Thanks for the interview, Hamilton. Good to be building alliances between labour and progressive community leaders. I want to make a more general comment about left political leaders. My experience here in Canada, and I believe the same is true in the US, is that a small group of activists lead the progressive party (or the progressive wing of the Democratic Party), and then their outreach to the community is to ask for their vote and their money. Support us! is what they ask for. That, in my view, is completely the wrong approach to building a progressive movement. It frustrated me so much once, that, in reply to another request for money, I wrote back (never receiving a reply) that there'd be no more money unless someone, once, asked me for my views on some topic of political importance.
Like union organizing, there needs to be community organizing. Progressive parties should be building local committees in each local committee, and listening. Listening to what the people are actually concerned about, and involving them in the leadership of the local committee, and from their having their participation in the broader party. A successful left-wing political party needs grassroots growth of members who are participants in the decisions. There needs to be some fun in such participation - family events, and entertainment perhaps, but some joyful possibility for engagement and participation.
At present, the Democratic Party is indistinguishable from the Republicans in this sense: they are run from the top, there is virtually no actual local organization, and all they want from us is money and our vote. If the left is ultimately to dominate and lead the Democratic Party - whether through DSA involvement or some other progressive party, it must be founded on local community involvement - and not just meetings to hear what the people have to say - but actual organization. I didn't hear a lot of that from Mamdani, though I suspect he would not oppose these ideas.
"Maybe you can commit to kicking Trump out of New York City if you’re elected mayor. Just a thought. Last question, will the Yankees win the World Series?
I agree with most of the DSA's politics and policy positions, but man that whole thing just soured me on the entire organization. There's a baseline level of doing things, and "condemning an event where at least one swastika was displayed" should be the easiest thing in the world. And they couldn't do it! Even your boy Zohran said it was F'ed up!
I send my kids to Jewish preschool every day and frequently pray that I won't turn the corner onto a pile of smoking rubble when I go to pick them up. This shit 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴.
"Apply everything that anyone says at a public protest to a political organization" is one of the worst forms of political analysis. DSA has a ton of policy stuff online about Zionism if you want to make an actual critique.
Thanks for the interview, Hamilton. Good to be building alliances between labour and progressive community leaders. I want to make a more general comment about left political leaders. My experience here in Canada, and I believe the same is true in the US, is that a small group of activists lead the progressive party (or the progressive wing of the Democratic Party), and then their outreach to the community is to ask for their vote and their money. Support us! is what they ask for. That, in my view, is completely the wrong approach to building a progressive movement. It frustrated me so much once, that, in reply to another request for money, I wrote back (never receiving a reply) that there'd be no more money unless someone, once, asked me for my views on some topic of political importance.
Like union organizing, there needs to be community organizing. Progressive parties should be building local committees in each local committee, and listening. Listening to what the people are actually concerned about, and involving them in the leadership of the local committee, and from their having their participation in the broader party. A successful left-wing political party needs grassroots growth of members who are participants in the decisions. There needs to be some fun in such participation - family events, and entertainment perhaps, but some joyful possibility for engagement and participation.
At present, the Democratic Party is indistinguishable from the Republicans in this sense: they are run from the top, there is virtually no actual local organization, and all they want from us is money and our vote. If the left is ultimately to dominate and lead the Democratic Party - whether through DSA involvement or some other progressive party, it must be founded on local community involvement - and not just meetings to hear what the people have to say - but actual organization. I didn't hear a lot of that from Mamdani, though I suspect he would not oppose these ideas.
Excellent interview!
Run Mamdani Run!!!!!
Scared to death of Socialism in the USA. I wish Mamdani luck.
Ex-New Yorker, now New York-adjacent. And been around the block too many times😉.
Adams is a historically awful mayor. I feel comfortable saying the worst since sometime before Jimmy Walker.
And we’re one get personal (I prefer substance in my criticizing), historically awful there to.
*Then* there’s the corruption.
OTOH, it’s *all* as to be expected from a DINO ex-cop…
"Maybe you can commit to kicking Trump out of New York City if you’re elected mayor. Just a thought. Last question, will the Yankees win the World Series?
Mamdani: Inshallah."
God wasn't willing, apparently.
The election that Eric Adams won had ranked choice voting
This guy seems cool, but man, F the NYC-DSA. Buncha antisemitic morons.
Please don't leave extremely ignorant comments. thanks.
Dude.
https://www.politico.com/news/2023/10/10/aoc-pro-palestine-nyc-rally-00120684
I agree with most of the DSA's politics and policy positions, but man that whole thing just soured me on the entire organization. There's a baseline level of doing things, and "condemning an event where at least one swastika was displayed" should be the easiest thing in the world. And they couldn't do it! Even your boy Zohran said it was F'ed up!
I send my kids to Jewish preschool every day and frequently pray that I won't turn the corner onto a pile of smoking rubble when I go to pick them up. This shit 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴.
"Apply everything that anyone says at a public protest to a political organization" is one of the worst forms of political analysis. DSA has a ton of policy stuff online about Zionism if you want to make an actual critique.