The lurch to the right by the entire US political establishment over the last twenty years has been both significant and alarming.
I was recently reminded of how bad things have gotten by the 20th anniversary of the Battle of Seattle, an event that sparked a brief period of radical resistance in the US, and which jump-started my own activism. As I sifted through my memories from that time, I realized that a lot has changed.
I’ve gotta give it to Bernie and/or his strategy folks. “Not me, us” is the best political slogan I’ve heard in long time.
Seriously, all cynicism aside, those three words sum up what has to happen in order for Bernie to win and, if elected, to serve effectively. It has to be about people power, not just the power—or inevitable weaknesses—of one personality.
I do believe that Bernie has a good chance of moving into the White House. The huge crowds, the record-breaking fundraising, and the sheer enthusiasm of his supporters are unmatched in the field of candidates. This all counts for something.
But the road to the White House is an uphill battle. The Democratic Party leadership is opposed to Bernie and his policies, despite the popularity of both inside and outside the party. It appears they would rather lose to Trump than share power with their progressive base.
This essay is for rank-and-file Democrats, which includes friends of mine. (Disclaimer: As many of you know, I’m not a Democrat; my politics are much further to the left. However, with this piece I am wishing you well.)
Many of you are focused on the 2020 election, which you hope Trump will lose. Of course. But you cannot trust the leadership of your party to do what it takes to make that happen.
If you are serious about putting a Democrat in the White House, you’ll need to do it yourselves, through dint of will and sweat of brow. It’s not impossible. In fact, it’s totally doable. But you need to get on the stick now, and that means educating yourself about the reality of your challenge, which has not been well publicized.
As individuals, our choices make very little difference to the state of the world, often virtually none. Nonetheless, those same choices can have significant effects on ourselves, sometimes profoundly.
For example: One can give up driving for biking, and though this will make no difference to global pollution output, the profits of oil companies or the fossil-fuel focus of US imperialism, it could definitely improve your health, save you money and grant you great enjoyment of the outdoors. Or one can quit eating the flesh of domesticated animals, and though this will make no difference to the beef, pork or poultry industries or save even one cow, pig or chicken from the slaughterhouse, you will no longer be taking into your own body the products of such horrific suffering yourself, and that is bound to have a positive effect on you personally, if only at a subtle level of consciousness.
Or one can cast a vote for president believing it counts for something, and though the likelihood of your action making any kind of difference is vanishingly small, you will have succeeded in deluding yourself.
How so? In several ways:
