Chris Hedges and Kshama Sawant Speak In Oakland At Rally For Sawant's Seattle Campaign

[marmar]

Published on Sep 20, 2015

Chris Hedges and Seattle City Council member Kshama Sawant spoke in Oakland on September 19, 2015. Kshama Sawant is campaigning to retain her seat on the council and is facing corporate and wealthy funding to her Democratic party candidate. She is the only socialist representative in a major city in the United Sates. She also has the support of a number of unions in the Seattle area. She is a member of Socialist Alternative.

[MrMickeysMom]

1. I would normally want to get into a LOT of discussion over this...

But, it's a two-edged sword, and you don't know this until you pay attention to what is being presented here.

I'm conflicted about much lately, but the main issue here is how I agree with Chris Hedges' definitions of where we are while still calling myself a Democrat.

I don't doubt for a MINUTE what he says, but I say that we change this country the way we can change the next election. I don't think Sander's has to part with the Democratic Party to do that. If we dare call ourselves progressive (as I do and as Bernie Sanders describes his ideas more accurately), then it is because what the party leadership under people like DWS shows about "leadership". We don't need to leave the Democratic Party. The Democratic Party needs to kick out the power-hungry Washington insiders who are so full of themselves and have forgotten about everything outside that power.

Will we ever make a difference before time runs out on this planet for us if we follow the principles of Democratic Socialists/Socialists/Jesus Christ, for Christ's sake? And, does it take an alternative party? Am I kidding myself if I disagree that it doesn't at this time?

Here's where I differ with Hedges, who I KNOW has more to say about the Middle East than I ever could or how our leaders have failed us.

So much of America has been dumbed down and so much money is in control. Power sits at the top of this. We sit at the bottom.

What do we do, and does anybody on this Democratic Underground discussion board really have the guts to talk about it without getting pushed around by bouncy cheerleading DLC/Third Way Democrats?

Huh…

[OutNow]

2. I support Kshama Sawant

If you wanted to know how to run a serious effective left wing election in America you might want to check out Kshama Sawant's campaign. This group is not a few isolated folks standing on a street corner waving red flags hoping some people might buy their newspaper or contribute a couple of bucks. Socialist Alternative is a actual grass roots organization that has wide support.

Sawant has been endorsed by the local AFL-CIO Labor Council, Aerospace Machinists District Lodge 751, Seattle/King County Building and Construction Trades Council, AFL-CIO, UFCW Local 21, SEIU Local 775, SEIU Local 1199 NW, SEIU Local 6, SEIU Local 925, Teamsters Local 117, Teamsters Local 174, Teamsters Local 763, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 46, Inland Boatmen’s Union, International Longshore & Warehouse Union Local 19, Washington Federation of State Employees Local 1488, Laborers Local 1239, Washington Alliance of Technology Workers, CWA Local 37083, International Union of Operating Engineers Local 609, Sailors’ Union of the Pacific, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 77, Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, ATU 587, Ironworkers Local 86, Familias Unidas Por La Justicia (Farmworkers at Sakuma Bros), UAW 4121, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 5, American Postal Workers Union Greater Seattle Local,
American Federation of Teachers Local 1789, National Women’s Political Caucus of Washington and the Green Party of Washington.

Some of the local Democratic clubs have tried to endorse her, and when they were blocked by the bureaucrats voted instead to endorse no one. And yes, there is a Democrat running who gets most of her funding from the millionaires and billionaires.

http://kshamasawant.org/