The Sanders campaign and the party for the people in the crowd.

As I've explained before, and as I'll be explaining in a review of Jodi Dean's Crowds and Party (review forthcoming in the September issue of Capitalism Nature Socialism), there needs to be a “party for the people in the crowd.” Bernie Sanders appears to be calling off the political revolution, oblivious to the notion that the Democratic Party is about to evict his supporters, who have noticed their collective eviction in full color while Sanders pledges to support Clinton because omigod Trump. In this equation the Sanders deserters are the potential "party for the people in the crowd."

If there is any "party for the people in the crowd" now forming, I am a fair distance from any sort of actual crowd event (in Philadelphia, if not in Houston) that could make this happen. But that's what needs to happen: the people in the crowd should have a party of their own.

Who's talking about this? I'm feeling buffeted by gossip right now. Inform me!

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riverlover's picture

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Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.

I'm 1,000 miles west of Philly, 600 miles east of Houston.

The book you cite seems to be addressing the same ideas as Graeber. All of this sounds pretty good for people in honest-to-God cities in smaller countries than the US. Sometimes I think the sheer size of this country defeats any but regional mobilization.

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Only connect. - E.M. Forster

riverlover's picture

There have been ideas to break it up, somehow, into regions bigger than states. So I could drive to Pennsylvania in less than an hour, still in the boonies. Those of us living in no metropolis like it that way, if there is choice granted. But it makes gatherings rough.

In central NY boonies, I still have not met Steven D, boriscleto, and north country folk (names blanking on me). My bad, new pup @ home is best excuse I have.

Just not sure how to deal with us non-city folk who have real lives as well.

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Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.

CambridgePulsar1919's picture

Sander's isn't "oblivious" to what's going on, he knows that throwing a temper tantrum with a mic drop, and shouting "I'm taking my people outta here", would be empowering the massive Clintonian MSM machine to essentially permanently dismiss the movement he created as 'unreasonable radicals' who 'don't care about our future under a fascist Trump regime'. The fairly positive and respectful coverage Berners have been getting post DNCleak would then disappear *poof*, and the 'blame the dirty fucking hippies' meme that the MSM scum have already cued-up could be released like a million anthrax-dusted doves.
Bernie's been in politics a long time, and the knows that the lessons his supporters learned about how our system really works are going to be a game changer going forward. They're never going to buy into the bullshit the DNC is selling, ever.
Bernie has said again and again that this 'political revolution' was not just about him or this election alone.

Once the roll-call vote is over, and the scumbags pick their loser queen, the Berners are going to take their revolution outside the Dem party. The #Demexit movement, along with #bluetogreen is going to be a big deal between now and election day.

Personally, I'm going to quite enjoy the groveling of the DNC scum between now and then.

Sorry $$Hills, Trump's your baby now....

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k9disc's picture

The Left are an anathema to our corporate sponsored political system that pushes corporate sponsored public policy.

I think your reading of the tea leaves is off here.

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“Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.” ~ Sun Tzu

I have been through the same fights since Vietnam. I have also heard first hand from a grandfather who was part of the organizing of coal miners and a father who was involved in organizing in the auto industry. There were naysayers at that time as well. We have a few remnants of their victories, 8 hour work days and 5 day work week, along with health insurance.

The lesson from their victories is that you have to continue with the struggle and fight for your rights. Defeatism is what THEY want and WE do not need.

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k9disc's picture

of the newspaper all the time.

I was not speaking of defeatism, I was speaking of reality: progressive policy is an anathema to the corporate media's sponsors and should only be covered in order to discredit and disarm it's proponents.

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“Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.” ~ Sun Tzu

with your analysis, Cambridge. Take it from this septuagenarian, my husband and I have participated in so many “revolutionary” activist attempts to bring down the corrupt system – from the Vietnam War, anti-Apartheid, Patrice Lumumba Coalition, to starting independent afrocentric schools, and working with many black activist organizations and mostly, we failed. The system has and will use all their power against us – from planting people into the organization to introduce addictive drugs to the activists to bringing in a massive CIA and Secret Service effort like “Cointelpro.” Revolution ain’t easy. And it ain’t beanbag.

But I am still hopeful because, as you so aptly put it,

Bernie's been in politics a long time, and he knows that the lessons his supporters learned about how our system really works are going to be a game changer going forward.

That’s why I responded immediately last night to Bernie’s email announcing the formation of his new organization called “Our Revolution” with my $27 donation. There will be set backs and defeats in any struggle but (as one of the speakers last night quoted, or paraphrased Maya Angelou RIP), “still we rise.” A luta continua!

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Cassiodorus's picture

Because "he knows that the lessons his supporters learned about how our system really works are going to be a game changer going forward."

We can only hope.

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"The war on Gaza, backed by the West, is a demonstration that the West is willing to cross all lines. That it will discard any nuance of humanity. That it is willing to commit genocide" -- Moon of Alabama

Cassiodorus's picture

The vague phobias thing confuses me though. Though from my perspective it's hard to see how organizing a new party within the shell of the old "would be empowering the massive Clintonian MSM machine to essentially permanently dismiss the movement he created as 'unreasonable radicals' who 'don't care about our future under a fascist Trump regime'." How could the "massive Clintonian MSM machine" be empowered in a way in which they're not already empowered now?

Since Trump is a decoy and since the "massive Clintonian MSM machine" wants the Sanders people out now anyway and will be blaming them for Trump anyway while their candidate becomes our next President, pledging allegiance to Clinton earns Sanders something, I suppose, because he feels he's got something to lose, I suppose, or maybe when he loses that which he's going to lose anyway he won't notice because he'll be retired by then. How concrete is this again?

Me, I'm voting for future President (not in this cycle, but maybe in a later one) Jill Stein. Please enlighten.

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"The war on Gaza, backed by the West, is a demonstration that the West is willing to cross all lines. That it will discard any nuance of humanity. That it is willing to commit genocide" -- Moon of Alabama

lotlizard's picture

as an elaborate final ploy to educate his followers?

“See how it works, everyone? If you try to work within the D party, you’ll end up like this. So go forth and take a third option.”

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If that was Bernie's goal, he should have taken his millions of voters and left the Democrats rather than call for unity. If Clinton beats Trump because Bernie supporters fear Trump more than they fear Clinton, the right wing of the Democratic party will have proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that the left can simply be ignored; that they will always succumb to the fear of the further right.

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Unabashed Liberal's picture

Mollie


“I believe in the redemptive powers of a dog’s love. It is in recognition of each dog’s potential to lift the human spirit, and, therefore, to change society for the better, that I fight to make sure every street dog has its day.”
--Stasha Wong, Secretary, Save Our Street Dogs (SOSD)

Available For Sponsorship And/Or Adoption, Save Our Street Dogs, SOSD

Cole - SOSD

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Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong.

Unabashed Liberal's picture

by acclamation.

(Just as the MSM reported, yesterday.)

“I believe in the redemptive powers of a dog’s love. It is in recognition of each dog’s potential to lift the human spirit, and, therefore, to change society for the better, that I fight to make sure every street dog has its day.”
--Stasha Wong, Secretary, Save Our Street Dogs (SOSD)

Available For Sponsorship And/Or Adoption, Save Our Street Dogs, SOSD

Cole - SOSD

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Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong.

The following arrived in my inbox today - and, as I thought everyone knew, Bernie is starting several organizations.

Bernie never stops fighting for the people. If one approach doesn't work out, he keeps trying until some advance has been achieved. And he is certainly not 'calling off the revolution'.

Next steps for Our Revolution
Bernie Sanders
Mon 10:21 PM

Bernie Sanders for President

Our campaign has always been about a grassroots movement of Americans standing up and saying: "Enough is enough. This country and our government belong to all of us, not just a handful of billionaires."

I just finished speaking at the Democratic National Convention, where I addressed the historic nature of our grassroots movement and what's next for our political revolution.

I hope that I made you proud. I know that Jane and I are very proud of you.

Our work will continue in the form of a new group called Our Revolution. The goal of this organization will be no different from the goal of our campaign: we must transform American politics to make our political and economic systems once again responsive to the needs of working families.

We cannot do this alone. All of us must be a part of Our Revolution.

Join Our Revolution and help continue our critical work to create a government which represents all of us, and not just the 1 percent – a government based on the principles of economic, social, racial and environmental justice. Add your name here.

When we started this campaign a little more than a year ago, the media and the political establishment considered us to be a "fringe" campaign. Well, we're not fringe anymore.

Thanks to your tireless work and generous contributions, we won 23 primaries and caucuses with more than 13 million votes, all of which led to the 1900 delegates we have on the floor this week at the Democratic convention.

What we have done together is absolutely unprecedented, but there is so much more to do. It starts with defeating Donald Trump in November, and then continuing to fight for every single one of our issues in order to transform America.

We are going to fight to make sure that the most progressive platform in the history of the Democratic Party becomes law. This means working for a $15 federal minimum wage, fighting for a national fracking ban, and so many more progressive priorities.

The political revolution needs you in order to make all this happen and more.

Add your name to say that you will join Our Revolution and be part of the fight for our progressive vision for America.

Thank you for being a part of the continued political revolution.

In solidarity,

Bernie Sanders

Edit: please note that there is no mention of fighting to elect Hillary Clinton as CEO/management of the corporate American asset in this statement of the group's goals:

... It starts with defeating Donald Trump in November, and then continuing to fight for every single one of our issues in order to transform America. ...

Bernie cannot advertise his strategies, but he has copious room for unicorns in his sleeves, as he's proven so often in the past.

Also, look at the header on the email following the Convention. This may have been an oversight, but it might not be, either.

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Psychopathy is not a political position, whether labeled 'conservatism', 'centrism' or 'left'.

A tin labeled 'coffee' may be a can of worms or pathology identified by a lack of empathy/willingness to harm others to achieve personal desires.

I'm not following anybody that's following Clinton. By the transitive property, I'd be following Clinton. That is not happening.

I still think Bernie is a good man, but my time following him is at an end. He is a taking a road I refuse to follow. I am both angry and disappointed in him for giving up - and yes - I think this is giving up.

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The main point of Bernie's run always was the People's Revolution. If you didn't get that, you didn't get Bernie, which would explain a lot.

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Psychopathy is not a political position, whether labeled 'conservatism', 'centrism' or 'left'.

A tin labeled 'coffee' may be a can of worms or pathology identified by a lack of empathy/willingness to harm others to achieve personal desires.

Your condescension is not appreciated. I think he's making a terrible mistake, and I think he's seriously damaging his credibility. The revolution will go on, but he will no longer be the leader.

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mhagle's picture

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Marilyn

"Make dirt, not war." eyo

I'm just not joining an OFA-style spin off from a campaign that has given up.

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here. If Hillary should become president, the Democratic establishment will do the same thing that they have done during the Obama years, ignore the left and left wing policies.

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It's simply too painful to acknowledge, even to ourselves that we've been taken. Once you give a charlatan power over you, you almost never get it back. Carl Sagan

If Bernie had not capitulated to the Democratic/Clinton war machine, there would now be the very real beginnings of a viable third party. His new organization will bleed energy and money from those efforts now and a third party. He is splintering the progressive resistance. Don't let him do this. Do not contribute to any organization that is part of the corruption of the Democratic Party even if it is Bernie telling us to do so.

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If the Sanders supporters vote for Hillary, the revolution is over. Why would the Democrats give progressives anything? They know you'll fall in line out of fear.

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How many revolutions can we have in a year? What a waste of energy, enthusiasm, and momentum. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.

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That's hilarious - we need more humour.

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Psychopathy is not a political position, whether labeled 'conservatism', 'centrism' or 'left'.

A tin labeled 'coffee' may be a can of worms or pathology identified by a lack of empathy/willingness to harm others to achieve personal desires.

Just as Obama left the most important and urgent aspects of health care reform behind, suggesting that " we can improve it later", Bernie has compromised himself into a hole he will never be able to extract himself, or his revolution, from.

The deeply flawed version of reform we got with the ACA enshrined the corporate control of the provision of health care, making government run universal health care a quaint notion. Profit is now sacrosanct. In much the same way Sanders' capitulation, in the name of "Not Trump", to the Democratic Party strengthens the party and cleaves away a sizeable portion of Bernie's supporters to be subsumed in the maw of the party machine.

Today, the revolution is weaker and the Democratic Party is stronger, and no less evil. The revolution we need will NEVER emerge from the bowels of the Party. That would be like expecting Big Pharma and the AMA to get behind fully socialized health care, FREE TO ALL!

Sometimes, half a loaf is far worse than a shit sandwich. I am surprised Bernie doesn't seem to understand that "incrementalism" can easily become a tool to STOP progress dead in it's tracks.

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Capitalism is the extraordinary belief that the nastiest of men for the nastiest of motives will somehow work for the benefit of all."
- John Maynard Keynes

Sorry, I believe he does understand what he is doing. He is furthering the corralling of his supporters into the Democratic fold where the revolution will be so diluted and expectations set so low that "wins" the likes of the platform will be celebrated as success. The goal is to drain the money and energy that would have built a viable third party that would truly threaten to revolutionize our democracy for the American people and the people of the world.

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The goal is to drain the money and energy that would have built a viable third party that would truly threaten to revolutionize our democracy for the American people and the people of the world.

I have no problem believing it was the goal for the Democratic Party from the get go, but are you trying to suggest that Bernie was on board with it from the beginning? That Bernie was Hillary's stealth accomplice?

I am cynical enough to believe that Bernie has been subsumed into the Borg, but I don't believe for a second that that was his intention when he announced his run.

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Capitalism is the extraordinary belief that the nastiest of men for the nastiest of motives will somehow work for the benefit of all."
- John Maynard Keynes

Cassiodorus's picture

I was hoping for a conversation about the people who are ignoring his support of Clinton. Is there any effort, now, in Philadelphia, to organize those people?

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"The war on Gaza, backed by the West, is a demonstration that the West is willing to cross all lines. That it will discard any nuance of humanity. That it is willing to commit genocide" -- Moon of Alabama

even though he sees its flaws and has done his level best to upend the worst of it during this long, arduous campaign. People should not be surprised at the evil he's exposed, but if they are, they should at least acknowledge that Bernie has ALWAYS known it is there. He's been fighting the good fight since before the Kennedy assassination. He's seen it all. And yet he's gone to the House and the Senate and not only worked with scum politicians, he's actually been effective. The Amendment King has always done what he can. As he said yesterday, "Brothers and sisters, this is the world we live in."

I'm not dissing those of you who are simply too appalled to stay in the Dem Party or work with it in any way. I have my Green registration already completed and ready to mail the day the Mad Bomber receives her crown. I will not belong to a party she leads. HOWEVER, Bernie has always said he'd endorse her if she won. He has never misled anyone, and he has always kept his word. In my book, he's right up there with Thomas Jefferson and FDR. And they weren't perfect either.

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Twain Disciple

He appealed to his delegates to not protest on the convention floor. Protest is part of the fabric of our country, one of the few ways to make our voices heard, our duty as citizens in the face of corruption and lawlessness. Yet, Bernie tried to silence us for the optics? Bad PR? Please. He did his job well. There is no organized effort to create a third party - something that would be strong with activists and money if Bernie had truly led a "revolution" of the people against the very corruption he has now embraced. And nothing about the endless wars. This Russian bogey man latest meme is straight of the the PNAC playbook. I fear for all of us.

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Cassiodorus's picture

Let's get to work.

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"The war on Gaza, backed by the West, is a demonstration that the West is willing to cross all lines. That it will discard any nuance of humanity. That it is willing to commit genocide" -- Moon of Alabama

off the revolution, this is the email I received from him last night:

Our campaign has always been about a grassroots movement of Americans standing up and saying: "Enough is enough. This country and our government belong to all of us, not just a handful of billionaires."

I just finished speaking at the Democratic National Convention, where I addressed the historic nature of our grassroots movement and what's next for our political revolution.

I hope that I made you proud. I know that Jane and I are very proud of you.

Our work will continue in the form of a new group called Our Revolution. The goal of this organization will be no different from the goal of our campaign: we must transform American politics to make our political and economic systems once again responsive to the needs of working families.

We cannot do this alone. All of us must be a part of Our Revolution.

Join Our Revolution and help continue our critical work to create a government which represents all of us, and not just the 1 percent – a government based on the principles of economic, social, racial and environmental justice. Add your name here.

When we started this campaign a little more than a year ago, the media and the political establishment considered us to be a "fringe" campaign. Well, we're not fringe anymore.

Thanks to your tireless work and generous contributions, we won 23 primaries and caucuses with more than 13 million votes, all of which led to the 1900 delegates we have on the floor this week at the Democratic convention.

What we have done together is absolutely unprecedented, but there is so much more to do. It starts with defeating Donald Trump in November, and then continuing to fight for every single one of our issues in order to transform America.

We are going to fight to make sure that the most progressive platform in the history of the Democratic Party becomes law. This means working for a $15 federal minimum wage, fighting for a national fracking ban, and so many more progressive priorities.

The political revolution needs you in order to make all this happen and more.

Add your name to say that you will join Our Revolution and be part of the fight for our progressive vision for America.

Thank you for being a part of the continued political revolution.

In solidarity,

Bernie Sanders

Yes Bernie, you have made me proud.

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Phoebe Loosinhouse's picture

Our Revolution: What's next on Bernie Sanders' Horizon

Basically it boils down to three areas of concentration :Research/Education arm, Political arm, and Media arm.

That makes sense because those are definitely the three prongs of a long term strategy for change BUT if this effort is going to be put under a Democratic Party umbrella - I'm out. The Democratic Party is the party of lip service to progressive goals and then pragmatically dealing away the most important parts ala Obamacare. There is no hope for Change We Can Believe In within the Dem Party (My husband calls it Change We Can Find In Our Sofas). They've proved it over and over and over again.

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" “Human kindness has never weakened the stamina or softened the fiber of a free people. A nation does not have to be cruel to be tough.” FDR "

Doubt those Democratic locusts will leave any change in your sofa, once they get wind of it.

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I remain sad at our state of affairs. I am having trouble snapping out of it this time. I was waiting for a path forward...A party. I don't see one in the making and the D's are not going to change their money whoring ways. We don't need another progressive organization Bernie. We need a political party as a focal point. The Greens appear to be a part time organization...the WFP and others don't have a national effort.

Bernie set out to do what he said he would do. He told the D Party to not underestimate him and they did. In the end, they had to steal it from him. Fuck them and their dirty little champagne brunching, cocktail swilling club. They have been rubbing elbows with the elites for so long, they can't be bothered with us little people and our problems.

So I say this to you Sarah Silverman, Ben Jealous and Bernie. I am not the only one being ridiculous here, thinking we can change the D party to represent us and our values is your achilles heal.

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gulfgal98's picture

Speaks to me. I am normally a pretty upbeat while at the same time realistic person, but I am having problems seeing a way out this time. While Bernie did what he could, embracing Clinton in the way he did threw a big wet blanket over it for me. While I did not begrudge him from using the Democratic party as a ticket to the debates, I never wanted it to be changing the Democratic party from within. That is not what I call a political revolution, especially when it has been revealed in black and white that they conspired against him. He owed them nothing. And you cannot change corruption by embracing it.

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Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?

“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy

So I guess my Bernie Unsubscribe worked.
#neverhillary

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Warren, Biden, Blayh - I'm now reporting them as spam or phishing since they all want money and won't go away.

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"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon

Regarding this:

Bernie Sanders appears to be calling off the political revolution, oblivious to the notion that the Democratic Party is about to evict his supporters

He joined the Democrats, rallied folks to the cause, and is in a grand position to lead folks out the door with him to support a genuine third party candidate in four years. But not until after November.

If you are complaining that he is not acting now, I would suggest that the memory of the 2000 election burns hotter in some minds than others. He does not want to be, or be perceived to be, the man who got Trump elected.

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Cassiodorus's picture

Is the main thing prohibiting us from forming a party of our own that we are to be afraid of some sort of future urban legend like the one formed about Ralph Nader in 2000? (This commercial break was brought to you by Jim Hightower.)

Okay, I have to edit this comment further. The problem of course is that the Nader urban legend is going to be spread about in 2020 as well. It doesn't go away if you organize for realignment, or even if you refuse to do so.

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"The war on Gaza, backed by the West, is a demonstration that the West is willing to cross all lines. That it will discard any nuance of humanity. That it is willing to commit genocide" -- Moon of Alabama

We have more "new" third parties than I can count all with progressive in their name. If they aren't in the veal pen, they seem to be in a vacuum. If there was a serious effort to take down the two party system, I'd gladly climb aboard.

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"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon

If we all wait for a fait accomplis, we will never reach a "serious effort", whatever that means.

I'm not trying to be smart here, I know next to nothing about how to bring a disorganized grass roots mass through the green ceiling and into the light and glory of major party status. I suspect many others are equally clueless in that regard.

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Capitalism is the extraordinary belief that the nastiest of men for the nastiest of motives will somehow work for the benefit of all."
- John Maynard Keynes

Well, if Americans vote the Green Party in and help work to support and organize it as they go along, there will be much less upheaval than under the shift to off-shored corporate law under the corporate coup 'trade bills' - and the public's money can then be used for publicly funded elections in the process of repairing the country rather than further enriching the already wealthiest at an even higher rate.

Plus, the Green Party is less likely to use violent suppressive methods against those working toward building left-wing/actual democratic political parties than would the Clinton/Biden/other corporate Dem/Republican-TPP et al-enabled corporate interests/billionaires then directly making domestic law in all involved countries against any law or attempt at protecting people, animals or the environment on the grounds that this results in the potential reduction of their maximized potential future profits.

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Psychopathy is not a political position, whether labeled 'conservatism', 'centrism' or 'left'.

A tin labeled 'coffee' may be a can of worms or pathology identified by a lack of empathy/willingness to harm others to achieve personal desires.

Hoping to help get Jill Stein on the debate stage and to help keep our critical need to address the coming climate change trainwreck in view of the voting public. With no illusions about victory in the near future I feel compelled to try to do something useful.

D's and R' will continue to be an integral part of the problem, we need "more and better" Parties!

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Capitalism is the extraordinary belief that the nastiest of men for the nastiest of motives will somehow work for the benefit of all."
- John Maynard Keynes

Alphalop's picture

There is an obvious political vacuum when it comes to a left leaning party, and as our success has shown, as well as the polls, that +/- 70% of Americans agree with the progressive platform.

I expect us to see a dozen or more "New" progressive parties attempting to form in the coming months, so we are just going to have to evaluate them, see which is the most likely to come out on top and get behind helping it grow.

Unfortunately it's also going to take months for this to work itself out at the minimum.

So while I would LOVE To have a viable 3rd party ready to jump into the fray, it's not in the cards until 2018 a best.

There is absolutely support for a new progressive party, and if one can coalesce, focused primarily on those issues that we virtually all agree on, it will have a significant chance to be a contender in 2020.

We have about a year to get said party formed to run in 2018, if we focus our efforts on races with weak candidates on both sides of the ticket we can get our foot in the door so to speak.

If we hold even a few seats in the house of Representatives and several more at state level offices it will give us two things, credibility and as a bonus "Underdog" status. It may also serve to scare the Democrats into not promoting centrist candidates in 2020 if they lose a few seats to progressives in 2018.

People love supporting an underdog, particularly when their beliefs largely align.

None if this is going to happen fast, but we need to work hard to make it happen as fast as possible, because time truly is of the essence.

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"I used to vote Republican & Democrat, I also used to shit my pants. Eventually I got smart enough to stop doing both things." -Me

Cassiodorus's picture

But multiply their options!

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"The war on Gaza, backed by the West, is a demonstration that the West is willing to cross all lines. That it will discard any nuance of humanity. That it is willing to commit genocide" -- Moon of Alabama

If everyone votes against both evils and votes any Bernie miracle or Green Party, and is prepared to record all evidence of voter suppression and cheating and to join lawsuits and protests when it occurs, (according to something I read when grossly over-tired and now can't recall except vaguely, apparently it's possible, if the people of a country will not accept a cheated-in 'leader', to have him/her not recognized by the rest of the world, which perhaps someone currently up to research could look into?) the corporate parties can be reduced (edit: to irrelevance, or eliminated, as being self-interests, not actual democratic political parties.)

But political corruption must always be crushed as it appears, something we in wealthy democracies have always been too complacent about, so this will be an ongoing battle and we must be forever watchful hereafter, so that it never becomes 'the way things are' again.

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Psychopathy is not a political position, whether labeled 'conservatism', 'centrism' or 'left'.

A tin labeled 'coffee' may be a can of worms or pathology identified by a lack of empathy/willingness to harm others to achieve personal desires.

The walkout will happen, with or without him. He should have used that to leverage superdelegates over to his side. The memory of 2000 DOES burn hotter in the minds of some and you can guarantee that the super delegates take that lesson seriously. Bernie plays hard ball, the super delegates have to seriously consider switching their votes to him.

He caved. I'm disappointed.

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shaharazade's picture

of Sanders delegates in the works. I hope it does happen, not all of them will join but some just might. I read about it yesterday on fb early yesterday and then fb apparently blocked OWS one of the groups organizing the walkout. Today I found a call to action on fb. from Counter Punch. It's written by Kshama Sawant the socialist from Seattle. Maybe this will happen as Occupy, Movement4Bernie and Bernie or Bust are behind this.

I highly recommend reading the whole article it's excellent. I wish here in Portland we had someone this articulate and smart to vote for as city supervisor. Instead we have Vichy corporate corrupt Dems. posing as 'progressives'

http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/07/26/a-call-to-action-walk-out-from-th...

A Call to Action

Delegates have been organizing for just such a walkout action, and there is the potential for several hundred delegates to collectively walk out. This will take real courage. The convention is a huge, scripted spectacle with a carefully chosen procession of Democratic nobility, including people like Michelle Obama and Elizabeth Warren. But this year, perhaps in recognition of the political uprising that has taken place, the Democratic leadership has gone so far as to give the event a populist veneer, with some workers and activists also speaking. The scale and intimidating character of the 50,000 person event will no doubt have a psychological impact. and people are trying to organize this walk out.

.......One of the most common arguments being made against the walkout is that delegates will somehow abandon their chance to fight for Bernie’s politics and lose their voice by leaving. But the walkout will happen well after the platform and nomination votes are over. After the nomination roll call, the convention becomes ever more purely ceremonial, undemocratic, and scripted: The Hillary Show™

She also provides a great argument against the Trump RW hysteria going around. I have been berated, insulted and blamed all over the place online and off for saying I will not vote for the Mad Bomber.

As genuine reactions to the horror show of last week’s Republican National Convention already suggest, fear of Donald Trump will drive many votes in November. The danger of right-wing populism is all too real, but also for that reason it would be completely counterproductive to support Clinton and the DNC.

Over the past decades, effectively unchallenged by the left, the Democratic establishment has joined the Republicans in carrying out the neoliberal project, differing more in degree than direction.

If the 99% continues to support neoliberal politicians on a lesser-evil basis, it will only create more space for right-wing populism, as we have seen in other countries. This year, failure to stand up to the DNC would mean the anti-establishment space would be thrown wide open to right-wing candidates like Donald Trump and Libertarian Gary Johnson. Already, Johnson has received 9% in some polls. This would be a disaster, and millions of anti-establishment votes for Trump and Johnson could help create an ongoing base for right-populism and potential for a new right-wing party, like the National Front in France. The danger was already shown after 2009 by the rise of the Tea Party, when the right exploited the genuine fury at the Wall Street bailouts to build a new political force, while the left was busy making excuses for Obama.

We absolutely need to defeat the right but this requires a serious strategy. To succeed we will need to build the strongest possible movements completely independent of both parties of Wall Street. We will need to build our own mass political party of the 99%, that will work alongside those movements, rather than against them.

Here's the link to Occupy's Q&A regarding the walkout

https://www.facebook.com/notes/occupy-wall-st/dnc-walkout-qa/11867642780...

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[,...] If you walk out of the Democratic National Convention after the roll call vote, in protest of a system in which open lawsuits regarding a very tight primary election are still open, you will be our modern day heroes.

We have a choice right now between more of the same and an honest political revolution. Which will you choose? Are you ready to walk as our heroes for democracy? Our revolution does not belong to the oligarchs.
Be a chapter in our people's history, do not settle as a footnote in theirs.

A Call to Action: It’s Time to Walk Out on the DNC
Thanks

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Cassiodorus's picture

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"The war on Gaza, backed by the West, is a demonstration that the West is willing to cross all lines. That it will discard any nuance of humanity. That it is willing to commit genocide" -- Moon of Alabama

Yes, indeed, and yet again, for unmpteenth time, thanks, Cassiodorus!

The corporate parties are trying to stampede The People off a cliff while hoping they won't notice that 2nd off-ramp from disaster just off to the left. Starve the insatiable predators of your votes and put them where they'll actually act to help save us all!

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Psychopathy is not a political position, whether labeled 'conservatism', 'centrism' or 'left'.

A tin labeled 'coffee' may be a can of worms or pathology identified by a lack of empathy/willingness to harm others to achieve personal desires.

shaharazade's picture

in the tradition of this site some peoples music. The devils on the loose is right. Wake up people Bernie's not a savior he's a pol. A good one but all the same a sheep dog for the 'lesser evil' who in reality is a lot scarier then the Hairball. the real revolution has nothing to do with 'victories for compromise or incremental bs. This movement will not go away. Whichever psycho gets elected it will only grow. first people need to quit being so frightened of real change. A empty pocketful of hope is not a political revolution it's a con. I already did this bait and switch because fear routine, it's ridiculous to fall for it again and again. Enough is Enough.

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