Either we continue the political revolution independent of the corporate dominated Democratic Party or we allow our movement to be defanged and de-railed. Unfortunately, the entire history of social movements attempting to transform the Democratic Party from within has failed, instead resulting in the co-optation and collapse of social movements. Bernie’s campaign proved that it is possible to bui
ld a viable political alternative completely independent of corporate cash and the Democratic Party machinery. Every success of Bernie’s presidential campaign was achieved against the resistance of the Democratic Party establishment. The powerful protests at the DNC and the walkout of hundreds of Bernie delegates - which Movement4Bernie played an important role in - showed the anger at the two party system. Alienation with the entire political establishment is at record highs. Millions are filled with fresh confidence that another world is possible and that the time is ripe for building a new mass party of the 99%. The rapid rise in support for Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein, especially since the walkout at the DNC, gives a glimpse of the huge openings for the left. That’s why we changed our name from “Movement4Bernie” to “Movement for the 99%.” (www.Movement99.org) In dozens of cities across the country, we organized a series of “Beyond Bernie” community forums to announce this transition and our endorsement of Green Party candidate Jill Stein’s presidential campaign. And we will continue our efforts to build support for independent social movements that can provide the foundation for a new party of the 99%. Please donate $25, $50, or $100 today to help build the Movement for the 99%! M99 activists will be helping ongoing campaigns that hem to Bernie’s platform, like the fight for $15 being waged by 15 Now in Minneapolis against the entire corporate establishment. Seattle’s socialist City Councilmember Kshama Sawant, and her organization Socialist Alternative, launched Movement4Bernie last December. We campaigned for Bernie on an independent basis, organizing nationwide March4Bernie events that drew thousands into the streets, community forums to educate our neighbors and co-workers, and student clubs to mobilize young people for the political revolution. While doing our part to help Bernie win, from the beginning we warned that the rigged Democratic Party primary was a deeply hostile terrain for any candidate challenging corporate interests. Linked to these mobilizations, we launched our petition calling on Sanders to continue running independently if he was blocked in the (un)Democratic primaries, and launch a new party for the 99%. Nearly 125,000 people signed onto our call! Unfortunately, Bernie did not choose this path. It’s now time to take our movement beyond Bernie. To more fully elaborate our strategy to take the movement forward, we’re republishing here an article by Kshama Sawant published the day after Bernie formally endorsed Clinton.
