Republicans don't give a shit about protests. They WILL care about ELECTIONS!

[LBM20]

Last edited Thu Feb 22, 2018, 10:45 AM - Edit history (1)

Protest rallies are fine. But they don't mean diddley shit unless you organize to win elections! Winning elections is everything! Winning elections is real power. And political power is everything! Don't like Trump? Win Elections! Don't like the fact that the rotten radical right wingers control every level and branch of government all over the country? Then win elections! Don't like endless tax cuts for billionaires while programs for the middle class are gutted? Then win elections!. Don't like the fact that the rotten corrupt right wing would like to issue Uzis to nursery school children? Then win elections! Organize, offer a winning message with a real jobs program and not just a "higher minimum wage and medicaid" so that people can just be trapped in utter poverty forever, and get people to go to the polls and go to the polls yourselves and vote and take ten friends with you! And vote the correct way and not for useless assholes like Gary Johnson and Jill Stein.

If "The Resistance" and the "Women's March" people and now these people rallying against gun violence don't translate all that into real and effective political action that win elections so the laws can be changed, then it is all for nothing.

Examples of ineffective protests: 1) After Scott Walker won in WI there were tons of protests. He got elected two more times including a recall election and the R's kept full control of the state government. 2) Occupy Wall Street did nothing because there was no political action attached to it. 3) All the protests against the Iraq War. 4) Other protests against gun violence petered right out. It got worse, and the radical right wing took over every level and branch of government in the country in a big way.

But let me tell you something that DID work: The movement for gay marriage and full rights for gay people. Why? Because they organized politically in a big way. They went door to door. They did referendums state by state. They took it to court. And now it's the law of the land.

Other movements in history from women's rights, to labor rights, to civil rights were won because it wasn't just protests. It was organized political action for the long haul.


Organize politically in a big way and make the right wing scum know that they are doomed at the ballot box and then you have some power.

Thanks.

[Yonnie3]

1. Of course - it is all about the vote.

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[LBM20]

3. Yes, elections are everything. (And I switched from caps to bold.)

[Yonnie3]

10. Thanks - My tired eyes appreciate it

During the second Women's March at least one "march" was held indoors. A few people criticized that choice.

Instead of marching they did an indoor rally that included voter education, voter registration help, seminars on how to become a candidate and so on. They already pivoted from demonstrating to political action.

This one bit of news gave me an inkling of what can come to pass.

[njhoneybadger]

2. Did you think we all just fell of a turnip wagon or something

It comes off as a little condescending

[LBM20]

4. I wish I had a dime for every protest "movement" that resulted in virtually nothing.

It isn't condescending. It is the right rhetorical message and reminder. People need to stop being so thin skinned.

Over and over and over people put all kinds of resources and energy into protests. And what good does it usually do unless it translates into organizing to win elections? Tell me. Because it doesn't do diddley squat.

Protests like crazy happened in WI after Scott Walker was elected and gutted the unions. Didn't do any good. Walker won a recall attempt, was re-elected, and R's stayed in charge in their statehouse.

Protests for months went on during Occupy Wall Street. Zero political action. Zero results. The problem just got worse.

Rallies happened after the Sandy Hook massacre. Congress still would not do ANYTHING. In fact, the R's won even MORE seats all over the country at every level.

Protests more recently happened in the states over the shitty tax bill with its massive giveaway to the rich, and all this on the heels of the Women's March after Trump was elected and many town hall protests led by the "resistance" after that. In Maine, and elsewhere, people camped in the Republican politicians' offices. Didn't matter. They voted for that piece of shit tax bill anyway.

On and on and on and on it goes.

I see post after post about these protests and marches. And I am not saying not to do it. I have participated in some myself. But I see massive amounts of time, expense, and energy on it. It doesn't mean diddley shit unless you organize for winning elections. And the same must be said about the current gun violence effort.

People get so wrapped up in protests and rallies that they forget to put all that energy and resource into real political action. And the evidence of this undeniable truth is right there in plain sight, some of which I have clearly cited.

So we need this conversation, bigtime.

[tonyt53]

6. Words that are painful for some to accept, but you nailed it. I'm in total agreement with you.

[LBM20]

7. Thanks. (And I don't mean to sound rude, but I am a reality person who tells it how it is.)

[Demsrule86]

14. Nonsense...we have a real example with the tea party which lead to political action. So much effort

to discredit the woman's march which was successful and now the gun protests. I fail to understand why anyone post such things.

[Demsrule86]

13. I completely disagree...it is how you win hearts and minds that lead to political action...you

are all about the top down approach when really we need bottom up democracy.

[LBM20]

8. Thanks.

[crazycatlady]

9. the RW cares about protests

But the protesters have to be wearing tricorner hats carrying misspelled signs.

[LBM20]

15. Ha!

[Blue_true]

11. I have made that claim repeatedly. Protests are somewhat meaningless in of themselves

if they are not backed up by organized and determined voting. Our side too often treat eachother as the enemy, that is counterproductive and often end with republicans in office - we need to change that, get democrats in office and systematically work through voting to get more liberal people elected. Only when we have seized firm control of political power can we expect to see permanent change.

[LBM20]

17. Exactly!

[Demsrule86]

12. Why is it when something is working some want to change it... we have the most liberal

agenda as Democrats ever. There is no reason to do what you say. IThe women's march was very successful and I believe saved Obamacare. I think we are doing just fine.

[LBM20]

16. Did you read the whole post? I said FINE to march, but it must be much MORE than marching.

And guess what, ObamaCare is still under attack. And how much effect did the march have on the tax giveaway to the rich? And my many other examples? Please hear the WHOLE message.