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'Organized People Won': Aisha Wahab Defeats Millions in AIPAC Spending to Win US House Race (www.commondreams.org)
submitted 2 days ago by floofloof@lemmy.ca to c/politics@lemmy.world
20 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

cross-posted from: https://news.abolish.capital/post/73268

top 20 comments
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[–] BigMacHole@thelemmy.club 3 points 1 day ago

DEMOCRATS keep voting for the Person who ISNT taking Millions in Corporate money? I can't WAIT for Free Thinking NOT SHEEP Republicans to do the Same with Illegal Immigrant Who Caused Our Diarrhea Outbreak Elon Musk and his HUNDREDS of MILLIONS of dollars in Republican Spending! There's NO WAY Republicans would be DUMB enough to Vote for ELONS picks just as Democrats aren't dumb enough to vote for AIPACS picks!

[–] 2hundredpancakes@lemmy.blahaj.zone 34 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Save you a click: overthrow of the establishment DNC is possible and it's happening. Also, AIPAC money can't buy everything.

Progressive California state Sen. Aisha Wahab has won a special election to serve the remainder of disgraced former Rep. Eric Swalwell’s term in the US Congress, defeating a centrist Democrat backed by millions of dollars in AIPAC spending.

... In November, Wahab will face Bay Area Rapid Transit board member Melissa Hernandez again in a race for a full two-year term in the US House.

[–] bedwyr@piefed.ca 4 points 1 day ago (2 children)

To do that we need a range of populist candidates for all regions. We only have inner city populists, and not that many really.

Why do we not have more challengers? There isn't a lack of left populists in any area in this country. Don't think they couldn't win.

[–] Manjushri@piefed.social 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Why do we not have more challengers?

Probably because until now it there wasn't a reasonable expectation to win. Before the last cycle or two, the few progressive candidates that had the resources to run tended to get plowed under in the primaries and rarely saw the light of day by the time the general elections rolled around. That will hopefully change now because of victories like this and the fact that progressives are now seen to be winning in primaries around the country, even against established, old-guard democrats. Many more progressive hopefuls may now see a realistic path to office and throw their hats into the ring allowing even more establishment dems to be rousted from office.

As you can see, I'm very hopeful that this is the start of something big. I know that there are many things that could derail this, not the least of which is the authoritarian take over of the federal government, but hope is what I got, so I'm clinging to it. If the nation survives another election or two, we could see huge changes in this country.

[–] bedwyr@piefed.ca 1 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

But we only have one flavour of progressive, and it's not going to play everywhere. We need a broad coalition of left populists, of populists, real ones not fake ones that scapegoat which is what the establishment associates with populism, arguing popular is the enemy and in this country that chooses leaders based on popular votes we have to make sure we are unpopular.

We need populists that fit their districts, and for most of the country that means we need white candidates. At least 60 some percent should be white, as 60 some percent of the population is.

Why is there not a single white populist in the party? Bernie doesn't count at this point. Universal health care is a majority position for instance. A vast majority last I heard. Breaking up trusts and monopolies that artificially inflate costs is a majority position. Charging the rich taxes is a majority position. Living wages are as well although that one is more prone to fuckery.

We need to organize, and to cooperate on what we agree on, while combatting organized interests turning us against each other. We are played like a fiddle, by Israel, the Republicans, the Democrats, the Corporations and their Trade Groups, because we aren't organized.

[–] 2hundredpancakes@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 1 day ago

That's a great question I don't know the answer to. It might be that many left-leaning folks are disillusioned with the political system at large and choose to disengage. The country does have a fantastically low voter participation rate, which itself says things about the citizens' faith in the system. I'm hopeful that current events, and victories like this one, will push more hopefuls to run as challengers.

[–] EonNShadow@pawb.social 39 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Good. Keep making them waste their money

[–] scutiger@lemmy.world 23 points 2 days ago

It's American money, given to Israel, funding AIPAC to spend on influencing American politics. It's a waste of taxpayer money, sadly.

[–] charles@lemmy.charles.wiki 28 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Good to see change. Something is different about this election cycle. :)

[–] ThePantser@sh.itjust.works 3 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

I think Obama cashed in on the "Cha~~r~~nge" message too early. We need that promise now more than ever.

Edit: Charge=Change

[–] JoMiran@lemmy.ml 4 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I think you meant to type "Change".

I think a big part of what led to the rise of fascism in the US was the betrayal on the part of the Democrat establishment. In 2015 there was a clear popular uprising against "the establishment" highlighted by the rise of Trump and Bernie. When the DNC fucked over Bernie, Trump capitalized.

[–] gibmiser@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago (2 children)

The first Obama term i felt like ok fine change is hard and people are making it hard, give it more time.

By the middle of Obamas second term I was mad. Nothing really changed and it didn't feel like he and the dems were fighting to make the changes. In hindsight im not sure exactly what changes I expected or what specifics they campaigned on. I think they sold a feeling more than specific actions. Hard to remember.

[–] ThePantser@sh.itjust.works 2 points 2 days ago

I think the biggest change he made was being the first not white guy.

[–] bedwyr@piefed.ca 1 points 1 day ago

The only thing Obama fought for was in 2009 in the affordable care act, which was itself a failure and giveaway to insurance companies at are complete parasites to healthcare and take the majority of the money for it.

He did nothing of note otherwise, not in a good way.

[–] hoppeduponcoffee@lemmy.zip 16 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

I love the schadenfreude of watching the DNC spend millions for nothing.

It’s almost like voters care more about a coherent platform that resonates with their concerns, rather than how much corporate and AIPAC money can be raised.

I hate being registered Dem, because I get so many stupid solicitations for money. You’re not plundering enough money from the poor and working classes? Unfortunately in my heavily-gerrymanded fascist red state, I get no choice but the two-party ticket, and a shit choice in primaries.

[–] curbstickle@anarchist.nexus 11 points 2 days ago

I love the schadenfreude of watching the DNC spend millions for nothing.

BOLD America spent the millions, not the DNC. BOLD America is an AIPAC-backed superpac.

[–] homesweethomeMrL@lemmy.world -1 points 2 days ago (2 children)

This is good, sure, maybe even great, but these are primaries.

Our leftier-than-thou bubble here is not a perfect sample of the electorate.

It doesn’t matter if they don’t win the election.

TL;DR: win the election.

[–] chaogomu@lemmy.world 15 points 2 days ago (1 children)

This was a special election, not a primary.

Wahab does have to stand in the General Election in November, but as an incumbent now.

[–] homesweethomeMrL@lemmy.world 4 points 2 days ago

Fair; my mistake. Taken as a larger trend, the point stands.

[–] NotMyOldRedditName@lemmy.world 6 points 2 days ago

This was a special election. Will serve until November at least.