Galindez writes: "I am not proposing that we should give up on winning the
nomination - there is still a path. What I am saying is that it's time to
start building a grassroots agenda that won't depend on winning the
nomination. We may not have enough delegates to win the nomination, but
there will be enough delegates to change the Democratic Party for future
elections."
Senator Bernie Sanders on the ropeline after his event at the University of
Houston on July 19th, 2015. (photo: Bernie2016)
Time to Build the Revolution
By Scott Galindez, Reader Supported News
20 March 16
I am not proposing that we should give up on winning the nomination - there
is still a path. What I am saying is that it's time to start building a
grassroots agenda that won't depend on winning the nomination. We may not
have enough delegates to win the nomination, but there will be enough
delegates to change the Democratic Party for future elections. Here are just
some examples.
Platform Committee
When I worked for Bill Bradley in 2000, we were dismayed at the makeup of
the platform committee. It was full of corporate execs. We sent a delegation
to a platform committee that included Tom Hayden, Gloria Allred, and Lila
Garrett. They were completely shut out, with none of their platform planks
even earning a vote by the committee. It is probably too late to influence
the makeup of this year's committee, but we should demand that the 2020
platform committee have no seats allowed to corporations. If we play our
cards correctly, I think there will be labor delegates in the Clinton camp
that would welcome this move. It is time to return the party to working
people and progressive organizations, many of whom are in the Clinton camp
and could work with us on this.
Money in Politics
As we are seeing with the Sanders campaign, it is not surrender to refuse to
participate in the current campaign finance system. This will be a little
tougher to implement, but we could prohibit the party from forming super
PACs and go into 2020 with a Democratic Party that raises its money like
Bernie did. Get ready for a big fight here. Of course the platform should
call for overturning Citizens United and implementing public financing, but
it usually does call for those things, while practices never change.
Electoral Reform
Get rid of the front-loaded red state nominating process. If the calendar
were reversed, we might be talking about how hard it will be for Hillary
Clinton to catch Bernie Sanders. How about a National Primary Day on June
7th, when everyone's vote will count the same. I spent the year in Iowa, and
I see the strengths of retail politics in the current early state process.
However, especially in the caucus system, there is too much room for
establishment rigging of the process. Let's get back to one person, one
vote, and let all voters choose the nominee. I have heard all the arguments
for the little guy not being able to compete in a national primary, and I
think it is nonsense. Bernie had the largest rallies from day one of his
campaign and raised the most money. If you have the best message, you can
compete. "One Person, One VOTE!" should be a chant ringing through the
convention hall in Philadelphia. Letting Iowa, New Hampshire, South
Carolina, Nevada, and a bunch of southern states provide the momentum needed
to win the nomination needs to end.
I would also love to see Bernie's delegates fight for an opening up of our
election process to lift the restrictions on third parties. Heck, with
what's happening on the Republican side, they might be willing to make it
easier to form a third, fourth, or even more parties. It is ridiculous to
think that two people could represent the views of the whole country.
These are just a few things that come to mind. I started out structurally
since everything else depends on unrigging the process. Keep fighting for
every delegate. The job at hand would be easier with Bernie at the helm.
Let's just not put all of our hope in Bernie. He brought us together - it's
time for us to join the fight too.
________________________________________
Scott Galindez attended Syracuse University, where he first became
politically active. The writings of El Salvador's slain archbishop Oscar
Romero and the on-campus South Africa divestment movement converted him from
a Reagan supporter to an activist for Peace and Justice. Over the years he
has been influenced by the likes of Philip Berrigan, William Thomas, Mitch
Snyder, Don White, Lisa Fithian, and Paul Wellstone. Scott met Marc Ash
while organizing counterinaugural events after George W. Bush's first stolen
election. Scott will be spending a year covering the presidential election
from Iowa.
Reader Supported News is the Publication of Origin for this work. Permission
to republish is freely granted with credit and a link back to Reader
Supported News.
Error! Hyperlink reference not valid. Error! Hyperlink reference not valid.
Senator Bernie Sanders on the ropeline after his event at the University of
Houston on July 19th, 2015. (photo: Bernie2016)
http://readersupportednews.org/http://readersupportednews.org/
Time to Build the Revolution
By Scott Galindez, Reader Supported News
20 March 16
am not proposing that we should give up on winning the nomination - there
is still a path. What I am saying is that it's time to start building a
grassroots agenda that won't depend on winning the nomination. We may not
have enough delegates to win the nomination, but there will be enough
delegates to change the Democratic Party for future elections. Here are just
some examples.
Platform Committee
When I worked for Bill Bradley in 2000, we were dismayed at the makeup of
the platform committee. It was full of corporate execs. We sent a delegation
to a platform committee that included Tom Hayden, Gloria Allred, and Lila
Garrett. They were completely shut out, with none of their platform planks
even earning a vote by the committee. It is probably too late to influence
the makeup of this year's committee, but we should demand that the 2020
platform committee have no seats allowed to corporations. If we play our
cards correctly, I think there will be labor delegates in the Clinton camp
that would welcome this move. It is time to return the party to working
people and progressive organizations, many of whom are in the Clinton camp
and could work with us on this.
Money in Politics
As we are seeing with the Sanders campaign, it is not surrender to refuse to
participate in the current campaign finance system. This will be a little
tougher to implement, but we could prohibit the party from forming super
PACs and go into 2020 with a Democratic Party that raises its money like
Bernie did. Get ready for a big fight here. Of course the platform should
call for overturning Citizens United and implementing public financing, but
it usually does call for those things, while practices never change.
Electoral Reform
Get rid of the front-loaded red state nominating process. If the calendar
were reversed, we might be talking about how hard it will be for Hillary
Clinton to catch Bernie Sanders. How about a National Primary Day on June
7th, when everyone's vote will count the same. I spent the year in Iowa, and
I see the strengths of retail politics in the current early state process.
However, especially in the caucus system, there is too much room for
establishment rigging of the process. Let's get back to one person, one
vote, and let all voters choose the nominee. I have heard all the arguments
for the little guy not being able to compete in a national primary, and I
think it is nonsense. Bernie had the largest rallies from day one of his
campaign and raised the most money. If you have the best message, you can
compete. "One Person, One VOTE!" should be a chant ringing through the
convention hall in Philadelphia. Letting Iowa, New Hampshire, South
Carolina, Nevada, and a bunch of southern states provide the momentum needed
to win the nomination needs to end.
I would also love to see Bernie's delegates fight for an opening up of our
election process to lift the restrictions on third parties. Heck, with
what's happening on the Republican side, they might be willing to make it
easier to form a third, fourth, or even more parties. It is ridiculous to
think that two people could represent the views of the whole country.
These are just a few things that come to mind. I started out structurally
since everything else depends on unrigging the process. Keep fighting for
every delegate. The job at hand would be easier with Bernie at the helm.
Let's just not put all of our hope in Bernie. He brought us together - it's
time for us to join the fight too.
Scott Galindez attended Syracuse University, where he first became
politically active. The writings of El Salvador's slain archbishop Oscar
Romero and the on-campus South Africa divestment movement converted him from
a Reagan supporter to an activist for Peace and Justice. Over the years he
has been influenced by the likes of Philip Berrigan, William Thomas, Mitch
Snyder, Don White, Lisa Fithian, and Paul Wellstone. Scott met Marc Ash
while organizing counterinaugural events after George W. Bush's first stolen
election. Scott will be spending a year covering the presidential election
from Iowa.
Reader Supported News is the Publication of Origin for this work. Permission
to republish is freely granted with credit and a link back to Reader
Supported News.
http://e-max.it/posizionamento-siti-web/socialize
http://e-max.it/posizionamento-siti-web/socialize
