During that whole cycle of twitter whining about AOC and Bernie's betrayal on their tour, I was wondering why none of these so-called socialists were in the parking lot outside these rallies trying to get names and numbers. These are Americans willingly going to hear the views of the most influential "socialists" that exist here; there is the most open-minded audience we can possibly get.
Nice balance between the delicate balance of a utopian horizon and a realistic perspective on what needs to be done. People won’t consider the latter without a conception of the former. Delusional as they may be, the MAGA people and their Abundance doppelgängers both offer that. If Bernie and AOC are limited in their scope, it is up to us to expand the possibilities by building common cause. Fear and division is what will sidetrack us.
I really appreciate your sentiment here. My political participation began in 1988, when I caucused for Rev. Jesse Jackson in Minnesota during the Democratic primaries. Given how everything has gone since then (most of it gradually downhill), I certainly have reason to be cynical, but I agree with your assessment: "While I am deeply critical of both Bernie and AOC and their theory of change, what I saw was hopeful." We are definitely living in a "teachable moment" and we should take full advantage of it!
Practically speaking, I think a lot of work might end up being around local or regional issues, or within particular industries, since it might be easier to get leverage at that scale. My own primary focus is on environmental issues (i.e., ensuring we have a planet that can support life, including our own) and Trump is closing so many doors at the federal level right now that the battleground might be shifting to the state level and below for now.
As always, I am inspired by your perspective and your energy. Thanks for your work!
I agree with many parts. I feel like this debate always comes up-the pink hat lady march, then seasoned leftists were mad, then told “no we need to embrace them. Get over yourself.” Same with 1 day “boycott.”
I do think that we can have high expectations for some of these relatively educated people, who tend to be white, partaking in these rallies only because they have had (not all) a life in which they didn’t have to consider capitalism because it has benefited them. So, yes sometimes I get the frustration of “where have you been??” Then, there is some righteous anger too (for example re Palestine. AOC hasn’t followed any of Rashida’s direct actions calls for solidarity, Bernie kind of yelled at someone who asked him about Khalil). I think it’s valid to express anger at Bernie and AOC’s silence on Palestine, particularly last summer during DNC, and then to in turn feel skeptical. I just think it depends on is angry and why. Chris Smalls critiques of these rallies is totally valid to me.
Sure, expecting everyone to be politically educated and a communist as a result is silly. We need more people in our movements.
I do feel that a lot of DSA types see themselves as “the left organization,” and they blatantly ignore or just don’t care to learn about left organizations, particularly Black left organizations who have been pushing and struggling predating Bernie in 2016. By their own admission, they tend to ignore Black communities because of racist assumptions about Dem loyalty and church loyalty. and for me, this is one of the greater failings of the well-known, popular left because they're not theee left. I’d love DSA self reflection because as a former member, it’s not an org I would encourage any Black leftist to join. I’d advise against it, mainly as someone who identifies more with communism than democratic socialism and also because of some serious pitfalls related to race.
Concerns around intent are real I suppose; are people rallying behind Bernie and AOC preemptively to plug into a dem election cycle in 2 and 4 years? Are Bernie and AOC just keeping people content with the Dem party rather than the real work of questioning the existence of America as we know it and this electoral system? Probably. I’m pretty indifferent about it.
I see them as mobilizing people who are rightfully scared and angry right now, but they’re not organizing them. It’s funny too when I read from writers that there isn’t a class consciousness in the US because that just has not been my experience working and organizing in predominantly non-white, black and brown spaces, who if we are being honest, particularly in urban centers, make up the working class. Many of these people are connected to diasporic and pan African solidarity politics too. Freedom politics, which much more complex and anti-capitalist and anti-imperialist than popular narratives around "civil rights."
I do agree though that there is organizing potential, as there usually is. Around electoral politics? I’m not sure, tend to think not, and yet I am volunteering for a mayoral candidate in my city. Feels a bit like showing up for a rally; it’s something but not the thing that will save the world from capitalism and imperialism.
I think it's valid to be angry at Bernie/AOC especially on Palestine, I just argue that they are moving people and that shows a willingness by the people attending these rallies to open themselves to a new kind of politics than that which has dominated our country. It's on us to push these attendees further and organize them. Social Democrats can't conceive of solutions outside the bourgeois party structure but we can and we can use that to open the door to a mass movement.
Agreed. It’s just hard to feel like we’re not constantly going in circles. Bernie in 2019/2020 kind of felt like this too. Just feels like Dejavu. We often have these moments that should lead us to mass movement, and then things like neoliberalism, butchered identity politics that have nothing to do with Combahee River Collective and now “abundance politics” emerge. Revolutionary movements just have not grown even in promising moments (BPP, BLA).
Yeah, I am disillusioned with the DSA due to those same reasons. Looking to join local black and brown groups if they will have me. Working on it. I’ve moved too much and struggled too much to build a community that I feel at home in. Focused on electoral politics too much at the expense of deep organizing, but I’m in the process of correcting course. It’s very challenging in that it demands every bit of me.
I’m going to keep referencing your prior piece about meeting people where they are with compassion and empathy because it continues to be relevant to so many political snapshots and moments that keep occurring. You hit the nail on the head once again with this piece Scarlet and I honestly couldn’t agree more. Where we find ourselves isn’t just the fault of those in power — some of that falls to us as well. We can’t keep hanging out hats on the actions of others to save us — the cavalry isn’t coming. When moments like these arise and the political malleability of the working class offers itself up to us, the charge and mandate falls to us to act. People are angry, scared, and uncertain about their future prospects of caring for themselves and the people they love. We shouldn’t be lambasting these people for not being full blown communists. Instead, we should recognize that this is an opportunity to bring them into the fold and show them an alternative path to that better world we all collectively strive for. Your quote here speaks to that perfectly:
“We must start with an acceptance that we aren’t where we want to be, and then an embrace of the idea that this is not a fixed condition but a constantly changing process we can participate in.”
The game isn’t over yet. In fact, what we’re seeing is many, many new players are picking up the joysticks and striving to overcome their current challenges and obstacles — but they can’t do it alone. It has to be us socialists who give them the tools and knowledge to act upon their newfound revolutionary spirit and energy. We can help them see how building a working class movement is actually possible, and give them the ability to do so. Hope builds upon itself if you give it a push in a positive direction, and your pieces continue to do that for so many people who may find themselves feeling adrift, but now have a constructive direction to channel that energy in now. People like Bernie and AOC won’t bring about the change we need, but they will always have the power to invoke that political energy within folks, and it’ll be up to us to act and seize this momentum for the greater good. A better world is always possible, but only if we’re able and willing to do it together.
You’re an inspiring writer in more ways than one Scarlet. Keep doing what you’re doing — the people are better off as a result. 🫶🏻
I understand the frustration and anger by people on the left that AOC and Bernie have failed to mount a real opposition especially around the crimes of the Biden Admin and have repeatedly run cover for the Democratic Party, but we shouldn't stay stuck in that anger, we should look at where we have opportunities to advance the class consciousness of the working class, and seize the movement from those who will lead people back into the same dead ends. I feel like there's a lack of tolerance on the left for people who are behind you on your political journey. People are finding something in AOC and Bernie's message that they aren't finding in the Dems and we once found that same thing too and then radicalized beyond that. I don't think people should be naive but we have to try to have optimism because it's the only way we will get anything done. The stakes are too high to just throw up our hands.
Agreed. The energy AOC and Bernie are able to cultivate isn't something we should meet with anger and frustration, but hope and optimism. They're demonstrating just how many people are out there and looking to change things for the better, so we should be providing that socialist off-ramp for folks to get involved in more meaningful and substantive ways. Yeah we definitely see a lot of that hierarchical posturing from some folks on the left that, in the end, pushes people away from engaging with a more leftist/socialist message and movement in the present and also potentially the future. You're 100% right about us being in that same position once before, so it shouldn't be our charge to criticize folks for taking those first steps like we once did. Naivety can be undone with proper education, guidance and optimism, which is what we should be aiming to do when these moments arise. The stakes truly couldn't be higher and if we want to build that movement that helps us strive for a better world, then that starts with helping people see that another path is possible.
Hey Scarlet, as a Nordic-style social democrat, what ~6-10 books would you recommend I start with on socialism and/or democratic socialism?
I have Bhaskar’s “The Socialist Manifesto,” Kate Aronoff and co’s “We Own the Future,” and have been planning to read Michael Harrington.
Also welcome any recs on other related Substacks to follow.
Finally I’ll have to try and find any notable articles that, say, bring together different successful examples of (democratic) socialism in action (past or present), as an expression of what such a system might look like in aggregate.
I have been doing a lot of tying capitalism to the current problems and wors of the country, and not so much talking about socialism, but at the very least pointing out that there are other ways of organizing an economy and a country.
This is a good article, but I feel like it focuses primarily on taking action in an abstract sort of way. You miss the part where people can start this process. What vehicle or organization can people join to get down to the actual tangible work of creating the socialist society that you speak of? Who is engaging the working class and leading the way out of the Bernie movement and into the higher cause of revolutionary class consciousness?
I strongly encourage you to learn more about these specific opportunities to achieve the ambitious goals you speak of. I find it odd that you never talk about Workers Strike Back and Kshama Sawant. It's the vehicle that has the proactive and optimistic approach that is essential to not only engender class consciousness, but also take action to prove a concept and build the kind of sustained, fighting movement that you say is so important and that is so crucial in creating socialism.
I think we are going to need a new left-wing party. DSA, Socialist Equality Party, CPUSA - I just don't think those are going to ever gain traction. In fairness, I haven't looked into the CPUSA in its latest form.
Would anyone like to share info on other left-wing parties here in the USA? Other than the ones I mentioned above.
I seriously recommend your reading about the political history of the CPUSA and Stalinism worldwide before you endorse. Trotsky's analysis is indisputable.
Thank you for your reply. I know a bit of about CPUSA history - but not current status. Trotsky was right about many things - especially the failure of Social Democratic Parties in the 1930's. His current follower's views as expressed by the WSWS are a bit too utopian for me.
Either you're a socialist or you're not, in my view. Is that a utopian sentiment? Whatever it is, I believe we need a mass movement to end capitalism. And, in my film, I stress that belief is not enough. Activism is crucial, or individuals remain isolated and ineffectual. Here’s my documentary film, "LET'S RENT A TRAIN!" The film recalls Canadian socialist activism of the 1960s and ‘70s and deals extensively with the antiwar and reproductive rights movements. Our campaigns targeted governments, not corporations. I would appreciate your COMMENTS on the website. Many thanks, Doug Williams Director/Producer https://www.letsrentatrain.ca/
"Doing something" is both exhilarating and complicated. Here’s my documentary film, "LET'S RENT A TRAIN!" The film recalls Canadian socialist activism of the 1960s and ‘70s and deals extensively with the antiwar and reproductive rights movements. Our campaigns targeted governments, not corporations. I would appreciate your COMMENTS on the website. Many thanks, Doug Williams Director/Producer https://www.letsrentatrain.ca/
Brilliant! Thank you for this article. I stumbled upon it just as I was on the verge of suicidal thoughts due to the endless shitting of my former Bernie comrades on Bernie instead of harnessing the excitement he is generating for achieving a Future We Can Believe in through class STRUGGLE this time, not voting. I immediately felt the call for that struggle when I heard Bernie speak on the Senate floor two months ago. I would go further than you even, in claiming he fully expects Not Me Us to do what you call for. I’m disappointed that my comrades are not seeing that. I was just crying in the grocery store, feeling hope dying on the Left. And then I read your article. Yes! I am feeling it in my soul. In my belly. I was playing Bandiera Rossa and Bella Ciao two months ago in my car for inspiration. The moment for the working class has arrived. We must meet it. Now or never. The global neoliberal order is in its death throes now, and it’s up to the American Left to get its shit together and help guide awakened liberals into the struggle for a future rooted in cooperation, equality, justice, and sustainability, and not only that, but to collaborate globally with other fractured Left movements to bring the neoliberal beast down. That is my vision, and I believe Bernie’s as well, but he can’t speak about it openly without jeopardizing everything. He’s doing his thing, and it’s up to us to harness the energy and meet the moment. Thank you for talking me off the ledge, sister.
During that whole cycle of twitter whining about AOC and Bernie's betrayal on their tour, I was wondering why none of these so-called socialists were in the parking lot outside these rallies trying to get names and numbers. These are Americans willingly going to hear the views of the most influential "socialists" that exist here; there is the most open-minded audience we can possibly get.
Nice balance between the delicate balance of a utopian horizon and a realistic perspective on what needs to be done. People won’t consider the latter without a conception of the former. Delusional as they may be, the MAGA people and their Abundance doppelgängers both offer that. If Bernie and AOC are limited in their scope, it is up to us to expand the possibilities by building common cause. Fear and division is what will sidetrack us.
"People won’t consider the latter without a conception of the former. " -- this is so important, but too often denigrated by "pragmatic" people.
Vision is important.
Obvs should have used “dialectic” instead of redundant “balance” haha
The MAGA agenda needs to be partially co-opted. Border control and economic nationalism done the right way of course.
I don't the Morons Are Governing America or Miriam Aldeson Goals Achieved - we can do without that stuff.
Banger, Matt Letch mentioned this piece on Majority Report this morning
Whoah really?
I really appreciate your sentiment here. My political participation began in 1988, when I caucused for Rev. Jesse Jackson in Minnesota during the Democratic primaries. Given how everything has gone since then (most of it gradually downhill), I certainly have reason to be cynical, but I agree with your assessment: "While I am deeply critical of both Bernie and AOC and their theory of change, what I saw was hopeful." We are definitely living in a "teachable moment" and we should take full advantage of it!
Practically speaking, I think a lot of work might end up being around local or regional issues, or within particular industries, since it might be easier to get leverage at that scale. My own primary focus is on environmental issues (i.e., ensuring we have a planet that can support life, including our own) and Trump is closing so many doors at the federal level right now that the battleground might be shifting to the state level and below for now.
As always, I am inspired by your perspective and your energy. Thanks for your work!
This was a great article, and in very doomy and uncertain times, a refreshing perspective.
I agree with many parts. I feel like this debate always comes up-the pink hat lady march, then seasoned leftists were mad, then told “no we need to embrace them. Get over yourself.” Same with 1 day “boycott.”
I do think that we can have high expectations for some of these relatively educated people, who tend to be white, partaking in these rallies only because they have had (not all) a life in which they didn’t have to consider capitalism because it has benefited them. So, yes sometimes I get the frustration of “where have you been??” Then, there is some righteous anger too (for example re Palestine. AOC hasn’t followed any of Rashida’s direct actions calls for solidarity, Bernie kind of yelled at someone who asked him about Khalil). I think it’s valid to express anger at Bernie and AOC’s silence on Palestine, particularly last summer during DNC, and then to in turn feel skeptical. I just think it depends on is angry and why. Chris Smalls critiques of these rallies is totally valid to me.
Sure, expecting everyone to be politically educated and a communist as a result is silly. We need more people in our movements.
I do feel that a lot of DSA types see themselves as “the left organization,” and they blatantly ignore or just don’t care to learn about left organizations, particularly Black left organizations who have been pushing and struggling predating Bernie in 2016. By their own admission, they tend to ignore Black communities because of racist assumptions about Dem loyalty and church loyalty. and for me, this is one of the greater failings of the well-known, popular left because they're not theee left. I’d love DSA self reflection because as a former member, it’s not an org I would encourage any Black leftist to join. I’d advise against it, mainly as someone who identifies more with communism than democratic socialism and also because of some serious pitfalls related to race.
Concerns around intent are real I suppose; are people rallying behind Bernie and AOC preemptively to plug into a dem election cycle in 2 and 4 years? Are Bernie and AOC just keeping people content with the Dem party rather than the real work of questioning the existence of America as we know it and this electoral system? Probably. I’m pretty indifferent about it.
I see them as mobilizing people who are rightfully scared and angry right now, but they’re not organizing them. It’s funny too when I read from writers that there isn’t a class consciousness in the US because that just has not been my experience working and organizing in predominantly non-white, black and brown spaces, who if we are being honest, particularly in urban centers, make up the working class. Many of these people are connected to diasporic and pan African solidarity politics too. Freedom politics, which much more complex and anti-capitalist and anti-imperialist than popular narratives around "civil rights."
I do agree though that there is organizing potential, as there usually is. Around electoral politics? I’m not sure, tend to think not, and yet I am volunteering for a mayoral candidate in my city. Feels a bit like showing up for a rally; it’s something but not the thing that will save the world from capitalism and imperialism.
I think it's valid to be angry at Bernie/AOC especially on Palestine, I just argue that they are moving people and that shows a willingness by the people attending these rallies to open themselves to a new kind of politics than that which has dominated our country. It's on us to push these attendees further and organize them. Social Democrats can't conceive of solutions outside the bourgeois party structure but we can and we can use that to open the door to a mass movement.
Agreed. It’s just hard to feel like we’re not constantly going in circles. Bernie in 2019/2020 kind of felt like this too. Just feels like Dejavu. We often have these moments that should lead us to mass movement, and then things like neoliberalism, butchered identity politics that have nothing to do with Combahee River Collective and now “abundance politics” emerge. Revolutionary movements just have not grown even in promising moments (BPP, BLA).
Yeah, I am disillusioned with the DSA due to those same reasons. Looking to join local black and brown groups if they will have me. Working on it. I’ve moved too much and struggled too much to build a community that I feel at home in. Focused on electoral politics too much at the expense of deep organizing, but I’m in the process of correcting course. It’s very challenging in that it demands every bit of me.
I’m going to keep referencing your prior piece about meeting people where they are with compassion and empathy because it continues to be relevant to so many political snapshots and moments that keep occurring. You hit the nail on the head once again with this piece Scarlet and I honestly couldn’t agree more. Where we find ourselves isn’t just the fault of those in power — some of that falls to us as well. We can’t keep hanging out hats on the actions of others to save us — the cavalry isn’t coming. When moments like these arise and the political malleability of the working class offers itself up to us, the charge and mandate falls to us to act. People are angry, scared, and uncertain about their future prospects of caring for themselves and the people they love. We shouldn’t be lambasting these people for not being full blown communists. Instead, we should recognize that this is an opportunity to bring them into the fold and show them an alternative path to that better world we all collectively strive for. Your quote here speaks to that perfectly:
“We must start with an acceptance that we aren’t where we want to be, and then an embrace of the idea that this is not a fixed condition but a constantly changing process we can participate in.”
The game isn’t over yet. In fact, what we’re seeing is many, many new players are picking up the joysticks and striving to overcome their current challenges and obstacles — but they can’t do it alone. It has to be us socialists who give them the tools and knowledge to act upon their newfound revolutionary spirit and energy. We can help them see how building a working class movement is actually possible, and give them the ability to do so. Hope builds upon itself if you give it a push in a positive direction, and your pieces continue to do that for so many people who may find themselves feeling adrift, but now have a constructive direction to channel that energy in now. People like Bernie and AOC won’t bring about the change we need, but they will always have the power to invoke that political energy within folks, and it’ll be up to us to act and seize this momentum for the greater good. A better world is always possible, but only if we’re able and willing to do it together.
You’re an inspiring writer in more ways than one Scarlet. Keep doing what you’re doing — the people are better off as a result. 🫶🏻
I understand the frustration and anger by people on the left that AOC and Bernie have failed to mount a real opposition especially around the crimes of the Biden Admin and have repeatedly run cover for the Democratic Party, but we shouldn't stay stuck in that anger, we should look at where we have opportunities to advance the class consciousness of the working class, and seize the movement from those who will lead people back into the same dead ends. I feel like there's a lack of tolerance on the left for people who are behind you on your political journey. People are finding something in AOC and Bernie's message that they aren't finding in the Dems and we once found that same thing too and then radicalized beyond that. I don't think people should be naive but we have to try to have optimism because it's the only way we will get anything done. The stakes are too high to just throw up our hands.
Agreed. The energy AOC and Bernie are able to cultivate isn't something we should meet with anger and frustration, but hope and optimism. They're demonstrating just how many people are out there and looking to change things for the better, so we should be providing that socialist off-ramp for folks to get involved in more meaningful and substantive ways. Yeah we definitely see a lot of that hierarchical posturing from some folks on the left that, in the end, pushes people away from engaging with a more leftist/socialist message and movement in the present and also potentially the future. You're 100% right about us being in that same position once before, so it shouldn't be our charge to criticize folks for taking those first steps like we once did. Naivety can be undone with proper education, guidance and optimism, which is what we should be aiming to do when these moments arise. The stakes truly couldn't be higher and if we want to build that movement that helps us strive for a better world, then that starts with helping people see that another path is possible.
Yes! Yes! Yes! 🌹🔥❤️
This hits hard. 🤎
Hey Scarlet, as a Nordic-style social democrat, what ~6-10 books would you recommend I start with on socialism and/or democratic socialism?
I have Bhaskar’s “The Socialist Manifesto,” Kate Aronoff and co’s “We Own the Future,” and have been planning to read Michael Harrington.
Also welcome any recs on other related Substacks to follow.
Finally I’ll have to try and find any notable articles that, say, bring together different successful examples of (democratic) socialism in action (past or present), as an expression of what such a system might look like in aggregate.
Greatly appreciate your writings. Take care.
I really like A People's Guide to Capitalism by Hadas Thier as a primer of what Marx talks about. Socialist Reconstruction is good for a vision of the future https://www.liberationstore.org/products/socialist-reconstruction-a-better-future-for-the-united-states
I also have some really good substacks on my recommended section https://www.dialecticsofdecline.com/recommendations
I have been doing a lot of tying capitalism to the current problems and wors of the country, and not so much talking about socialism, but at the very least pointing out that there are other ways of organizing an economy and a country.
*woes
Bernie, thank you for your service. Please go spend more time with your family.
This is a good article, but I feel like it focuses primarily on taking action in an abstract sort of way. You miss the part where people can start this process. What vehicle or organization can people join to get down to the actual tangible work of creating the socialist society that you speak of? Who is engaging the working class and leading the way out of the Bernie movement and into the higher cause of revolutionary class consciousness?
I strongly encourage you to learn more about these specific opportunities to achieve the ambitious goals you speak of. I find it odd that you never talk about Workers Strike Back and Kshama Sawant. It's the vehicle that has the proactive and optimistic approach that is essential to not only engender class consciousness, but also take action to prove a concept and build the kind of sustained, fighting movement that you say is so important and that is so crucial in creating socialism.
I think we are going to need a new left-wing party. DSA, Socialist Equality Party, CPUSA - I just don't think those are going to ever gain traction. In fairness, I haven't looked into the CPUSA in its latest form.
Would anyone like to share info on other left-wing parties here in the USA? Other than the ones I mentioned above.
I seriously recommend your reading about the political history of the CPUSA and Stalinism worldwide before you endorse. Trotsky's analysis is indisputable.
Thank you for your reply. I know a bit of about CPUSA history - but not current status. Trotsky was right about many things - especially the failure of Social Democratic Parties in the 1930's. His current follower's views as expressed by the WSWS are a bit too utopian for me.
Either you're a socialist or you're not, in my view. Is that a utopian sentiment? Whatever it is, I believe we need a mass movement to end capitalism. And, in my film, I stress that belief is not enough. Activism is crucial, or individuals remain isolated and ineffectual. Here’s my documentary film, "LET'S RENT A TRAIN!" The film recalls Canadian socialist activism of the 1960s and ‘70s and deals extensively with the antiwar and reproductive rights movements. Our campaigns targeted governments, not corporations. I would appreciate your COMMENTS on the website. Many thanks, Doug Williams Director/Producer https://www.letsrentatrain.ca/
PLEASE SHARE THIS FILM!
https://www.letsrentatrain.ca/
“LET’S RENT A TRAIN!” Life in the Toronto Branch of the League for Socialist Action,
1961-1977
I will check it out. And I respect how you feel, but I don't think Socialism is yes or no - it is more like zero to ten.
In the USA right now, we are about 1 or 2 on that scale. We need to shoot for a 4 or 5 - and then progress from there.
"Doing something" is both exhilarating and complicated. Here’s my documentary film, "LET'S RENT A TRAIN!" The film recalls Canadian socialist activism of the 1960s and ‘70s and deals extensively with the antiwar and reproductive rights movements. Our campaigns targeted governments, not corporations. I would appreciate your COMMENTS on the website. Many thanks, Doug Williams Director/Producer https://www.letsrentatrain.ca/
PLEASE SHARE THIS FILM!
https://www.letsrentatrain.ca/
“LET’S RENT A TRAIN!” Life in the Toronto Branch of the League for Socialist Action,
1961-1977
Where does the claim that the majority werent Bernie primary voters come from?
Brilliant! Thank you for this article. I stumbled upon it just as I was on the verge of suicidal thoughts due to the endless shitting of my former Bernie comrades on Bernie instead of harnessing the excitement he is generating for achieving a Future We Can Believe in through class STRUGGLE this time, not voting. I immediately felt the call for that struggle when I heard Bernie speak on the Senate floor two months ago. I would go further than you even, in claiming he fully expects Not Me Us to do what you call for. I’m disappointed that my comrades are not seeing that. I was just crying in the grocery store, feeling hope dying on the Left. And then I read your article. Yes! I am feeling it in my soul. In my belly. I was playing Bandiera Rossa and Bella Ciao two months ago in my car for inspiration. The moment for the working class has arrived. We must meet it. Now or never. The global neoliberal order is in its death throes now, and it’s up to the American Left to get its shit together and help guide awakened liberals into the struggle for a future rooted in cooperation, equality, justice, and sustainability, and not only that, but to collaborate globally with other fractured Left movements to bring the neoliberal beast down. That is my vision, and I believe Bernie’s as well, but he can’t speak about it openly without jeopardizing everything. He’s doing his thing, and it’s up to us to harness the energy and meet the moment. Thank you for talking me off the ledge, sister.