The “Crash the Gates” revolution is dead. I hate to tell you.
Do you remember how exciting this place was in late 2003 and early 2004? Remember the buzz and activity of a bunch of people motivated and inspired to “take our country back!”?
We organized, phone banked and had meetups. It was something new and great: People Powered democracy. Truly bottom up, grassroots, self organization.
But that was then. This is now.
There’s an old saying: By the time everyone’s doing, it’s already over. Lately I’ve been seeing pictures like this one from Kansas City Missouri, where people were waiting to hear Bill Clinton speak. And it just looked sad. It reminded me of a high school reunion, where everyone stands around awkwardly, looking for a glimpse of that old feeling. A feeling that can never return. But people look anyway.
You can see these images everywhere the Clinton campaign goes except for the completely fake, astroturf, stage managed events you see on TV. But this is what their campaign really looks like, has always looked like, with few exceptions.
And then I thought, this is what Daily Kos, Inc has embraced? This sad, relic from the past?
This is what the orange, people powered revolution has been reduced to. A dead end campaign to prop up a dead wing of the party (and it’s dead alright, even if she wins this time).
Perhaps this is destiny. I never much saw a future in “crashing the gates”, Markos style, anyway.
I remember when Markos went around the country selling his book, and selling the idea that the way we get more Democrats is to also get better Democrats. And the way to get better Democrats is to become the Democratic party we want to see.
Yes, we, the people of the netroots, are the solution. We will penetrate the old guard, take the mantle, and replace those bad Democrats with better ones.
“Go out and become precinct captains, local organizers, run for office.” Kos would tell the crowds. And they would clap loudly.
But there was always a problem with this message. A problem that Kos has now demonstrated quite clearly. We, the netroots, aren’t any better than the current precinct captains. We aren’t any less susceptible to the corruption that so plagues the current crop of Democrats, from the local to national levels. We don't have better character.
You see, the Kos prescription was always founded on a false premise. That what was wrong with the Democratic party was it had the wrong people. And that somewhere there were better people. Us, Kos, Chris Bowers, internet people, or whoever they meant.
But as Markos has now aptly proven, we internet people are just as capable of getting a bite at the apple, liking it, and becoming the sellout tools we once sought to replace. Kos is just as much part of the entrenched establishment power as any of them at this point. Profiting from the status quo, resisting attempts to reform the system.
And this is the point. There is no such thing as a “better” Democrat. I mean there are some truly evil people. But I’ve been a Democrat for many decades, and the vast majority of Democrats I’ve ever known have been decent people who really wanted to do good.
At first.
But then the system starts to corrupt. Fundraising, day in day out. Next thing you know, you’re doing deals with people you once opposed. And the power itself starts to appeal. The perks, the favors.
It is our system that corrupts. And almost no one is immune.
There was only one thing about our orange colored, people powered movement that had any merit. And that was the people powered part. Genuine grass roots self organization is the solution.
And that is what we have, once again, in the candidacy of Bernie Sanders.
A NEW PEOPLE POWERED REVOLUTION
People Power is alive again. But if you spend all your time hanging out in this relic of the past, you are missing it. Even if you are a Bernie supporter, who comes here every day, fighting the good fight, battling with the forces of ignorance and lies, you’re wasting your time.
Right now, there are thousands of people who are doing more than just sitting around arguing with people who can’t be persuaded, and are instead, talking to real people who can be persuaded.
Right now, there is a website where people are taking action to actually help Bernie Sanders win. There is information on how you can phonebank (which is fun, inspiring, and will leave you feeling good) and Facebank, and GOTV.
Michigan is over.
FLORIDA, ILLINOIS, MISSOURI, NORTH CAROLINA, and OHIO are here.
STOP WASTING TIME ARGUING WITH HILLARY SUPPORTERS — DO SOMETHING THAT MATTERS
Or just come by and hang out. We need you. Kos apparently does not.