I was a Republican until my party left me at the top of that brass escalator; I’m now a progressive Democrat. I used your phone recommendations to email my Florida GOP senators and my GOP representatives. Thank you!
I’ve signed up to attend the town hall with Field Team 6 and Robert Hubbell on Wednesday, May 15, 2024 at 5pm PST. Are you free to join me? Use this link to sign up: https://mobilize.us/s/ghMru2
I'm bummed that I missed the Run for Something Zoom. I signed up and put in on my calendar but then I could not for the life of me find the Zoom link to hop on the call. :-(
On a separate topic, I wanted to let everyone know that Reclaim Our Vote (https://www.centerforcommonground.org/reclaim-our-vote) has opened up its first postcard campaign for NC BIPOC voters - a "pledge to vote" compaign that encourages recipients to invite their friends to pledge to vote. If you are new to Reclaim Our Vote there are a few steps you must take to become a volunteer. (You also will need to get approved Reclaim Our Vote postcards). The postcards are mail as you go up to July 1st. There will be a second GOTV postcard campaign later in the cycle. This will be the third ROV postcard campaign for which I have written postcards -the others were the 2023 general election in VA and the 2024 primary in GA.
Hello Jessica. Genuinely appreciate your writing. Thought the following might interest you.
Have We Progressives Forgotten Who We Are?
When did we last take a second look at our relevance to this country? To what extent do we believe that our fellow citizens actually see us as consequential to their lives? Are we at the very least willing to adjust our current “strategy” to more effectively compete with corporate rule?
Today we Progressives offer no way out of our political and social mess, no path, no strategy, no hope toward the future we all deserve only a daily reminder of more of the same. When will we finally get in front of that microphone and offer a higher version of ourselves?.
It isn’t easy for me to be critical knowing we are genuinely trying to keep things from getting worse. We’re speaking out exposing the roots of the problem working to elect Progressives just doing what we can to keep a lid on things. Yet I believe we are this country’s future leaders with so much more to offer! I do understand how difficult it is to reach out to and for others when we ourselves are hurting caught up in today's collective despair. I’ve been around since the 1960’s and can say with certainty that we the people are now living in the worst of times since the American Civil War of the 1860’s. During the great depression of the 1930’s with an economy worse than today even then under our only Progressive President Franklin Roosevelt there was at least a feeling of empathy in hardship and collective purpose in pulling through the Depression - but not today.
So for the sake of BOTH our democracy and the increasing threat to our personal safety I want to offer an original and doable two part plan that I believe to be the most relevant Progressive vision/strategy offered to date. However, the only exception to what I’ve written below is that ahead of building our critically needed national Progressive organization, absolutely NOTHING should come ahead of keeping Trump out of the White House!
Looking at us now
Do we really believe we can keep beating up on the bad guys without securing the means to remove them, or saying hooray for our issues without the power to implement them? Do we really think playing defense or just educating, informing and raising consciousness is enough to shift power in this country? If so Wall St. agrees.
Because it's easier to oppose something than advance something, today's Progressive drug of choice remains a self-defeating strategy of reaction, resistance, and appealing to the powers that be rather than doing what we must to become the powers that be. This defensive approach has kept us scattered, divided, rudderless and virtually invisible to the American public.
Having failed to put meaningful restraints on corporate control now more entrenched than ever helps to explain why the US Congress is little more than a corporate boardroom with the American citizen unable to compel them to do anything beyond watered down solutions. What is the point of talking about a better future if we're not offering a credible way of getting to it? That can only mean subordinating our current DEFENSIVE strategy of resistance to an AGGRESSIVE OFFENSIVE electoral strategy for POWER. If we don't, the future we want is literally impossible and deservedly so. Either we out mobilize, out organize and out vote corporate control or the status quo continues while you and I remain complicit.
So WHAT do we do and HOW do we do it? How exactly do we elect the essential governing Progressive MAJORITIES from the federal level down to majorities at the state and local level giving us the votes NEEDED to remove corporate politicians and finally implement a Progressive agenda? First is to make the necessary shift away from today's defensive MINDSET of resistance toward a strategy for POWER (to include resistance) We must rethink the way we see ourselves as Americans (beyond voters and customers) and begin to lead decisively with a proud OWNERSHIP mentality.
Then what? Today we Progressives are scattered all over the country essentially on our own without a common purpose, a unified strategy, without the means or the vehicle that gets us to the future we seek. Given today’s power reality it doesn’t take a mental giant to understand that unless we Progressives become a united WE and think beyond what's directly in front of us today, we’re going nowhere!! We need to stop with our defensive mindset, focus beyond social media, and do the electoral work that finally builds a national multiracial organization directed for the first time by a UNIFIED CENTRAL PROGRESSIVE COMMAND, that binds us together with regional coordinators- North-South-East and West, visibly guiding and providing resources to our candidates around the country.
So HOW do we create this new national organization? First we acknowledge the obvious that UNITY is the precondition for replacing corporate dominance with citizen authority and that it can ONLY happen in one place at the BALLOT BOX! That ballot box reality is literally our first and last resort short of losing our democracy and descending into a second violent American revolution.
So with a new ownership and unity MINDSET we’ll get our national organization off the ground by setting up PROGRESSIVE UNITY SUMMITS in each state linked together under a national umbrella giving us the means to actually apply our collective power. Here we begin to build long overdue close relationships finally creating a common voice with a unified agenda around a statewide strategy putting us on the same page as much, as often and as urgently as possible. At the same time we’ll link up with similar efforts around the country then soon after plan a NATIONAL PROGRESSIVE UNITY SUMMIT. Our work together must be all out and year round building ongoing constituent relationships not just popping up at election time. These relationships must lead with a more visceral approach reminding each other of our SHARED values that relate us more deeply as Americans and individually as human beings. To build TRUST, the public must come to see us more personally as an extension of themselves, not just another political group wanting their money and vote.
This I believe is an achievable approach to begin shifting power in our country from them to us. No more preferring words over decisive action. No more defeatist incremental thinking. We’re not here to do something small only to win something small, we're here to imagine a promising, doable, and deserving future then go after it smart and together. That future is ours if we are willing to do the work but only if we do it differently!
Rich Cohen has been an ACTIVE Progressive dating back to his participation in the successful student strike at San Francisco State College in 1968. Since then he has built Progressive groups in Los Angeles and Portland Or. supporting Progressive candidates and issues including working with Tom Hayden and Jane Fonda to help bring Rent Control to the city of Los Angeles and later setting up a Bernie Sanders speakers bureau in 2015.
Ciao Jessica, thanks for providing the contact information for the Senate Investigation Committee. I was disheartened to learn that MSNBC the ONLY news outlet to cover the story about Trump's blatant attempt to get campaign funding in exchange for promises to strike down environmental protections. This story isn't getting the attention it deserves because all the oxygen is sucked out of the room by the election interference trial. As always, you're 100% right. Being able to take action always makes me feel better! Brava!
Just a fast shout out to your followers who may know someone who is living or studying abroad. Remind them that they CAN VOTE!! Send them to https://votefromabroad.org to request their overseas ballot today. There are 6.5 million of us expats - our votes can be the margin of victory!!
I was a Republican until my party left me at the top of that brass escalator; I’m now a progressive Democrat. I used your phone recommendations to email my Florida GOP senators and my GOP representatives. Thank you!
Thanks, Suzanne!
I’ve signed up to attend the town hall with Field Team 6 and Robert Hubbell on Wednesday, May 15, 2024 at 5pm PST. Are you free to join me? Use this link to sign up: https://mobilize.us/s/ghMru2
Ah yes! So much good stuff happening today and tomorrow!
I'm bummed that I missed the Run for Something Zoom. I signed up and put in on my calendar but then I could not for the life of me find the Zoom link to hop on the call. :-(
On a separate topic, I wanted to let everyone know that Reclaim Our Vote (https://www.centerforcommonground.org/reclaim-our-vote) has opened up its first postcard campaign for NC BIPOC voters - a "pledge to vote" compaign that encourages recipients to invite their friends to pledge to vote. If you are new to Reclaim Our Vote there are a few steps you must take to become a volunteer. (You also will need to get approved Reclaim Our Vote postcards). The postcards are mail as you go up to July 1st. There will be a second GOTV postcard campaign later in the cycle. This will be the third ROV postcard campaign for which I have written postcards -the others were the 2023 general election in VA and the 2024 primary in GA.
The Center for Common Ground with be meeting tomorrow evening at 8 pm by Zoom to discuss teh elections in GA and NC. You can sign up here: https://www.centerforcommonground.org/reclaim-our-vote
Here's the recording! https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/vSGFqLNdBxRf6JiGSN4LGDMKndd6Pz7rptz3zm61_C2klEUJ9y6SfmmM9yG35-Fh.uxINafkf75yyXPG7
Yes! I'll put this in the newsletter! Thanks.
Thanks!
Hello Jessica. Genuinely appreciate your writing. Thought the following might interest you.
Have We Progressives Forgotten Who We Are?
When did we last take a second look at our relevance to this country? To what extent do we believe that our fellow citizens actually see us as consequential to their lives? Are we at the very least willing to adjust our current “strategy” to more effectively compete with corporate rule?
Today we Progressives offer no way out of our political and social mess, no path, no strategy, no hope toward the future we all deserve only a daily reminder of more of the same. When will we finally get in front of that microphone and offer a higher version of ourselves?.
It isn’t easy for me to be critical knowing we are genuinely trying to keep things from getting worse. We’re speaking out exposing the roots of the problem working to elect Progressives just doing what we can to keep a lid on things. Yet I believe we are this country’s future leaders with so much more to offer! I do understand how difficult it is to reach out to and for others when we ourselves are hurting caught up in today's collective despair. I’ve been around since the 1960’s and can say with certainty that we the people are now living in the worst of times since the American Civil War of the 1860’s. During the great depression of the 1930’s with an economy worse than today even then under our only Progressive President Franklin Roosevelt there was at least a feeling of empathy in hardship and collective purpose in pulling through the Depression - but not today.
So for the sake of BOTH our democracy and the increasing threat to our personal safety I want to offer an original and doable two part plan that I believe to be the most relevant Progressive vision/strategy offered to date. However, the only exception to what I’ve written below is that ahead of building our critically needed national Progressive organization, absolutely NOTHING should come ahead of keeping Trump out of the White House!
Looking at us now
Do we really believe we can keep beating up on the bad guys without securing the means to remove them, or saying hooray for our issues without the power to implement them? Do we really think playing defense or just educating, informing and raising consciousness is enough to shift power in this country? If so Wall St. agrees.
Because it's easier to oppose something than advance something, today's Progressive drug of choice remains a self-defeating strategy of reaction, resistance, and appealing to the powers that be rather than doing what we must to become the powers that be. This defensive approach has kept us scattered, divided, rudderless and virtually invisible to the American public.
Having failed to put meaningful restraints on corporate control now more entrenched than ever helps to explain why the US Congress is little more than a corporate boardroom with the American citizen unable to compel them to do anything beyond watered down solutions. What is the point of talking about a better future if we're not offering a credible way of getting to it? That can only mean subordinating our current DEFENSIVE strategy of resistance to an AGGRESSIVE OFFENSIVE electoral strategy for POWER. If we don't, the future we want is literally impossible and deservedly so. Either we out mobilize, out organize and out vote corporate control or the status quo continues while you and I remain complicit.
So WHAT do we do and HOW do we do it? How exactly do we elect the essential governing Progressive MAJORITIES from the federal level down to majorities at the state and local level giving us the votes NEEDED to remove corporate politicians and finally implement a Progressive agenda? First is to make the necessary shift away from today's defensive MINDSET of resistance toward a strategy for POWER (to include resistance) We must rethink the way we see ourselves as Americans (beyond voters and customers) and begin to lead decisively with a proud OWNERSHIP mentality.
Then what? Today we Progressives are scattered all over the country essentially on our own without a common purpose, a unified strategy, without the means or the vehicle that gets us to the future we seek. Given today’s power reality it doesn’t take a mental giant to understand that unless we Progressives become a united WE and think beyond what's directly in front of us today, we’re going nowhere!! We need to stop with our defensive mindset, focus beyond social media, and do the electoral work that finally builds a national multiracial organization directed for the first time by a UNIFIED CENTRAL PROGRESSIVE COMMAND, that binds us together with regional coordinators- North-South-East and West, visibly guiding and providing resources to our candidates around the country.
So HOW do we create this new national organization? First we acknowledge the obvious that UNITY is the precondition for replacing corporate dominance with citizen authority and that it can ONLY happen in one place at the BALLOT BOX! That ballot box reality is literally our first and last resort short of losing our democracy and descending into a second violent American revolution.
So with a new ownership and unity MINDSET we’ll get our national organization off the ground by setting up PROGRESSIVE UNITY SUMMITS in each state linked together under a national umbrella giving us the means to actually apply our collective power. Here we begin to build long overdue close relationships finally creating a common voice with a unified agenda around a statewide strategy putting us on the same page as much, as often and as urgently as possible. At the same time we’ll link up with similar efforts around the country then soon after plan a NATIONAL PROGRESSIVE UNITY SUMMIT. Our work together must be all out and year round building ongoing constituent relationships not just popping up at election time. These relationships must lead with a more visceral approach reminding each other of our SHARED values that relate us more deeply as Americans and individually as human beings. To build TRUST, the public must come to see us more personally as an extension of themselves, not just another political group wanting their money and vote.
This I believe is an achievable approach to begin shifting power in our country from them to us. No more preferring words over decisive action. No more defeatist incremental thinking. We’re not here to do something small only to win something small, we're here to imagine a promising, doable, and deserving future then go after it smart and together. That future is ours if we are willing to do the work but only if we do it differently!
Rich Cohen has been an ACTIVE Progressive dating back to his participation in the successful student strike at San Francisco State College in 1968. Since then he has built Progressive groups in Los Angeles and Portland Or. supporting Progressive candidates and issues including working with Tom Hayden and Jane Fonda to help bring Rent Control to the city of Los Angeles and later setting up a Bernie Sanders speakers bureau in 2015.
Who is that from?
Ciao Jessica, thanks for providing the contact information for the Senate Investigation Committee. I was disheartened to learn that MSNBC the ONLY news outlet to cover the story about Trump's blatant attempt to get campaign funding in exchange for promises to strike down environmental protections. This story isn't getting the attention it deserves because all the oxygen is sucked out of the room by the election interference trial. As always, you're 100% right. Being able to take action always makes me feel better! Brava!
Just a fast shout out to your followers who may know someone who is living or studying abroad. Remind them that they CAN VOTE!! Send them to https://votefromabroad.org to request their overseas ballot today. There are 6.5 million of us expats - our votes can be the margin of victory!!
Hey Jessica. If you want to connect you can reach me at rcohen2@comcast.net.
Either way wishing you well. Rich Cohen