Whose Revolution?

I tuned in to the Our Revolution broadcast.  I couldn't help but wonder... wait... WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE?  Are these the "Bernie supporters" we have come to know and love?  The more I watched, the more uncomfortable I became at how subdued the audience appeared.  What happened to the "Bernie, Bernie, Bernie" chants?  Nobody cheered... but more importantly, NOBODY BOOED.  




This had every appearance of a controlled event. More like a Hillary Clinton event, if you ask me. The "Bernie crowd" that represented "Our Revolution" resembled paid SEAT FILLERS!  And it isn't as if they needed to fill a stadium.  This was more of a Clinton-sized crowd.  No signs... no cheers... No love... WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE?

I listened intently, at first.  I realized I was hearing the "What this campaign is about" stump speech - with the YUGE difference being the word "is" (by any definition) was replaced with the word "was".  Although I was watching live, I knew, by that point, I could safely drift into the kitchen and grab a snack without missing too much.  I thought I noticed a few people in the audience nodding off at some point too. 

Today's octogenarians will be tomorrow's grass roots - Jeff Weaver

Maybe the news of Our Revolution's staff walking out at the hiring of Jeff Weaver had already hit the ears of this crowd.  The idea that Jeff was going to use dark money to fund TV advertising (for you millennials, TV is a little rectangular propaganda advertisement delivery device. It's a little like like a FireTV except you can't interact with it - so you have very limited content which is supported by corporate advertisers and, not surprisingly, you can't shut off advertisements.).  Jeff must be thinking octogenarians of today will be the "grass roots" of tomorrow.

Follow the Favors

Bernie plugged on, however, and he finally got to the part I was waiting for... his endorsements.  I know I already felt a little silly hanging in there, waiting for yet another moment when Bernie could do something that would help me not give up on him.  I was waiting for him to come out STRONGLY in support of Tim Canova who he says he supports and who is running against Bernie's own nemesis... Debbie Wasserman Schultz.  This endorsement at the launch of Our Revolution was a NO BRAINER... Bernie had the opportunity to show us he isn't in Hillary Clinton's pocket.  Schultz cost not just Bernie but ALL OF US the primary.  She circumvented democracy.  Bernie's support for Hillary Clinton now extends to DEBBIE FUCKING WASSERMAN SCHULTZ.  That, to me, was the final straw.



So, no endorsement directly for Tim Canova... Bernie did endorse five other candidates who are part of "Our Revolution".  Among them, Russ Finegold, who wouldn't have lost his seat that he held for 12 years in the first place if he didn't so strongly embrace Obamacare.  Tim Canova, on the other hand, running against Debbie Wasserman Schultz is the type of revolutionary candidate "Our Revolution" is supposed to be supporting - not long-seated Democrats who were voted out by the people.  Bernie could have even named SIX endorsements that night.

I keep looking at the pictures of the Our Revolution people and keep wondering... WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE?

Sadly, for many of us, it appears "Our Revolution" isn't really OUR revolution.  And that's really OK.  The "Our Revolution" people aren't revolutionaries...  

And OUR revolution already has a home.  I want to work with THESE people.  People who will crash the floor of the Democratic National Convention and peacefully protest.  THOSE are the revolutionaries and they aren't interested in how many TV ads Jeff Weaver can buy.

OUR REVOLUTION IS A GREEN REVOLUTION

And so, my fellow revolutionaries, hang in there and don't be discouraged. There are many of us who are not falling for the "lesser" revolution that involves embracing Democrats at low levels.  There is a "greater" revolution and we all know it.  It is a revolution based on INTEGRITY.  It has declared that Enough is Enough... and we are not willing to wait for OUR REVOLUTION to happen.  The entire House is up for re-election THIS year.  WE can make OUR revolution, OUR voices, OUR votes felt THIS YEAR... not after Hillary has had a few years to silence us.  The time for the REAL revolution is NOW.