Is it not an indictment of the strategy itself — or at least its messengers — that #ForceTheVote couldn't convince any of the existing M4A grassroots infrastructure (DSA, NNU, etc) to participate in the plan?
https://twitter.com/EoinHiggins_/status/1345421180254248966
Like, isn't that failure internal to an analysis of whether the plan was any good? Or is that the strategy can't fail; we can only fail the strategy?
even on the left — among activists who understand their purpose as expanding the horizons of the possible — people will only participate in a strategy if they can be convinced it will make a difference, that it will work.
by the same token, treating your potential allies, the ones you'll need for the next fight, as corrupt because they didn't see the wisdom of your strategy... that seems shortsighted.
the challenge for the left is to reckon clearly with the forces arrayed against our goals, be willing to name them, but when we fail, we must not only blame forces beyond our control. We have to ask "What did we do wrong?"
And now bc I'm already singing his song, I'll quote @jonathansmucker: “I take no solace in the prospect of history listing me among the righteous few who denounced the captain of a ship that sank... We must conspire to take the helm.”
Anyway. I'm not trying to "dunk" on anyone. i do believe the people who participated in #ForceTheVote are goodhearted, trying to do their best to achieve our common goals.
It's true that people often conceal a corrupt preference for moderation behind a purported strategic disagreement. ("They keep on saying: go slow!") But not all strategic differences arise from corrupt motive. And it's easy to isolate yourself by assuming they do.
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