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Working Class Hero/ Peasants Revolt
“Keep you doped with religion and sex and TV
And you think you're so clever and classless and free
But you're still fucking peasants as far as I can see
A working class hero is something to be.”
John Lennon
I started paying close attention to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's the day that I saw a film clip of her outstanding campaign commercial. After listening to her speak a few more times, even though she was considered an underdog, I thought that there was a chance that she'd pull off the upset. One of the things I was most impressed with was her consistently saying that she represents working class values.
On a few conversations here, I noted that I like her history and her platform. I admire her ability to reach people while campaigning. And I believe her working class values reflect a significant part of the soul the Democratic Party had when I was young, and needs to recapture. She has said that she is an FDR Democrat. She worked for Senator Kennedy She supported Bernie in 2016.
Alexandria went to Standing Rock and Flint in 2016. She was an early visitor to the southwestern border, to advocate for families seeking asylum in the US. She is highly intelligent, a talented organizer, and an extremely hard-worker. She is talented in delivering that powerful message during the flood of media attention that she is getting. And she got a lot of voters that normally do not vote in primaries to the voting booth. It's obvious that she is a working class hero who represents the values and beliefs of a significant portion of our Democratic Party.
The response to Alexandria's upset victory over one of the most powerful Democrats in the House was telling. Rep. Crowley displayed the type of class that one can only hope to see, in congratulating and endorsing Ocasio-Cortez. Trump showed an utter lack of class, by taking a cheap shot at Rep. Crowley, and pretending to be happy Alexandria won. His ilk are hoping that Ocasio-Cortez represents a fracture-line within the Democratic Party that they can exploit. In fact, she represents just the opposite.
The number of losses that we have suffered in state and federal elections over the past decade or so is unacceptable. We should never be comfortable with continuing down the same path that put the majority of Americans in this intolerable position. Continuing to engage in the same thinking and actions that allowed Trump to “win” in 2016, and damage the social fabric every day since, is insanity. And only those who are comfortable in losing could possibly argue otherwise.
The media's reaction to Alexandria's impressive victory has included nonsense about it posing a threat to Democratic Party unity. Some want to ignore Joseph Crowley's endorsement, which demonstrates unity, and pretend this impressive victory represents a challenge to unity, when it is clearly proof of the power of a unified Democratic Party. Having progressives like Alexandria winning in some districts does not translate into their demanding to be in the driver's seat. Rather, it means if your driver makes a wrong turn to the right, they be willing to listen to their passengers.
Rep. Crowley was not alone among Democrats in DC that have for years accepted corporate contributions. He accepted an average of $3 per election cycle from Wall Street, big pharma, and luxury land developers. In fact, many of his biggest contributors are the exact same as those who funded the Trump campaign. Alexandria simply said that there is another alternative – let's try turning left, and finance campaigns with grass roots' contributions. And the people in the 14th district agreed.
When a candidate's campaign is financed by people, that politician works for the people. If a candidate's campaign is paid for by “big business” – such as the Blackstone Group – that politician becomes an employee of big business. It is as simple as that, and the proof is found in Washington, DC. This is a truth that should not be viewed as a threat to the Democratic Party, but rather as an opportunity to institute change. Economic injustices cannot be gained without turning in that direction.
To get people to contribute to Democratic candidates' campaigns – including donating time and money, and showing up in large numbers at the voting booths – we need the energy and excitement brought by knowing that everyone has a stake in the game, and will have a seat at the table after election day.
Voter participation among blacks and Hispanics was down in 2016, from where it had been in the two previous presidential elections. Many of the young voters who participated in the 2016 Democratic primaries sat out the general election. And too many white people – including Democrats in key states that decided the election – voted for the charlatan All of this is unacceptable. But rather than taking a stick-in-the-mud approach that lays all responsibility for the many loses the Democratic Party has suffered in recent times upon those voters, the party's leadership needs to take their fair share.
If things are as bad as most people here think they are – and I believe they are far worse – than we do not have the luxury of being divided by petty resentments. And that includes groups such as the supporters of both Bernie and Hillary who continue to lay blame and responsibility for our troubles at the feet of the other group. Indeed, it is that shallow thinking that poses the largest stumbling block to potential progress.
Although Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is “merely” running in New York State's 14th Congressional District, she is creating the type of excitement that our party desperately needs. The media attention she has had since winning her primary demonstrates this. The republican machine will attempt to use her as a means of dividing our party. And they will use the media in their attempts. Don't fall for that trap.
Again, divided we are like individual fingers that our enemy can easily break. United, those fingers form a powerful fist, capable of protecting all of our interests.
Happy 4th of July!
H2O Man
27 replies
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= new reply since forum marked as read
It mirrors my feelings and is beautifully written. You are an excellent writer 
Response to H2O Man (Original post)
