Manipulation of procedures, lack of transparency (when the rules require it), dragged out debates to confuse or tire members and blatant violation of rules.
After chair vote, I got 4 different reasons why they switched from paper to digital ballots minutes before vote from DNC
Reminder: Ellison came up a couple votes short of Perez on 1st ballot, triggering 2nd ballot. In btwn both campaigns were to receive list of votes from 1st ballot (to lobby members in btwn ballots). Ellison camp never got it. Later reports showed Obama called members btwn votes.
There were more tactical games played that adversely affected Ellison.
Members of Ellisons team had been hired to lobby. It's normal. But they had no lists to use.
DNC comms leadership said "it would've taken too long and required more staff to count the names between ballots"
Some DNC members expressed at time in response that the DNC should've moved the hours of rallying speeches (some admittedly painfully boring) to the time when staff was to tally votes.
Summary: DNC leadership seems to rely on dragging things out so people lose interest. If you want the DNC tally vote on the #climate debate, don't give up.
Part of the reason they may not want to release vote is because many of those who voted against the climate debate were appointed (not elected) by the Chairman. And several are consultants and lobbyists for, you guessed it, big energy.
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Representation matters but it’s no big deal that the majority of audiences on political YouTube and twitch are male. And of course, most hosts are male as well.
And many of our conversations and debates are being driven in these spaces -and spilled over onto platforms with women
But the narratives form in male dominated spaces. We now have proof of our suspicions that these tech monopolies knew and *did nothing* about these “design problems.”
Hate and anger snd misogyny get you clicks and subs on these platforms.
These platforms are not small.
Can you imagine if Fox only had male hosts?And a primarily male audience? You wouldn’t be surprised by the outrage that would dominate (and does).
So why don’t we demand that @YouTube and Twitch live to that standard? Democracy works better when one group isn’t driving the convo
Michael and I took a train to Boston for a Harvard panel at the end of January. He was so excited to be on the panel w/the legendary @CornelWest. En route he said some profound life words to me about focusing on your purpose, on blocking out the frenetic energy... 1/
On being the best activist, thinker possible. He talked abt how to laser focus family, work, the movement, creating a legacy. He gave me a pep talk, a life talk, knowing how hard the last year has been. Then, he gave the best talk I’ve ever seen him give w/@CornelWest. 2/
I hope to share that talk if I can find it and cut it this week. It’ll move you. It was transcendent. 3/
I believe primaries are good for democracy & diversity of thought. I once saw a DCCC presentation focused on funding what they determined were target districts-based on polling ignoring economic justice issues, which many progressives thinks appeal to traditionally red districts
For years center left institutions have decided which races were “winnable”-on their terms. And sadly most were not & Democrats have had little funding in many states and regions as a result. Primaries keep the electorate alive. They cost money but they build the party’s pipeline
When we allow the dccc to determine what’s “winnable” - 9/10 it’s the races that the gop will be up against. Swing districts are expensive. And big consultants that work with the dccc make the most money in those districts. Spreading it around would kill their monopoly.
The Sanders group worked tirelessly through tedious process and debate to get reform. It’s not all we want but my God it’s more than the party has had in decades. We have to keep pushing. We have to run more progressives for DNC.The party has no choice but to reform at this point
And for those who say “give up!” I urge you to actually look at the breakdown of the dnc. We have 1/2 the party. Those speaking out in the dnc against reforms are not in leadership and may have their own personal issues. Don’t let truth get in the way of a good story - or clicks
And pay attention to those on the “left” who say “give up.” Many have financial motivations to tell everyone to quit. I can say our team fought hard, stood their ground and wishes the party went further. But dammit, we can take a win everyone once in a while. And you should too
Global movements don’t just happen by design. We got here because of decades of fiscal and social policies that hurt working people. The same people in charge of those policies, also handed over the keys to Russian oligarchs, who are deep in US investment. See NY real estate.
So spare me w/this too smart by half message linking left movements to Putin. Left movements are reactionary to the neoliberal capitalist policies that turned the US into its own oligarch, in part because our neoliberals created openings for Russians to grab parts of our economy
No matter how hard neoliberals and their corporate media partners try to quash this movement- through killing net neutrality, spreading fear based false messaging, smearing leaders- it doesn’t eliminate the cause of the global movements: vast income inequality.