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Aldous C. Tyler will be officially running in the Democratic primary against President Barack H. Obama. His platforms are peace, full employment at a living wage, environment, social safety net, Medicare for all, fair trade, human rights, civil liberties, election reform, corporate accountability and infrastructure.
All Democrats, liberals, progressives and other leftists should support Aldous’ run. It is going to reinvigorate the Democratic Party and force candidates to come back to their principles. Right now the only thing that defines a Democrat is the absense of being Bachmann or a Perry or a Romney. That leaves the field wide open to anything goes. This is unacceptable.
Right now the debates are focused on extreme right-wing agendas which have become the new norm. Having a televised Democratic primary will put the media focus back on our issues for at least half of the time. Just like FDR once said “Make me do it,” our President has asked us at least twice to hold him accountable. With all the pressure he gets from the corrupt lobbyists inside the Beltway, he needs pressure from the non-corporate owned grassroots to counterbalance that and let him know what the people truly need. Not just so that he knows, but so that he can point to the visible pressure he’s getting to give him leverage to put his foot down on critical issues.
The biggest problem with having a split Democratic party is that the centrists keep insisting liberals and progressives get on board with them for unity. They have not provided a good reason why we cannot unite and also hold on to the Party’s principles and platform. They have not explained how by uniting we must somehow neglect that the sick deserve treatment and the poor deserve to live. Instead of capitulating like the rest of them, let us be the ones to stand firm to our values. Let us insist that centrists come and meet us on our terms, the terms of the Democratic Party itself.
For far too long, we have been neglected and ignored. If we do not fight now, then no matter who wins the 2012 election, we will continue to see our civil liberties, health, job opportunities, safety nets and lives diminish. With Aldous, we have a chance to change our country. It will not happen if we complacently sit around having jaded conversations about it. It will happen if you and I and millions of others get involved for change just like it did for our President’s campaign in 2008. Be the change. Support Aldous C. Tyler.
http://americachangestoday.com/platform.html
164 Comments
Good luck to Aldous. I am already committed to the Green Party but I hope Aldous gets some coverage.
This guy doesn’t even have a wiki page. Who is he? What is his experience? Other than what you outlined, what are his ideas for job creation? Where does he stand on science? The website reads like a wish list on things I could support but is entirely lacking in detail. I can say I’m for full employment too but that doesn’t mean I know how to accomplish it. All I can really tell from his website is that he spends a lot of time at Daily Kos. I’m going to need a little more to go on other than he’s “not Obama”.
Some sort of biography would be a nice addition to the website…
Where is Lou Christie when you really need him? Lightning strikes!
Tell us more about Tyler. How is he with the New Progressive Alliance? I see he backs the platform, cool.
Anyway, $10 from me (I’m part of that unlucky 1 of 6).
Activist Alliance became a registered member last week. Great! Welcome indeed but after three comments and one diary you can’t seriously expect me to drop what I’m doing and support somebody I’ve never heard of just because he says he’s going to challenge Obama. He’s got to get on the ballot or he’s just fundraising. Please feel free to post some more details like:
A) How he plans on getting on the ballot this late in the game.
B) What his ideas are rather than just a laundry list of platitudes aimed at progressives.
C) What his background is.
D) Why I should register as a Democrat in order to vote for this guy in a primary he isn’t even in yet, negating my ability to vote Green.
Seriously? You’re going to send somebody you’ve never heard of before ten bucks?!? Wanna buy a bridge…?
He backs the NPA platform, that’s a “little more.” Yes, more info would be good, but who is he? He’s a progressive challenging Obama. Job creation?
You got better?
Just did. You got a bridge for $10?
Yeah, I read that. It’s just copied and pasted from the website. I O know how to click links, thank you. As I said, just platitudes without substance. Not enough for me to register as a Democrat or send him any money.
A fool and his money…. Maybe I’ll put up a lame ass, do it yourself website with a donate button and claim that I’m challenging Obama too….
Ditto to everything Margaret said. I support the Activist Alliance too, so maybe I should run. But fuck, I haven’t posted at DKos so maybe I don’t have credibility. But I have posted here, so maybe I am qualified. Please send me $10 or more if you can … but not more than $2,500.
It’s not a good sign when a Google search for one’s “candidate” essentially turns up nothing.
“He’s got to get on the ballot or he’s just fundraising.” Yeah, but to get on the ballot he’s gotta raise some funds.
I’ve done some research into the matter. Getting on the ballot in 20 states isn’t too onerous. 30 isn’t out of the question if he picks up support.
Let’s face it, you seem to be a hard-core Green, and I think you fear that a progressive Dem primary challenger will draw effort from the Greens. Per Wiki, “On November 4, 2008 McKinney finished fifth in the election with received 161,603 votes.” That’s about 0.12% of the vote.
I wouldn’t sneer at McKinney’s total, but I think this might make you a little hesitant to start sneering yourself.
Precisely. Might as well say “Vote for Al. He’s not Obama”.
Since you don’t know me or what the fuck you’re talking about, I see no point in attempting to educate you. Lemme know when you’re ready to buy that bridge.
See:
Dump Obama: a primary focus for the arguments.
But let’s face it, you’re just slinging mud.
“I O know how to click links, thank you.”
Wasn’t sure. I have an idea. Don’t register as a Democrat, and don’t send him any money.
Ooooh, you said “fuck.” When you stated:
I was perhaps misled. Then you’re a soft-core Green?
l’amour, l’amour.
Margaret, I hear ya. That said I’ll Activist Alliance the benefit of the doubt and hope that Al is the real deal.
Who is he? WHere’s he from? WHat’s his education? Past employment history? Personal voting record? Qualifications for office, in terms of political experience?
I’ll vote for Aldous Huxley, methinks.
More NPA smoke n mirrors.
More importantly Roby, who are you and NPA trying to hustle and scam? Yer like that $10 bill in my dobro case at a street corner jam, I just put it in there to seed the pot.
Questions galore have been asked about this buy, you deflect and redirect.
Nah, thanks, I think not. Nice try tho, Ron Popeil would love you guys. Got Ginzu?
*G*
Is this the same guy ?
http://917talk.blogspot.com/2011/07/show-spotlight-tmi-with-aldous-tyler.html
All I know is what’s on the diary and the website. I’ve written a whole piece about this kind of challenge:
http://my.firedoglake.com/jeffroby/2011/07/09/dump-obama-a-primary-focus
Take it or leave it. But if you don’t think I have enough info to support Aldous, then you hardly have enough info to be trashing him. Tell me something about him that would add to the dialogue. Otherwise, it’s just your standard exercise in nastiness.
Seems like it. Thank you for adding something here.
Nope. Never voted Green in my life, except for some local city council seats and such. Thinking about changing that this time around though.
We are twenty comments into this post and the author has yet to engage and answer any of the very legitimate questions. Meanwhile we have you, running interference and belittling anybody with the temerity to point out the obvious and very prominently claiming to have kicked in ten bucks. So my theory is either this individual is just fundraising with your help or both of you are fairly clueless. Not an accusation, just a possibility.
“So my theory is either this individual is just fundraising with your help …”
And what’s wrong with fundraising? And what’s wrong with helping? Actually, he has a whole fundraising page with PayPal and everything. And what’s wrong with being proud of what I’m doing?
LMAO! The guy is a radio DJ? How funny! Well, he’s got ten more bucks than he would have had at least.
jeffroby September 13th, 2011 at 5:52 pm
Don’t hate on me because you’re so easily fleeced.
edit;
l’amour, l’amour.
Margaret, I hear ya. That said I’ll give Activist Alliance the benefit of the doubt and hope that Al is the real deal.
Don’t worry, that’s not why.
Jeffroby, I’ll reimburse yer $10 bucks to just please shut up.
Better yet, why don’t you give Margaret and Larue $5 each to do the same? I’ve actually made some comments of substance, and received trash talk in return. Besides, I don’t believe you.
jeffroby September 13th, 2011 at 5:44 pm
How is asking for more information before I open my wallet and give somebody both my money and my vote “trashing him”? Damn you’re protesting a lot. I guess I should have just stfu and given him some money.
Your innocence knows no bounds. Yes, during the 60′s I was known as a protester. I agree with your conclusion.
Please send $20 (or more if God wills it) to:
The Reverend Wendy Davis
Box 666
Bumfuck, CO 81666
I will make a good Queen Mother or President. Seriously.
*not tax deductible…yet. Patent Pending.
Now you I’d send money to.
One reason why I don;t trust this post is the fact that the actual “Activist Alliance” deals with LGBT issues, not presidential primaries and their website has nothing up about fielding a primary challenger. Couple that with the fact that the author hasn’t engaged nor is there any profile available. It occurs to me that if I was a legitimate group working for Progressive change, I’d have all that info up on my profile before I wrote my first post. This smells. I wonder if Jane knows you guys are using her bandwidth to fundraise?
Jesus, guys.
The lack of even a bio page is hella fishy, for real.
Heh.
Yep. Might as well be some random name in the phone book.
The only one fundraising is wendydavis. Saying that I sent $10 isn’t the same as asking for money. Nor is stating that fundraising is important.
Can I just iopt for Queen? I really don’t work well with others, come to think of it. And I’d get to say, “OFF WITH THEIR HEADS!”
I think I could learn ta like that… You, a contributor, would be able to keep yours… O’ course…there’s always this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKIQSo7JbKQ
Hmmm…that might conflict with my Empress ambitions….
Hell
I will support this guy. At least until proven that he is pulling a fast one. If we do not support him, can we really complain about no one challenging Obama.
Personally, I would prefer Alan Maki to primary Obama.
But that is just me.
SNARK REPLY COMMENT OF THE CENTURY!
Sigh, *wipeseyesdry* this one just kilt me . . . nice work hoss, nice work . . . *G*
Rev. Larue Of His Holy Festiness could use some of that greenback sugar so send MY donations to Rev. Davis n she will get 10% off the top with another 10% going to Margaret just cuz (even if she DID get a job).
I thank you and my bills thank you.
MY political campaign pledge is a dobro in every house.
Now Shut Up N Pick.
Ever hear that by Hendricks, Lambert N Ross?
Great song, two great artists/groups.
*G*
Nice pick, lady.
This, Margaret, is why I appreciate your musings.
I always have thought that about many of these folks before this, but YOU are the one who comes out and says it.
Bless ya, lady, bless ya.
I love this town.
*G*
Shilling much?
Uh, Rev. Larue here, steppin in for HeySoos, he’s kinda busy or something (fictional at that).
Can I take a message and pass it on, though?
Only $10 for a message n make the check out to Rev Davis addy posted above.
We thank you for your support and may dawg bless us all.
Precisely. Alas, the critics have not been calling for primarying Obama, and his very running offends more than his lacking big-name credentials.
This is why I have considered primarying Obama the cutting-edge issue. You can, a la Kos, say all sorts of bad things about how Obama eats working class babies, etc., as long as the post ends with, “Of course I will vote for him.”
I forget where yer running, is it MN? What office?
Just curious n too lazy to look it up . . . . thanks.
I won’t vote for him, nor any DIMS or GOOPers . . . so, pencil me off yer general jive list on this count. There’s a lot of proggys feel the same way, so yer kinda lumpin coal into Newcastle n off track again.
Thanks.
N I sure could use that $10, whip out the check book n make sure you got Rev. Davis’ addy correct.
Dawg help us all and thanks for your support.
Ah, go fer it, Margaret. I really ain’t got the threads for it. I kinda like Karzai’s robes, anyhoo… Miscast myself; but send the $20 anyway?
Nope; I’ll look it up Larue. ;o)
You say pick? I dreamt I was playin’ this the other night…er tryin’ hard to… ;o)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5MdJ76OLSE
Vote for me! (I’m not fundraising) Much cheaper!
Empressa Fuego Perrita de Margaurite a Lago!
Viva la Empressa!
Si se puede, es verdad!
I’ll just say this: There are regular forms to fill out with the FEC if you want to run for President. They are here:
http://www.fec.gov/info/toolkit.shtml#candidate
Aldous does NOT have to raise $5,000 to become a Presidential candidate; Here’s the link, http://www.fec.gov/pages/brochures/candidate_registration_brochure.pdf [PDF] and some pertinent text:
As regards Item 8 in the Platform he cites the DISCLOSE Act. Big fucking deal.
The DISCLOSE Act essentially only exposes donors of $10,000 or more, and prohibits shifting-money-shenanigans. Read it yourself: http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-h5175/text
What would be preferable, to my point of view, is that all parties, candidates, at all times, disclose above and beyond the DISCLOSE Act requirements. Who wouldn’t like that?
Why doesn’t Aldous show us his Statement Of Candidacy, FEC Form 2 [PDF]: http://www.fec.gov/pdf/forms/fecfrm2.pdf
Does he have a sponsoring committee? That’d be Form 1.
Playing games with political money transparency is ridiculous in my opinion, and Aldous and 527s that don’t disclose beyond the rules but pretend to the DISCLOSE Act platform aren’t worth the time to bother with.
Unless they prove up front that they’re not grifters and hacks by providing ultra-disclosure above and beyond the rules, much less not misstating them, as Aldous has, I don’t see why anyone would consider bothering with any of them as potential entities for change.
I consider your posts very helpful, even if critical. Contrast that with other posts which were critical, but sounded like nothing more than whining.
Thank-you.
Roby you haven’t offered anything of substance other n clip n paste quotes and some pretty averagely crap talking points . . . so don’t flatter yerself like this, it’s embarrassing, hoss . . . I’ll up Dumas’ offer by $10 of money that’s as good as yer posits, if you n NPA will just go away and stop wasting good white space for yer own gains.
N ya know what, cuz we’re tight as thieves I’ll toss in two, TWO bottles of Rev. Larue’s Dr. Feel Good, AND the damned ginzu knives from Popiel!
But this offer is only good if you act now in the next 10 minutes.
Heh, the second most hated song to do by grassers of all types besides the banjo song from Deliverance!
LMBO!
Don’t get me wrong, I love what Nit Grit n McCuen n the boys did back in what, ’71?
They cut a double album, incorporated the greatest artists of old country (Merle Travis), bluegrass (Jimmy Martin), old timey (Maybelle Carter, also country), Doc Watson, Earl, Vassar, some dobro with Uncle Josh Graves, n more.
They broke all conventions, sold a LOT of albums, made money for the record company and all the stars, and in doing so turned on a new audience of MILLIONS and MILLIONS around the WORLD, to the genres represented in their epic doings.
They were the catalyst that gave rebirth to a lot of fading folk, blues, grass styles, old country, old timey and more.
But that song, LMAO! N I LOVE Sonny N Bobby Osbourne, who sang it first n hit the charts at #1 with it.
It’s the Tennessee official song I think, nowadays.
N cus I said all that, here’s two of the greatest sibling voices ever in the history of the genre. Sonny on lead and mando, Bobby one of the greats on the banjo, doing the intro and sangin harmony. Bobby died early, he had too much love for booze n stuff . . . I believe Sonny is still sanging in his late 780′s.
These are legends amongst pickers, the over done song aside (it’s the Stairway Of Heaven of bluegrass!). LOL
Rocky Top, Before Bobby Died.
Check out their youtube lists Pups, sibling harmonies as only siblings can do . . . legends.
Sigh, Rev. Larue needs a fest, could 30 people send me $10 for gas, food, tickets n booze n smokables? I’ll send ya pics of said fest, whether I’m there or not.
You have MY word on it!
N that’s why they got the wrong Aldous . . .
Huxley for Unitary Head Of Heads!
Or BEAR For Titular Head! (never mine they is both deader n doornails)
Mars, yer another one I consider either mis informed or in cahoots with manipulatin critters . . .
Which one is it, hoss . . . you toe the pseudo proggy line in a VERY sophisticated bent I will admit, yer clever as hell.
But yer not proggy.
*G*
Send me $10 n I’ll sang yer praises though, I got festin fever.
Sigh. This was to Kelly, in case it wasn’t apparent.
Larue September 13th, 2011 at 9:53 pm
Hey everyone! Sorry, I just noticed all the posts, now! I wasn’t expecting this much of a response so soon.
I completely understand where you’re coming from, so let me try to clear up any misunderstandings and reassure you I wasn’t asking for any donations. Unless, I made a mistake when pasting, I deliberately linked to Aldous’ platform, not his contribution page because I didn’t want to solicit money, I wanted to get his name out there. There are many ways to support a candidate without spending money.
I made this post here on FDL because for many months now, Jane and progressive bloggers have been wanting someone to step up and challenge the President. Well, finally someone has decided to do this. And yes, it is official.
I don’t have all the answers because I’m not a staffer of the campaign. I was just extremely excited that someone is finally running. Someone who has the intention of keeping the debates on progressive issues. That alone is enough for me to promote him, regardless of what the end result is.
I am a member of a grassroots group called Activist Alliance. We come from all different activist groups. It’s a new alliance so we’re not a household name and we are not affiliated with the other Activist Alliance that was posted in the comments. We are trying to bring non-corporate owned activist groups together and fight for a common cause.
Thanks you!
Hi Margaret, I’ve just added a comment at the bottom of the page!
Thank you for the support jeffroby!
Thank you for the benefit of the doubt!
There’s a lesson in this. The very act of primarying Obama is something of a 3rd rail for a lot of Democrats, even by a candidate without a lot of name recognition. It’s okay to denounce Obama in the harshest terms (see Daily Kos) as long as it ends with “of course we still have to vote for him.”
And many independents don’t like the notion because they want all disenchanted Democrats to jump independent.
So keep us posted, and keep us informed. I have questions as well, particularly about his campaign plans, how he’s handling ballot access, for instance. But having the courage to jump in with an outspoken progressive agenda is praiseworthy, no matter how far his campaign gets.
WOW! Hey great! There’s another 150 words and we don’t know who this guy is, or possess a link to who he is, you know, so that fact checking can be done? For that matter we don’t know who you are, who are you? We do know who jeffroby is.
You’re correct, jeffroby. Nearly all the Democrats don’t want this to happen. Everyone is terrified of another 2000 election. The sad part is that all that fear is leading them to unite with the corporatists instead of with their own Party. I think they are correct that we all need to stand together. Yet I disagree with the fact that we need to stand together behind a person; I think we ought to rally behind an ideal and thus support whomever will fight for those ideals. We are not the ones splitting the Party, it is the corporatist, centrist and Blue Dog Democrats who are creating chasms all over the platform. We’re just trying to plug the holes so we don’t all fall.
I may be naïve but I think this run can unite people of various parties who are unhappy with the status quo enough for people to start to wake-up as to what is going on and how they are being lied to. Especially if it is combined with an outpouring of Progressives and Greens for Congress and additionally a national “wake-up campaign” which is not for any specific candidate, but for the values and ideals themselves.
I think it would be great if Aldous ran on a third party ticket after the primary, perhaps some combined ticket that draws all the various third parties, Independents and disillusioned members of the two party system together. Of course, I don’t know what his plans are, so that’s just my opinion.
When I do find out more of what’s going on, I will be sure to post it! Thanks again for your support!
Another 175 words and not a single answer to a single one of a dozen direct questions. No link to a profile either? You want us to believe that you wrote a post endorsing a candidate for president of the United States and have no clue whatsoever who he is?
The problem that you have here slick, is that with one or two embarrassing exceptions, every person on this thread is waaaaaay smarter than you.
I don’t know who you are, either, bub. But since we’re on the subject, why do you have 3 names? Why aren’t 2 names enough for you?
Why isn’t an “actual” name enough for you? And bub? Really?
And what would you like to know?
Tell me, when did Mz. Hamsher say that, n can you include the link to her comment?
Thanks.
HInt: She don’t advocate that . . . so, yer kinda, well, outed.
This thread ain’t gonna die out is it . . . .
THAT’S AS MUCH BULLSHIT AS ANYTHING I’VE EVER READ!
You mis cast FDL, Mz. Hamsher, and us proggy;s in so many ways it’s insanely distorted.
Who you workin for, n why do you post this drivel and mistruth shit here?
YOU LIE!
Now tell Grover n Karl the fuckin script sucks and ain’t working.
I’ve seen better scripts in a Grade B Japanese voice over GodZilla movie . . . or in Tiger Lilly.
Pure crap, and faux propaganda, start to finish.
Shit Bob (sorry bout the nickname) you counted them words?
*G*
Bless ya, n hope life is good.
Ya know, sometimes, ya just gotta knock some heads in, and spread the word.
Get Off My Corner.
I think Drifty did this one long ago, it sticks tho.
Get off our corner.
Hey Larue,
Yer gonna love this shit. If the link that Cmaukonen found is good, and how many Aldous Tylers can there be on the planet? WSUM 97.1fm is a “student” run radio station at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. And the guy who answered the phone started speaking disclaimerese almost as soon as I began asking questions.
Could be a different Aldous Tyler still, but whataya think?
Hey jeffroby and metamars, you guys better up yer donation amounts, kid probably really needs the money if he’s goin’ to all this trouble. Hey, you guys think this might be why nobody wants to say who he is? Just maybe?
Can’t make this stupid shit up Larue.
Thanks for all the fun Margaret, this was great!
Mr. Dumas, thanks for yet another piece of this puzzle, grift, and hustle n scam Sarah Palin would be proud of.
*G*
N thanks for outing Mars too, along with Roby n NPA for the most part. Sure stinks at this point.
I remain tired but angry of their abuse of this forum for their own purposes.
As I said earlier, I’m voting for Aldous Huxley or Oswald Stanley.
*G*
Margaret bless her fine soul let the cat out the bag.
Bless her, too.
Perhaps this FDL can get back to real news and real issues and concerns befitting of we the people, and the gypsies, tramps and thieves move on to another site.
Sadly, it would NOT surprise me to find out these people are all Koch or DNC sponsored in one form or another.
One thing for sure, most of them are exposed for their failures to address our questions, for months upon months now.
Funny bout dat.
*G*
“Now tell Grover n Karl …”
And here we get the Democratic Party line.
You can hear him here:
http://peterbcollins.com/2011/08/24/should-aldous-tyler-challenge-obama-in-primaries-roger-shuler-updates-alabama-bingo-trial-examines-rick-perrys-pay-to-play-corruption/
Sounds decent and serious.
I call bullshit on your whole 2000 election “theory”. Why? Cause I’m not a Democrat and never have been. I don’t see Obama as any better than the craziest Republican running. Larue and Mr Dumas are right: I’ve outlined some very legitimate questions and you’ve not answered them, just6 engaged in a fucking campaign commercial.Let me know when Mr. Tyler gets on one state ballot. And asking for more information before I commit to vote for somebody isn’t “whining” metamars but maybe you’re one of those people who thought we should leave Brittney alooooooooooooooone!
Aldous C. Tyler shows up at the Lake saying he intends to primary Obama. He’s a stranger so we set the dogs on him. The more I see of the self appointed gate keepers the less impressed I am.
Well now, that was a fine version, mebbe a mite fast for my tastes, but then I tend to operate at 33 1/3 in a 45 world…
Why, we do happen to have that album; prolly pretty wore out by now. Yeah; that Vassar Clements, whew.
‘…whether I’m there or not.’ LOL!
How is asking for more information “setting the dogs on him”??? Would you give me your money or your vote just because I said I wanted to challenge Obama? The best we can determine, this guy is a university radio station DJ. Tylere doesn’t even have a biography page on his own website. For all I know s/he could be an out of work day trader plotting a comeback. Forgive me but that doesn’t sound like presidential material to me. And why does his advocate, Activist Alliance not even have a bio and mission statement on his/her profile if s/he is working so hard for change? I think there would be a little more to go on if s/he wants to be taken seriously. But I forget, criticizing Ron Paul for being insane is off limits for you as well.
All this pent up energy is being pushed into a failed and busted system. I would think critically speaking, in the sense of time, and the abuse of natural resources, we could all get on a same platform that would save the human race from the monetary market system.
To continue on this “democratic” path is outdated and ill-supported. All of you want to support something, but don’t know what or how.
Get to the root of the entire system, before you start blaming others which you’ve learned to do in this societal environment.
I would start with a foundation along the lines of the zeitgeist movement, or collapsenet etc.
Just a few words, but sure, you can categorize me just like all the other pawns in this world.
One thing remains…..l.o.v.e.
Spread it like Nutella.
Greetings!
First, I would like to thank Activist Alliance for making this diary post. Up until five minutes ago or so, I had no account here and have been focused on getting ready for offline events this past week or two and had little time online for where I already had a presence. I’ve had no FDL profile for anyone to be pointed to, so I am sorry if that created any confusion. I have not taken the time to fill it out yet, as I wanted to get in here and answer some of what’s been put out there.
You are quite correct to want more information, and some of you have used the contact form on the americachangestoday.com site to get that information from me directly. I truly appreciate those who reached out to me rather than just speculating (or disturbing the poor student traffic director at WSUM).
Regarding that – I’m not a student of the University of Wisconsin, though it is easy to see why you might assume that, given where my Progressive Talk Radio Program broadcasts from. I am one of a very few people from the community of Madison that the University’s radio station has invited to have some airtime every week. My program, “TMI with Aldous Tyler”, is something I do to try and serve the community – I do not get paid to do it. If you’re curious about it, http://tmitmitmi.com/ will have a good bit more for you to sink your teeth into, though I apologize for it being a few weeks out of date. I’ve been focused on the topic of this diary for a bit now, and will likely need to go on hiatus as soon as I declare.
Now, I can assure you that my assertion of needing $5,000 to file is based on my understanding of what I read for requirements for FEC Form 2. I’m still unclear what other means I’d have, as the comments above disclaiming that necessity don’t provide much in the way of helpful details.
As for background:
I am what I am – a 39 year old longtime activist, husband, father, who has lived almost his whole life in the Great Lakes region of America, from Detroit to Minneapolis to Madison. Professionally speaking, I’m a worker who is fortunate enough to have two paying jobs (on top of my volunteer radio program) to work in this economy. I’ve worked most of my time in the copy and print industry, with additional forays into web design, database management, technical support and industrial equipment resale.
As to the campaign I’m gearing up for:
My intention to be on the ballot in as many states as I can is absolutely genuine. In my research, I’ve discovered that not only am I not too late, very few states are allowing candidates to begin petition drives for ballot access, or have even set the dates for such. No, there’s time, though truly not much, given what’s needed in advance.
I’m right now working on a “facts” page for americachangestoday.com that will include a brief background on who I am, a summary of my motivations for gearing up a Primary challenge to President Obama, and a dispelling of the silly claims being made about how primarying an incumbent always leads to the “other side” winning the General. On that last topic, two races are often pointed to as examples to fear, even by as critical a thinker as John Nichols, whom I respect tremendously: firstly the Kennedy/Carter 1980 Primary fight, and secondly the Robertson/Bush 1992 Primary fight?. Kennedy’s attempt to hold Carter accountable was not the reason Carter lost to Reagan. The real issue there was the Iran Hostage Crisis, which we’d later find out was part of the elect-Reagan strategy. The helplessness that the public felt Carter displayed in that situation completely killed his chances for a second term. In the case of Robertson vs. Bush, are we truly so forgetful that it was Ross Perot who shaved a truly significant amount of votes away from Bush the First, allowing a saxophone-wielding Bill Clinton to win by plurality but not majority at the ballot box that November?
I can’t believe that these facts have completely escaped the notice of all those who perpetuate the idea that “running a Primary challenger against an incumbent means the other side wins”. Attempting to understand their motivation for clinging to this fable, then, is of paramount importance, if we are to win any of them over. It seems that fear is the key issue here. There is a terror of doing anything that might upset the order that so many of these people are deeply invested in – indeed, that to call President Obama out is somehow traitorous and indicates a desire for the great nation to fail. Such irrational responses are rooted in the soil of complacency, of believing that to ask for more than we’ve gotten is ungrateful and wrong. This comes from over 30 years of systematic destruction being applied to the middle class of America, so that any gains, paltry though they may be are clung to like gold, and daring to think that we deserve more is held as being foolish.
Are we that nation, an entire country of people who sheepishly thank our Corporate masters for the scraps they sometimes allow us, cowering in the fear that even those might stop coming? That is not the America I was taught about as a child, not the America I grew up believing in, and it is certainly not the extent of the America I am willing to fight for.
I’m afraid I have to hop offline and get ready for work now. I hope that helps clarify things a bit more. Don’t be surprised if you see some of the above on the americachangestoday.com facts page later today – my time has too many demands on it to duplicate efforts needlessly.
Sincerely,
Aldous
Not really; activistalliance showed up touting Tyler, and doesn’t show up on the thread for six and a half hours. Odd, no?
This page I found a Huffpo; the man in the photo doesn’t match the voice on the radio link, but maybe he has a youthful voice.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Aldous_Tyler Dunno how to access any more about him on Huffpo; not a familiar locale to me.
I bonged his name and wisconsin, didn’t get much more than the mentions on the Collins radio station and Facebook; I don’t want to sign in there.
Kinda why I hate seeing Liz Warren running for Senate; I’d think she’ll win the MA seat, and have little effect. Where she might make her mark is in the campaign, so that’s a positive thing. People consider her one of them, and can hear tough truths from her. That said, the Democratic Party is not salvageable, IMO.
Mornin’, chebetts.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLGWyfGk_LU
Hi, Aldous! Thanks for seriously looking into a run, plus your previous (and current) activism. I just sent you the following message via your website. I’d like to just re-iterate that you consider embracing the Full Court Press (see here and here), and that you consider running as a New Progressive Alliance candidate (which, IMO, gets some things right, such as throwing support to a non-Democrat after an expected loss in a primary; but is still too anti-Democratic Party to pursue an optimal growth strategy), and finally, please check out 2 of my diaries: 1 about running a Full Court Press targeting Republican primaries (at least in districts that are strongly Republican, and Democrats are non-factors) and also Progressives are Stupid if they don’t seize their opportunity to educate their Republican neighbors , which is how to creatively propagate progressive memes, at low $$ (using volunteer hours, instead) to places and minds that they don’t normally penetrate.
Oh, yeah. If you contact Gary Null’s explosively growing Progressive Radio Network (PRN), and tell them you’re a progressive who is going to challenge Obama, and you’d like to be interviewed, I’ll bet that they grant you that interview.
Welcome to the Lake Mr. Tyler. My vote is pledged to the New Progressive Alliance. I have been supporting Ron Paul in the absence of a progressive challenge to Obama. Please keep us informed. Ralph Nader is tired of running for president and I am tired of voting for him. I wish you well.
Okay, I’m ready for work and have a minute or two to come on back and respond some more before I need to leave.
metamars, thank you for the email and for the lead on PRN. I’ll talk to them right after I hit “Submit” on this. I’m pretty sure the home page of my site (http://americachangestoday.com/) has my picture on it. If you’re saying I should put it on every page of the site… I could, but odd as it may sound coming from someone gearing up to enter a Presidential Primary, it’s really not about *me*, per se. I have the picture on the home page as I’d be creeped out if there was no picture at all on a candidate site, too, but… maybe I’m just too self-effacing, I don’t know.
As I said in the email I replied to you with, I love the Full Court Press idea. I would be more than happy, once I have officially declared with the FEC, to promote that concept too.
As for “how to have job growth”, that’s actually not that hard. The first thing is to do away with the Free Trade Agreements that cripple our ability to force corporations that want to sell here to have their products MADE here. I’d be willing to have exemptions for honest and certifiable FAIR trade operations, where the people on the other end are being paid and treated well for their labor, but that exemption would leave most goods made for us facing import tariffs if they were manufactured elsewhere, even only in part. That would force corporations who want access to our enormous consumer base to relocate their manufacturing operations here.
While we wait for that process to take effect (note, it would take a little while, and we can’t wait), I’d want to immediately begin public works projects that make this infrastructure initiative President Obama look like the paltry offerings they are. Paying each worker a living wage would immediately create a LOT of wealth in the hands of those who will spend it elsewhere and create even more jobs.
I hope that helps outline some more of my thinking on these items. I’ll fully admit that Thom Hartmann’s “Rebooting the American Dream” is never too far from my desk as I think about what solutions to pick from.
Thank you, workingclass. I have to love your choice of username.
Here in Wisconsin, that’s who is the predominant force in activist political movements.
Sorry, my bad. My first encounter with your website was via the link provided in this diary. I hadn’t noticed that it wasn’t the home page.
So, sorry again, but I retract my request. No, you don’t have to put your picture on every page.
I have a new (presumably valid) suggestion for your website. It’s weak on social networking capabilities. In particular, there’s no Email-Tell-A-Friend capability.
You can add that, plus a whole lot more, via addthis.com’s widget. The emails will use addthis.com’s email server, so you won’t even have to worry about that.
Please do this ASAP, and make sure you ASK people to spread the word. Unlike your photo, I would consider adding this to every page in your website, not just your ACTions! page.
And here’s another: Prominently display a link to Hugh’s Obama Scandal List. Indeed, I hope you consider a) adding a link to it in all your campaign emails and b) with permission from the author, making a downloadable .pdf extract (which will reference your campaign), and asking your followers to print it out from their home computer and both pass it out, locally, as well as leave it in retail outlets for their customers to either pick up, or else have it inserted into their shopping bag.
ActivistAlliance could have handled this better, naive to say the least that any primary candidate might set something off, but Tyler isn’t responsible for that.
It’s like someone says, “Hi, pleased to meet you,” and people respond, “How dare you rob me at gunpoint!”
As for where Tyler’s campaign is at, he is currently trying to put together $600 in the next 2 days for flyers to distribute at an annual event in Madison, Wisconsin called the Fighting Bob Fest. The event usually draws 10,000 attendees, and this year will feature Bernie Sanders, Jim Hightower, Dennis Kucinich, Thom Hartmann, Greg Palast, John Nichols, Ellen Bravo, Representative Tammy Baldwin, Mike McCabe, Tony Schultz, Cornel West and others.
In some ways, this will serve as the campaign kickoff. For more info:
http://americachangestoday.com/index.html
BREAKING NEWS: I’ll be on the Nicole Sandler Show live this morning (Wed, Sept 14th, 2011) at 11:30 AM Eastern, 10:30 AM Central, 9:30 AM Mountain, 8:30 AM Pacific regarding my gearing up to challenge Barack Obama in the Democratic Presidential Primaries and Caucuses. Tune in at http://radioornot.com/ !
I’ve now added addthis.com’s widget to each page (aside from the Contact page) of the site. Thank you for your suggestion!
Now, get on there and start using those buttons!
I sent you twenty bucks. I would so love to see trouble for president ass hole coming out of Madison. I’m living in Louisiana but I’m not a stranger. Born and raised in Iowa. I know what it’s like starting something on a shoe string. Give it your best shot.
Just for the sake clarity, The NPA is anti-Democratic (and Republican) Party because neither, in their current form, has anything worthwhile to contribute. As polls show consistently show, roughly 50 percent of voters are ready for real alternatives to these sold-out national travesties (the number peaked, if I’m not mistaken, at 52% just after the midterms).
I’d just add that the sharp criticism the NPA applies to the major parties is focused on their leadership at the NATIONAL level. That’s why we’re supporting opposition to them at that level. There are “good” public servants in both parties at the local and (albeit less prevalently) state levels. But let them try to seek national office and the national leadership calls the tune. If they refuse to dance, they get no support.
So it’s not about being anti one particular party. It’s about both major parties being anti-dissent from within their ranks. No voter should support any party when the ultimate result of “party unity” is the further oppression and disenfranchisement of our his or her fellow citizens.
Personally, I would have picked the middle style, that has a) bigger buttons and b) prominently shows an email button.
Are you sure you picked the one you want? I had to dig into the orange button to find the email button.
LaRue
US Senate in Minnesota. Against the current Blue Dog and useless Democrat Amy Klobuchar. As for this unknown guy, I will support him until proven otherwise. I will not vote for him.
I no longer vote in Democrat primaries. What is the point?
Now I will vote in the Republican primary. I will “throw my vote away” and vote for Ron Paul.
Then vote for Rocky Anderson in the general.
Aldious
Fantastic. Good luck.
From experience, I find that a lot of folks complain about things. Then attack the people who are trying to change things.
Is it true that you support the New Progressive Alliance platform?
Will you publicly NOT endorse O-billion once he buys the nomination?
By the way, I am starting to get annoyed asking this question.
Why is THIS story not on the front page? There is a lot of interest, lots of people are commenting and even the candidate himself, willing to primary Obama has shown up to answer questions.
Whay gives. Oh and as an aside, I just got my official firebagger card in the mail. Whee is my decoder ring? LOL
I appreciate the support so very much. It’s a matter of finding just the right level of funding to make the rest of it kick into gear, kind of like trying to start a pull-motor without flooding the thing. Thank you, truly.
Nothing will stop me from trying.
Please diary here at the Lake with a link to your segment. I am also planning to vote for the candidate from NPA.
Anthony, what are your thoughts (and by extension NPA’s) about Tyler?
I want to see ACTION taken towards a more Progressive and Liberal America. My statement upon failing to secure enough delegates to defeat Obama outright would be along these lines:
“President Obama: You have won the Nomination of the Democratic Party by its official process, but you have yet to win the support of the people I represent. To do that, you must ACT. You cannot allow yourself the luxury of pretending that campaigning has taken too much of your time to take action towards manifesting the vision of our great nation – one that raises _We the People_ above _They the Corporations_. We all will be watching closely each step you take from now through the General Election, and will only support you at the polls there if you have learned to ACT in our interests, and shun the plutocratic power that poisons America’s very soul.”
Michael, I cannot answer that one for you. I know I’d be very grateful if it was deemed front-page worthy. That’s the whole point.
Metamars, I just started reading the first link about the Full Court Press and I fully agree! It is definitely time to have elections not be about the candidates but about the issues, and we certainly have every right and even obligation to challenge candidates who don’t hold true to those values. I’m going to read your other links tonight. Thanks for the great ideas!
One question for you and Anthony Noel about the “optimal growth strategy” you mentioned. Do you mean that we should be not just be challenging both parties, but working from the inside as well? Or do you mean that we should also be forming alliances with people who support the Parties on the common ground that we have?
For instance, I think people who don’t support the President can work with people who do support the President on electing an enormous amount of Progressives in the Congressional primaries. No matter who ends up winning the presidency, they will get nowhere if there is not a substantial amount of non-bought members of Congress. Then in the General, Progressives can join with Greens, Labor and other third party movements to coordinate a major campaign to unseat the corporate owned incumbents of both parties.
The problem with this formulation is that we’ve been watching him for a few years already, and Obama has given no indication we matter to him. And while there is an implicit threat to stay away from the polls come election day, that threat is nowhere near as the threat to vote independent. But for THAT threat to be meaningful, it has to be backed up with the actual organization of that independent vote. Hence, if you don’t get the nomination, you can’t wait until election day to announce that Obama hasn’t measured up to your hopes.
My recommendation is that you take the NPA pledge to support THEIR endorsee in the general election.
But they’ll question my loyalty, they’ll denounce me as dishonest, they’ll say I really am a spoiler, you might say. And what do you think they’ll say if you don’t pledge to back the NPA candidate in the generals? That you’re an okay guy?
You’ve seen the comments above from Larue and Dumas and Margaret, and you haven’t pledged anything. It will only get worse from the committed Obamacrats. Your support comes from your stand on the issues, not playing by the rules they’ve rigged to quash people like you.
And getting the ballot access support from the NPA wouldn’t hurt either. For me, ballot access is the name of the game.
That was my bad, metamars. I posted that page so that people were taken directly to the issues he’s supporting so they could see if they agreed, instead of to the home page asking for campaign contributions when they didn’t know anything about him.
Thank you for the info jeffroby! Yeah, the Fighting Bob Fest looks great! I hadn’t heard of it before. Great job on putting together the Full Court Press, by the way; that looks like an excellent strategy.
While I wholeheartedly admire what you are doing, Aldous, and will continue to support you regardless, I have to agree with jeffroby in terms of strategy. Playing the middle ground of calling out the President (which will anger the establishment) and yet not being prepared to back it up with anything substantial (which will lead to only lukewarm support if any from the Left) will just get you in a situation that Obama is currently in getting fire from both sides. You will have haters either way, but if you choose one side to stand on, you will have a loyal following, too, and you will have a chance at starting a real movement to turn the tide in this country.
I am not a gatekeeper, I am an independent blogger who happens to be a paid member of FireDogLake and refer to it as my home blog.
As far as harrassing who ever answered the phone at WSUM, I have the right to call anybody I wish, whenever I wish, and ask whatever I wish. Do you not really agree?
I believe that the system is so corrupted that it will not be changed from within, I can see some value in mounting and or supporting third party efforts, but you yourself say in as many words that as a Democratic primary challenger you are executing an exercise in futility.
Your experience in Madison should have taught you that much.
To wit: Judge Prosser is still a sitting judge after assaulting another judge, Wakeshau county has proven they can corrupt the vote count with impunity, and the Republicans still control your state senate.
Want to do something that makes a difference? Show up in DC on October 6th for the “Stop The Machine” protests. It will provide you an opportunity to network with nearly every “actual” progressive leader and author that is doing anything that matters in this society as it exists today.
As to metamars and the NPA clowns, you do yourself no favors in gaining credibility by associting with them. These are people who actually believe that making a list and then checking it twice, and then rewriting said list; then checking it again……is the same as actually doing something.
The question about changing the Democratic party platform to the left is absurd. There is but one corrupted party any longer. There exist the 4% who comprise the plutocracy that are running things; and then there are all the rest of us.
The question I’d like to hear you answer in light of those indisputable facts Aldous, is whose side are you on?
Donate Here : http://october2011.org/donate
http://october2011.org/frontpage
Illegitimi non Carborundum
Stay Strong and take care of one another.
Then you might want to write your own diary, not let this extremely bad false start introduce you. You’d really want this front-paged??
Write your positions, your background, your history, your activism, if any, etc.
Fair enough. Allow me a bit to get something put together for such purposes.
Robert
I am also now a paying member of FDL. I also call this my home blog. I have promoted it everywhere and every chance I get. I also agree 100% with your position on changing the Democrat Party from within. In fact people like the PDA I have called shills for the corporate plutocracy, with a fine green washed image. The very epitome of veal pen politics. (God, I LOVE that term)
I also support NPA. They are at least DOING something more than blogging and complaining. They even have (gasp) an open, declared strategy. The same with this Aldous cat.
My experience with the Green Party is this. People would attack and smear the people doing the actual work. Then complain about things and do nothing about it. That gets old, very quick. Those dynamics, inn part is what killed the National Green Party.
So Aldous, you have been given some excellent advice. Show up in Washington DC. It will be a fantastic place to network.
I will see all you fellow firebaggers in DC October 5th, 6th, 7th……….
It is on folks. Let us do this thing.
I have a problem with making pledges to any group but the people of America, en masse, that I will hold true to what I feel is the best course to elevate We the People above They the Corporations. You don’t like what’s said above? Allow me to ask you this: what has been asked was that I won’t just throw my support behind Obama, and I can’t see that happening – so what do you REALLY want? What I propose is to use the tools that are available to try and make a difference that an be felt in the upcoming 2012 election cycle. Show me that there will be a third-party candidacy that is SURE to destroy the GOP’s chances of getting into the White House, and I’ll back that. I will not simply throw what I’m fighting for to the wind, in EITHER direction. Too much is at stake for that.
It would be great to see any challenger to Obama at the October actions.
I wish we could disagree about how prograssives ought to act more respectfully. Seriously, I don’t understand the anger. We all want the same result, don’t we?
Hmm. The middle one seems pretty garish. Let me play with it a little more and we’ll see.
Progressives. Perhaps there are many FDL’ers who are also prograssives. Heh.
As soon as I have the audio file link available, I’ll link it.
Of course you have a right to call and talk to anyone you want to. Your approach just seemed odd when you could have done what any number of others here did before I know I was being talked about, and contacted me directly. I don’t have a problem with talking with anyone. Really, I won’t bite.
I would love to go to DC for the protests there. I am currently seeing if I will be able to afford to. I am a working man, with two paying jobs I have to coordinate sudden absences with, and bills that must be paid. That’s no excuse, mind you – I will be there if at all possible, but let’s recall that not everyone has a way to be there without having their family suffer for it. My unpaid talk radio program is much easier to place on hiatus.
Thank you for your helpful suggestions, sir.
America Changes Today,
Aldous C. Tyler
Well, there’s an awful lot of agitation and harm that has been inflicted on Progressives and Liberals over the past 30 years. I am not at all surprised that sometimes the responses are hostile when seemingly unwarranted. The best thing to do is just recall that these people want a better nation and a better world as much as you do, even if their attitude towards you is harsh.
Aldous, as a Green Party man I fully encourage you to continue your pursuit. I am glad to see you spent the time to clear up some things here.
We (liberals) spend a lot of time bitchin’. Now it’s good to see people like you, walk the walk.
May I recommend as others have suggested, an embrace of populist, FDR, working class positions as the core of your campaign. Feel free to mention the BO shortcomings as a reminder but keep the focus of the positive and what should be done.
Now, to keep it more real. Hopefully as you get more popular, be prepared for the thugs in both parties to (esp dem) to look for any shit they can find on you so be mindful of that.
Remember your own words as you follow the campaign trail
You’ll get an earfull, I’m sure.
Michael,
I sincerely hope to be able to be there. I won’t denigrate anyone who is actively working to better this shared community we call America (and by extension the world itself), even if I may have some minor differences of opinion on how to operate this Primary strategy. That includes both sides, and if that means I take heat from both… you think I am not already? I’ve gotten a lot of nastygrams for running Democratic from the Left and a deluge of hate from Obama-supporters as well.
My aim is to raise up a unified Progressive fist of America to smash the wholly-owned GOP irreparably. That will leave a power vacuum that a truly Progressive party can then fill. Short of a Conventional Constitution, I don’t see how any third party will be able to have real power inside this flawed two-party system without first/simultaneously demolishing one of the current big two.
Hell, then once that’s done, we can “lather, rinse and repeat” with the Democratic Party if they don’t tack enough to the Left to satisfy the needs of We the People.
So, like I said, I’m working with the tools that exist in time to be used for 2012: the Democratic Party and the Two Party System. I’m no fan of either, but this is what we’ve got at this time. I’d like better. Perhaps we can actually get it together in time for 2014 or 2016 so we can have better tools to work with. I’d surely like that.
psalongo:
Oh yeah, I’m just waiting for that, but at least I’ll know I’m beginning to get somewhere when the really nasty attacks start. Thank you for your kind words.
Thank you, yellowsnapdragon. I will do my best to follow my own advice (not always the easiest thing for us human beings to do, eh?).
I agree with Psalongo on how to frame your message.
To Aldous, I have one simple question. It is a simple yes or no. It is a basic premise.
If you do not gain the nomination, will you pull what I call a Kucinich. Will you tell your delegates and the broader progressive community to support Obama?
Dennis did that in 2004. Between that and his airplane ride conversion on the corporate health care bill, he lost all credibility.
I am so done with veal pen politics.
The beginning of this thread reminds me of why and how some of the really good old forums on weightlifting fell apart.
Dum-Dum, you’re under the delusion that because you’re a Paid Member Of FireDogLake and you Refer To It As My Home Blog you are entitled to abandon your skills in polite discourse. And through your own protestations you apparently have abandoned your telephone manners as well. You and your noxious friends sure act like you’re gatekeepers. Small wonder that you’re forced to deny it here. Eyes on to you.
‘Setting the dogs on him’ as a metaphor was apt, given Margie’s snarling agressive tone. She may have much knowledge to share. Who’ll ever know? It’s too hard to get past her reality-series mouth to hear her. Imperious and defensive and mean were the words that came to mind.
Rue-Rue, the narcissism looks perfect on you, dear. Just perfect! Your serial postings just scream “Look at me! Me!” I’ll point out that despite your Gatekeeper’s Club’s factoid about how much smarter you are than All Of Us, I’ll bet you meant Owsley Stanley (not his full name, mind you) not Oswald Stanley. Then again, considering your unfriendly and anti-social attacks, you probably meant Lee Harvey Oswald.
Whatever. You three have put us in our place and we all are certain you and Dum-Dum and Margie are still center stage and in charge. We’ll all be careful to seek your approval before we ever post anything anywhere ever again. We live in fear of your group revoking our right to be progressives.
GFY.
This website is NOT FireDogMargaret.com
You want to be abusive to people, do it on your own damn website.
Who told you could personally abuse people you disagree with on issues? NOBODY.
I’m this far from leaving FDL because of small group of regulars abusing FDL members with personal attacks myself. I stopped caring how they react.
This website is NOT FireDogMargaret.com
You want to be abusive to people, do it on your own damn website.
Well I find this fascinating. There are only two people who have mentioned being paid up members of FDL. Robert and myself.
This guy shows up, someone I have never seen post before with this diatripe. An attempted disruptive diatripe.
So billowbaggins, who are you speaking about here and what precisely is your point. By that I mean what is your POLITICAL point. Not your personal attacks. If you only have personal attacks then that means you do not have any political points. From my own experience, the only folks who operate in this manner are Republican Party operatives and Democratic Party operatives.
Oh and GFY
No answer will mean that the answer is a Dem or Repuke operative.
As a lesson all, that is a lesson on outing a disruptor. Ask for their political position instead of personal attacks.
This website is NOT FireDogLarue.com either
You want to be abusive to people, do it on your own damn website.
This website is not FireDogMargeret.com
You want to scream personal attacks at people you disagee with like a freeper or DHinMI, do it at your own damn website.
You’re BS is costing FDL.com members. You BS has me this close to leaving FDL.com. myself so I don’t care what you scream at me anymore.
We already heard your opinion on this thread, Margeret.
Are you camping on OUR FDL.com threads, Margaret?
This is not FireDogMargeret.com. Who told you could camp FDL.com threads?!?
I’m a paid FDL member, too.
yellowsnap! How the heck are ya!? I can’t wait to get back to NoCal for some of that great coffee
Mr. Tyler and I spoke by phone for about 10 minutes last week, and I had hoped to continue the conversation over the weekend but got pulled away by other stuff. I’m awaiting his resume, and look forward to speaking with him at greater length once I receive it.
The NPA sincerely appreciates Mr. Tyler’s endorsement of the Unified Platform. We’ve begun to receive platform-endorsing emails from other candidates who seek our endorsement, which is surely a positive thing.
Beyond that however, until we’ve done our due diligence on any candidate, including Mr. Tyler, I’m not going to say much more – save this:
It is difficult to know for sure, based on my brief conversation with Mr. Tyler and what I’m hearing through the grapevine, whether he will pledge not to throw his support to Barack Obama and instead support an Indy or third-party candidate in the General election.
This is a key point in the NPA strategy. If a candidate is willing to work to awaken partisan Democrats to the extent of their national leaderships’ selling out, and to do so based on the unapologetically Progressive Unified Platform, We believe s/he has a responsibility to throw support to a candidate who shares their ideals.
That’s right, a responsibility, because – whether the major parties happen to like it or not – “their” primaries are actually OURS. WE pay for the administration of elections. As surely as are public buildings and public spaces, elections are publicly-owned infrastructure.
Therefore, if we are not willing to “occupy” the electoral process – just as we’ll occupy public buildings and public spaces on October 6 in order to ensure our voices are heard and to prompt fundamental change – we are simply not making a full effort to wake up the electorate.
Barack Obama – and pretty much every other politician at the national level – has provided all the proof we need that they will (a) say anything to get elected and (b) do whatever the hell they want/are told once in office.
If Mr. Tyler is of the notion that a primary challenge is all it will take to “scare straight” our criminal leaders, or that it will convince their corporate benefactors to simply let go of the power they have conspired to amass, I sincerely hope he’ll disabuse himself of that notion.
It is going to take a much larger, carefully pursued, relentlessly populist strategy get us anywhere near securing such fundamental change.
Thanks! But actually, the Full Court Press is not a functioning organization, but a method that I think can still come to exist. I pick it apart myself here:
http://my.firedoglake.com/jeffroby/2011/09/12/dump-capitalism-2-you-and-what-army/
Still, I believe having an organization that can both work the Dem primaries and run independents is valid. The question is, how to build it with a stable foundation.
Speaking for myself, while I understand the value of the pledge, if there were an NPA candidate and Tyler both running, and they were on the ballot in different states, I would have no problem supporting both.
Yeah, agree that O will talk about many things during the primary that he has no intention of doing. History tells us he will. Long term strategy for movement building is necessary. Thanks for the reply.
Who said you’re the gatekeeper of who gets to comment? I couldn’t give on tenth of a fuck less about what you like.
There are two issues, would you pledge to support the NPA, and would you pledge to not back Obama after the convention unless he comes out (like a snowball in hell) four-square in favor of the United Platform that you are already supporting?
Saying: “I have a problem with making pledges to any group but the people of America, en masse” is a principled stance, especially as the NPA has not yet proven itself in electoral combat. On the other hand, the arguments the NPA advances about the perils of falling into line behind Obama are very powerful.
You say, “Show me that there will be a third-party candidacy that is SURE to destroy the GOP’s chances of getting into the White House.” To that I say, show me that there is a Dem primary challenge that is SURE to destroy the GOP’s chances of getting into the White House. Fact is, fear of the Republicans is one of the main arguments against running any primary challenge at all.
You state: “My aim is to raise up a unified Progressive fist of America to smash the wholly-owned GOP irreparably.” You are not going to do that. Counter-posing that lofty goal against the merits of backing a 3rd party run is absurd on the face of it. Considering its corporate backing, the GOP is not going to be destroyed. If either of the two parties is vulnerable to destruction, it would be the Democrats.
A 3rd party is built by building a 3rd party, i.e., organization. I seriously doubt that you will have much impact on the outcome of the nomination process, and if you back Obama, you will be soon forgotten. The impact that matters is the kind of organization that can be built. Personally, if you’ve read what I’ve written about the Full Court Press:
http://my.firedoglake.com/jeffroby/2011/09/12/dump-capitalism-2-you-and-what-army/
you will see that I am happy with organization both within the Democratic Party and without, provided they are independent of machine control and true to their principles. What you have to come to terms with is that the interests of the American people and the Democratic Party are not synonymous.
UPDATE: I posted a diary with the podcast link for the Nicole Sandler interview from today, and another interview from before I decided to gear up, from the Peter B. Collins show. That diary can be found here: http://my.firedoglake.com/aldousctyler/2011/09/14/interview-with-nicole-sandler-9142011/
I’m still working on the other proper intro diary. That should be up soon.
Became a member just to post that rant did you? Yeah. I’m not impressed nor am I deterred. Anybody who believes that wanting more information before I’ll vote for or donate to a candidate is not someone to be questioning others’ intelligence or manners. Just sayin’. Oh And I’ve never demanded somebody not post here or told people what they can or can’t say. I’m just a reader. Adam503 is the one who has played gatekeeper on this thread.
If someone was using two really generic political terms like “Activists Alliance” as a trade mark, but failed to fill out the paperwork to file proper trademark papers, that was really stupid on their part.
There is no psychic google. Nobody can be expected to guess what web domains and trademarks people plan to use but did not apply for.
FAIL.
I have nothing to do with the person who stated he was a candidate. Once again you gone completely off the deep end started yelling personal insults at people, Margaret.
Why is the guy with the brain disorder put in the position of having to point out how inappropriate YOUR behavior is, Margaret
I’m only here because the thread title was on the front page. I’ve very interested in Obama getting a primary opponent.
People deserve basic common courtesy and respect. You
You have real serious issues with acting out abusively towards others.
You’re gonna chill out with personal abuse. You behavior is hurting FDL.com. Your abuse drive away good members away.
I’m sorry the world treated you like shit, Margaret. We’re not the people who treated you like shit. You need to treat people around here with some more respect and courtesy.
What precisely does one need to look better qualified to seek the Presidency in comparison to Rep. Michele Bachmann, Gov. Rick Perry, and, yeah, Former President George W. Bush.
He seems to be breathing. Brain activity. What else?
I am glad to see some support and civility. I appreciate the kindness. And thank you to everyone willing to give Aldous a chance.
I certainly hope that no one will judge their ultimate opinions of Aldous based on my diary entry. As I mentioned, I’m not a member of his staff nor a campaigner. I’m just an activist who is fed up with the corporate monopoly and their uni-party that they sell to us as some kind of choice. I strongly agree with the importance of taking action at the October 6th action in D.C., as well as the Occupy Wall Street tent city starting September 17th. I have actively been promoting both of these events and others.
This was not meant to be an official press release of any sort. I took it upon myself to write a personal opinion hoping to unite us. Though I’ve read this site intermittently for a while, I’ve only recently registered as has been pointed out. I registered so I could post about upcoming events and actions that we could all take and promote sites/groups/communities that are trying to work together. When I read about Aldous’ run, I was just trying to spread the word like I would on any other social networking site, but I guess this site is different and blogging communities must have different rules than social networking. As I’m clearly new to blogging, I hope you all will be willing to start over so we can all work together for the change that we all so desperately need.
Let us unite and not divide ourselves. The powers that be are already dividing us very well.
Margaret,
The hobit above doesn’t show a “joined FDL on segment”. Even though they have but one comment to their activity record.
While the blog poster, shows several comments + a “joined on Date”.
So how do you post a single comment without out ever having joined the site?
You can’t. But a sock puppet could. So the question becomes whose sock puppet is it?
Full Court Press is jeffroby’s idea, though I presented a Republican-facing version of it in
Wanted: Republicans who plan to sell off CA and NY, to pay the national debt.
Anthony and I differ on an “optimal growth strategy”, as he and other NPA biggies have terminally soured on the Democratic Party, at least at the national level, believing it to be irredeemable. I, OTOH, while I don’t respect the Democratic Party, (and, in fact, consider it a crime family, of sorts, which both competes with, and cooperates with, the Republican crime family) still think of a move away from fealty to the Democrats to have to be one of stages – at least if you want to minimize the length of time that such a move will take. When a point is reached where, say, 20% of otherwise sure-thing Dem incumbents get dumped as a result of the insurgent Progressive group (voting and co-operating as a coherent voting bloc), there will be a dramatic effect in the behavior of those Dems that weren’t targeted for elimination by progressives – yet.
We’ve already seen similar dynamics with respect to the Tea Parties and the Republicans. And, in spite of their successes in defeating some Republican incumbents, and pressuring or intimidating others who either were not up for re-election, or else survived Tea Party challengers, at least some of the Tea Parties are taking things up a notch. There are now plans to attack Republican incumbents in general elections, though the details are still hazy. See my diary Tea Party about to cross the Rubicon, become more effective – Wimpy Progressives, watch out!
Regardless of the exact form this heightened electoral aggressiveness by Tea Parties will take, it’s clear that they are not interested at least at this stage of their evolution in dumping the Republican Party, wholesale, but they are nevertheless quite eager to dump many Republicans during the Republican primaries, and will now go after at least some non-Tea Party-approved Republicans during general elections.
That’s rougly what I’m recommending that progressives do, though I actually recommend a cap (5-10%) on how many Democrat incumbents to target during a general election (assuming, of course, that attempts to primary them failed).
The Full Court Press only covered Democratic primaries, and said nothing about how it’s adherents should vote in a general election. I think some ‘controlled sabotage’ would heighten progressive political muscle, so I have advocated what you might call the Full Court Press Plus.
Now, the Presidential primary is a horse of a different color. I’ve actually advocated contradictory actions, but remember that FCP is currently moribund (so no telling how an added Presidential candidacy would have played out, and NPA still does not have a candidate.
Assumng that there there is no promising NPA candidate to support, and thus a choice must be made to pick either a Dem, a Repub, sitting out, or a third party that I don’t consider promising: First, one must keep in mind that there is more at stake with the Presidential election, so a smaller difference in positions between the Dem and Repub may still be enough to determine that the “lesser evil” is a “significantly lesser evil”.
In general, lesser evilist voting is stupid, though I don’t want to get into a long discussion about how not being stupid should look, even if eschewing lesser evilism. Re lesser evilism, I’ll just point to The Jesus Christ of Political Game Theory on the Stupidity of Lesser Evilist Voting. Re the foolishness if eschewing lesser evilism, but in an unorganized fashion, see Game Theory Follies. I’ve also developed some ideas about more sophisticated voting strategies for voting blocs here, here, and here.
Jane Hamsher also wrote a must-read diary about voting strategy, recently, called
Bernie Sanders to Primary Obama? Don’t Make Me Laugh
I don’t want to develop an eloquent argument, so I’ll just make a summary argument: Rapid reform means the development of a coherent voting bloc, that’s aggressive with respect to Democrats, and is happy to throw them under the bus, but in a controlled fashion. Development of such a voting bloc is easier than a “only be a Dem for a Dem primary” strategy (at the federal level) that the NPA has embraced. That’s mostly because many progressives, who clearly recognize that the Democratic Party is dysfunctional, are nevertheless too scared to dump the Dem party, en masse. Rather than turn it’s back on them, as well as other progressive and moderate Dems who just can’t grok the possiblity of dumping the Dems en masse (and thus resolve their cognitive dissonance by dismissing the NPA), the NPA could have embraced a more flexible strategy, and thus kept an open pathway to progressives who lean Democratic.
I had stated, a while back, that the NPA’s biggest problem would be growth, and not the exact platform it settled on. Knowledge is not power (actually, I think deception plays a bigger role in keeping power in elite hands!), nor ideological purity. Voters confer power, especially in a democracy. NPA only has about 360 Facebook “likers”, and while they may be the story of the 2014 elections, I don’t think that they’re on track to make a big difference in 2012. I hoped it would be otherwise.
I honestly think that NPA would be well-served by emulating some of the strategy of the Tea Parties.
Please note
Billowbaggins showed up, talked crap then when challenged, disappeared. Like I said ask them to answer their crap politically and they disappear. Because their personal attacks reflect their politics. Dem or Repuke operatives.
Mike, my email is robert1_99@q.com