Published on Alternet (http://www.alternet.org)
Home > Why the New Sanders Group Our Revolution Is Leaving Many Bernie
Backers Scratching Their Heads
________________________________________
Why the New Sanders Group Our Revolution Is Leaving Many Bernie Backers
Scratching Their Heads
By Steven Rosenfeld [1] / AlterNet [2]
August 31, 2016
On Wednesday, one day after Berniecrat Tim Canova lost a Florida U.S. House
primary to Debbie Wasserman Schultz, whose scheming to sabotage Sanders bid
for the presidency forced her resignation as Democratic National Committee
chair, Our Revolution, the newly formed progressive group created by
Sanders, offered its condolences in an email.
Last night was a tremendous night for our political revolution. Out of the
five progressive primary campaigns we supported, three were victorious. But
we did lose one, a big one, in Florida: Tim Canova against Debbie Wasserman
Schultz, said Jeff Weaver, Our Revoutions newly installed president, who
met Sanders in his 1986 campaign for Vermont governor.
Canova took on the corporate Democrat most despised by the Sanders legions
(in June, Wasserman Schultz had tried [3] to delay new federal regulations
reeling in predatory payday loans). Backed by Bernie this spring, Canova
raised several million dollars from Sanders nationwide network. But when
Sanders launched Our Revolution last week in a national webcast, and listed
some of the candidates they would be supporting this fall, Canova wasnt
among them. Sanders didnt make any last-minute campaign appearances in
Florida either, although Canova was listed among 60-plus candidates on Our
Revolutions website just days before his primary loss. Canova told
reporters he left messages on Bernies personal phone, but got no reply.
The three candidates who won last night Dwight Bullard [4] in Florida,
and Martín Quezada [5] and Juan Mendez [6] in Arizona join Zephyr
Teachout, Pramila Jayapal, and other Our Revolution candidates who have
already won their Democratic primaries, Weavers cheerleading continued,
omitting they were all incumbents. The email ended with a pledge to take
our country back from the billionaire class and below that, a big red
"Contribute" button.
Just how much Our Revolution is going to contribute to sustaining and
building a nationwide progressive movement is the big question. This goes
beyond Bernie believers who cringed [7] at the last-minute distancing from
Canova. When Sanders launched Our Revolution, he promised the group would be
led by progressives to shepherd a continuing wave of activism to hold the
Democratic Party accountable, and to elect candidates to local, state and
federal office.
That high-minded pronouncement didn't come in a vacuum. It came after a
majority of the new groups young stafferssaid to be among the best from
his presidential campaignquit after Weaver was given the top job. They may
not appreciate that Sanders would want to have someone he trusts overseeing
the most valuable mailing list in progressive politics today, the Nation
noted [8]. But in their statements they said they didnt like Weaver's
apparent plans to tap big-money donors whose names could be kept secret just
like in any other super PAC, and that Weaver wasnt cut from the same
grassroots cloth as their nationwide base.
Then on Monday, Our Revolution announced [9] the names of its new board
members. Many are nationally prominent progressives, such as civil rights
leader Ben Jealous, Texas firebrand Jim Hightower, former Communication
Workers of America president (and Our Revolution board chair) Larry Cohen,
and former Ohio state Sen. Nina Turner. Others are Huck Gutman, a lifelong
friend and poetry professor who became Sanders' Washington chief of staff,
and a few younger activists. The old guard and their graying generation seem
to have taken the helm, raising more questions about what will become of the
most successful insurgent presidential campaign in decades.
The Bernie Delegates Network Petition
The shape, direction, agenda and transparency of Our Revolution has become
an issue in progressive circles. The most obvious reason is that for
political change to occur the movement, as Sanders himself has said, has to
be bigger than any candidate. With that principle in mindthat elections
have to be subsets of social movementsthe organizers of the Bernie
Delegates Network [10], which has been keeping in touch with 1,250 of their
1,900 delegates at the Democratic Convention, sent out a petition Tuesday
concerning the new groups agenda, inclusiveness and candidate endorsements.
The petition [11] was posted on RootsAction.org, and received several
thousand signatures in its first hours.
The statement politely lauds Our Revolutions goals, said Norman Solomon, a
California-based Sanders delegate, former congressional candidate and
co-founder of the network. At the same time, there are three real concerns.
One has to do with foreign policy. One has to do with the structure of the
organization and accountability. And theres a third element, which is the
need to make clear that this is not just a Democratic Party operation, and
that given the situation independent candidates may be supported, as well as
some third-party candidates if deserving.
At the August 24th event, despite linking the new project to a very broad
heritage of feminist, civil rights, ecological, and labor activism, one
particular focus was notably absent: International relations and antiwar
activism and policy, including such matters as intervention, bases abroad,
drones, nuclear danger, disarmament, the military budget, adherence to
international law, and more, the petition [11] said. We believe 'Our
Revolution' should address these immense violations of human well being as
well as their connections to all the other topics already addressed.
Remarkably, Sanders didnt mention anything about foreign policy, the
military budget, overseas military adventurism or Pentagon spending when he
launched Our Revolution on August 24. The only reference to this topic, once
a mainstay of Sanders' speeches, were a few words in a press release quote
[9] from Ben Jealous announcing the new boards formation.
"I am proud to join the board and continue volunteering for Our Revolution.
Bernie's transformative campaign was just the beginning, Jealous said. We
now have to follow through on our promises to help pass criminal justice
reform, the $15 minimum wage and climate change legislation while stopping
our endless wars and the TPP, and electing true progressives from the Deep
South to the Northwest.
To Solomon, the absence of foreign policy discussion suggests a possible
reluctance to criticize Hillary Clinton. But he said now is the time to lay
a foundation to push back against a Clinton administration some progressives
fear could be more hawkish than Obama's.
From the standpoint of the Bernie Delegates Network and activists Im
organizing with, including but not only through RootsAction, we really want
to push very hard against an incoming Clinton administration before it takes
officein their transition period, he said. And to the extent that means
we will push against Our Revolution if at all, that remains to be seen. Its
hard to know where that is. I think thats where point number one of the
statement and petition comes in. We have a militarist in the next president
if Hillary Clinton wins. It is essential from the standpoint of Our
Revolution that there not be ambiguities about where it stands. And right
now theres no clarity at all.
Inclusiveness and Transparency
The petitions second point concerned the makeup of Our Revolutions
decision-makers and accountability. It reads, At the August 24th event,
even knowing that there is time for change, and knowing that a startup
requires attributes that can transform over time, the picture of a new
organization that emerged evoked concerns of having a typical corporate
structure including a board and a chief executive but having no explicit
membership rights, powers, or even responsibilities and little visible
evidence of diversity, as well.
Speaking personally and not for the Bernie Delegates Network, Solomon echoed
the complaints made by Our Revolution staffers who resigned over Weavers
appointment, saying he was not the right person for the job. I have a
concern about Jeff Weaver being the head of this whole operation, Solomon
said. I am speaking only for myself. The skill sets and the sensibility
that may be needed to run an election campaign are apt to be distinct from
the mix that is needed to do the kind of relationship building with
progressive groups and grassroots groups around the country. Its unclear to
me whether the hard-boiled election sensibility is going to have a
counterweight at the top of Our Revolution. Who is the counterweight?
The press release announcing [9] the new board doesnt reveal much except
its lofty goals and appointees. It does not reveal who might become the
counterpoint to the board's forceful new chair, Larry Cohen, the former
president of the CWA union and the presidential campaign staffer who led its
anti-global trade agreement protests in Philadelphia.
We therefore hope and trust there will be a wide discussion of the need to
arrive at ways for decisions to reflect and benefit from the will and
backgrounds of those doing the work, the petition continues. We hope you
share the belief that our political revolution should be foreshadowed by the
shape of our own projects.
Candidate Endorsements
Finally, the petition urges Our Revolution to be mindful of not appearing to
endorse almost all Democrats. While the websites candidate endorsement page
[12] does include a few non-partisan candidates, such as Ben Choi and Melvin
Willis, both running for city council in Richmond, a San Francisco Bay Area
city dominated by a Chevron refinery, petition authors wonder why the group
is not supporting more independents and third-party candidates, especially
at the local and statewide levels.
At the August 24th event, and on the Our Revolution website, we are
concerned that many will get the impression that only progressive Democratic
Party candidates will get Our Revolution support, not Greens, for example,
the petition said. We hope it will become more clear that Our Revolution
will support progressives of all kinds whose campaigns can usefully educate
and especially elicit and organize support for social change, including
trying to win office to advance that change.
Solomon said this more nuanced local front is where progressive issues and
candidates need to be nurtured. That is where there is the potential, he
said. Its very labor intensive. We have such a big country. There are so
many communities to be supportive of and work with. This is not just
identifying this is a person running for state legislature or Congress,
theyre progressive.
A telling example comes from Prince Georges County in Maryland, where a
Sanders delegate, Suchitra Balachandran, is working to block the repeal of
term limits proposed by incumbents.
I'm working to inform residents on this question and hopefully to kill it
on the ballot, she said on Wednesday. In 2018, there will be five vacant
council seats. How wonderful it would be if Our Revolution could energize
Prince George's County and we could slate five progressive candidates for
the council. Unfortunately I don't think that is in the works for this
organization.
Unfortunately, Our Revolutions press department, the consultants at
RevolutionMessaging.com, did not respond to multiple requests to comment for
this story. They sent the Monday press release announcing the board's
formation, which was available online, and no more. But the concerns raised
by the Bernie Delegates Network and RootsAction petition signatories are not
going to go away. In its first 24 hours, 122 Sanders delegates signed on as
did more than 3,400 supporters writ large.
Some of those signatures came with brief comments, suggesting Our Revolution
didn't include them anymore.
Not a good-enough explanation on 8/24 as to why Bernie is backing off. I am
in shock with the realization that Bernie slipped through our fingers and
now Our Revolution seems to be going in the same direction, wrote [11]
Joanne P. Just like Occupy. Revolutions start from the ground up but they
also need a leader. Bernie was that leader. Someone we can trust. DWS won
her primary. Bernie did not stand behind Conova. Why? I'm totally destroyed.
Fight from the inside??? I just don't see it.
The problems with Our Revolution are the same problems that I had with
Bernie's campaign, wrote [11] Andy M. Bernie's campaign was better than
Hillary's, but it was not ideal. If Our Revolution is just to be another
Democratic booster club, who needs it. It has to be more than that to be
truly progressive.
Steven Rosenfeld covers national political issues for AlterNet, including
America's retirement crisis, democracy and voting rights, and campaigns and
elections. He is the author of "Count My Vote: A Citizen's Guide to Voting"
(AlterNet Books, 2008).
Share on Facebook Share
Share on Twitter Tweet
Report typos and corrections to 'corrections@xxxxxxxxxxxx'. [13]
[14]
________________________________________
Source URL:
http://www.alternet.org/election-2016/why-new-sanders-group-our-revolution-l
eaving-many-bernie-backers-scratching-their
Links:
[1] http://www.alternet.org/authors/steven-rosenfeld
[2] http://alternet.org
[3]
http://www.politico.com/story/2016/06/wasserman-schultz-elizabeth-warren-pay
day-lending-223802
[4]
http://floridapolitics.com/archives/220758-dwight-bullard-victorious-sd-40-f
aces-frank-artiles-november
[5]
http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/arizona/2016/08/08/arizona-legi
slative-races-primary-watch/87762186/
[6]
http://www.azleg.gov/MembersPage.asp?Member_ID=74&Legislature=51&Ses
sion_ID=112
[7] https://www.reddit.com/r/Political_Revolution
[8]
https://www.thenation.com/article/returning-to-his-roots-sanders-launches-ou
r-revolution/
[9]
https://ourrevolution.com/press/our-revolution-announces-formation-of-board
[10] https://berniedelegatesnetwork.org/
[11]
https://diy.rootsaction.org/petitions/support-and-improve-our-revolution
[12] https://ourrevolution.com/candidates
[13] mailto:corrections@xxxxxxxxxxxx?Subject=Typo on Why the New Sanders
Group Our Revolution Is Leaving Many Bernie Backers Scratching Their Heads
[14] http://www.alternet.org/
[15] http://www.alternet.org/%2Bnew_src%2B
Published on Alternet (http://www.alternet.org)
Home > Why the New Sanders Group Our Revolution Is Leaving Many Bernie
Backers Scratching Their Heads
Why the New Sanders Group Our Revolution Is Leaving Many Bernie Backers
Scratching Their Heads
By Steven Rosenfeld [1] / AlterNet [2]
August 31, 2016
AddThis Sharing Buttons
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On Wednesday, one day after Berniecrat Tim Canova lost a Florida U.S. House
primary to Debbie Wasserman Schultz, whose scheming to sabotage Sanders bid
for the presidency forced her resignation as Democratic National Committee
chair, Our Revolution, the newly formed progressive group created by
Sanders, offered its condolences in an email.
Last night was a tremendous night for our political revolution. Out of the
five progressive primary campaigns we supported, three were victorious. But
we did lose one, a big one, in Florida: Tim Canova against Debbie Wasserman
Schultz, said Jeff Weaver, Our Revoutions newly installed president, who
met Sanders in his 1986 campaign for Vermont governor.
Canova took on the corporate Democrat most despised by the Sanders legions
(in June, Wasserman Schultz had tried [3] to delay new federal regulations
reeling in predatory payday loans). Backed by Bernie this spring, Canova
raised several million dollars from Sanders nationwide network. But when
Sanders launched Our Revolution last week in a national webcast, and listed
some of the candidates they would be supporting this fall, Canova wasnt
among them. Sanders didnt make any last-minute campaign appearances in
Florida either, although Canova was listed among 60-plus candidates on Our
Revolutions website just days before his primary loss. Canova told
reporters he left messages on Bernies personal phone, but got no reply.
The three candidates who won last night Dwight Bullard [4] in Florida,
and Martín Quezada [5] and Juan Mendez [6] in Arizona join Zephyr
Teachout, Pramila Jayapal, and other Our Revolution candidates who have
already won their Democratic primaries, Weavers cheerleading continued,
omitting they were all incumbents. The email ended with a pledge to take
our country back from the billionaire class and below that, a big red
"Contribute" button.
Just how much Our Revolution is going to contribute to sustaining and
building a nationwide progressive movement is the big question. This goes
beyond Bernie believers who cringed [7] at the last-minute distancing from
Canova. When Sanders launched Our Revolution, he promised the group would be
led by progressives to shepherd a continuing wave of activism to hold the
Democratic Party accountable, and to elect candidates to local, state and
federal office.
That high-minded pronouncement didn't come in a vacuum. It came after a
majority of the new groups young stafferssaid to be among the best from
his presidential campaignquit after Weaver was given the top job. They may
not appreciate that Sanders would want to have someone he trusts overseeing
the most valuable mailing list in progressive politics today, the Nation
noted [8]. But in their statements they said they didnt like Weaver's
apparent plans to tap big-money donors whose names could be kept secret just
like in any other super PAC, and that Weaver wasnt cut from the same
grassroots cloth as their nationwide base.
Then on Monday, Our Revolution announced [9] the names of its new board
members. Many are nationally prominent progressives, such as civil rights
leader Ben Jealous, Texas firebrand Jim Hightower, former Communication
Workers of America president (and Our Revolution board chair) Larry Cohen,
and former Ohio state Sen. Nina Turner. Others are Huck Gutman, a lifelong
friend and poetry professor who became Sanders' Washington chief of staff,
and a few younger activists. The old guard and their graying generation seem
to have taken the helm, raising more questions about what will become of the
most successful insurgent presidential campaign in decades.
The Bernie Delegates Network Petition
The shape, direction, agenda and transparency of Our Revolution has become
an issue in progressive circles. The most obvious reason is that for
political change to occur the movement, as Sanders himself has said, has to
be bigger than any candidate. With that principle in mindthat elections
have to be subsets of social movementsthe organizers of the Bernie
Delegates Network [10], which has been keeping in touch with 1,250 of their
1,900 delegates at the Democratic Convention, sent out a petition Tuesday
concerning the new groups agenda, inclusiveness and candidate endorsements.
The petition [11] was posted on RootsAction.org, and received several
thousand signatures in its first hours.
The statement politely lauds Our Revolutions goals, said Norman Solomon, a
California-based Sanders delegate, former congressional candidate and
co-founder of the network. At the same time, there are three real concerns.
One has to do with foreign policy. One has to do with the structure of the
organization and accountability. And theres a third element, which is the
need to make clear that this is not just a Democratic Party operation, and
that given the situation independent candidates may be supported, as well as
some third-party candidates if deserving.
At the August 24th event, despite linking the new project to a very broad
heritage of feminist, civil rights, ecological, and labor activism, one
particular focus was notably absent: International relations and antiwar
activism and policy, including such matters as intervention, bases abroad,
drones, nuclear danger, disarmament, the military budget, adherence to
international law, and more, the petition [11] said. We believe 'Our
Revolution' should address these immense violations of human well being as
well as their connections to all the other topics already addressed.
Remarkably, Sanders didnt mention anything about foreign policy, the
military budget, overseas military adventurism or Pentagon spending when he
launched Our Revolution on August 24. The only reference to this topic, once
a mainstay of Sanders' speeches, were a few words in a press release quote
[9] from Ben Jealous announcing the new boards formation.
"I am proud to join the board and continue volunteering for Our Revolution.
Bernie's transformative campaign was just the beginning, Jealous said. We
now have to follow through on our promises to help pass criminal justice
reform, the $15 minimum wage and climate change legislation while stopping
our endless wars and the TPP, and electing true progressives from the Deep
South to the Northwest.
To Solomon, the absence of foreign policy discussion suggests a possible
reluctance to criticize Hillary Clinton. But he said now is the time to lay
a foundation to push back against a Clinton administration some progressives
fear could be more hawkish than Obama's.
From the standpoint of the Bernie Delegates Network and activists Im
organizing with, including but not only through RootsAction, we really want
to push very hard against an incoming Clinton administration before it takes
officein their transition period, he said. And to the extent that means
we will push against Our Revolution if at all, that remains to be seen. Its
hard to know where that is. I think thats where point number one of the
statement and petition comes in. We have a militarist in the next president
if Hillary Clinton wins. It is essential from the standpoint of Our
Revolution that there not be ambiguities about where it stands. And right
now theres no clarity at all.
Inclusiveness and Transparency
The petitions second point concerned the makeup of Our Revolutions
decision-makers and accountability. It reads, At the August 24th event,
even knowing that there is time for change, and knowing that a startup
requires attributes that can transform over time, the picture of a new
organization that emerged evoked concerns of having a typical corporate
structure including a board and a chief executive but having no explicit
membership rights, powers, or even responsibilities and little visible
evidence of diversity, as well.
Speaking personally and not for the Bernie Delegates Network, Solomon echoed
the complaints made by Our Revolution staffers who resigned over Weavers
appointment, saying he was not the right person for the job. I have a
concern about Jeff Weaver being the head of this whole operation, Solomon
said. I am speaking only for myself. The skill sets and the sensibility
that may be needed to run an election campaign are apt to be distinct from
the mix that is needed to do the kind of relationship building with
progressive groups and grassroots groups around the country. Its unclear to
me whether the hard-boiled election sensibility is going to have a
counterweight at the top of Our Revolution. Who is the counterweight?
The press release announcing [9] the new board doesnt reveal much except
its lofty goals and appointees. It does not reveal who might become the
counterpoint to the board's forceful new chair, Larry Cohen, the former
president of the CWA union and the presidential campaign staffer who led its
anti-global trade agreement protests in Philadelphia.
We therefore hope and trust there will be a wide discussion of the need to
arrive at ways for decisions to reflect and benefit from the will and
backgrounds of those doing the work, the petition continues. We hope you
share the belief that our political revolution should be foreshadowed by the
shape of our own projects.
Candidate Endorsements
Finally, the petition urges Our Revolution to be mindful of not appearing to
endorse almost all Democrats. While the websites candidate endorsement page
[12] does include a few non-partisan candidates, such as Ben Choi and Melvin
Willis, both running for city council in Richmond, a San Francisco Bay Area
city dominated by a Chevron refinery, petition authors wonder why the group
is not supporting more independents and third-party candidates, especially
at the local and statewide levels.
At the August 24th event, and on the Our Revolution website, we are
concerned that many will get the impression that only progressive Democratic
Party candidates will get Our Revolution support, not Greens, for example,
the petition said. We hope it will become more clear that Our Revolution
will support progressives of all kinds whose campaigns can usefully educate
and especially elicit and organize support for social change, including
trying to win office to advance that change.
Solomon said this more nuanced local front is where progressive issues and
candidates need to be nurtured. That is where there is the potential, he
said. Its very labor intensive. We have such a big country. There are so
many communities to be supportive of and work with. This is not just
identifying this is a person running for state legislature or Congress,
theyre progressive.
A telling example comes from Prince Georges County in Maryland, where a
Sanders delegate, Suchitra Balachandran, is working to block the repeal of
term limits proposed by incumbents.
I'm working to inform residents on this question and hopefully to kill it
on the ballot, she said on Wednesday. In 2018, there will be five vacant
council seats. How wonderful it would be if Our Revolution could energize
Prince George's County and we could slate five progressive candidates for
the council. Unfortunately I don't think that is in the works for this
organization.
Unfortunately, Our Revolutions press department, the consultants at
RevolutionMessaging.com, did not respond to multiple requests to comment for
this story. They sent the Monday press release announcing the board's
formation, which was available online, and no more. But the concerns raised
by the Bernie Delegates Network and RootsAction petition signatories are not
going to go away. In its first 24 hours, 122 Sanders delegates signed on as
did more than 3,400 supporters writ large.
Some of those signatures came with brief comments, suggesting Our Revolution
didn't include them anymore.
Not a good-enough explanation on 8/24 as to why Bernie is backing off. I am
in shock with the realization that Bernie slipped through our fingers and
now Our Revolution seems to be going in the same direction, wrote [11]
Joanne P. Just like Occupy. Revolutions start from the ground up but they
also need a leader. Bernie was that leader. Someone we can trust. DWS won
her primary. Bernie did not stand behind Conova. Why? I'm totally destroyed.
Fight from the inside??? I just don't see it.
The problems with Our Revolution are the same problems that I had with
Bernie's campaign, wrote [11] Andy M. Bernie's campaign was better than
Hillary's, but it was not ideal. If Our Revolution is just to be another
Democratic booster club, who needs it. It has to be more than that to be
truly progressive.
Steven Rosenfeld covers national political issues for AlterNet, including
America's retirement crisis, democracy and voting rights, and campaigns and
elections. He is the author of "Count My Vote: A Citizen's Guide to Voting"
(AlterNet Books, 2008).
Error! Hyperlink reference not valid.
Error! Hyperlink reference not valid.
Report typos and corrections to 'corrections@xxxxxxxxxxxx'. [13]
Error! Hyperlink reference not valid.[14]
Source URL:
http://www.alternet.org/election-2016/why-new-sanders-group-our-revolution-l
eaving-many-bernie-backers-scratching-their
Links:
[1] http://www.alternet.org/authors/steven-rosenfeld
[2] http://alternet.org
[3]
http://www.politico.com/story/2016/06/wasserman-schultz-elizabeth-warren-pay
day-lending-223802
[4]
http://floridapolitics.com/archives/220758-dwight-bullard-victorious-sd-40-f
aces-frank-artiles-november
[5]
http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/arizona/2016/08/08/arizona-legi
slative-races-primary-watch/87762186/
[6]
http://www.azleg.gov/MembersPage.asp?Member_ID=74&Legislature=51&Ses
sion_ID=112
[7] https://www.reddit.com/r/Political_Revolution
[8]
https://www.thenation.com/article/returning-to-his-roots-sanders-launches-ou
r-revolution/
[9]
https://ourrevolution.com/press/our-revolution-announces-formation-of-board
[10] https://berniedelegatesnetwork.org/
[11]
https://diy.rootsaction.org/petitions/support-and-improve-our-revolution
[12] https://ourrevolution.com/candidates
[13] mailto:corrections@xxxxxxxxxxxx?Subject=Typo on Why the New Sanders
Group Our Revolution Is Leaving Many Bernie Backers Scratching Their Heads
[14] http://www.alternet.org/
[15] http://www.alternet.org/%2Bnew_src%2B
