Priorities and Focus: How to Not Have The Progressive's Version of "Stockholm Syndrome" Starting RIGHT NOW

Hello, I want you to click me for a moment and spend a minute watching my patterns and habits... I am here: https://www.berniepb.com

What did you see?

...

I saw small slivers of hope, but I also saw a lot of apathy and despair. We've grown tired in the home stretch. We've grown angry, too angry to act. It's time to change that.

I see that apathy, despair, and even anger on this site. It makes me sad. We are pissed off that Clinton has stolen one election after another, that she is unfit to be dog catcher, let alone president, that the media is rigged and serves as no less than the fourth branch of government, infiltrating peoples' minds and shaping their understanding of reality as well as their priorities, that the establishment has gotten a little too big for its britches and has turned to lobbyist monies over human interests (your interests, your families' interests, the interests of all those you care about), that the Democratic Party under DWS doesn't give a single fuck about you, that they are setting up to rig the convention so that Bernie's delegates are going to be unheard, that social media you once loved is now filled with fork-tongued sycophants speaking weasel words and profiting off of your good-faith contributions, that there are no jobs or the ones out there don't pay enough or are insecure and could be shipped off to someplace else, that Wall Street is more important than Main Street, that college is not viable or affordable, that housing is not viable or affordable, that 1% of the people own 99% of the wealth and no one is stepping up to that as our world shifts into full global multinational capitalist hegemonic control, that you can't afford to go to the doctor or when you can, there are no doctors still in business because the private insurance market has caused them to shut their doors, that the war on drugs is even a thing, that black and brown people are being gunned down by people in this nation or put onto the rail to jail so that by sixteen years old, they're already part of the system, and if they escape the system, they might be allowed to make a minimum wage that will never let them afford to live (and neither will your kids, even if college educated), that people talk about building a bigger wall between our nation and another great nation filled with people whose lives our corporations (Monsanto) and trade deals (NAFTA) have decimated, that we are scared of the Other, that we don't fund HIV research properly, that we let drug companies ask exorbitant prices for medications we need on a daily basis, that Americans die of hunger, that people in other countries are killed by our troops in needless wars, that the NSA is tapping phones, that the government no longer cares about its own national security as it lets secretaries of state set up some Tinker Toys style network system which can be hacked by some dude in Romania sitting in his mom's house probably freely distributing this stuff on the Deep Web where it's being resold to Putin for $20 a pop, that we're paying to help other peoples' wars, that we're even thinking about BushCo still because "Iraq represents a hopeful business interest" for America in 2016, that we're still thinking about Henry Fucking Kissinger, that Native Americans have been totally screwed and no one cares, that we've colonized Puerto Rico and no one cares, that everything is fucked up, from common core to end of life care. And that Clinton supporters DARE say you're a racist, sexist, violent "bro" for caring about any and all of this! And that you can't even smoke a joint to cope with a world like this without risking being taken to jail...

So what do you see? https://www.berniepb.com

That's a push back against everything I just wrote above; that is the magical doorway out.

So are you pushing back, OR are you sitting there filled with angst, rage, and despair, typing into the void where seventy people will read your anger, and you will falsely believe you've helped the problem because "now I feel better." Actually, it's not about you and your therapy, sorry. The whole country is broken. The whole world is broken. They want Bernie elected. We want Bernie elected. And the government we have right now is not going to fix it. But guess what? Bernie Sanders will try to fix EVERY THING I JUST TYPED.

But Bernie needs your help. America needs your help. The whole goddamned world needs your help. So…

Click this link: https://go.berniesanders.com/page/content/phonebank

And make ten phone calls. When you are done, make ten more.

- The clock is ticking.

- The clock is ticking.

- Did you notice, we just moved forward again in time? The clock is ticking.

Every call you make TODAY is a point of resistance against what the media is pushing. People aren't like us. They DO NOT KNOW. People ARE low information voters. People are disengaged. People are in the thrall of false consciousness. Help them! Do not sit, navel-gazing and feeling good about your righteous anger! HELP PEOPLE! It is common sense.

You can make choices. You are agent. You have free will. Right now, you may select option A: continue to type pointlessly online for hours so that I feel better, I feel I've vented and now I am (falsely) at peace (while Clinton steals the nomination with paid people making calls) or option B: click the link, pick up the phone, and make a connection with even ONE person who will vote today, or if you are really wanting to help, connect with AS MANY PEOPLE AS YOU CAN to try to HELP THE ENTIRE NATION.

Because we can still thread the needle, and Sanders can still win. It is not impossible. I'm sure Luke Skywalker did not feel very assured before he blew up the Death Star either. But he didn't back down. Insert your favorite hero in that same scenario, and go be a hero for today so you can know that you fought well and hard for JUSTICE and a better America and a better world.

Go make calls for Bernie. The sands of the hourglass are almost run out now. This is it. There is nothing after this.

https://go.berniesanders.com/page/content/phonebank

Connect with people.

- This is more powerful than the media.

- This is more powerful than what they read online.

- This is more powerful than ten thousand David Brocks or some meta-drama or some bad news article.

- Do not give up. ACT. TAKE POWER. BE PART OF THE CHANGE. NOW!

-----------------------------------------

Typed with great love as I head out to canvass for Bernie Sanders today.

Do not let this message get drowned out by endless drama and scandal and meta. Never, ever, ever turn your back on the ocean! WE CAN STILL PUT UP A FIGHT, and that fight is right in your hands, as you hold your PHONE and DIAL IT NOW.

FORWARD!!!!!! Don't let the Neoliberals shit on us. Fight back! FIGHT! FIGHT FOR IT! Be a part of the Revolution! Don't take it lying down! This is a war; politics is a full-contact sport. The revolution will not be televised but it will start over the phone, and it will start today.

We have to break our habit of treating ourselves like we Progressive's have some weird version of Stockholm Syndrome and take back our own power.

So grab your phone. There. Now you have power. Click the link. There. Now you are free. Call. And suddenly, everyone else is free too. Time to do what needs to really happen to get where we are trying to go, which we have to do together.

I'm here for a little while if you have ANY questions.

cross-posted from: https://www.reddit.com/r/Kossacks_for_Sanders/comments/4lh3ri/okay_regro...

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You've worked hard this election season, MO, and I appreciate it. Thanks for being a motivator and a leader.

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mahakali overdrive's picture

If I cannot motivate, if Bernie cannot motivate, if we cannot self-motivate, there is a fundamental problem with US.

We should all move, not spend too much time navel-gazing or embroiled in meta. There is a time and a place for each. Now is about exigence.

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“It is not the slumber of reason that engenders monsters, but vigilant and insomniac rationality.” -- Gilles Deleuze

20 more tomorrow, and 20 more Monday. Here in ABQ I've seen 15 or 20 Bernie bumper stickers to every one for Hillary or Trump. One of them is mine, of course. And I've had too many conversations about Bernie to count, with some converts hopefully made.

This is the candidate I've waited decades for, so I won't give up. The issues he's put on the table, and the grassroots political movement he's helped move forward -- those are more important, and I hope we can all figure out ways to move those forward in the months and years to come.

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Please help support caucus99percent!

mahakali overdrive's picture

I used to live up in Taos Smile I love NM. Still have a million friends out there and a family member. You're so right that Bernie is a special candidate (I normally don't get involved in presidential elections). I hope things change from here on out too. Thanks for calling! That's what Bernie asks us to do and what will make the difference.

Enjoy the Land of Enchantment. I'm overdue for a visit something fierce.

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“It is not the slumber of reason that engenders monsters, but vigilant and insomniac rationality.” -- Gilles Deleuze

I live in ABQ and my husband and I are restoring a house in Jemez Canyon. Would love to meet you and help you enjoy your visit.

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mahakali overdrive's picture

I'll be out that way at some point again, no doubt. I go every few years. It's been a while now. We're overdue. Such a wonderful place. I love it there. I would also love to meet you, definitely, so in a year or however long, I will not forget the invite. Thank you for the hospitality! Reciprocated if you are ever in the CA North Bay/Wine Country area…!

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“It is not the slumber of reason that engenders monsters, but vigilant and insomniac rationality.” -- Gilles Deleuze

I grew up in Marin, but don't get along with family still there so I usually steer clear. (Long story...). Meeting you would be a good reason to get back there.

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Please help support caucus99percent!

Thank you, MO! And THANK YOU for jumping in after The Edict and starting the Reddit/Kossacks for Sanders site and pushing for ACTION NOW!

And THANK YOU for staying in your chair for eight hours live-blogging the Nevada Convention events, and following up by collecting every possible piece of evidence out there for NO CHAIRS THROWN and NO ACTUAL VIOLENCE.

I live with lots of limitations (many of them having to do with poverty), and those limitations make it impossible to phonebank. But I'll tell you what I will do: I've been wishing for some time that I could make a donation to Bernie -- but poverty, ya know. However, right now it's nearly the end of the month and all expenses are paid and I don't have to buy groceries for a couple of weeks and my SocSec 'payday' is only a week away and it's Bernie & Jane's anniversary -- so I'll go back over to LD's BNR donation page and help Bernie a little.

Thanks for all you've done to empower this movement! Keep Bernin'!

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mahakali overdrive's picture

Cronewit, thank you for your recognition of the NV liveblog. It's funny because I even went back through and re-read it, and I literally said I was surprised that there was NO VIOLENCE several times during the liveblog. Liveblogging is a fun thing for me - I've always tried to do it when something seems important. That was such a strange moment. Very disenchanting. Thank you for reading the liveblog! I think I should compile it all in one document, sincerely, but now it seems like it's largely blown over, so unsure.

There were definitely no chairs thrown. Dear Lord, there would have been instant arrests. I counted about two dozen police officers present at any given time. It was just a swiftboat, plain and simple. It was the SECOND swiftboat attempt that day, by the way. The first was a phony charge of a fight which was a heart attack.

And Andrew Davey, the person who reported "the chair," guess who HE is? Ha-ha! He has such ties, you wouldn't believe it. I did some research into him and his connections. He's a Kossack from 2005 who went to NN and still knows folks on their masthead, a friend of Roberta Lange's, and a Clinton volunteer for her campaign from '08. He posts under two names online: atdleft and atdnext. Some sites are scrubbed, but I can still access them and see… and I have a photo of him with Dolores Huerta of the "English Only" smear. Hmm… sound fishy yet? He is. I've not even written that story up yet in entirety. So you read it here first.

Glad to see everyone going here and happy to be at Kossacks_for_Sanders too. I do NOT want us to scatter. I want us to stick together, as there is strength in our numbers. We must not be dead-enders, whatever we do. We need to remain engaged in a real way and build a coalition to be reckoned with.

Much love to you, always! Thanks for feeling the movement! I understand about the money situation; just sorry to hear it's not just me.

x0

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“It is not the slumber of reason that engenders monsters, but vigilant and insomniac rationality.” -- Gilles Deleuze

(I always think of future scholars), although you may be to caught up in urgent matters for a while yet. Nobody has written about Davey yet.

Although some are still pushing the 'violence' meme, responsible sites are now using 'rowdy' and 'raucus' as their descriptors -- which I find acceptable.

I was heartened to see this week that USA Today ran a 'what really happened' article that left the distorted meme behind and explained the facts. In my experience, what USA Today writes is what most ordinary folks end up believing.

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jwa13's picture

set up a PayPal account and I will donate to the Bernies in your name -- (I believe I can do that?). If not, maybe a GoFundMe page that you could turn over to the Berners?

Don't be shy - this is important - and because of your passion, you need to be associated with this --

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When Cicero had finished speaking, the people said “How well he spoke”.
When Demosthenes had finished speaking, the people said “Let us march”.

Sandino's picture

bundling contributions under someone else's name will not really serve any useful purpose, and will probably bump into legal requirements.

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But I don't see the need to set up a PayPal account.

I donated last night through LD's BNR ActBlue account. I didn't see a way to make a donation 'in honor' of someone.

Mary Baker Eddy, founder of Christian Science, said 'Thoughts are Things'. I agree with her on that, and I believe that the focussed intention of a Good Thought works in real ways to shape the universe.

So if you are moved to make an additional donation 'in honor' of me, I'm sure your Good Thought will accompany your gift.

Thank you!

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Mary Michele's picture

That's the whole point of this political revolution...that it's going to take each and every one of us to get this done. This is only the beginning and phone banking is something we can do NOW.

Next may come phone trees in our precincts or counties. Organizing techniques to get everyone to call, write, show up at our local congressional office to let our representative know that we want legislation passed/stopped.

If we show up, speak out, DO SOMETHING, and do it in large numbers all over this country, we will accomplish a lot of Bernie's agenda. We will get there faster if Sanders is President, but get there we will.

This political revolution is about being actively involved at whatever level you are able.

Thank YOU, MO...You are a great Incentivizer! (which may or may not be a word, but you get my gist)

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mahakali overdrive's picture

You are a pretty great incentivizer too, you know! I felt inspired just now reading your reply! Smile Smile Smile So thank YOU.

In the future, we will remember who we were, what we did, and what we each contributed. We will always remember that about each other and also, about ourselves. I like Sanders' idea of "together" so much. Keep on!

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“It is not the slumber of reason that engenders monsters, but vigilant and insomniac rationality.” -- Gilles Deleuze

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mahakali overdrive's picture

so many, many, many inspiring words, ms. lafeminista.

Great to see you!

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“It is not the slumber of reason that engenders monsters, but vigilant and insomniac rationality.” -- Gilles Deleuze

I saw a pretty cool map, all those arrows arching into California. I am old and not up for phone banking. I did kick in another 50 bucks yesterday. I may be running close to my limit.

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Bisbonian's picture

It looks all the world like nukes being launched at cities in California, and exploding, sending out shock waves.

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"I’m a human being, first and foremost, and as such I’m for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole.” —Malcolm X

Mark from Queens's picture

Just what I needed to make a few calls again this week.

I've had to cut back on my involvement both volunteering and phonebanking. Life's gotten fairly intense for me here with navigating the waters as a stay-at-home, first-time Dad just finishing my fourth week of it. All is good but still finding a groove while tending to all the other things that don't let up.

I'm still smarting over what happened here in NYC; no, in fact I'm still very much pissed off. How many folks have I run into, and still!, who relay some story of voter disenfranchisement or other problems? On just my city block alone I know of two people who wanted to voter for Bernie but couldn't; passionate too, one had a window sign, the other is an artist who painted some amazing Bernie stuff. The latter was told she was inactive and the former was told her name wasn't on the roll, despite having voted at her current address a few times, and had to take a provisional ballot. When her husband went later to vote himself without a hitch, he looked on the voter roll and saw his wife's name right above his, without her signature. Two African-American men told me similar stories. Guy in his late 20's who works at the club I play at told me a horrendous story of how he was given the runaround on election day, spending a full 4-5 hours going for one location to another in order to vote. Big Bernie guy too. There's more...

If there's one takeaway for me this election cycle it's that the Neoliberal Dems have showed beyond a shadow of a doubt that they no longer just emulate Repug economic positions. They also joined them in voter suppression this year.

Every step of the way has been, as the Des Moines Register called the very first primary, a "debacle." And they endorsed Her Majesty. How many primaries and caucuses were subject to shenanigans and outright suppression? Illinois, Ohio, Wyoming, Arizona, the Nevada full frontal dismissal of democracy, etc. The mask has been ripped off. The ruse has been exposed.

Just as the Drumpf has exposed the fraud of the GOP, Bernie's done the same with the Dems. Only thing is he's having the election stolen from him.

The other takeaway for me has been the naked shirking of duty, the outright complicity of the MSM in their blackout of Bernie. The 23 to 1 coverage of Trump over Bernie says it all. The craven media have finally stripped away all pretense of journalism. Bernie's big fuck you to Big Money is the political story of the century. But they turned away, complicit in this country's dumbing-down for entertainment and sensationalism. As the CBS CEO said of Trump, he may not be good for the country "but he's good for our ratings."

To all this I have responded thus. I have switched my party affiliation to not affiliated. I also told NPR I would never give them another dime, and have instead vowed to be more conscientious in giving to journalists who have proven their progressive credentials, such as Democracy Now, WBAI Pacifica Radio, the Young Turks, BestoftheLeft podcast, etc. And, of course like most everybody else here, I stopped going to TOP.

I hope to be in Philadelphia if I can arrange it. I'm compelled to stand tall and straightened back with my revolutionary compatriots in this shining moment that Bernie has galvanized. To not do so is to perish spiritually.

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"If I should ever die, God forbid, let this be my epitaph:

THE ONLY PROOF HE NEEDED
FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD
WAS MUSIC"

- Kurt Vonnegut

mahakali overdrive's picture

but let me say that as a born and bred New Yorker, OMG, I understand.

One of my friends (an attorney) literally DID sue to vote the day of the NY election. Guess what? He wasn't in Brooklyn. He was purged for reasons unknown from the voter rolls over in Rockland County even though he voted in the last damned election, hadn't moved, and had been a Democrat for twenty years.

I spent all day, from 3am PST until the polls closed, online that day trying to help confused NY voters from CA. It was horrible. I know I helped some… some were "in the other book" whatever that means. I read reports from at least fourteen separate counties/boroughs of people being removed. It was NOT CONFINED to Brooklyn. In fact, almost as many reports I saw online came in from the Bronx.

I couldn't believe there weren't riots, sorry. Maybe I've been in California too long, but I always think of NY as tough. Then I realized there is no way if Californians were that disenfranchised, we'd not be seeing someone out pulling a Baltimore out there… we're not good with authority (think it's why our Occupy was always the ones where people wound up walking into walls of cops and being tear-gassed fully knowing they would be, TBH). I do think there will be mass unrest in California if there is even a whiff of election fraud here because Californians seem to pull together protest in about thirty minutes. NY? I guess not so much? It depressed me. It angered me.

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“It is not the slumber of reason that engenders monsters, but vigilant and insomniac rationality.” -- Gilles Deleuze

elenacarlena's picture

I get. To become discouraged is to let all those Hill a$$hole$ win. "It's over, he can't win, he needs to stop attacking, it's time to unify," Blah, blah, blah. They have been saying Bern should drop out since Day One.

IF he doesn't win, then every vote he gains makes it more likely that he is listened to at the convention and that his (thus our!) issues are addressed. Go, Bern!

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mahakali overdrive's picture

Nice to see you! And of course you are! x0

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“It is not the slumber of reason that engenders monsters, but vigilant and insomniac rationality.” -- Gilles Deleuze

riverlover's picture

but those truths about our country and how the USA treats us as chattel have caught the ears of many of us. As a non-practicing Jew he says "it's a start." Yes, it is a start of a major course correction. I am still amenable to getting polled, I am on a list to get $5/poll, haven't got one yet, but did get my first brand-new $5 in the mail.

Question in many polls, early on is Is this country on the right or wrong course? I always say no, who except for beneficiaries of largess would say otherwise? The latter crowd exhibits in politics, MSM and extremely wealthy. Not the rest of us, the 99%.

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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.

In Santa Cruz we outgrew our volunteer office in a week and had to find a bigger, better space. Bernie's coming to town on Tuesday and we're getting the whole town ready with phone banks and canvassing 9am - 9pm until June 7.

We're working the ground game now and it's head down and hiney up for the duration.

Then, we rest up for the convention!

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mahakali overdrive's picture

Thanks for your work down in Santa Cruz. I was thinking it was definitely "for" Bernie, although unsure about Half Moon Bay or Monterey. What's your hunch?

Love me some SC!

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“It is not the slumber of reason that engenders monsters, but vigilant and insomniac rationality.” -- Gilles Deleuze