What This Has Always Been About
Progressives have always fought for racial equality, for social and economic and environmental justice. That's what we believe in, that's who we are and that's what we do. We've seen Democrats betray us and there will be no forgiveness, we've seen defeats and they've been traumatic, we've seen long years of reactionary attacks, but we're still standing, we do not repent of all the trouble we've endured along the way, our marks and our scars we carry with us.
Twenty-five years and my life is still,
Trying to get up that great big hill,
Of hope, for our destination . . .
[video:https://youtu.be/yyOuOThCFGc width:500 height:333]
What's going on?
A political revolution.
That's what's going on.
It began in 2015, Bernie Sanders confronted the Wall Street bankers, he confronted the CEO's and the hedge fund managers and the war profiteers, he looked into the empty eyes of those billionaires, he looked into the empty eyes of every damn one of them, he spoke truth to power coast to coast and his words of condemnation are still echoing across this country . . .
Let me ask you one question,
Is your money that good?
Will it buy you forgiveness,
Do you think that it could?
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While the Masters of War plan the next military interventions, while Hillary reaps endorsements from them and Dkos praises her for it, seniors are struggling to survive on inadequate Social Security benefits, young people are struggling to survive on minimum wage paychecks, Native Americans are struggling to survive on the lands that were stolen from them, minorities are struggling to survive in forgotten inner city neighborhoods, working families are struggling to survive in the forgotten communities of the dying middle class.
They've all been ignored for years by the high-and-mighty corporate politicians of this One-Party Oligarchy, they've been written off and tossed aside, they had no hope until Bernie Sanders ran for President, they had no one to believe in until he came by to say "Hello in there . . ."
[video:https://youtu.be/RfwGkplB_sY width:500 height:333]
The corporate media has written Bernie off too, they've tossed him aside, they think this is over, and on every channel the news about Trump and Hillary just repeats itself, like some bad Orwellian dream that we've all seen.
But this isn't over.
Our political revolution won't be over until corporate capitalism is gone from this world, until it's as gone as the divine right of kings, until it's stone-cold dead, until the bones of the last Wall Street banker are shot into space and buried a mile deep in an unmarked grave on the dark side of the moon.
Everyone will finally understand what this is about, they'll see what it has always been about, and every society will be progressive, and there won't be any national anthems anymore, there'll only be one anthem and all of humanity will sing it . . .
[video:https://youtu.be/bvFLKyAGzzI width:500 height:333]
Comments
Never Give Up
We can't afford to anymore.
"You can't just leave those who created the problem in charge of the solution."---Tyree Scott
Never.
Everything is at stake now.
And now is the time.
I've been waiting for this for a long time, as have you folks.
But the time is now. Not two, four, or eight years from now. Now.
Life is strong. I'm weak, but Life is strong.
Now? It's actually past time, but ok...
…because everything is at stake now….
Sounds so important, so critical, so…full of fail because 'so far before before now' was the time, not now, not just a few years ago, but many years ago.
Then was the now we needed, but then is past and now can never be then again.
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5drjr9PmTMA width:500 height:400]
I think your attitude is full of fail.
If you like to think you're not late to the game
...after the final buzzer has gone off and people are leaving the stadium, more power to ya.
We can agree on that it's not too late. It won't make it true, but hey - what ever.
This isn't a game.
Whatever gets you through the day...
It's the biggest game out there, and it is rigged, but believe as you will. I'm not gonna try to change your mind.
And if 'this isn't a game' somehow gives you more self deterministic energy, you go for it.
In two, four, eight more years, you can still keyboard jockey or armchair quarterback the way things ought to be and talk about the big changes that need to be made and how it's all coming while those in power snicker at the lowly commoners just a little more.
I'm think I'm gonna grab some popcorn...
Don't forget where you should put it.
Why do I see you...
dumping on the floor of just about every essay you go into, Vayle? Why is that?
diarrhea ... charcoal tablets might help /nt
https://www.euronews.com/live
Some of us have been striving to get this far for 30 years,
even for 40 or 50 years. Bernie must know that, he has got to run as an Independent or with Jill Stein and the Greens.
Football Analogy
We have a deep bench but the coach keeps sending in his favorites. Being aware that metaphors, and analogies can blow up in my face I tread softly into the shark infested waters to . . . what is it with this "Valye" character?
Too late indeed! What the fuck, I have encountered that stupidity (Sorry, but I feel the need to call it as I see it . . .) far too often in the last 50 years. The problems we face will always be the same, only the details will change. As it has always been, it shall always be, such is the nature of the beast.
Bernie's gotta do what Bernie's gotta do whether I like it or not. If he doesn't chose to do what I think he should do; Who cares!, I will not vote for Hillary. I would prefer to see him shock the hell out of the crowd and announce (at just the right moment) a run as "Independent or with Jill Stein and the Greens." That would be the Bernie with which I identify. That would be the Bernie I would like to see step into the White House.
Bernie was FIRED UP tonight in New York.
I just can't see him winding this up after the convention, I think we're going to see some very dramatic developments during and/or right after the DNC in Philly.
There's a movement afoot
or at least it's a moment in a movement that shaped our last 100 years.
from wiki:
The Progressive Era was a period of widespread social activism and political reform across the United States, from the 1890s to 1920s.[1] The main objective of the Progressive movement was eliminating corruption in government. The movement primarily targeted political machines and their bosses. By taking down these corrupt representatives in office a further means of direct democracy would be established. They also sought regulation of monopolies (Trust Busting) and corporations through antitrust laws. These antitrust laws were seen as a way to promote equal competition for the advantage of legitimate competitors.
Round and round we go.
Thanks for your fun and encouraging essay.
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Progressive eras are good, but what we need is a
Progressive Millennium.
I'd settle for that.
Thank you, Lookout.
We must stand strong and stay steady.
Nothing will be done if we don't do it. We must keep moving forward - pressing the agenda - never letting up. Nothing comes if everyone is home watching tee vee. Nothing comes if everyone is out shopping til they drop. Nothing comes if we are more interested in our personal satisfaction rather than ensuring our fellow human being is not wanting. Nothing comes if we do nothing.
"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11
When the revolution comes...
...no one will have to tell anybody it's happening.
Saying there's a revolution is like being at work and hearing someone with a supervisory role say "I'm in charge". Sure you are buddy. You had to say it too.
It can be easier in hindsight to determine when a revolution
actually began.
I think most Bernie people would agree that this one has begun.
We'll see.
People can agree on a to of things. That doesn't make those things factual or true.
We all need to be as strong and steady as Bernie.
He's providing magnificent leadership.
This was a reply to Raggedy Ann.
Completely agree, Rusty.
We must stay with him to enact change. We can do this.
Power to the people!
"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11
Of This I Am Certain
What is past is prolog to what is present, and what is present is prolog to what will be. Nothing Bernie, /user/Rusty1776, or I do, say, or reference will make any difference, unless we can generate a mass response targeting one critical core issue. Bernie's list is well known, and /user/Rusty1776 has eloquently expressed my thoughts on same.
[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--DbgPXwLlM]
I have been on this ride too many times, it has become tedious beyond comprehension. What can we do to make the "what will be" different from what the past so inexorably demands.
"And in the naked light I saw
Ten thousand people, maybe more
People talking without speaking
People hearing without listening
. . .
'Hear my words that I might teach you
Take my arms that I might reach you.'
But my words like silent raindrops fell
And echoed in the wells of silence"
That's one of my favorite songs, it still resonates 50 years
later, its theme is timeless.
I enjoy reading your posts, PriceRip, thank you for your contributions to this community.
Imagine My Delight and Comfort
When my grandson requested The Sound of Silence by Simon and Garfunckel for his fifteenth birthday last year. The torch has been passed and it's being carried forward by strong willing arms.
Excellent!
I am delighted as well. That song will live forever.
Great essay . . .
. . . great music.
I really appreciate it and will share it. Thank you!
. . . and great comments too!
Marilyn
"Make dirt, not war." eyo
Thank you, mhagle.
that's a beautiful and uplifting essay, just right on time
we needed that today. Thanks.
https://www.euronews.com/live
Thank you, mimi.
National anthems are going to be hard to get rid of.
I've been watching Eurocup on the TV and man, those soccer fans and players sing their anthems like its notbody's business. I mean they ALL sing at the top of their lungs like their lives depended on it, arms around each other like they're on their third liters at the brewfests. They put most American sporting event anthems to shame, and you know how Americans are about their land of the free home of the brave bullshit. Taking away country anthems might actually cause the extinction of human beings as we know them (or us), they're such strong identifiers to our being.
Ya, the time is now but unfortunately there isn't enough agreement on the goals and tactics. I really don't see anything going anywhere at this time. Apparently we're going to have to wait until after the duopoly conventions before we might see anything taking shape that could possibly challenge the oligarchy. Then the window of opportunity might be too small, but then again Occupy didn't start until September in 2011. I'm going to have to see if Occupy Portland has anything up their sleeves.
They can sing their national anthems all they want, as long as
they don't join the military and kill people who sing a different national anthem.
Regarding real, meaningful change, I've always said we need to get in the streets. I'm supporting Bernie all the way, but direct action in the form of massive demonstrations/protests is going to be necessary, even if he gets the nomination somehow and wins in November.
Progressive Movements
There have always been Progressive people. When social/economic conditions deteriorate the Progressives lead a movement and things change. We are here now. Even the prior pope of the Catholic church resigned a few years ago. This is unheard of. Pope Francis rails against income inequality and climate change. In 2008, Progressives worked hard to get Obama elected because he campaigned as a Progressive. We know he is not now. So here comes Bernie Sanders in 2016. Not going to stop Progressive movements, even when everything is being done to do so. Too many people are being badly affected by neoliberal/neocon policies and are tired of the corrupt politics in Washington. History is full of these changes.
It's our responsibility to make 2016 a historic year, we can't
squander this opportunity to expand the political revolution Bernie has begun with such inspiring leadership.
I hate requoting myself but I must.
Why is it a good thing to have people put on an unconstitutional “no fly list” from which they have no right of appeal and are declared essentially “guilty until proven innocent” and thereby deprived of all sorts of constitutional rights?
And I thought that the Democrats were the party of civil liberties.
Unless there’s a chance to bash the Republicans over the head with a cudgel, I suppose. Is that all it is: bash the Republicans: who cares about good policy, it's just "root, root, root for the Home Blue Team?
Tell me again why the no-fly-list (NFL) which excludes 5-year-olds with an “Islamic” name from flying with their parents is a good thing??
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.
Those are some of the reasons why there must be a
political revolution. The "Democratic Party" can either join it or get the hell out of our way. I think we know the Dems are too corrupted to do the right thing, which I hope will compel Bernie to go Indy or Green after the convention.
Meteor Man posted a video from Day 1 of the Peoples Summit
It is 1 hour and 23 minutes long but it says all of this and more. And the panelists in that video were brilliant in vocalizing what we've done, what we are doing, and what we have to do next. Rosario Dawson was brilliant. And so was John Nicols from The Nation, Juan Gonzalez from Democracy Now, the great Naomi Klein, a d Roseann DeMoro, the woman from Nurses United that Sanders picked as a delegate choices at the convention but who the DNC turned down. She is quite the pistol.
An hour and 23 minutes may seem like a long time but truly, when you start to watch you get hooked! We are so fortunate to have these people to lead us onward. As Rosario Dawson said "I'm more for reform than conform, that's for damn sure." And we won't get that reform unless we work for it.
Meteor Man's wonderful post
I'm tired of this back-slapping "Isn't humanity neat?" bullshit. We're a virus with shoes, okay? That's all we are. - Bill Hicks
Politics is the entertainment branch of industry. - Frank Zappa
I saw that and I'm going to watch it again.
We are indeed fortunate that so many amazing people are involved in that Summit and just as dedicated to progressive causes as Bernie is. Thank you for the link to Meteor Man's post, Amanda.
You're welcome. But this morning I actually am beginning
to think it's hopeless. I posted the video where Sanders comes out and says he's voting for the Clinton creature.
We have now been incorporated into supporting the Third Way Coronation of one of the sleaziest politicians the 'Democratic' Party has ever hacked up, not unlike a cat with a fur ball.
I'm tired of this back-slapping "Isn't humanity neat?" bullshit. We're a virus with shoes, okay? That's all we are. - Bill Hicks
Politics is the entertainment branch of industry. - Frank Zappa
Bernie will be hearing from a lot of us about that.