The need for flexibility

We have a new predicament that requires new flexible thinking in strategy and tactics: the apparent implosion of Trump’s campaign and more importantly, the defection of many Republicans to Clinton. This new alignment will shift the Democratic Party sharply to the right. It’s clear that, since and even at the convention, the Clinton campaign has written off the progressives. This could indeed, as many have been saying, create an opening for a third party.

But Trump may well come back and find his groove. His response to the 50 National Security types who signed the letter attacking him was brilliant: “They’re the ones who got us into this mess.” His capacity to turn attacks around on the attackers is impressive and will serve him well as the attacks heat up. We need to keep up the mantra that Trump=racism so that people who actually vote for him understand that it’s because of their racism. This will prevent many, who don’t want to think of themselves as racist, from voting for him.

As we come together in our Bernie Revolution groups, we need to avoid arguing about supporting Clinton or not, and focus on the next phases of our struggle, stopping tpp, stopping police killing of black and brown people, preventing escalation of the war in Syria. Moving in these directions will be necessary regardless of how the election turns out. That means campaigns on these issues that support down ticket progressive democrats, email our congress people, do all those things we did in the Sander’s campaign. Knock on doors. Phone bank. Get our local politicians to take progressive positions on these issues.

So let’s stay flexible, okay? It’s a characteristic of this election season is that things can change fast.