Spreading the Bernie Word--One guy's thoughts

[Jackpine Radical]

I tend to rely on random encounters with people. I'm the type who talks a lot to store clerks, etc. when I'm out & about. I start out by maybe asking questions about their merchandise that implies that I respect their opinion; not just "Where are the oranges," but "Have you tried any of these oranges? What do you think?"

For some reason, people seem to like to tell me things, all sorts of things. I often steer them onto politics and just draw them out, never try to assert my own stuff. If they're committed wingnuts or fundamentalists, it becomes obvious pretty soon, & I move on to other topics & disengage. However, if they start showing their malaise (to borrow Jimmy Carter's word), I might ask them if they've heard anything about this Bernie guy.

I'm going to start carrying along Bernie's 12 Steps. (That, BTW, is a great entree when you run across someone in a recovery program. "Hey, here's another 12-step program. What do you think of these?"

This is what works for me. Everybody needs to work out their own style.

But imagine this: Suppose you manage to really turn on 1 person a week, and each of them goes on to turn on others at the same rate. Starting with Bernie's 100,000 known supporters, at the end of 1 week, we would number 200,000, and so on, in a geometric progression. It would take something like 11 weeks to have 100 million recruits.

Now, obviously, it's not going to play out exactly like that, but sometimes it helps to have that kind or arithmetic in mind when we contemplate our actions. It's not all futile. There is a path toward the world we want. It can be made to work.

[Enthusiast]

1. Thank you for your efforts on our behalf.

[Jackpine Radical]

2. Heh--I'm looking for emulation, not thanks.

It's too much fun to require the latter.

[BrotherIvan]

3. I plan on wearing my hair t-shirt and starting some conversations.

But the damn thing shrunk three sizes so I gotta start all over again.

Yesterday I was thinking a lot about a poster campaign similar to what Obama had. In LA his posters were everywhere and because they were so iconic, you know who they were instantly. In Los Angeles especially, if you are walking, you are likely of a, shall we say "less privileged class" so those posters speak to you in particular. It's also good because young people in particular are drawn to good graphics because of the technology they grew up in.

All I'm saying is i hope the campaign picks the most badass poster and I and I am sure others will pay to get some printed and go and put them up. I'm pretty sure Obama's campaign paid crews, but some stealth volunteers could help Bernie. If his campaign checks in on DU, hope you can see this. I hope some artists give generously of their creativity to help the campaign as well.

So far Bernie has 200,000 volunteers signed up. If they are smart, they will come up with a great structure in how to use those volunteers and so make the money stretch.

[erronis]

5. Wouldn't that p1ss off the M$M if we could bypass their advertising machine?

Along with Bernie not descending to personal attacks while on t.v., the idea of working on his nomination and then election totally bypassing the Madison Ave creeps, talking heads, and $MM political leeches would be a totally good thing for our whole system.

[BrotherIvan]

6. Just talking about this in another thread.

Yes, it would show that the people still have power.

I'm going to quote myself, not because it was brilliant but because I'm lazy

"We need a change in this country. I can see on DU and other places on the net where older folks* are so ingrained with MSM propaganda, they believe that neoliberalism is *synonymous* with reality. I am always shocked to read it. I agree that people who get their info from TV tend to be the most uninformed yet the most strongly convinced that they aren't (one would think it would be the opposite). So I do hope that Bernie's popularity on the net is taking hold and leads to a revolution in thought for the American people. Young people NEED to get out there and vote for their futures. This is their last chance."

*And I say older folks because younger people in general do not get their news from tv.

Revolutions have been fueled by social media. If we can use free info, including just talking to people, we can make Bernie's budget go very far. Excitement and truth are on his side. In fact, his honesty is his greatest weapon against his opponents. He makes them all look like slick pols who will say anything to get elected. THAT will be the crux of this election.

[sabrina 1]

10. That's a great idea. Name recognition is so important and it's the ONLY thing Bernie

doesn't have yet. That can be an advantage actually, to be 'new' and his sincerity and honesty and passion for the PEOPLE certainly is a new thing in politics these days.

I notice on Twitter today eg, that people from every state are starting up accounts to help his campaign. I am trying to follow all of them. Making suggestions like this to anyone who is campaigning for him might be a good idea.

We can tweet OPs eg. So if you made an OP explaining this people could send it out all over twitter and FB and whatever other social media sites they are using.

[BrotherIvan]

11. That's a good idea too

I haven't had the time to make a poster myself but I would be willing to put it everywhere as long as I didn't get arrested.

I think people want to help and if Bernie's campaign is brilliant with how to mobilize them, he can win. People need to know who he is and what he stands for. People need to know he wants to help them in their lives. I hope we can.

[joanbarnes]

4. I love your technique Jackpine. I do this too, but usually stick to the oranges.

I will have to get a little practice with the politics and the 12 steps.

[PADemD]

7. Tuesdays are Senior Day at our local grocery store

I think I'll wear my Bernie t-shirt and go shopping.

[SoLeftIAmRight]

8. Thank you for your work

I also strike up conversations. I have been going way out of my way to introduce the Sanders 16 topic.

[Scuba]

9. K&R for real grassroots activism!!!