I agree, but all is lost without a national organized political movement to confront power. US history has had several close moments with such national movements that were crushed. (Eugene Debbs, MLK's Poor People's Movement). Small scattered local efforts are not enough, we need national organization and coordination power. Something al…
I agree, but all is lost without a national organized political movement to confront power. US history has had several close moments with such national movements that were crushed. (Eugene Debbs, MLK's Poor People's Movement). Small scattered local efforts are not enough, we need national organization and coordination power. Something all those small local efforts can be tied to and coordinated with. Current holders of national power are very comfortable with energy being directed at small local efforts.
The burning question is what national political organization can we grow into something that could make demands and become an agent for historical change? Is it DSA? RevComs? Green Party? Try to take over and rebuild (not likely) the Democratic Party?
I argue that our 'party' is the Justice Dems (AOC's team) plus Bernie. Build them by electing more, like we did with Summer Lee in Pittsburgh, a real firebrand. They now number about 10, so aim for 100 of them. Then things get dicey in our favor. How about 200 of them? Then the Dems face a transformative crisis: subordinate themselves or wreck the whole party by purging. I call it 'the Way of the Whigs' option, the only one that ever worked in our history. Will it work for us? Who knows, the future is open. But elect people like AOC and Summer Lee at the base, and build local organizations around them. You can also recruit to your 'sane' socialist groups, LR, CPUSA, Socialist Majority in DSA. The harder the core, the wider the front. And/or build the nonsocialist left like WFP and PDA. They have some local chapters. Make more. Take county and state positions. You BUILD Justice Dems, but you will often VOTE FOR nearly any Dem to take down any MAGA fascist. You rarely get at the top what you haven't already won at the base. Unite the many, defeat the few.
I agree, but all is lost without a national organized political movement to confront power. US history has had several close moments with such national movements that were crushed. (Eugene Debbs, MLK's Poor People's Movement). Small scattered local efforts are not enough, we need national organization and coordination power. Something all those small local efforts can be tied to and coordinated with. Current holders of national power are very comfortable with energy being directed at small local efforts.
The burning question is what national political organization can we grow into something that could make demands and become an agent for historical change? Is it DSA? RevComs? Green Party? Try to take over and rebuild (not likely) the Democratic Party?
I argue that our 'party' is the Justice Dems (AOC's team) plus Bernie. Build them by electing more, like we did with Summer Lee in Pittsburgh, a real firebrand. They now number about 10, so aim for 100 of them. Then things get dicey in our favor. How about 200 of them? Then the Dems face a transformative crisis: subordinate themselves or wreck the whole party by purging. I call it 'the Way of the Whigs' option, the only one that ever worked in our history. Will it work for us? Who knows, the future is open. But elect people like AOC and Summer Lee at the base, and build local organizations around them. You can also recruit to your 'sane' socialist groups, LR, CPUSA, Socialist Majority in DSA. The harder the core, the wider the front. And/or build the nonsocialist left like WFP and PDA. They have some local chapters. Make more. Take county and state positions. You BUILD Justice Dems, but you will often VOTE FOR nearly any Dem to take down any MAGA fascist. You rarely get at the top what you haven't already won at the base. Unite the many, defeat the few.
RevCom will only save their charismatic leader 😩