Amy Goodman: Now the Work of Movements Begins

[marmar]

from truthdig:



Now the Work of Movements Begins

Posted on Nov 7, 2012
By Amy Goodman


The election is over, and President Barack Obama will continue as the 44th president of the United States. There will be much attention paid by the pundit class to the mechanics of the campaigns, to the techniques of microtargeting potential voters, the effectiveness of get-out-the-vote efforts. The media analysts will fill the hours on the cable news networks, proffering post-election chestnuts about the accuracy of polls, or about either candidate’s success with one demographic or another. Missed by the mainstream media, but churning at the heart of our democracy, are social movements, movements without which President Obama would not have been re-elected.

President Obama is a former community organizer himself. What happens when the community organizer in chief becomes the commander in chief? Who does the community organizing then? Interestingly, he offered a suggestion when speaking at a small New Jersey campaign event when he was first running for president. Someone asked him what he would do about the Middle East. He answered with a story about the legendary 20th-century organizer A. Philip Randolph meeting with President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Randolph described to FDR the condition of black people in America, the condition of working people. Reportedly, FDR listened intently, then replied: “I agree with everything you have said. Now, make me do it.” That was the message Obama repeated.

There you have it. Make him do it. You’ve got an invitation from the president himself.

For years during the Bush administration, people felt they were hitting their heads against a brick wall. With the first election of President Obama, the wall had become a door, but it was only open a crack. The question was, Would it be kicked open or slammed shut? That is not up to that one person in the White House, no matter how powerful. That is the work of movements. .........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/now_the_work_of_movements_begins_20121107/?ln

[adirondacker]

1. HIGHLY Rec! Thanks! N/T

[kenny blankenship]

2. And the work of the immovable

establishment "center" to ignore your movement to death also begins; and in the same moment, its task is effortlessly completed. Yours is neverending.

You cannot "make him do it", you cannot "hold his feet to the fire" and you cannot "call him to account." No, no puedes.

He doesn't have to end the wars or stop wasting a trillion dollars annually on militarism and empire. He doesn't have to rein in the Wall Streeters' orgies of banking fraud. He doesn't have to champion Universal Health Care. He doesn't have to keep his hands off of Social Security or Medicare. He doesn't have to fix the economy and stop exporting our jobs. He doesn't have to restore Constitutional liberties or stop spying on everyone without a warrant or promise to stop assassinating American citizens. He doesn't have to do anything at all, except stay funky. Because of you, the Democratic voter.

[daleanime]

3. Then what would you suggest....

crying in the corner?

[kenny blankenship]

4. I'd suggest you stop slapping your forehead

You're going to get hurt enough as it is.

[limpyhobbler]

5. yep, nt