US Democratic Party Primaries 2019

[Idris2002]

That, actually, might not be a bad idea.

Especially if it fucks the so-called Democratic party (funny sort of democracy) hard, and forever.

 

[Marty1]

Great fun.

 

[Serge Forward]

Care to elaborate?

Okay,

1. It's a mass movement from below, made up of people from all walks of life, multi-ethnic, and of various political parties and none -this is a good thing.
2. Turning it into a narrow political party would reduce and undermine the movement, moving away from a mass movement of angry and disgruntled anti-racists to just another part of the establishment.
3. A BLM political party that people could vote for would only be a means of legitimising it in the eyes of the State and preparing the way for a new bunch of well-heeled politicos.
4. It would get nowhere as the majority would still vote Republican or Democrat and would, at best, have as much clout as the US Green Party.
5. Even if it did get anywhere electorally, it'd just be managing capitalism, with maybe the odd change of people at the top, a few more black faces here and there.
6. This would be wank. Fuck the Democrats, fuck the Republicans and any other would-be members of the political wing of the boss class.
7. Robert Johnson of BET is a capitalist. I'm sure he'd benefit on the off chance that any BLM Party actually got anywhere (it wouldn't).
8. He seems to suggest his proposed party as a party for African Americans, thus turning anti-racist rebellion into base ID politics.
9. Fuck him and his suggestion.
10. He's a capitalist cunt.

That do yer?

 

[rekil]

Another shitty video from marty via another shitty channel.

 

[Yuwipi Woman]

Okay,

1. It's a mass movement from below, made up of people from all walks of life, multi-ethnic, and of various political parties and none -this is a good thing.
2. Turning it into a narrow political party would reduce and undermine the movement, moving away from a mass movement of angry and disgruntled anti-racists to just another part of the establishment.
3. A BLM political party that people could vote for would only be a means of legitimising it in the eyes of the State and preparing the way for a new bunch of well-heeled politicos.
4. It would get nowhere as the majority would still vote Republican or Democrat and would, at best, have as much clout as the US Green Party.
5. Even if it did get anywhere electorally, it'd just be managing capitalism, with maybe the odd change of people at the top, a few more black faces here and there.
6. This would be wank. Fuck the Democrats, fuck the Republicans and any other would-be members of the political wing of the boss class.
7. Robert Johnson of BET is a capitalist. I'm sure he'd benefit on the off chance that any BLM Party actually got anywhere (it wouldn't).
8. He seems to suggest his proposed party as a party for African Americans, thus turning anti-racist rebellion into base ID politics.
9. Fuck him and his suggestion.
10. He's a capitalist cunt.

That do yer?

So what do you suggest for an alternative, in my position?

 

[Serge Forward]

I don't know what your position is. What do you mean?

 

[Yuwipi Woman]

I don't know what your position is. What do you mean?

I've tried using environmental groups, mainline political parties, supporting candidates for office, as a vehicle to advance some kind of responsible change. After three and half decade of working on various issues, supporting candidates, I have no representation at any level. I'm throwing in the towel and admitting that none of it works. I'm asking what do you think my next option should be?

 

[redsquirrel]

I've tried using environmental groups, mainline political parties, supporting candidates for office, as a vehicle to advance some kind of responsible change. After three and half decade of working on various issues, supporting candidates, I have no representation at any level. I'm throwing in the towel and admitting that none of it works. I'm asking what do you think my next option should be?

Does the above not agree with Serge Forward's points - you've found that parliamentary representation does not work, so why funnel BLM into a strategy that does not produce the results you want? Surely it is better to keep it as an, effective, mass movement?

 

[Yuwipi Woman]

Does the above not agree with Serge Forward's points - you've found that parliamentary representation does not work, so why funnel BLM into a strategy that does not produce the results you want? Surely it is better to keep it as an, effective, mass movement?

What I'm looking for is advice on where I go next. What's my next step?

 

[Serge Forward]

You're in the US right?

Throwing in the towel with regards candidates is a start! Yes, some candidates may be better or more progressive than others but they'll always leave you disappointed, as their job (whichever political stripe they are) is about managing the system, which is always rigged in the interests of the boss class.

Unfortunately, there's no easy solution to this. But the only way to make any difference is when we organise from below rather than assist 'the professionals' to organise us from above. BLM organises from below, and to a degree remains uncontrollable from above (so far). It's actions have been far more inspiring than a million words from the political class.

I'd say the key is working with groups that see organising from below as an end in itself. By doing this, we help build and maintain confidence among ordinary people of our ability to do things for ourselves.

With regards BLM, helping to ensure it stays a movement from below is a good thing to do.

In the workplace, for example, the IWW has much to offer, though if you're already otherwise unionised, then involvement in any rank and file initiatives is positive.

I don't know much about environmental groups in the US.

And with my own bias coming to the fore, I'd recommend the Black Rose/Rosa Negra federation in the US!

Apologies if this comes across as patronising, or teaching yer granny to suck eggs

 

[redsquirrel]

What I'm looking for is advice on where I go next. What's my next step?

Well SF's pretty much said it for me. What exactly you want to get involved in depends on where you are, what your interests are etc but whatever it is - workplace organising, environment stuff, community organising - the principles of people organising together from below is the key.

 

[Yuwipi Woman]

You're in the US right?

Throwing in the towel with regards candidates is a start! Yes, some candidates may be better or more progressive than others but they'll always leave you disappointed, as their job (whichever political stripe they are) is about managing the system, which is always rigged in the interests of the boss class.

Unfortunately, there's no easy solution to this. But the only way to make any difference is when we organise from below rather than assist 'the professionals' to organise us from above. BLM organises from below, and to a degree remains uncontrollable from above (so far). It's actions have been far more inspiring than a million words from the political class.

I'd say the key is working with groups that see organising from below as an end in itself. By doing this, we help build and maintain confidence among ordinary people of our ability to do things for ourselves.

With regards BLM, helping to ensure it stays a movement from below is a good thing to do.

In the workplace, for example, the IWW has much to offer, though if you're already otherwise unionised, then involvement in any rank and file initiatives is positive.

I don't know much about environmental groups in the US.

And with my own bias coming to the fore, I'd recommend the Black Rose/Rosa Negra federation in the US!

Apologies if this comes across as patronising, or teaching yer granny to suck eggs

Thanks for the advice. I think there's something I can use in there.

 

[redsquirrel]

Interesting primary today the pretty shit Ed Markey vs the appalling scumbag that is Jo Kennedy III. Pretty much agree with this Jacobin piece,

With the backing of the Sunrise Movement, endorsement of fellow Green New Deal champion Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and a campaign vastly more in sync with the moment than the one Democrats are currently running nationally, the seventy-four-year-old senator has successfully turned an all but certain Kennedy victory into a competitive race — a recent University of Massachusetts⁠-Amherst poll actually put him ahead by fifteen points. In a delicious irony, Markey reportedly now leads the supposed candidate of youth among actual youth voters 71 to 21.

It’s as sure a sign as any that Kennedy’s “voice of a new generation” schtick hasn’t worked out as planned, and that his transparently opportunistic pivot to the left ahead of the primary isn’t convincing young voters in Massachusetts. Much like Pete Buttigieg and Beto O’Rourke, his closest analogues during the recent presidential primary, Kennedy III attempted the hallowed election season rebrand as a dyed-in-the-wool progressive hip to social justice, despite a recent past as a fairly bog standard centrist Dem.

Whatever the result this is not going be some victory for socialist politics but I'd just love to see Kennedy lose, preferably by a lot.

 

[Streathamite]

So what do you suggest for an alternative, in my position?

At all costs, keep it as a people's extra-legislature mass movement, driven from below. That doesn't mean don't vote, or do all those things too. You can do that with seperate organisations, like the DSA faction in the Democrats. But BLM needs to keep that dynamism, and vitality from its' roots. Becoming a congressperson'sd plaything would kill it.

 

[redsquirrel]

Kennedy lost badly - 45 to 55% (though still counting), Ha Ha

 

[Streathamite]

Pretty much agree with this Jacobin piece,

good article that