People-Powered Politics...Crashing the Gate...Jerome talks at DFA

[madfloridian]

Fascinating post by Jerome Armstrong today at DFA. This is quite a long post by him, and I see a lot of stuff I have not heard before. This is inspiring. I wish more were on board with rebuilding the party by going inside it instead of leaving it.

http://www.blogforamerica.com/archives/007504.html

Money and mobilization

As we approach the 2006 mid-terms, what's the layout of the land, especially as it concerns the party that we want to win, and the party that we want to defeat.

As we state in our book, Crashing The Gate:

"We are at the beginning of a comprehensive reformation of the Democratic Party—driven by committed progressive outsiders.
Online activism on a national level, coupled with offline activists at the local level, can provide the formula for a quiet, bloodless coup that can take control of the party.

Money and mobilization are the two key elements of all political activity, and if the netroots have their way, the financial backbone of the Democratic Party will be regular people."

Which is exactly what Howard Dean's goal is, for us to fund the party. Which is exactly why the fight is on by some to keep it from happening.

And he mentions his interview with Russ Feingold.

When we sat down with Russ Feingold while writing this book, he told us, "The Democratic Party wasn't going to be the party of money and the party of people. We are the party of the people, because if we're not, then we're nobody. Unless our power is based on numbers of people, and committed enthusiasm of people, we'll never win, because we're never going to win the soft money game."

Given the new campaign finance rules, the Democratic Party would either go the way of the Whigs —as the party's leadership and its "consulting community" feared – or, it would turn to the people it claimed to represent.

And this part from 2004 about consultants. I was not aware of this.

For example, the DNC in 2004 set up a private shell entity named Riverfront Media putting over $150 million into the private corporation for placement of TV ads and commissions to consultants. Bob Schrum has admitted that his firm made at least $5 million from this entity, but we don't know the facts.

And accountability? There is none.

And it's not even as if anyone is watching these television commercials. Republicans are investing in technology that allows them to reach their voters with a targeted message.

He touches on a lot of other things. Long post, good reading, though I don't agree on everything.

[madfloridian]

1. "the beginning of a comprehensive reformation of the Democratic Party"

driven by committed progressive outsiders. "

I am on board with that.

[OzarkDem]

2. I can't wait

until the day when Dems start working to defeat Republicans instead of each other.

[madfloridian]

3. That is what we are trying to do.

.