The Progressive Way Ahead [Edited with c99 link]

Let's sum up, shall we?

The Democratic Party is dead to progressives. As Chomsky says, today's DP is full of moderate Republicans. As with top, my advice is grieve it, but leave it. Bernie will not be the nominee, even if Clinton is indicted.
The neolibs now clearly see the danger from the left. Smiling Joe Biden will get himself drafted or they'll nominate Nero's horse rather than accept Bernie. Say this to yourself: "The Democratic Party of my youth is dead. I accept this."

[Edit: Joe shikspack posted the link to his 2015 essay on a platform for a new progressive party.
http://caucus99percent.com/content/im-nobody-and-you-can-be-too-0
It makes for a great new party identity discussion at c99 meet-ups and so much more.
I recommend reading it.]

The way ahead is two-fold. More below.

First, there is the little matter of neocon neolib fascism having taken over America. Stay with the adjectives, folks, they're no acronyms, just abbreviations :=) The only way to stop it, this not being 1980 anymore is MASS NONVIOLENT RESISTANCE (NVR). In the STREETS.
I thought I'd say that loudly and proudly :=)

We are living in the time of Desmond Tutu, Mahatma Gandhi, Vaclav Havel, and the colour revolutions.

You folks need to take out your red, white, and blues, put on your comfy shoes and a jaunty hat and pretend its the 60s again. You need to physically meet with the Bernie youth of your neighbourhood and together get out into the street.
We Canadians need to do the same, except for the blue bit. The weather here regularly gives us free blue bits :=)
And you need to learn how to do mass NVR in the streets. Think carnival, people. No reason the Brazilians should have all the fun. Show some wrinkly skin; live a little :=)
Practice now and create a helluva party outside the Dem and GOP conventions. Treat them equally. For they are the same, eh.
Take that learning and party in the streets until Nov 4.
Then we see where we are.

Second, you need a new political home.
I know just the one: The American Progressive Party.
That's the one c99 could help found.

Organize meet-ups like DMW and the Portland folks did recently.
Make sure that the Bernie youth in your local community attend.
Have a beer. Or two. Found a party. Well, a draft resolution calling for one.
Don't worry about the technical details. Later expertise can work on that. Nerds need work!
Post the resolution here on c99. Collate all the meet-ups and their resolutions.
Turn c99 into a cauldron of political creativity.
Connect with other progressive groups.
Connect with youth everywhere. You need a ratio of one wrinkly old hippie to 10 Bernie youth of whatever colour hair.

Next thing you know, you've done it :=)

What? You think the revolutionary founders were more professional? The only difference is that they had classical educations and so were more articulate than us. And the men wore pantyhose and funny hats :=)

The path is two-fold because you need both:
mass NVR to overthrow the fascist takeover of your country AND
you need a new progressive political home for the Berners to inhabit in 2017.

The time is now. There is no "good time" for any of this. Did you perhaps have anything more urgent to do? They've already made you a slave. You're either a wage slave or a dependent slave or a beaten down slave or a written off slave.

But I have a lot to lose? Really. Cue historical examples.
But I am too tired and too scared. Help will come, once you commit to the struggle.
But I'm a talker, not a doer. Then talk. Not fkn here :=) Write things for those who do. Do the unseen logistical work that really makes the difference.

Remember this: 5 November is coming. Whether you do nothing or something. There is no way out and there is nowhere to hide and here there are no cliches untouched :=)

But seriously. Bad people are coming to do bad things to you and yours in 2017.
Accept this or remain a slave for the rest of your life and the life of your children and grandchildren.
Unless we make a stand for democracy and justice and our habitat.

Bad people are coming for you and yours. Not for the undocumented or for the outcasts. For you and yours.
Remember your history. Remember what Martin Niemöller said about the German intellectuals during the rise of the National Socialist Party.

I don't think it's overly dramatic to say this does apply to us right now.

First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Socialist.

Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.

Bad people are coming for you and yours.
Where do you stand? Comments welcome.

Peace be with us, if we take to the streets and the meeting hall in nonviolent resistance,
gerrit

PS: To joe - I thought fuckit, why not, mate :=)

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tapu dali's picture

They've already made you a slave. You're either a wage slave or a dependent slave or a beaten down slave or a written off slave.

The Iroqouis to their captives:

Entweder Sklaverei oder Tod.

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There are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns – the ones we don't know we don't know.

mimi's picture

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tapu dali's picture

unpleasant as well, I was told.

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There are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns – the ones we don't know we don't know.

Gerrit's picture

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Resilience: practical action to improve things we can control.
3D+: developing language for postmodern spirituality.

Not Henry Kissinger's picture

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The current working assumption appears to be that our Shroedinger's Cat system is still alive. But what if we all suspect it's not, and the real problem is we just can't bring ourselves to open the box?

tapu dali's picture

I was, many years ago, on a tour of Iroquois country in Muskoka with a German tour bus (long story, don't ask) and I remember the tour guide's explanation of their manners and customs.

One of them was the prisoners of war had the choice of slavery or death.

Just happened to bring back an old memory.

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There are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns – the ones we don't know we don't know.

lotlizard's picture

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Gerrit's picture

hope you have a great day, my friend :=)

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Resilience: practical action to improve things we can control.
3D+: developing language for postmodern spirituality.

lotlizard's picture

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Why did the Iroquois speak Swedish/German to their captors?

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GreyWolf's picture

Did you see About That Post-Bernie Movement on CounterPunch?

(As an aside, I live in N. Charleston, SC, there really aren't any Bernie people around, and all this state's Electoral Votes will go to Trump ... I have a friend who lives in Stockholm and I'm thinking of going and visiting him again ... He was obviously the smart one, left here after college and is now a Swedish citizen.)

Take care

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GreyWolf's picture

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tapu dali's picture

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There are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns – the ones we don't know we don't know.

lotlizard's picture

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Gerrit's picture

the same from the Green Party position. It is a viable option, should Bernie promote it in September.

I think though, that "new" is a huge enthusiasm generator, as all marketers know and exploit :=)
"New" is also a psychological morale booster: people feel they have broken free and started afresh in an "all things are possible now" mood. Enjoy your day, mate,

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Resilience: practical action to improve things we can control.
3D+: developing language for postmodern spirituality.

He likes Sweden. His girl is from Belguim, currently lives in London. They are having a transcontinental relationship. Does your friend have dual citizenship or did he denounce his American citizenship? I can get my grandson dual citizenship with Italy. Really wish there was an American firm to discuss strategies with. What are the options and benefits.

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

joe shikspack's picture

some time ago, before the mass arrivals occurred, i started working on a platform for a progressive party, it's here.

it is far from complete, but it could be added to and amended as needed if folks had a mind to.

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Gerrit's picture

read joe's essay and let's discuss, eh.

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Resilience: practical action to improve things we can control.
3D+: developing language for postmodern spirituality.

Lookout's picture

Not to say having alternate plans isn't a good idea, but let's see how things play out. We still have a month. June 14 is the last primary in DC with 20 delegates at stake. There are 781 delegates left and Bernie is 276 behind. It is difficult, but I'm still trying. We need 68% of the remaining delegates, and/or the supers to wake up. They might see it as self preservation. It is a dream...but it always has been a dream. They never thought we would get this far. Two months till the convention is an eternity in politics.

The breaking through power meetings next week might be helpful too.

This “Civic Mobilization” will involve thousands of people at Constitution Hall and around the country and connect long-available knowledge to long-neglected action for the necessities and aspirations of people from all backgrounds. Many of the presentations will feature reforms and redirections for the common good enjoy Left/Right support.

Breaking Through Power: How it’s Done—May 23, 2016 will feature presentations by seventeen citizen advocacy groups. Over decades these activists have produced amazing accomplishments against powerful odds. These civic leaders will demonstrate how, with modest budgets and stamina, they have improved the health, safety and economic well-being of the people and focused public opinion onto decision-makers and opponents. Through greater visibility, broader support and wider emulation, they will present their future missions and show that it can be “easier than we think” to make major changes. For the first time ever, this diverse group of fighters for justice will be assembled together on stage at Constitution Hall and show that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts when fighting for a broader democratic society. The presenters will appraise what levels of citizen organization is necessary to fulfill these broadly-desired missions.

Breaking Through Power: The Media—May 24, 2016, brings together also for the first time a large gathering of authors, documentary filmmakers, reporters, columnists, musicians, poets and editorial cartoonists. All of these presenters have documented or depicted entrenched wrongdoing by the corporate state or “crony capitalism”—the cruel impacts of corporate crimes and abuses, the absence of governmental law enforcement, and the harmful effects of concentrated corporate power.

The speakers all seek wider audiences for their works: more readers, viewers and listeners. Unfortunately the mass media barons prefer to wallow in incessant advertising, hedonistic entertainment, sports and mind-numbing redundancy. The result is what many observers see as the stupefaction of human intelligence. A major purpose of Day Two is the creation of a “Voices” advocacy organization that puts forces in motion to inject serious programming into the over-the-air and cable networks under a revitalized Communications Act of 1934 and generally champion a greater life of the mind on all media.

Breaking Through Power: War—May 25, 2016 is dedicated to enhancing the waging of peace over the waging of war. We will assemble leading scholars having military and national security backgrounds, veterans groups such as Veterans for Peace, and long-time peace advocacy associations, to explain how peace is more powerful than war. The speakers will address the horrors of war, its huge costs here and abroad to innocents and the weakening blowbacks of Empire amidst a collapse of constitutional and international law. One outcome of this day will be the establishment of a Secretariat comprised of current and former top-level military, national security and diplomatic officials who have spoken truth to reckless power. If organized for quick responses, their credibility, experience and wisdom can resist and prevent the kind of prevaricating pressures and unilateral policies that drove the unlawful destruction of Iraq, Libya and beyond.

Breaking Through Power: Congress—May 26, 2016 will unveil a new Civic Agenda to be advanced by engaged and enraged citizens in each Congressional district. The Civic Agenda includes recognized necessities ignored by Congress for decades. The planks of this Civic Agenda will be presented by nationally-recognized advocates—a veritable brain trust for the well-being of present and future generations. Each speaker will present the substance of each demand, which will be conveyed to their members of Congress via organized “Citizen Summons” in each Congressional District. Revitalizing the people to assert their sovereignty under our Constitution is critical to the kind of government, economy, environment and culture that will fulfill human possibilities and respect posterity.

As always, I appreciate your thoughts Gerrit!

still with Bernie.jpg

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

Shahryar's picture

We need 68% of the remaining delegates, and/or the supers to wake up. They might see it as self preservation.

They are not thinking about preserving some philosophy that we would recognize as essential to what being a Democrat means. The only preservation they're interested in is the gravy train, their own way of life.

Our main hope (I think) is that Hillary says something so outrageous that everyone runs away from her. It would have to be an "Uncle Don" moment. Use your imagination!

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Is meaningless now. The establishment parties are corrupt beyond salvation. Bernie should go third party.

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tapu dali's picture

Internal power for them is more important.

Besides, if they actually won too much (WH, HoR, and Sen) they might actually have to govern! Can't have that: much easier to complain about the obstructionist Repubs.

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There are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns – the ones we don't know we don't know.

LeChienHarry's picture

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You may choose to look the other way, but you can never say again you did not know. ~ William Wiberforce

If you can donate, please! POP Money is available for bank-to-bank transfers. Email JtC to make a monthly donation.

riverlover's picture

I am teaching my dog voice commands in French. My elementary French, I can still read it in the right frame of mind without translating word-for-word, and Non, ici, allons y, arrete is OK, our secret language.

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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.

Gerrit's picture

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Resilience: practical action to improve things we can control.
3D+: developing language for postmodern spirituality.

Gerrit's picture

support and work for Bernie all along. We look at it from an "and/and" perspective, eh. Have a great day, my wise friend :=)

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Resilience: practical action to improve things we can control.
3D+: developing language for postmodern spirituality.

earthling1's picture

If we can unite we can divide and conquer .

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Neither Russia nor China is our enemy.
Neither Iran nor Venezuela are threatening America.
Cuba is a dead horse, stop beating it.

Gerrit's picture

day, my friend,

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Resilience: practical action to improve things we can control.
3D+: developing language for postmodern spirituality.

You may have something there. Gandhi certainly had his share of rough, dangerous confrontations with those in positions of power. But I have the idea that he also fostered a somewhat joyful movement. You seem to be intimating something along those lines. I think many would approve of something like that. Somewhere today I read how badly we are all running out of time though. There is that element of time which throws a monkey wrench into things.

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lotlizard's picture

then they fight you, in the meantime man-made global heating takes down civilization and things decay into barbarity . . .

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in barbarity. Perhaps it deserves to come down.
But barbarity itself always has to be steadfastly resisted. No matter what.

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Gerrit's picture

It's a political revolution after all. It should be an outpouring of red,white, and blue love of country and justice and restoring democracy. There should be music and dancing and laughing along with pressing for real change. Think of something along the lines of flower power meets the colour revolutions. Have a great day, mate :=)

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Resilience: practical action to improve things we can control.
3D+: developing language for postmodern spirituality.

Gerrit and all.
I think we have a micro-model of just what you are talking about at c99%. Now the effort can be to expand on that in multiple ways. Thanks as always for your uplifting ideas.

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Samuel Adams was a believer in the "Have a beer. Or two. Found a party" theory of fomenting Revolution. Whatever works, I guess.

Kind of changes the thoughts about InBev wanting to rename Budweiser to "America", doesn't it?

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Vowing To Oppose Everything Trump Attempts.

Gerrit's picture

political revolution :=) Picture mass street parties, carnival-style, huge Sam Adams icons everywhere!
Have a great day, my friend,

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Resilience: practical action to improve things we can control.
3D+: developing language for postmodern spirituality.

JayRaye's picture

I'm still supporting Bernie with my automatic monthly donation and some extra when I can.

But NOW is definitely the time to start planning something new. A new party is desperately needed.

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Never be deceived that the rich will allow you to vote away their wealth.-Lucy Parsons

Gerrit's picture

Bernie without slack. And we have to create a new progressive party and take to the streets in mass nonviolent resistance. We can multitask :=) Enjoy your day, my friend,

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Resilience: practical action to improve things we can control.
3D+: developing language for postmodern spirituality.

Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

And when my left arm can sustain a day of typing, I am *all over* talking here about how to do this.

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"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha

"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver

Gerrit's picture

real concerning, mate. I live in the back pain world, but at least it doesn't affect my two typing fingers! Yikes, an arm pain that inhibits your use is a serious thing. I hope you have some treatment for this, my friend.

Have you considered, apart from the pain and it's treatment, dictation software? I think my mac can just do it, although I dunno how. But my son has a pc and he uses Dragon Dictate. Maybe it would help on days when the pain is real bad?

I look forward to you being able to talk more about how to do this. I'm not good with that so much. I'm a gambler with fate: I just plunge in and do it, hoping to figure stuff out with the help of friends along the way :=) Sometimes that works; other times I just end up in a hopeless mess! We need some folks with insight and so I look forward to your input, mate. I hope you get better soon. Take care, eh,

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Resilience: practical action to improve things we can control.
3D+: developing language for postmodern spirituality.

Haikukitty's picture

Yes, its expensive, but we have millions of people who have repeatedly donated $27 Biggrin and that has added up to millions and millions of dollars. If we could harness that, perhaps getting involved with Brand New Congress, or perhaps separately, we could get that party registered nationally.

I like the Green party - but I think the perception is that its too narrowly focused - even though it isn't. But the other reason is that too many conservative working class people have been brainwashed against anything "green." I think there is far more overlap between the working class on the right, left, and independents than people suspect. The new party should stress income inequality, getting money out of politics, and reducing the power of corporations over communities, tax code FAIRNESS vs. taxing the rich - these are things that pretty much all sides can agree on.

I actually like the name American Independent Party - but apparently that's taken - but something like that that isn't going to automatically scare away potential allies. If we're going to do something like this, it should be engineered to appeal to the widest possible range of people. And while I think the platform should definitely be progressive, again too many people have been brainwashed against the term Progressive. This is where marketing comes in: something like American Liberty Party (not that I'm suggesting this, but just as an example) is going to speak to the working class on the right, libertarians and independents, and can be tolerated by the left if the platform is progressive, where something like American Progressive Party will alienate everyone but the left. The platform can still be progressive, but we need to move away from these polarizing labels that have been so successfully used to divide and weaken us. This is what the GOP has done so successfully with their Freedom Caucus and Tea Party nonsense, and we should learn from what works.

New American Party... something sort of generic like that, would be the most likely to appeal to the most people.

I found this website from, apparently, the 1990s which actually has quite a bit of good information on starting a new political party. This could actually be done, if we could manage to keep the Bernie supporters engaged and mobilized. I'd love for Bernie to encourage it, but I don't know that he would. But we would need someone to keep the movement together.

http://www.holisticpolitics.org/NewParty/NewPartyManual.php

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Gerrit's picture

we need much more of practical thinking.

Thanks for the marketing insight: you're right, the word "progressive" would just be a rabbit hole. You'd need something generic, that makes a nice abbreviation.

And I agree, the Greens are too (wrongly) pigeonholed. Besides, they have their insider stuff too.

Quelle surprise! A manual for starting a new party!!! But, of course. Think of this:
We have the example of the successful Portland c99 meet-up;
Joe shikspack has written a progressive platform;
you just provided a manual for starting a new party!

All this in just one day. Imagine what we could do in a week :=) Or a month :=) Or by 4 Nov :=)
Thanks very much; have a great evening, my friend,

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Resilience: practical action to improve things we can control.
3D+: developing language for postmodern spirituality.