First and foremost, please let's stop the complaining and focusing on pointing out how thuggish, and mean, and greedy, and corrupt, the Republicans are (along with their corporate overlords).
The first step is to admit that the entire political system in the United States of America has been taken over by a corporatist ruling class. Both major political parties basically serve their corporate overlords and owners first and foremost. The Democrats are just the equivalent of the "good cop" in a "Bad-cop-good-cop" farce.
So now, what are you going to do about it? I'm asking because I'm waiting for marching orders from YOU, and I haven't gotten them yet. So this ready "soldier" for the cause makes some proposals, which frankly are well overdue.
I suspect that part of the ineffectiveness and lack of focus that plagues the progressive movement has to do with the inertia caused by hierarchy. People start with a bang, full of energy and inspiration, and then when you get to a certain point where actual money is coming in (fundraising, donations, book sales, etc.), and people get pay, and offices are staffed, then it becomes an issue of turf and of protecting the "organization." I understand; that tends to happen; it's the American way.
But it's time to regain your energy and put those considerations aside for the sake of the country.
The first thing to understand is that in order to have any real traction there needs to be a progressive movement unified by a very small set of core principles and values.
I know people say that that's not easy to do with "intelligent" people who do not march lockstep to anybody's drumbeat, etc. I beg to differ. It's possible. It has happened in the past, and it can happen again.
When it comes to social movements and political power, please understand that all issues related to reason, justice, empirical evidence, and intellect are secondary. In fact, some would say that those are the issues of the limo-driven liberal elite.
In order to win, what a movement needs is conviction, passion, and zealotry. Without that, you may as well hang it up now.
And it should not be that hard to do... For example, the conviction and passion in people needs to be elicited via an understanding that we are in an existential struggle. It needs to be framed in the context of good vs. evil (because it is). It needs to reach deep into the "soul" of people and touch them in the most intimate and passionate manner, so when they hear the battle cry, or see your "banner", or sing your battle song, they are moved to the core with emotion, with the willingness to march ahead and put everything on the line. Because that is what's going to take to defeat the evil that's arisen in our country.
A small plutocratic neo fascist ruling elite has taken over the government, and they are moving ahead with the implementation of a repressive and exploitative police state. They have taken over the government (both parties), and they have taken over the entire media and turned it into the most sophisticated and effective propaganda machine the world has ever seen.
They want to destroy the middle class, and manipulate people with the objective of enslaving them.
They are inspired by neo fascist philosophies of people like Ayn Rand, and Leo Strauss, among others. Behind their philosophical tenets there are concepts related to Social Darwinism, and eugenics. They want the poor and the vulnerable to die off (Alan Greyson was right).
So, about that for the concept of good and evil?
And here is the thing. It's a shame that on the right, the merchants of lies are able to rally millions and millions of people (with the fervor I mention above), and to wit, they are doing it based on complete bullshit, on superstition, on lies, on manipulation, on appealing to the most base human instincts.
Imagine the power of rallying people to your cause (to their cause) based on the truth!
And then, the message can be distilled into a simple narrative: Security, jobs, health, progress, and justice.
And yet, all I hear are crickets... And the quite mourning of the millions of people who are being brutalized every single day by an increasingly oppressive and corrupt system.
Folks (leaders of progressive organizations), we need you to step up to the plate now!
Don't be afraid. There are millions of people waiting for you to lead them.
Stop complaining and pointing out how evil the other side is (that's obvious).
Unite (all progressive organizations, unions, community organizers, nurses, police, firefighters, government employees, private sector employees, moms, dads, students).
Mobilize under ONE BANNER (that comprises the U.S. Constitution, the star-spangle banner, and the colors for this existential fight).
We need a very focused and coordinated approach that includes a relentless and extremely focused public relations (and education) campaigns, multiple lawsuits against corporate wrongdoing (or push DAs across the country to go after these criminals), multiple and relentless freedom of information act requests, a massive, sustained, and relentless resistance and protest movement.
Every day there should be waves of massive protests across the country, in Wall Street, in Washington, D.C.
We need for all the progressive-leaning think tanks to unite and come up with a very focused strategy to remove the evil choke-hold of this criminal neo fascist corporatist cartel that has taken over the country.
This needs to be done now! If you (progressive leaders) wait much longer, it will be too late.
The neo fascist and oppressive police state is being deployed right now as you read this, and the pace of deployment is only going to accelerate.
There is still time to address these issues peacefully, but it needs to start now. Move on! Let's man the brigades.
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