Carl Gibson's Open Letter to Democrats

Get Left or Be Left
By Carl Gibson, Reader Supported News

09 June 12

Reader Supported News Perspective

An open letter to Democratic Party leaders.

Dear Democratic Party leaders,

Your lackluster 2012 recall performance in Wisconsin reminded me of another lackluster performance I saw in Mississippi in 2010.

At a local bar's karaoke night in downtown Jackson, a dopey-looking middle-aged man in a jet-black toupee sang "Gimme All Your Lovin" by ZZ Top, drunkenly and off-key, to a group of young women at a nearby table. He was really getting into it until he stumbled off of the stage, knocked over their drinks, and spilled beer all over himself. The music stopped, and the women started laughing at him instead of with him. He sat by himself in the back of the room for the rest of the night. That was the second most painful thing I've ever watched.

The most painful thing I ever watched was when Tom Barrett got his ass handed to him by a proto-fascist governor who ran on punishing working families to reward his wealthy campaign donors with the salaries of public servants. This happened despite massive populist protests in Madison, an army of volunteers getting 1,000,000 recall signatures in the dead of winter and tirelessly knocking on over 1,000,000 doors leading up to the election, and his opponent's brand being associated with corruption. Despite what should have been a slam-dunk at a time when the far right is losing the battle of public opinion, Barrett's recall attempt fell flat on its face.

The Dems lost to Walker but took back the Senate, so I don't blame the unions or the volunteers. I don't even fully blame Wisconsin's shameless corporate-owned media, Super PACs, Citizens United, or Scott Walker's campaign war chest. Rather, Democratic Party leaders simply ignored and dismissed the powerful economic populist narrative that united the world around the Wisconsin State Capitol and Wall Street Occupations of 2011, and proved how out of touch they are with the 99 percent.

President Obama and DNC leadership treated the Wisconsin recall like a statewide race that didn't have national significance and put it on the backburner while the president campaigned for himself in neighboring states. But the RNC and their fascist wing, the Tea Party, outsmarted you in Wisconsin, so their multi-state class war will continue unabated, and perhaps even exacerbated. You'll continue to get pounded until you nominate and fundraise for candidates that are as far to the left as Scott Walker is to the right. I'm talking the kind of candidates who make stump speeches in the same vein of anti-robber-baron populism as FDR in 1934, or Martin Luther King in 1968.

Even British media smelled the stink of your failure in Wisconsin, calling out Clinton and Barrett for their milquetoast, plain-vanilla pitch to crucial voters at a crucial campaign stop. When your opponents actively seek to crush working families and the institutions that protect them, you don't energize those workers by telling them you'll work hand-in-hand with their oppressors. Wisconsin voters didn't force a recall to seek consensus with Republicans. They forced a recall to make a statement against a corrupt Republican regime that cares more about punishing its political enemies than serving the public interest.

Even though Blue Dog Democrat Tom Barrett lost handily to Scott Walker in 2010, establishment leaders still tapped him as the nominee for the recall election. Answer this: Why would the same guy, saying the same things, somehow have a different result against the same opponent he already lost to not even two years beforehand? Would it have killed you to nominate a woman, a person of color, someone younger than sixty, or at the very least, someone who doesn't wear the same color tie as his opponent? Why did you have to pick a boring white male career politician to challenge another boring white male career politician in a historic recall attempt?

Scott Walker made a mockery of the Badger State by ruling as the manager of the Midwest subsidiary for Koch Industries instead of serving as the Governor of Wisconsin. He proudly replaced union workers with prison labor, and oversaw the loss of over 30,000 jobs while middle class wages decreased and corporate profits have never been higher. Democrats chose instead to play defense to Walker's lies.

Even though corporate tax collections in Wisconsin are lower than the national average, Democratic Party leaders never forced the conversation about all the millions of dollars wasted on corporate tax breaks and subsidies that only exacerbated the jobs crisis in Wisconsin, growing wealth inequality, or the troublesome Orwellian police state Wisconsin Republicans gleefully brought about by arresting silent protesters in the Assembly gallery. In a state as polarized as Wisconsin, that type of rhetoric is exactly what was needed to motivate and energize the base. President Obama polled better than Barrett in Wisconsin: if he made good on his promise to put on his walking shoes and march like he said he would when collective bargaining was under attack, or if he used his presidential bully pulpit to oppose Walker's class war, if he did anything more than tweet for Barrett on election day, it may have made the difference.

People like those who run the DNC are the same reason my generation hates Democrats just as much as we hate Republicans, and why we're so turned off by the electoral process. You want votes from young, energetic 21st-century citizens? Stop running old and tired 20th-century candidates and 20th-century messaging. Leave the leadership up to the young leaders who haven't forgotten how to organize for meaningful change.

In the meantime, labor leaders should defy the outdated Taft-Hartley law and call for a nationwide general strike in the wake of the Democrats' recall flop. If the 1 percent is determined to wage class war, let's fight back. It's time to lead the Democrats where we want to go, instead of waiting for them to lead us.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Carl Gibson, 25, is co-founder of US Uncut, a nationwide creative direct-action movement that mobilized tens of thousands of activists against corporate tax avoidance and budget cuts in the months leading up to the Occupy Wall Street movement. Carl and other US Uncut activists are featured in the documentary "We're Not Broke," which premiered at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival. He currently lives in Old Lyme, Connecticut. You can contact Carl at carl@rsnorg.orgThis e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , and listen to his online radio talk show, Swag The Dog, at blogtalkradio.com/swag-the-dog.

Reader Supported News is the Publication of Origin for this work. Permission to republish is freely granted with credit and a link back to Reader Supported News.

Bleach: Heart

I read Bleach, Vol. 41 (Bleach (Graphic Novels))

I posted a review at the ComicBookBin (which has free comics).

DC Comics from Diamond Distributors for June 13 2012

DC COMICS

MAR120308 AME COMI BLACK FLASH PVC FIGURE (RES) $70.00

APR120283 AMERICAN VAMPIRE LORD OF NIGHTMARES #1 (OF 5) (MR) $2.99

APR120206 BATGIRL #10 $2.99

APR120193 BATMAN #10 $3.99

APR120196 BATMAN #10 COMBO PACK $4.99

APR128092 BATMAN #4 4TH PTG $2.99

APR120202 BATMAN AND ROBIN #10 $2.99

APR120241 BATMAN ARKHAM UNHINGED #3 $2.99

FEB120310 BATMAN BLACK AND WHITE STATUE NEW 52 BY JIM LEE $80.00

FEB120246 BATWOMAN HC VOL 01 HYDROLOGY $22.99

APR120143 BEFORE WATCHMEN SILK SPECTRE #1 (OF 4) (MR) $3.99

APR120146 BEFORE WATCHMEN SILK SPECTRE #1 (OF 4) COMBO PACK (MR) $4.99

MAR120249 BIRDS OF PREY TP VOL 01 END RUN $14.99

APR120268 DC COMICS PRESENTS SUPERMAN ADVENTURES #1 $7.99

APR120228 DEATHSTROKE #10 $2.99

APR120225 DEMON KNIGHTS #10 $2.99

APR120222 FRANKENSTEIN AGENT OF SHADE #10 $2.99

APR120211 GREEN LANTERN #10 $2.99

APR120213 GREEN LANTERN #10 COMBO PACK $3.99

MAR120309 GREEN LANTERN ANIMATED SER ATROCITUS MAQUETTE (RES) $125.00

APR120266 GREEN LANTERN THE ANIMATED SERIES #3 $2.99

APR120229 GRIFTER #10 $2.99

MAR120254 JUSTICE TP $29.99

APR120237 LEGION LOST #10 $2.99

MAR120247 MISTER TERRIFIC TP VOL 01 MIND GAMES $16.99

APR120233 RAVAGERS #2 $2.99

APR120224 RESURRECTION MAN #10 $2.99

APR120291 SAUCER COUNTRY #4 (MR) $2.99

MAR120255 SEVEN SOLDIERS OF VICTORY TP VOL 02 (OF 2) $29.99

APR120243 SHADE #9 (OF 12) $2.99

APR120230 SUICIDE SQUAD #10 $2.99

APR120187 SUPERBOY #10 $2.99

FEB120309 SUPERMAN PATINA MINI STATUE (RES) $95.00

MAR120269 TINY TITANS GROWING UP TINY TP $12.99

Marvel Comics from Diamond Distributors for June 13 2012

MARVEL COMICS

APR120609 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #687 ENDS $3.99

APR120735 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN IN MOTION POSTER $8.99

APR120614 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN MOVIE #2 $2.99

APR120581 AVENGERS #27 AVX $3.99

MAR128289 AVENGERS ASSEMBLE #3 2ND PTG BAGLEY VAR (PP #1023) $3.99

APR120594 AVENGERS ASSEMBLE #4 $3.99

MAR128287 AVENGERS VS X-MEN #0 (OF 12) 4TH PTG CHO VAR AVX (PP #1023) $3.99

FEB128258 AVENGERS VS X-MEN ACT TWO ROLLED POSTERS PI

APR120734 AVENGERS VS X-MEN BY YOUNG POSTER $8.99

APR120702 AVENGING SPIDER-MAN PREM HC FRIENDS BEAT UP YOUR FRIENDS $24.99

APR120567 AVX VS #3 (OF 6) $3.99

APR120721 BATTLE SCARS TP $16.99

APR120624 CAPTAIN AMERICA #13 $3.99

APR120622 CAPTAIN AMERICA AND HAWKEYE #632 $2.99

APR120699 CARNAGE USA HC $24.99

JAN120736 CLOAK DAGGER CRIME PUNISHMENT PREM HC $29.99

JAN120737 CLOAK DAGGER CRIME PUNISHMENT PREM HC DM VAR ED 93 $29.99

APR120703 DAREDEVIL BY MARK WAID PREM HC VOL 02 $19.99

APR120704 DARK TOWER GUNSLINGER WAY STATION PREM HC $24.99

APR120678 DEADPOOL #56 $2.99

JAN120734 DEATHLOK NIGHTMARE OF COLLINS PREM HC $29.99

JAN120735 DEATHLOK NIGHTMARE OF COLLINS PREM HC DM VAR ED 94 $29.99

APR120733 ESSENTIAL SPIDER-MAN TP VOL 11 $19.99

APR120642 FANTASTIC FOUR #607 $2.99

FEB120561 HALO FALL OF REACH INVASION #4 (OF 4) $3.99

APR120639 INCREDIBLE HULK #9 $3.99

APR120713 MARVEL UNIVERSE ULT SPIDER-MAN COMIC READER TP #1 (OF 2) $3.99

APR120656 MARVEL ZOMBIES DESTROY #3 (OF 5) $3.99

APR120631 MIGHTY THOR #15 $3.99

JAN120726 MMW MARVEL TEAM-UP HC DM VAR ED 181 $59.99

JAN120725 MMW MARVEL TEAM-UP HC VOL 02 $59.99

APR120716 MU AVENGERS SPIDER-MAN AND AVENGERS DIGEST TP $9.99

APR120717 MU ULT SPIDER-MAN GREAT POWER SCREEN CAP DIGEST TP $9.99

APR120617 SCARLET SPIDER #6 $2.99

JAN120732 SPIDER-MAN GRAPHIC NOVELS HC $34.99

JAN120738 SPIDER-MAN PERCEPTIONS PREM HC $19.99

JAN120739 SPIDER-MAN PERCEPTIONS PREM HC DM VAR ED 95 $19.99

APR120727 SPIDER-MAN SPIDER HUNT TP $29.99

APR120603 SPIDER-MEN #1 (OF 5) $3.99

APR120712 ULT COMICS SPIDER-MAN BY BENDIS PREM HC VOL 02 $24.99

APR120602 ULTIMATE COMICS X-MEN #13 $3.99

JAN120715 ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN OMNIBUS HC VOL 01 QUESADA CVR $99.99

APR120669 UNCANNY X-FORCE #26 $3.99

APR120680 UNTOLD TALES OF PUNISHER MAX #1 (OF 5) $4.99

APR120736 WOLVERINE BY BIANCHI POSTER $8.99

APR120675 X-MEN #30 $3.99

APR120585 X-MEN LEGACY #268 AVX $2.99

IDW Publishing from Diamond Distributors for June 13 2012

IDW PUBLISHING

APR120336 COBRA ONGOING #14 $3.99
APR120382 DUNGEONS & DRAGONS CLASSICS TP VOL 03 $24.99
APR120322 KISS #1 $3.99
SEP110354 LIMITED REID FLEMING NEW DIMENSION POSTER $7.99
APR120398 NIGHT OF 1000 WOLVES #2 (OF 3) $3.99
MAR128262 POPEYE #1 (OF 4) 2ND PTG (PP #1023) $3.99
APR120364 TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES COLOR CLASSICS #2 $3.99
APR120367 TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES MICRO SERIES TP VOL 01 $17.99
APR120357 TRANSFORMERS MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE TP VOL 01 $19.99
APR120360 TRANSFORMERS ROBOTS IN DISGUISE ONGOING #6 $3.99

Dark Horse Comics from Diamond Distributors for June 13 2012

DARK HORSE COMICS

APR120019 BTVS SEASON 9 FREEFALL #10 JEANTY VAR CVR $2.99
APR120018 BTVS SEASON 9 FREEFALL #10 NOTO CVR $2.99
APR120032 CONAN THE BARBARIAN #5 $3.50
APR120008 MASSIVE #1 WOOD CVR $3.50
FEB120057 NGE SHINJI IKARI RAISING PROJECT TP VOL 11 $9.99
APR120036 STAR WARS KNIGHT ERRANT ESCAPE #1 (OF 5) CARRE CVR $3.50
APR120029 STRAIN #5 (OF 12) (MR) $3.50

Image Comics from Diamond Distributors for June 13 2012

IMAGE COMICS

FEB120494 ALPHA GIRL #3 (MR) $2.99
MAR120477 BULLETPROOF COFFIN DISINTERRED #5 (OF 6) (MR) $3.99
APR128084 DANCER #1 2ND PTG $3.50
APR120531 DANCER #2 $3.50
APR128085 DANGER CLUB #2 2ND PTG $2.99
MAR120488 INVINCIBLE #92 $2.99
APR128086 MANHATTAN PROJECTS #3 2ND PTG $3.50
APR120546 MIND THE GAP #2 CVR A $2.99
APR120547 MIND THE GAP #2 CVR B FRANCAVILLA $2.99
FEB120453 MYSTERIOUS WAYS TP $19.99
APR120441 ORC STAIN TP VOL 01 (MAY100457) (MR) $17.99
APR120419 PLANETOID #1 $2.99
APR128195 SAGA #1 5TH PTG (MR) $2.99
APR128087 SAGA #3 2ND PTG (MR) $2.99
APR120558 SKULLKICKERS #15 $3.50
APR128088 THIEF OF THIEVES #1 4TH PTG $2.99
APR128089 THIEF OF THIEVES #2 4TH PTG $2.99
APR128090 THIEF OF THIEVES #3 4TH PTG $2.99
APR128091 THIEF OF THIEVES #4 3RD PTG $2.99