization.
(b) For the purposes of this section, the term ''Communist Party'' means the organization now known as the Communist Party of the United States of America, the Communist Party of any State or subdivision thereof, and any unit or subdivision of any such organization, whether or not any change is hereafter made in the name thereof.

Sec. 5. In determining membership or participation in the Communist Party or any other organization defined in this Act, or knowledge of the purpose or objective of such party or organization, the jury, under instructions from the court, shall consider evidence, if presented, as to whether the accused person:
(1) Has been listed to his knowledge as a member in any book or any of the lists, records, correspondence, or any other document of the organization;
(2) Has made financial contribution to the organization in dues, assessments, loans, or in any other form;
(3) Has made himself subject to the discipline of the organization in any form whatsoever;
(4) Has executed orders, plans, or directives of any kind of the organization;
(5) Has acted as an agent, courier, messenger, correspondent, organizer, or in any other capacity in behalf of the organization;
(6) Has conferred with officers or other members of the organization in behalf of any plan or enterprise of the organization;
(7) Has been accepted to his knowledge as an officer or member of the organization or as one to be called upon for services by other officers or members of the organization;
(8) Has written, spoken or in any other way communicated by signal, semaphore, sign, or in any other form of communication orders, directives, or plans of the organization;
(9) Has prepared documents, pamphlets, leaflets, books, or any other type of publication in behalf of the objectives and purposes of the organization;
(10) Has mailed, shipped, circulated, distributed, delivered, or in any other way sent or delivered to others material or propaganda of any kind in behalf of the organization;
(11) Has advised, counseled or in any other way imparted information, suggestions, recommendations to officers or members of the organization or to anyone else in behalf of the objectives of the organization;
(12) Has indicated by word, action, conduct, writing or in any other way a willingness to carry out in any manner and to any degree the plans, designs, objectives, or purposes of the organization;
(13) Has in any other way participated in the activities, planning, actions, objectives, or purposes of the organization;
(14) The enumeration of the above subjects of evidence on membership or participation in the Communist Party or any other organization as above defined, shall not limit the inquiry into and consideration of any other subject of evidence on membership and participation as herein stated.

Subversive Activities Control Act Amendment

Sec. 6. Subsection 5 (a) (1) of the Subversive Activities Control Act of 1950 (50 U.S.C. 784) is amended by striking out the period at the end thereof and inserting lieu thereof a semicolon and the following: ''or
''(E) to hold office or employment with any labor organization, as that term is defined in section 2 (5) of the National Labor Relations Act, as amended (29 U. S. C. 152), or to represent any employer in any matter or proceeding arising or pending under that Act.''
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  #9  
Old 08-24-2004, 02:13 PM
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Communist-Infiltrated Organizations

Sec. 7. (a) Section 3 of the Subversive Activities Control Act of 1950 (50 U. S. C. 782) is amended by inserting, immediately after paragraph (4) thereof, the following new paragraph:

''(4A) The term 'Communist-infiltrated organization' means any organization in the United States (other than a Communist-action organization or a Communist-front organization) which (A) is substantially directed, dominated, or controlled by an individual or individuals who are, or who within three years have been actively engaged in, giving aid or support to a Communist- action organization, a Communist foreign government, or the world Communist movement referred to in section 2 of this title, and (B) is serving, or within three years has served, as a means for (i) the giving of aid or support to any such organization, government, or movement, or (ii) the impairment of the military strength of the United States or its industrial capacity to furnish logistical or other material support required by its Armed Forces: Provided, however, That any labor organization which is an affiliate in good standing of a national federation or other labor organization whose policies and activities have been directed to opposing Communist organizations, any Communist foreign government, or the world Communist movement, shall be presumed prima facie not to be a 'Communist-infiltrated organization'.''
(b) Paragraph (5) of such section is amended to read as follows:

''(5) The term 'Communist organization' means any Communist-action organization, Communist-front organization, or Communist-infiltrated organization.''
(c) Subsections 5 (c) and 6 (c) of such Act are repealed.

Sec. 8. (a) Section 10 of such Act (50 U. S. C. 789) is amended by inserting, immediately after the words ''final order of the Board requiring it to register under section 7'', the words ''or determining that it is a Communist-infiltrated organization''.
(b) Subsections (a) and (b) of section 11 of such Act (50 U. S. C. 790) are amended by inserting immediately preceding the period at the end of each such subsection, the following: ''or determining that it is a Communist-infiltrated organization''.

Sec. 9. (a) Subsection 12 (e) of such Act (50 U. S. C. 791) is amended by-

(1) striking out the period at the end thereof and inserting in lieu thereof a semicolon and the word ''and''; and
(2) inserting at the end thereof the following new paragraph:
''(3) upon any application made under subsection (a) or subsection (b) of section 13A of this title, to determine whether any organization is a Communist-infiltrated organization.''
(b) The section caption to section 13 of such Act (50 U. S. C. 792) is amended to read as follows: ''Registration Proceedings before the Board''.

Sec. 10. Such Act is amended by inserting, immediately after section 13 thereof, the following new section:

''Proceedings with Respect to Communist-Infiltrated Organizations

''Sec. 13A. (a) Whenever the Attorney General has reason to believe that any organization is a Communist-infiltrated organization, he may file with the Board and serve upon such organization a petition for a determination that such organization is a Communist-infiltrated organization. In any proceeding so instituted, two or more affiliated organizations may be named as joint respondents. Whenever any such petition is accompanied by a certificate of the Attorney General to the effect that the proceeding so instituted is one of exceptional public importance, such proceeding shall be set for hearing at the earliest possible time and all proceedings therein before the Board or any court shall be expedited to the greatest practicable extent.
''(b) Any organization which has been determined under this section to be a Communist- infiltrated organization may, within six months after such determination, file with the Board and serve upon the Attorney General a petition for a determination that such organization no longer is a Communist- infiltrated organization.
''(c) Each such petition shall be verified under oath, and shall contain a statement of the facts relied upon in support thereof. Upon the filing of any such petition, the Board shall serve upon each party to such proceeding a notice specifying the time and place for hearing upon such petition. No such hearing shall be conducted within twenty days after the service of such notice.
''(d) The provisions of subsections (c) and (d) of section 13 shall apply to hearings conducted under this section, except that upon the failure of any organization named as a party in any petition filed by or duly served upon it pursuant to this section to appear at any hearing upon such petition, the Board may conduct such hearing in the absence of such organization and may enter such order under this section as the Board shall determine to be warranted by evidence presented at such hearing.
''(e) In determining whether any organization is a Communist-infiltrated organization, the Board shall consider-
''(1) to what extent, if any, the effective management of the affairs of such organization is conducted by one or more individuals who are, or within two years have been, (A) members, agents, or representatives of any Communist organization, and Communist foreign government, or the world Communist movement referred to in section 2 of this title, with knowledge of the nature and purpose thereof, or (B) engaged in giving aid or support to any such organization, government, or movement with knowledge of the nature and purpose thereof;
''(2) to what extent, if any, the policies of such organization are, or within three years have been, formulated and carried out pursuant to the direction or advice of any member, agent or representative of any such organization, government, or movement;
''(3) to what extent, if any, the personnel and resources of such organization are, or within three years have been, used to further or promote the objectives of any such Communist organization, government, or movement;
''(4) to what extent, if any, such organization within three years has received from, or furnished to or for the use of, any such Communist organization, government, or movement any funds or other material assistance;
''(5) to what extent, if any, such organization is, or within three years has been, affiliated in any way with any such Communist organization, government, or movement;
''(6) to what extent, if any, the affiliation of such organization, or of any individual or individuals who are members thereof or who manage its affairs, with any such Communist organization, government, or movement is concealed from or is not disclosed to the membership of such organization; and
''(7) to what extent, if any, such organization or any of its members or managers are, or within three years have been, knowingly engaged-
''(A) in any conduct punishable under section 4 or 15 of this Act or under chapter 37, 105, or 115 of title 18 of the United States Code; or
''(B) with intent to impair the military strength of the United States or its industrial capacity to furnish logistical or other support required by its armed forces, in any activity resulting in or contributing to any such impairment.
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Old 08-24-2004, 02:14 PM
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Truly a low point in our history.
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Old 08-24-2004, 04:34 PM
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Lets all hold hands, sing Come-by-Ya, and sing the praises of Communism!
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Old 08-24-2004, 04:43 PM
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and BTW.....

According to the older definition of the term, the United States of America is a republic, not a democracy. (Although most people, including most Americans, call it a democracy, they are using the modern definition, not the older one referred to here). This usage of the term republic was particularly common around the time of the American Founding Fathers. In contrast to the "Confederation" under the Articles of Confederation, the authors of the U.S. Constitution intentionally chose what they called a republic for several reasons. For one, it is impractical to collect votes from every citizen on every political issue. In theory, representatives would be more well-informed and less emotional than the general populace. Furthermore, a republic can be contrived to protect against the "tyranny of the majority." The Federalist Papers outline the idea that pure democracy is actually quite dangerous, because it allows a majority to infringe upon the rights of a minority. By forming what they called a Republic, in which representatives are chosen in many different ways (the President, House of Representatives, Senate, and state officials are all elected differently), it is more difficult for a majority to control enough of the government to infringe upon a minority.
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  #13  
Old 08-24-2004, 04:43 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MS Fowler
Lets all hold hands, sing Come-by-Ya, and sing the praises of Communism!
If you don't think McCarthyism was a low point in this country's history, you have some very strange sensibilities......
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Old 08-24-2004, 04:56 PM
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Originally Posted by rickg
According to the older definition of the term, the United States of America is a republic, not a democracy. (Although most people, including most Americans, call it a democracy, they are using the modern definition, not the older one referred to here). This usage of the term republic was particularly common around the time of the American Founding Fathers. In contrast to the "Confederation" under the Articles of Confederation, the authors of the U.S. Constitution intentionally chose what they called a republic for several reasons. For one, it is impractical to collect votes from every citizen on every political issue. In theory, representatives would be more well-informed and less emotional than the general populace. Furthermore, a republic can be contrived to protect against the "tyranny of the majority." The Federalist Papers outline the idea that pure democracy is actually quite dangerous, because it allows a majority to infringe upon the rights of a minority. By forming what they called a Republic, in which representatives are chosen in many different ways (the President, House of Representatives, Senate, and state officials are all elected differently), it is more difficult for a majority to control enough of the government to infringe upon a minority.
That had a great deal to do with it, but the ultimate reason that given the state of technology and that it was a frontier nation, representative democracy was chosen more for logistical reasons than anything else. You simply could not continually return to Illinois to decide the questions of the day each time they came up. It is a system that served a nation of that day and age well, but I think the time has come to overhaul it. We need a House based upon proportional democracy instead of winner-take-all districts that leave millions without a voice in government and allow gerrymander to subvert democracy itself. We also need to get rid of the Electoral College before the damn thing starts a civil war. Given our advanced technological state, we should also allow more direct initiative and referendum at the federal level. Representative democracy has become a convenient vehicle for special interests to control this country by gaming the system. Look at our current election. Due to the winner-take-all electoral college, millions of us are not even considered part of this election - the state of Texas might as well just mail in its electoral votes. A few "swing states" will decide for the rest of us who will be president. Democracy is being lost, however you define it.
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  #15  
Old 08-24-2004, 05:01 PM
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Originally Posted by MS Fowler
Lets all hold hands, sing Come-by-Ya, and sing the praises of Communism!
The issue was never communism. In many ways, in fighting communism we lost what America was about. Anyone should be able to start any political party they like, and anyone should be able to believe in that party and vote for it without being arrested. Except for Naderites. They should all be arrested, but only for a couple of days around early November.

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