Butch Ragland

[Butch Ragland]

Coalition of Natural Allies

REMEMBER WE CANNOT OUT SPEND CORPORATE MONEY!

We must organize the various special interest groups such as women's & civil rights, environment, unions, dog lovers (don't laugh), etc, etc, etc such as MADD (mothers against drunk drivers), etc, etc.

This coalition promises to work for each group’s main issue;

Women rights; equal pay
Civil rights; no discrimination
MADD; effective laws to curb drunk driving, 19-20,000 die each year because of drunk drivers including about 6,500 children CHILDREN
WHERE IS THE WAR ON DRUNK DRIVERS?
Gay rights; no discrimination because of choice or barrier to gay unions
Unions; card check
Dog Lovers; ban puppy mills that pull vocal cords with dentist picks. Mobilize dog lovers and we may not need anyone else to move a progressive agenda?

Now, add your progressive group to this list and there are many.

Then we move into the primary process, vet the candidates against the issues the coalition members want. Finally, we have a progressive that has pledges on paper to support progressive issues and we must hold the candidates feet to the fire.

Comes the conservative ads on TV, mail, our emails and phones, doesn’t matter we are joined by our mutual interest. Promise me you will do something about puppy mills and you have my vote, promise a union that they will card check laws and you have the union vote, and on and on and ON.

There is more to this idea but let’s start to think together about how we can overcome the power of corporate money in all forms of advertising.

Maybe I should start a party called “The Puppy Mill Party”

[LindaM]

This wasn't meant to be a criticism of the idea. I just don't see how it will work. Explain, please.

[Butch Ragland]

I SAY IT LOUD ENOUGH, WE MUST HAVE A WAY TO OVERCOME BIG MONEY OR CORPORATIONS RULE OUR WORLD

This stradegy is posted here and needs votes to get more disscussion.
Click on this site and give it votes to move forward.

http://agenda.progressivesunited.org/forums/105241-help-set-the-progressives-united-agenda/suggestions/1555397-coalition-of-natural-allies?ref=title

[Butch Ragland]

I don't see how the others are natural allies. I have some friends who support MADD and who are dog lovers, but who would never vote for a democrat.

When have you seen a Democrat or a Progressive candidate address these 2 issues directly. I'm saying if a Progressive candidate says loud and clear that they will propose or vote for legislation that addresses this issue specifically. Let us find someone who has lost a loved one in a drunk driving accident and we the "Coalition of Natural Allies" will work directly on this issue and we have a dedicated voter that cannot be swayed by Corporate Ads. Not only that but they will work with friends and relatives and get on the street to support this "VETTED" Progressive candidate.

[Butch Ragland]

You have seen how the unions and the democrats how worked together during the past weeks.

Unions sticking together now in WI, is an aftermath of what Gov Walker is doing. Walker had unions that supported him prior to his proposed agenda, what were they thinking?

I want a strategy that gets ahead of this curve, if unions were standing together with the “Coalition of Natural Allies” prior to the election that gave Walker his election and elected the Republigun house, this would never have happened.

We, progressives are ready to fight injustice when it happens, let’s prevent it to begin with.

[Butch Ragland]

To oppose organized money we must have organized people!

[Butch Ragland]

If this system had been in place when we elected the Democratic Congress we would know what they would do because we would have it in writing. We would not be scratching our heads over renewing the tax breaks for the rich or how the Congress would handle the current assault on Medicare, Medicad or Social Security.

[Butch Ragland]

Les Leopold, AlterNet, 4-22-11 asked this question:

If ever there was time for a national Wisconsin-like backlash against financiers, this is it.

here;
http://beauproductions.com/usworld/forum/index.php/topic,854.msg2196/topicseen.html#msg2196

What is the political path to a "Wisconsin-like backlash", do you think it is within the "Blue Dog Democrats" or the "Republipharisee Party"? I offer we need a new paradigm; politics as usual has not changed the trajectory we are on!

Many of my friends offer that we need to get out the truth, teach, inform the voters! The truth will set us free is a bunch of BS unless you have someone to vote for who will follow the “Truth”..

[Butch Ragland]

"Freedom is participation in power"
Cicero

Voting is not participating in power unless we participate in the primary selection process. Otherwise some elite hierarchal group tells us whom we can vote for, power tells "US" who will contest an election in November.

November is to late!

[Butch Ragland]

Now is the time to be organizing a way forward, when Occupy Wall Street matures we will need a method or system to enter the political process and win seats for those who support our Progressive principles.

[Butch Ragland]

"True revolutionaries do not flaunt their radicalism, Alinsky taught. They cut their hair, put on suits and infiltrate the system from within. Alinsky viewed revolution as a slow, patient process. The trick was to penetrate existing institutions such as churches, unions and political parties"

'Saul Alinsky

We cannot change our society without taking over one of the two major political parties (Republican or Democratic) from within. Churches cannot be depended upon; they teach a theology of non-involvement in the world when in fact Jesus was the first social activitist and in fact took on the Pharisees' turning over the money tables.

"We cannot out spend the Koch Brothers!"

'Butch

We must take the power that money has within the party of our choice, in my case the Democratic Party, away from those who corrupt our system. We can only do this by organizing voters using the power of the ballot to defeat the power of money. We must follow the example of Jesus and turn over the money tables!