Why do I think you need to hold a house party?

First of all, while Bernie's fundraising has so far been impressive, we all know he isn't going to raise as much money as some of the other, more corporate-friendly candidates. He's not going to authorize a Super-Pac on his behalf, as a testament to his commitment to campaign finance reform. And he's not going to get that much favorable media coverage, since many of the people who own the media are largely afraid of his agenda.

That leaves online organizing and in-person organizing to help spread his message.

Online organizing (part of which is what we're doing now, sharing and reading articles) certainly can help. But there are limits to what you can do with this. Example - in the old days, you could share articles on Facebook to help pull in some of your apolitical friends. No longer. Facebook has changed their algorithm, so you're more likely to see articles that reflect the "genres" of what you typically already read, and less of everything else. Don't get me wrong, I think online communication is great for organizing supporters, but I don't believe it's the best way to reach apolitical people, those that need to hear our message the most.

So that leaves in person organizing as the last tool for bringing in new people. Rallies and canvassing are good, but remember, we want to win over people who aren't typically interested in politics. I know we at Daily Kos love hearing about it, but there is a large segment of the population (typically, it's most of the people who don't vote) who are so apathetic and disinterested that they actually go out of their way to not to hear about politics. Many of these will tune out a public protest, slam the door on a canvasser, and throw away a door knocker. But we need to reach them, because we're the only ones that can. And without them, it will be very, very difficult to build the national majority we need to win a primary or a general election.

The best way to get through to them is to hold a house party for Bernie. A house party is a regular party, which also contains a small amount of political engagement. People love showing up to parties, and they are much more amenable to hearing about politics from someone they know and trust. This strategy (hosting house parties) was what was used in 2008 by the Obama campaign with great success.

How to Host Your Bernie Sanders House Party:



Invite everyone you know that you'd like to have at a party, especially non-politically engaged friends and family. If anyone asks what it's like, you can tell them "we have a lot of fun together and we can also learn a little bit more about Bernie Sanders."

Keep in mind that it's a party first, and a Bernie Sanders event second. Apolitical people want to have a good time, they don't want to get preached at about politics all day long. Don't try to corner your guests and ask them what they know or think about the issues, just let conversations among guests happen naturally.

As some point during the party, ideally a few minutes after everyone has arrived, you can make a short speech saying why you like Bernie Sanders, and then show a brief clip of him on Youtube. It's best to try to get something funny (like a comedian interview) so we can keep the attention of people who are apolitical. Here's a great clip of Bernie talking with Seth Meyers, in which Bernie explains why "Socialism" isn't a dirty word. Then, it's back to the party.

People will remember how they felt about the party - it was fun, people were friendly, ect - and they will attribute some of that goodwill to Bernie Sanders indirectly. This is a good thing. In a world where many people only see politics as mudslinging and attack ads, you're showing people that politics can bring communities together, politics can be fun, and politics can be about positive change.

Try not to get into a nasty debate at the party. If a guest is a very passionate supporter of Hillary Clinton or one of the Republican candidates, don't tear down that person's preferred candidate. Instead, mention positive qualities you like about Bernie Sanders. You're a stand in for Bernie, and remember he's never a negative ad in his life. That's a good fact to mention as you pivot to talking about what you like about Bernie Sanders, if you are challenged as to why you don't like another candidate. Remember that the spirit of the party is inclusiveness and togetherness.

The most important part of the party is what happens when it is about to be over. You've got to ask people "OK - which three of you are going to host the next Bernie Sanders house parties?" Try to get at least three people to do it, so even if one flakes out, you're still helping the parties expand.

The goal is to have a series of house parties happening all over the country, so that we can help people who wouldn't ordinarily hear about him be exposed to Bernie's ideas. I believe this is the best (and only) bring in the people who'd otherwise just tune out the election (about 40% of the country.)

That's about it. Let me if you have any questions. I'm more than happy to help you guys start planning your own house parties. Let's get at least three people to commit hosting a party right now. Who will step up first?



Check out People for Bernie to get involved locally:

http://www.peopleforbernie.com/