"Rules for Revolutionaries", aka The Left Has Learned Nothing from Their Loss (Preliminary Reflection)

Now this was an interesting book that I found at my local library.

It's called Rules for Revolutionaries, and I borrowed it in part because I was looking for Saul Alinksy's cult classic Rules for Radicals. The library had the book on file, but apparently it got lost in the archives or misplaced somewhere, so I went with this book instead.

Rules for Revolutionaries (RFR) was written by Becky Bond and Zack Exley, two grassroots organizers who worked on the Bernie Sanders campaign. They talk about the incredible volunteer militia they put together to get Bernie Sanders to run neck-and-neck with presumptive Democratic Presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.

The Sanders campaign had an incredible army of activists and organizers, it's true. It's also pretty alarming, since so many young people are convinced that socialism is that answer to the world's evils. This is really scary stuff, folks, especially when these college-aged youth are supposed to be the future for this country.

We need to combat this!

Anyway, the two authors used the book to outline their views on how the Progressive Left can organizer and coordinate better to win in Election 2020. They are so committed to Bernie Sanders, that they go out of their way to point out what he did well, and they do not spare him criticism--to ensure victory for the future.

The book RFR was even published in Vermont! I wonder what they think of "Vermont Carry" when it comes to the Second Amendment .... (more on that later).

Here are the rules which they write to "Change Everything":

1. You won't get a revolution unless you ask for one.

2. The revolution will not be handed to you on a silver platter.

3. The revolution will not be staffed.

4. Fighting racism must be at teh core of the message to everyone.

5. Get on the phone!

6. The work is distributed. The plan is centralized.

7. The revolution will be funded--by small donations,

8. Barnstorm!

9. Fight the tyranny of the annoying

10. Give away your passwords

11. Don;t let the perfect be the enemy of the big.

12. Learn the basics of good management

13. If there are no nurses, I don't want to be part of the revolution.

14. Grow complexity by solving problems as they arise.

15. Only hire staff who embrace the rule "The revolution will not be staffed"

16. Best practices become worst practices

17. The revolution is not just bottom up; it's peer to peer.

18. Repeat "rinse and repeat".

19. There's no such thing as a single-issue revolution.

20. Get ready for the counterrevolution (to include your friends)

21.Put consumer software at the center.

22. People new to politics make the best revolutionaries.

Already, one can tell that these writers (they are not that young) are trying to bite off far more than they can chew.

Even Alinsky did not have this many rules.

Another problem, which is quite apparent: the two writers are focused on process, and not principles. Men and women are not going to organize for a set of policies of people who do not command any respect. There has to be a mission behind the message.

What are they pushing, these two starry-eyed Bernie-crat revolutionaries? Socialism.

Socialism blows. Socialism sucks. Socialism KILLS!

In the next few posts, I am going to analyze some of their points of discussion and departure, then outline at length how all of this is a total fail.

There will be no revolution because this great country already had an excellent Revolution in 1776, and it is still a success!

Organizing for Failure: Obama Gets into the Redistricting Fight

Please, Barack, just go away!

No one likes you. You ruined the Democratic Party.

You have made it harder and harder for progressives to hold their heads high, to act as if they have anything to be proud of.

Yet here he goes, sticking his nose into another set of "Reforms", when what he is really after is another set of policy frauds to try and increase Democratic power in red states.

Maybe Obama should sit back and realize that he has done just about everything wrong since he entered office, and just go away.

But no ... Organizing for Action is back in the forefront. He refuses to go away.

From: Barack Obama
To: ----------------------------
Sent: Monday, October 23, 2017 8:37 AM
Subject: Our path forward
 

Robin --

When I left office, I asked you to embrace the responsibility of active citizenship -- to get involved in our political process, regardless of which way the pendulum of power swings. And over the course of this year, I've seen millions of people answer that call.

You signed up with OFA to take action, and your efforts made a difference. All summer long, for example, you called your members of Congress, you showed up at their town halls, and you used your voice on social media to protect people's health insurance from partisan politics. And it worked.

Together, you've stood up for science and stood against hate, you've marched for women's rights and protested a divisive immigration agenda.

You're doing the hard work of citizenship. You've inspired me all over again. You remind me of the energy that fueled our campaigns in 2008 and 2012. And I know that once again, we can turn that grassroots energy into real, lasting change.

That's why I'm writing you today.

Soon, our states will be redrawing their Congressional and state legislative district lines. It's called redistricting, and it will take place in 2021, after the next Census takes place. That may seem far off, but the time to get started on this issue is now.

This is our best chance to eliminate the partisan gerrymandering that has blocked progress on so many of the issues we all care about. Simply put, redistricting has the potential to be a major turning point for our democracy. But we need to be prepared.

That's where the National Democratic Redistricting Committee comes in. Led by Eric Holder, my former Attorney General, they're the strategic hub for Democratic activity leading up to redistricting. In partnership with groups like OFA, the NDRC is building the infrastructure Democrats need to ensure a fair outcome. But they need your help.

Sign up on this page, Robin, and let them know that you want in.

The NDRC is providing a comprehensive strategy for the path forward. They're challenging unconstitutional maps in court, and doing the necessary state-by-state electoral work to make sure Democrats have a seat at the table for redistricting.

To support them, OFA volunteers and supporters will provide the grassroots organizing capacity and mobilization that we'll need to win state-level elections and move other initiatives forward ahead of the 2021 redistricting process -- making sure that states are in the best position possible to draw fair maps.

Systemic gerrymandering has favored one side over the other in literally hundreds of congressional and state legislative districts around the country.

If we're ever going to truly achieve our vision of an America that works for everyone, we have to draw our districts so that politicians are encouraged to cater to common sense, not rigid extremes.

Getting that done will require participation. It will require each of us continuing to accept our responsibility to be active, engaged citizens.

This fight matters, and OFA and the NDRC need you to be a part of it. Say that you will be:

https://my.ofa.us/Fair-Democracy

Thank you,

President Barack Obama 

Final Reflection

Barack Obama wants to blame redistricting for why he could not advance his policy agenda.

This is delusion writ large. This man single-handedly got more Republicans elected to higher office than any GOP Presidential candidate or President in recent memory.

His policies were awful. His agenda was anti-American, and the American public were fed up with a political class more interested in insulting the public--and forcing them to pay for it--rather than doing what was right for the community and the country as a whole.

On the other hand, I hope that Obama continues to campaign around the country for Democratic candidates and causes.

The Republicans in Washington need to fight and ensure President Trump's agenda. We cannot have any stalling on the MAGA Agenda!