Galindez writes: "Vote for whomever you want this November, then roll up your sleeves and fight for a Progressive agenda. No matter who becomes president, there is more that we agree on than what divides us."



Activists outside the US Capitol. (photo: Paulina Leonovich/Twitter)

Progressives Don't Break Up Over Tactics

By Scott Galindez, Reader Supported News

ote for whomever you want this November, then roll up your sleeves and fight for a Progressive agenda. No matter who becomes president, there is more that we agree on than what divides us. Set the political parties aside for a moment. We want to end poverty, we want save the planet, we want to get money out of politics, we want universal health care, we want public colleges and universities to be free, and we want to end racism and all forms of bigotry. Those are just some of the issues we need to fight for.

Let’s keep the issues out front and not break up over personalities and the dreaded divider of the left, tactics. We always disagree on tactics, and it keeps us from showing a united front. The launch of “Our Revolution” has not been pretty. Are we really going to split up over whom Bernie trusts to run the organization while he returns to the Senate?

Jeff Weaver is not Karl Rove. Weaver has not been known as someone who spends his time raising money from billionaires. Jeff Weaver does not have a history of representing Wall Street or the Democratic Party establishment.

Weaver was arrested after building a shantytown on Boston University and he sued the university when they prevented him from hanging banners calling for divestment from South Africa. Weaver ran for political office twice as an independent before working on Bernie’s campaigns and Congressional staff. I trust Bernie and Bernie trusts Jeff Weaver.

I don’t want to take sides. I still think we can all work together. I have watched many coalitions fall apart over tactics. We want the same thing; we just disagree on how to get there. I believe in diversity of tactics. Occupy fell apart over tactics. It always happens. Let’s make it different this time.

There is room for electoral politics, mass mobilizations, civil disobedience, democrats, Greens, and independents. We need social media, a ground game, a mass media campaign, a local and a national strategy. We need “Our Revolution,” Brand New Congress, independent media, candidates, activists and voters.

We need everyone. I have said it before and will say it again: Trust Bernie. He cares more about our movement than about his political career.

PRESS RELEASE: Our Revolution Announces Formation of Board

Our Revolution on Monday announced the formation of its board. The diverse coalition of eleven former elected officials, organizational leaders, and grassroots activists join the board to continue the work they started as volunteers and surrogates for Senator Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign, mobilizing progressives across the country to transform American politics.

“I am proud to join the board and continue volunteering for Our Revolution. Bernie’s transformative campaign was just the beginning,” said civil rights leader Ben Jealous. “We now have to follow through on our promises to help pass criminal justice reform, the $15 minimum wage and climate change legislation while stopping our endless wars and the TPP, and electing true progressives from the Deep South to the Northwest.”

“I am proud to continue this work with Our Revolution, because this is the work worth doing,” said former Ohio state senator Nina Turner. “We are focused on the mission of transforming our political landscape issue by issue and candidate by candidate. It is through our unity and engagement that we continue to tap into this awakened consciousness which has the power to transform our country for generations to come.”

“Some of us have spent years working for civil rights, against discrimination and hate crimes. Some of us have worked for workers’ rights, a fair economy, or protecting our environment. Some of us are immigrants, others born here,” said Board Chair Larry Cohen. “But we all have something in common: we want to protect human rights here in the United States and globally.”

“I’m incredibly excited to continue the work that Bernie and so many others started in order to further our shared progressive agenda,” said former Nevada assemblywoman Lucy Flores. “It’s truly an honor to work alongside the talented Our Revolution board and staff, who are as committed as I am to the future of our political movement.”

Full board list below:

Nina Turner

Fmr. Ohio State Senator



Deborah Parker

Native American Leader



Ben Jealous

Civil Rights Leader



Jim Hightower

Political Leader, National Radio Commentator & Writer



Jim Zogby

Arab American Human Rights Leader



Huck Gutman

Former Chief of Staff for Senator Bernie Sanders



Jane Kleeb

Environmental Activist



Lucy Flores

Fmr. Nevada Assemblywoman



Larry Cohen

Labor



Catalina Velasquez

Immigration, Reproductive Justice and Trans Queer Liberation Activist



Shailene Woodley

Actress and Environmental Activist

Scott Galindez attended Syracuse University, where he first became politically active. The writings of El Salvador's slain archbishop Oscar Romero and the on-campus South Africa divestment movement converted him from a Reagan supporter to an activist for Peace and Justice. Over the years he has been influenced by the likes of Philip Berrigan, William Thomas, Mitch Snyder, Don White, Lisa Fithian, and Paul Wellstone. Scott met Marc Ash while organizing counterinaugural events after George W. Bush's first stolen election. Scott will be spending a year covering the presidential election from Iowa.

Reader Supported News is the Publication of Origin for this work. Permission to republish is freely granted with credit and a link back to Reader Supported News.