Date
1 - 13 of 13
What I learned campaigning for Oakland mayor as the working class socialist candidate
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John Reimann
I ran for mayor of Oakland as the “working class socialist candidate” in this election cycle. Along the way, I learned a lot and, I believe, set some examples for future similar candidates. I am writing this in the hopes that others can benefit from my experiences, including my mistakes. https://oaklandsocialist.com/2022/11/07/what-i-learned-campaigning-as-the-working-class-socialist-candidate-for-oakland-mayor/ “Science and socialism go hand-in-hand.” Felicity Dowling Check out:https:http://oaklandsocialist.com also on Facebook |
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William Quimby
A message that
all progressive/left/socialist candidates should carry into
2024.
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Thanks, John! "I should have said something like this: “In the 1960s, a whole layer of German youth turned to their parents and grandparents and said, ‘what were you doing back when Hitler was coming to power and was in power? What did you do to stop him?’ And in 20 or 30 years from now, the way things are going, our children and grandchildren – yours and mine – will be facing a hot, dry desolate planet, one run by political forces that make Trump look like a deep thinking humanitarian. And our children and grandchildren will turn to us and ask the same question: ‘What did you do to stop this?’ What answer will you give them? " On 11/07/22 02:11 PM, John Reimann
wrote:
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Dayne Goodwin
Good work! John |
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Michael Meeropol
John, I tried to send a comment to Oakland Socialist and I think I failed. I wanted to thank you for showing that one can make a significant political contribution by running for office. I myself have always (going all the way back to the 1960s when I and two other folks wrote a long piece for SDS' New Left Notes urging an independent presidential campaign for 1968) believed that using the electoral process was a GOOD WAY to advance important political arguments. I hope you develop an even more detailed "after action" report that might be replicated by others all over the country. I think one interesting technique would be to run in races that are DEFINITELY going to be won by one side or the other. (LIke an extremely "red" district or an extremely "blue" district.). In such a district, an independent campaign that identifies the "badness" of the establishment candidate who is "going to" win gives out side an important platform. AND -- avoids the "blame game" that Ralph Nader in 2000 and Jill STein in 2016 could be hit with ... I hope, therefore, John that you tell your story to many public platforms. Solidarity, Mike |
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stevencolatrella@...
I agree with Michael. Indeed, we know that most Congressional districts are one-party at this point, so avoiding the spoiler role sh not be hard. A clear, class-based socialist message could start to get a hearing around much of the country. After a while, in Democratic districts, a socialist might start coming in second, and in Republican ones, become the main opposition party.
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John Reimann
First of all, Michael Meerapol, your comment to my blog did not fail; I just had to approve it. And I welcome all other serious comments, including critical ones. I also agree with the point about running for office where one side or the other cannot win. In the past, I criticized this position as in effect supporting the Democrats. It's not really that; it's opposing the Republicans. (That's what I tell people about how I voted in 2020. I didn't vote for Biden; I voted against Trump.) Many socialists still oppose voting for a Democrat today. I used to. Here's how my thinking changed: As the 2020 election approached, I found myself really, really hoping Trump did not get reelected. But then I had to ask myself: "Well, if I so hope Trump loses, then shouldn't I vote for Biden?" So I had to think it through. The fact is that I never cared that much before. That is because the Republicans have changed. So our analysis and our strategy has to change with that change in the objective situation. We have no illusions in the Democrats. I don't think anybody can accuse me of sowing any such illusions in my campaign. At the national level there is Pelosi, Biden & Co. who want to go back to the old friendly collaboration between the two parties. That is never going to happen. The same dynamic was played out in Oakland's mayoral race, in which all the liberals refused to directly confront and attack Ignacio de la Fuente. As I said, they cannot resolve the problem because they will not build a working class movement. But still, there is a significant difference. As for the Democrats being an imperialist party: This is not a moral question. The Labour Party was and is an imperialist party. Lenin advocated actually joining that party. Nobody is advocating "joining" the Democrats, nor even getting involved in trying to reform them. But the times have changed and how we see the situation must recognize that. John Reimann “Science and socialism go hand-in-hand.” Felicity Dowling Check out:https:http://oaklandsocialist.com also on Facebook |
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Michael Pugliese <michael.098762001@...>
Re : "DSA endorsed three liberal Democrats for mayor," ? How does that
work? Three ? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2022_Oakland_mayoral_election , from that it looks to me like Sheng Thao wrapped up the endorsement of the progs. Looking through https://twitter.com/DSAEastBay , I saw nothing about endorsements . https://www.eastbaydsa.org/campaigns/ , listed endorsements for school board and city council in Oakland, nothing about (a) mayoral endorsement(s). News for the East Bay's diverse, working-class majority. Brought to you by the Democratic Socialists of America, East Bay chapter. https://eastbaymajority.com/ , could be updated more often , as could https://www.eastbaydsa.org/news/ . "EBDSA endorsed," as a search term on Twitter , did not result in any endorsement factoid, on the Mayoral race. https://twitter.com/search?q=EBDSA%20endorsed%20&src=typed_query&f=live . https://twitter.com/search?q=oakland%20mayor%20DSA%20&src=typed_query&f=live , the first result , https://twitter.com/heathr/status/1588336551284514816?s=20&t=RvptoEM0g7VNuhSOQynJJg , and the next Tweet, am I correct in assuming that ,"Harami," is the DSA'er who is the campaign manager for Sheng Thao for Mayor? "Also disturbed to see a candidate for Oakland Mayor w a DSA campaign manager possibly in a position to win. Among other DSA positions, the party opposes backing the US arming of Ukraine," via https://twitter.com/heathr/status/1588336551284514816?s=20&t=RvptoEM0g7VNuhSOQynJJg Electoral Committee The Electoral Committee organizes East Bay DSA’s electoral campaigns, and coordinates with EBDSA-endorsed elected officials. We cannot vote our way to socialism, but the state is nonetheless a key arena of struggle against capital, and electoral campaigns can be powerful tools to foster working-class militancy and build socialist power and organization. The Electoral Committee is tasked with long term electoral strategy, preparing home-grown socialist candidates to run for office, and running independent chapter campaigns to help them win. Co-chairs: Neder G.-S. and Jess B. Mobilizer: Ethan L. Contact: elections@... https://www.eastbaydsa.org/committees/ |
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John Edmundson
Lenin's advice to support the (UK) Labour Party - as a rope supports a hanging man - is of no relevance to today. Lenin expected, correctly as it transpired, that Labour would prove not to be the party of working class revolution and liberation. Over 100 years ago. He made his point, he was proved right, we no longer need to test his hypothesis, or "support" the party in order to demonstrate its unfitness for our purpose. The US Democrats weren't even new to the game when Lenin was making that statement. In fact, given the nature of the duopoly in the US, he could just as easily been making that suggestion about the Republicans - it was the GOP that ended slavery after all, and it was in many ways the more populist and left leaning party for a time. But we wouldn't cite Lenin and vote Trump . . . We are in demoralising times, with the left at an historically weak point in its history. And yes, a significant faction in the Republican Party is scary. But in this time, saying 'vote Democrat to keep out Trump!' is not saying, 'Hey, you thousands of militant, angry, organized socialist workers: vote Democrat as a rope supports a hanging man, because that'll show other workers how bad they are'. We've been there, done that. It's saying, 'Vote Democrat because we're desperate and they're our only saviours'. And that is a terrible message for a Marxist to utter. Comradely, John On Wed, 9 Nov 2022, 05:03 Michael Pugliese, <michael.098762001@...> wrote: Re : "DSA endorsed three liberal Democrats for mayor," ? How does that |
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John Edmundson
Worrying about being a "spoiler" is the same as saying 'we want the Democrats/Labour'. We're meant to be about "spoiling" their cozy little system, upsetting their apple cart. Comradely, John On Tue, 8 Nov 2022, 21:58 , <stevencolatrella@...> wrote: I agree with Michael. Indeed, we know that most Congressional districts are one-party at this point, so avoiding the spoiler role sh not be hard. A clear, class-based socialist message could start to get a hearing around much of the country. After a while, in Democratic districts, a socialist might start coming in second, and in Republican ones, become the main opposition party. |
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David Walters
John , I would argue that is not what are "meant to be about". We are meant to build a political alternative, full stop. The tactics, obviously, can vary. When the short lived Labor Party in the U.S. finally, and well too late, to begin to investigate where to run candidates, it was correct for them to pick districts where unions could easily endorse a labor party candidate without causing a defeat for the the previously backed "pro-union" Democrat. There were of course those "socialists" who argued that the LP should run candidates against Democrats that had a 100% favorable rating by unions and community organizations. It was an idiotic and totally self-defeating tactic to do this that would of insured the isolation of the LP from any future voice among the unions.
I think John R. comments are well considered. David |
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John did you ever try to reach out to Gloria La Riva, and the Peace and Freedom Party? Their headquarters is in Oakland, after all. Is this the Freedom Party who you spoke of here? Gloria could have been a lot of help in organizing and planning your campaign. Did any unions endorse you? Did you have any volunteers willing to campaign for you?
Did you have either a web page you could direct people to, not your blog, or fliers you had printed up with positions on the issues? You should not be surprised the DSA endosed liberals and Democrats, that's what they do. |
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John Reimann
In reply to Roger Kulp: No, I didn't consider approaching the Peace and Freedom Party or Gloria la Riva. The P&FP is a cesspool of Putin (and Assad) supporters, perfect examples of the RT left, and la Riva is one of the worst of them. Furthermore, she is entirely uncritical of the union bureaucracy. As for DSA: I wasn't surprised at all that they weren't interested in my campaign. That was why I sent them one email asking them for a meeting to consider endorsing me but that was all. Like everybody else, my time and energy is limited and I didn't waste it there. DSA did endorse the bourgeois liberal Democrat who was running for city council in my area. They also mobilized for her. I was waiting for them to come by my door so I could roast them, but they never did. Maybe I am too well known to them at this point. John Reimann “Science and socialism go hand-in-hand.” Felicity Dowling Check out:https:http://oaklandsocialist.com also on Facebook |
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Michael Pugliese <michael.098762001@...>
On Thu, Nov 10, 2022 at 3:31 AM John Reimann <1999wildcat@...>
wrote: DSA did endorse the bourgeois liberal Democrat who was running for city council in my area. They also mobilized for her. I was waiting for them to come by my door so I could roast them, but they never did. https://www.nikki4oakland.com/ , I assume, endorsed by http://wellstoneclub.org/ , https://twitter.com/DSAEastBay/status/1566238319746351105?s=20&t=Sg58Hl_TdL5lqGumDFYNsw , another Tweet from EBDSA calls her a socialist, https://twitter.com/DSAEastBay/status/1561414731197362176?s=20&t=Sg58Hl_TdL5lqGumDFYNsw . https://oaklandside.org/2022/11/02/oakland-voter-guide-2022-election-mayor-council-candidates-ballot-measures/ . On what John calls the RT Left, see, "Last Thursday, @DSAEastBay and @DSA_SF joined Vets4Peace, @codepink, UAWM, @sfchrp and @palyouthmvmt in Oakland to protest Barbara Lee’s vote for $40 bil for the war in Ukraine," https://twitter.com/DSA_SF/status/1541975398312861696?s=20&t=Sg58Hl_TdL5lqGumDFYNsw . laborvideo @labormedia1 , Jun 24 , YouTube video clip https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znASOrg6nqA of the Stalinoids , ortho Trotskyists , DSA'ers and Code Pink pacifists, https://twitter.com/labormedia1/status/1540550684407255040?s=20&t=Sg58Hl_TdL5lqGumDFYNsw , protesting Rep. Lee's vote for the billions . Organized under the umbrella of https://www.facebook.com/unitedagainstwarandmilitarism , as noted in the YouTube video description. |
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