On August 24, 2016, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) launched the next phase of the movement that began with his presidential campaign. He announced the formation of Our Revolution in a live stream from Burlington to 2,600 house parties, YouTube, on Face Book Live. The Free Speech Channel reportedly also carried the stream.
https://youtu.be/d3LC8kYe0QM?t=42
Possible Technical Difficulties
Our Revolution is a 501(c)(4) social welfare organization. Organizers plan to help train, develop, and support progressive candidates for office at all levels from school board to Congress.
As we reported recently, 501(c)(4) organizations can educate the public on issues. They can support candidates for public office, but their purpose must be broader than electoral politics. Because the deadlocked Federal Election Commission has not enforced the limits on the activities of 501(c)(4) organizations, political operatives like Karl Rove have used them to promote their candidates and their agenda without disclosing donors. Some folks are troubled by Sanders’s use of this tool which is so closely associated with campaign finance abuses.
And it’s always possible for the organization to balance out electoral activity with other educational activity after the election. But if the primary purpose is to help elect progressive candidates, the use of a 501(c)(4) may not be the best way to do that.
Another important problem is that a candidate or elected official cannot run, or even coordinate with, the 501(c)(4). So Bernie will not be on the board. And his wife, Jane, has resigned from the board.
An Unexpected Omission
Bernie mentioned several candidates whom he supported. One he did not mention was Tim Canova, who is running against Representative Debbie Wasserman-Schultz (D-Fla.) in the Democratic primary. Wasserman-Schultz had been openly hostile to Sanders’s candidacy. Sanders and his supporters were previously very enthusiastic about Canova, so the omission was a surprise.
Organizing Staff Walk Out
When Sanders announced that former campaign chair Jeff Weaver would head Our Revolution, more than half the existing staff quit immediately. As the Washington Post reported, during the primary campaign, there were clashes between some older staffers, especially Weaver, and younger staffers who were focused on organizing and using social media to reach millennials. Some of the staff who walked out believe that Weaver mismanaged the campaign, in particular, by spending too much on advertising and failing to direct resources to targeting voters.
How Weaver will manage Our Revolution remains to be seen. Perhaps he won’t be seeking out wealthy donors even if he can.
The Revolution Without Bernie
Regardless, activists who supported Sanders for president have already started their own organizations to develop progressive candidates. One, Brand New Congress, is holding meetings around the country to encourage local candidates. The People’s Summit, which met in Chicago in June, is doing similar work.
Featured image from YouTube video.
