Frederick Douglass
Power concedes nothing without a demand.
Perhaps our greatest political failing has been in forgetting these words. Frederick Douglass understood how hard political change is. His prescription is simple, but extremely difficult to employ. Understanding the level of virulence and persistence in the far right in America (the sons and daughters of the Confederacy and their allies in the C-Suites) leads one to the conclusion that our revolution must never stop. However we want to identify this struggle, it must never be abandoned. We will have to struggle to wrestle power from the hands of oligarchs, as in past Gilded Ages. And we will also have to struggle, here on the left, with each other as we are represent different stripes of the philosophy. Out of this struggle we must find, not despair, but consensus and always, energy and creativity.
Happy Juneteenth.
"Power concedes nothing without a demand."
Here in Maine, Democratic primary voters demanded better Senate and House candidates than the Democratic Establishment tried to force on us.
Regarding the Senate: Despite having so little support, outside of Chuck Schumer and her own circle, that she suspended her Senate campaign, Janet Mills hedged her bets on primary voters handing her a victory. Despite losing the primary by more than 50% of the vote, Mills has refused to concede let alone endorse the winner. She is now hedging her bets that the opposition research campaign she helped set in motion will force Graham Platner to refuse the nomination. Don't hold your breath. The oppo campaign - despite being amplified by the NYTimes and Wall Street Journal - may have 'jumped the shark.' The Platner campaign is building momentum.
Regarding the House: Progressive Matt Dunlap has won out over DCCC choice state Sen. Joe Baldacci. Baldacci has set an example of doing the right thing at the right time - conceding and endorsing Dunlap. This is what solidarity in action looks like.
Really good reminder. Thank you