This is what democracy looks like

Happy Vernal Equinox, everyone! Here is what I think needs to happen. The Bernie Sanders movement – not the campaign – needs to come together and consolidates its gains. Regardless of whether Bernie wins or not, we need to develop the organization to carry out our vision.

I’m willing to put in some time into this. We need have some serious convenings. I don’t know the best way. By cities? By neighborhoods? I know this much: the revolution will be organized one-by-one. The revolution is a lot about tearing down the barriers between us, figuring the hell out how to be close to each other, because, I mean, isn’t what this is all about?

As Berniebots – I’ll own the term – we have developed a common ideology, broadly speaking. This gives us lots to talk about, but it isn’t enough. We need to foster human connection between ourselves, our neighborhoods, our co-workers. It’s all about human connections. I know I’ve said this before, but it bears repeating. (Hell, Bernie repeats everything a million times and people love it). Reality inheres in the connections between us. We individual humans are cells in the diseased organism that is humanity.

Specifically, we need to turn our websites into real organizations, with people who meet and make decisions for the betterment of everybody. How hard can this be? Don’t kid yourself, it’s hard as hell. We’re all so stuck in the silos of our individualism, the ideology of capitalism, the ideology of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Not the twenty-first.

The thing is, if we don’t realize soon how deeply we are connected, as a species, our species is in serious danger of being the next to enter the realm of extinction.

So every community will be different. What we should shoot for is 4 or 5 regional convenings in August. These should be separate from the campaign, but coordinated as much as possible. We should coordinate as well with Black Lives Matter (especially in their anti-Trump efforts), have them lead the convenings. Work with MoveOn, Democracy for America, and any of the other organizations supporting the campaign. If Bernie wins the nomination, we can discuss how we’re going to apply the pressure needed to get his program adopted, start the arduous process of retaking the House and the state legislatures. If Hillary wins the nomination, we can debate Bernie or Bust, or supporting Jill Stein, or writing in Bernie, or – my fav – developing a list of demands for Hillary to meet in order to win our vote.

I’m not Bernie-or-Bust. I’m sympathetic to the position, but I think Trump is far too dangerous, particularly for Black and Latino people. I think he really is channeling Hitler. I think we can make demands on the winning candidates. Hey, Hillary, if you win, how about your first week in office you pardon all the people your husband put in jail for most of the rest of their lives for an ounce of weed? But these convenings should come to collective decision based on an authentically democratic process. Nothing should be off the table. We can show the world what democracy looks like.