Washington 2020: The Calm Before the Drizzle

[PSOL]

This won’t be the last we hear of Matt Shea.

[PSOL]

Dear god, please mummy Sawant lower those housing prices so I can be with my people.

[PSOL]

Dear god, please mummy Sawant lower those housing prices so I can be with my people.

Imagine simping for a communist.

PSOL is a socialist.

I understand my interests and don’t want my @$$ evicted.

[PSOL]

Ok, the absolute hysteria about Seattle has gone long enough. The hand wringing about Antifa and a city about to be taken by raging Marxists is clearly untrue and the product of the deranged ramblings of GMac. First things first, we need to talk about Kshama Sawant and Socialist Alternative.

Are they Stalinists about to lay siege to Seattle?

The answer is no, no they are not. So Socialist Alternative technically is a moderate splinter of a more radical, scandal driven party from the 80s. Generally they agree with the theoretical contributions and opinions of Leon Trotsky, someone who can be described as a hard social democrat who before becoming a Bolshevik member was apart of the less revolutionary Mensheviks, who held relations with other less radical Labour parties. Now in terms of governance Leon Trotsky was apart of the Left opposition to Stalin, but that is not carried into the mild SAlt, whose sister parties elsewhere just join other Labour parties and are the left faction to them. Specifically, SAlt commemorates the 1970 Polish strikes and does not like the Soviet Union.

Generally, SAlt is less revolutionary than Trotsky, being a “democratic” socialist party in all but name, like the UK Labour’s Momentum implicitly is. However, SAlt takes it one step further in not really calling for nationalization of primary industry or the transition to a classless society, but having reforms such as affordable housing and free healthcare be the end goal in its advertising—similar to basically all other center-left parties in Europe. They generally treat the theoretical writings of Marx in the same manner in practice but not in open position.

Are they ideologues destroying the city

Nope, and I don’t know why this lie keeps getting promoted given that the other Democratic councilors voted unanimously for the $15 minimum wage and affordable housing initiatives agreed upon to the council floor. Outside of a few votes for virtue signaling, Kshama Sawant has enacted policies that most progressive Democrats want and that politicians say they are for, only for her to go beyond and keep more promises to more than just her voters. Unlike other councilors, Kshama Sawant’s office is open to anyone in the city, leading to a lot of connection building

All I am saying is a lot of Democrats in Seattle also like her. On those voting no on the recall that are Democrats include; the 43rd District Democrats, former colleague in the council Mike O’Brian, and King County State Senate member Kirmay Zahilay.

Unions endorsing Kshama Sawant include the 117th Teamsters and 4121 UAW members alongside basically every other public union in Seattle

She even has business ties through the endorsement of Andaluz Jewelry and business owner Saba Tebke among others.

Is this the same out of touch ideologue stereotype seen in Lee Carter? No, in fact this is the work by a smooth political operative with a well-oiled machine to serve not only her district, but the whole city.

Ok but Antifa

Anti-fascism is a reasonable position to have, but ok.

More seriously, Socialist Alternative is not a violent party, and it’s direct action consisting of yelling outside some rando’s house isn’t that different from what the Progressive Democrats of America did when they were founded. Difference is that the old strategy is more effective, as politicians will not listen to working people and most of them don’t even know what the voters want. Through actually listening to grassroots networks of immigrant communities, working class organizations, and the real Seattle small business community—Kshama Sawant has done a good job. This leads us to

Kshama’s Protégés

Nonexistant given all of the people GMac is rambling about are DSA members or regular Democrats. Kshama Sawant is a DSA member and has good relations with the Seattle and national organization, but neither the other candidates beside her are SAlt members and she isn’t a democratic candidate (but she basically caucuses with Democrats and gets her party members to phonebank for Democratic candidates against Republicans 🤔).

But much CHAZ

Kshama Sawant voiced approval of being frustrated with police brutality and empathized with CHAZ participants, but she was not involved with CHAZ and SAlt saw the would-be commune as a bunch of cringe anarkiddies.

Furthermore she was against any criminal saboteurs taking advantage of the situation. It’s all very funny when you consider SAlt’s official position on the police basically mirrors Elizabeth Warren’s position, that there could be some redistribution of funds to municipal programs.

In short GMac is a looney person with absolutely no idea what’s going on in his city. Now, I admit that it’s pretty funny going with his delusion as reality, but it’s important for the unadulterated facts to be present.

[PSOL]

lmao Gmac, just lmao how you could be so delusional.

But for real, it’s amazing how a party with only one elected member that has basically relegated themselves to be a regional branch of the DSA could cause people to delude themselves. Granted Sawant has a lot of street cred for her excellent service to her community.

I encourage everyone to dispel the lies made against Sawant through excellent reporting by The Stranger. They have an excellent series dispelling the mythical reality Gmac lives in, divorced from the reality his city is in.

[PSOL]

The very fact that Seattle is crazy is why people vote for SAlt, they’re entire advertising schtick is providing stability and peace in the city. They do want to solve homelessness and stop the junkies by giving them a place to stay and have professionals treat them to get on their feet.

Of course given you are blind to reality and are dismissive of run of the mill Seattle residents and their viewpoints on how to solve the cities problems, I see the problem may be you being such a giant square.

[PSOL]

The very fact that Seattle is crazy is why people vote for SAlt, they’re entire advertising schtick is providing stability and peace in the city. They do want to solve homelessness and stop the junkies by giving them a place to stay and have professionals treat them to get on their feet.

Of course given you are blind to reality and are dismissive of run of the mill Seattle residents and their viewpoints on how to solve the cities problems, I see the problem may be you being such a giant square.

It's hilarious that you can say something like "SocAlt's entire advertising shtick is providing stability and peace" with a straight face, and then turn around and say I'm the delusional one.  You don't know this since you don't live here, but SocAlt goes out every week and plasters every lamppost in Capitol Hill with their big red posters.  Not once have those posters ever said anything about "peace and stability" it's always radical change, us-vs-them, fight fight fight, overthrow capitalism, down with the landlords, everyone who opposes us is a right-wing billionaire Trump supporter.

I'm actually gonna have to agree with gmac on this, Sawant and her crew such as Nikkita Oliver and Jess Spear have always tried making their candidacies and political projects about class and the need for radical change. It's honestly how incendiary their rhetoric is (and some of their more unfeasible policies) that makes me hesitant to directly support them. I've never honestly seen any of the SA folks talk about bringing "peace and stability" to the city, typically those that believe the city needs those things are the peeps supporting Kate Martin, Art Langlie and Sara Nelson tbh

Know I talk to the local SAlt branch leader here, and I’ve seen them do their phone banking and heavy lifting in the Chicagoland DSA chapters. Internally they are more chill in the upper management positions. Must be different by location too.

[PSOL]

The leadership in my union seems to want to donate money to oppose the Sawant recall, while many actual members are, at the very least, not in favor of choosing a side. This is a real problem with our union, the disconnect between the leadership and the members, and I worry that this is what leads many people to have a negative view of unions. They see the political donations and over-the-top statements of the leadership, and don't understand the importance of the protection they offer to workers, especially when dealing with an organization that is bureaucratic at best, and happy to shaft its employees at every turn at worst.

No, these people hate the very idea of unions, quite literally viewing any sort of social mobility or perceived break from people providing goods and services to them as an evil of itself. Employers especially do not like unions and don’t see you as someone worth giving a damn about.

Like I’ve said before, SAlt are basically progressive democrats with a liking for a certain aesthetic and a want to be a party for laborers. Their open door policy across the city provides the your union with a reliable voice in city hall more so than what the Democratic Party has offered in its time in Seattle. SAlt have also provided solidarity support in aiding strikes through fundings and adding strength in numbers to gain media attention to the strikes in Tyson Foods and Kellogg’s.

[PSOL]

The leadership in my union seems to want to donate money to oppose the Sawant recall, while many actual members are, at the very least, not in favor of choosing a side. This is a real problem with our union, the disconnect between the leadership and the members, and I worry that this is what leads many people to have a negative view of unions. They see the political donations and over-the-top statements of the leadership, and don't understand the importance of the protection they offer to workers, especially when dealing with an organization that is bureaucratic at best, and happy to shaft its employees at every turn at worst.

No, these people hate the very idea of unions, quite literally viewing any sort of social mobility or perceived break from people providing goods and services to them as an evil of itself. Employers especially do not like unions and don’t see you as someone worth giving a damn about.

To be clear, I'm not talking about employers here. Yes, plenty of people are anti-union because they don't like employees having bargaining power. What I'm talking about is people who want to quit their union specially because they don't like the fact that the leadership is endorsing candidates/causes that they're not behind. To them, it feels out of place, or as if their voices don't matter.

Well that’s their problem then, because Socialist Alternative is the various trade unionists representative in Seattle’s city hall. Without them, the Bernie movement and Fight for $15 along with a whole host of other packages for working people would be laughed at as something not worthy of talking about.

SAlt has demonstrated numerous times that it isn’t some raging band of incompetent revolutionary-wannabes, instead it is a dedicated machine made up of the very trade unions it seeks to represent. Like, the way Kshama Sawant works on legislation and does civic activities is much more subdued than their rhetoric to the point that in actual effect she’s indistinguishable from a progressive democrat. The only difference is that she relies on a machine more grassroots based around collectives such as trade unions instead of the Democratic donor-funded one, leading to real progressive policies being passed and a tangible effect on the rest of the council. Why else would many Democrats endorse her campaign and vouch she is great to work with then?

[PSOL]

That’s untrue given SAlt’s push for higher wages and affordable housing that Seattle acted as a spark to advance the movement, but ok, whatever you say GMac.

Again, whatever the result of these races, the fact of the matter is that a grassroots machine of the working class can achieve so much if they band together and work independently of being subservient to the Corporate approved candidates. The failings Socialist Alternative has is not based on their policies pushed or their practice, but their refusal to dig themselves in to their base through building workers committees to create a parallel economy and be fully independent of the soft left capitalists.

Hey, more proof that Kshama Sawant is a pragmatic technocrat.

[PSOL]

That’s untrue given SAlt’s push for higher wages and affordable housing that Seattle acted as a spark to advance the movement, but ok, whatever you say GMac.

Oh Jesus, my sweet lord and savior, will I be glad to hear the last of this phony baloney claim that Sawant had literally anything to do with Fight For 15 beyond swooping in at the last second to grandstand and take all the credit.

Well she did popularize the idea and brought it in to fruition. Like lmao why you so salty

[PSOL]

Sawant only cares about herself.  She doesn't care about your union and she doesn't care about you.

Oh, I know that Sawant is a grandstander. I don't really want the union getting involved either way, since the membership is at least somewhat divided, and they shouldn't be endorsing anyone without at least a clear consensus. Even then, I have mixed feeling about unions endorsing political campaigns, rather than focusing on workplace issues, of which there are many.

Is political power not a way to achieve workplace issues in the realms of safety, wages, and the very ability for people to organize in unions?

[PSOL]

Yeah, I am getting the feeling that I’m going to write a eulogy that stresses the importance of base building and the importance of collective workers councils.

Oh well, the show is going to continue after the intermission.

[PSOL]

Socialist Alternative’s website and Kshama Sawant’s main Twitter isn’t even focusing on the race today, they’ve been focusing on the recall for months now. Seems like they know that the progressive coalition expects to win maybe one or two races and that they’ve been saving up and preparing people for the Recall.

The race a month from now will be an incredibly competitive race, perhaps the most competitive SAlt has ever faced on account of the millions being invested against them by Suburban business money and the fact the ISA is flat broke from the pandemic and hasn’t invested in net gaining base building activity such as establishing workers collectives in it being “ultra-leftism”.

Still, SAlt and Kshama Sawant have immense ties within her district that will be hard for the machine to be easily beaten. I think tonight’s race will be vital in whether she will be recalled or not. If the progressive options win 51% or more in her district, their machine along with the help of all the other progressives should push them over the edge given they are much more energized for December.

[PSOL]

The most embarrassing part of the night for Dems is that a Republican likely just won a race in Seattle.

Well that happens when the Democratic Party throws the progressives under the bus and form a grand coalition with the Republican Party with their billionaire-backed media blitz. Ultimately the progressive coalition could not beat it, in part due to Covid leaving them more cash strapped and with fewer core members (due to extraneous deaths) than usual, and in part with the progressive coalition failing to build dual power by not entrenching themselves—who right now are the most interconnected bloc with their voters and the public since the Socialist Party was relevant—even further into their voter base.

[PSOL]

The most embarrassing part of the night for Dems is that a Republican likely just won a race in Seattle.

Well that happens when the Democratic Party throws the progressives under the bus and form a grand coalition with the Republican Party with their billionaire-backed media blitz. Ultimately the progressive coalition could not beat it, in part due to Covid leaving them more cash strapped and with fewer core members (due to extraneous deaths) than usual, and in part with the progressive coalition failing to build dual power by not entrenching themselves—who right now are the most interconnected bloc with their voters and the public since the Socialist Party was relevant—even further into their voter base.

LOL Dems just lost an 80% Dem city, there’s no one to blame it on except for the psychotic candidate who wanted to abolish the police

That is wrong, the Progressive coalition lost tonight, not establishment Dems

[PSOL]

The important thing to note here are the results in Kshama Sawant’s district.

[PSOL]

The important thing to note here are the results in Kshama Sawant’s district.

..I think it's pretty clear she's going down.

Ex: I'm a former Sawant voter who was fed up by her antics in the last year or two and know plenty of people who are in the same boat. The last election was heavily influenced by Amazon which created a perfect foil for Sawant. This go around all of the attention is solely on Sawant, which is not good for her prospects.

Can Kshama Sawant run again if she is recalled? That, the results there for the 2nd, and the recall #s themselves will be vital to see how the future will be.

[PSOL]

Sawant participated in a "debate" with Henry Bridger II, the manager of the recall.  You can watch it on YouTube here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cU2di6MI4hM&feature=emb_imp_woyt

I put "debate" in quotes because Sawant runs roughshod over both Henry and the moderator, filibustering and gish galloping along for almost 80% of the debate and refusing to shut the f--- up.  Very reminiscent of Trump's first debate with Biden.

Even if you knew nothing about the issues in this race or what they're debating... can't you just tell who's the hero and who's the villain by which candidate is being aggressive, uncivil, and relentlessly launching personal attacks?

Dear god, we’re back to the “civility” meme of the late-2010s.

[PSOL]

Socialist Alternative is not “her and her husband”. Sawant is not to my knowledge on the council that leads her party. The party does not even have an executive office.

More lies and lies from GMac. Taking the Trump playbook of repeating everything till you Hope it becomes believable.

[PSOL]

What mess is this

Socialist Alternative is not “her and her husband”. Sawant is not to my knowledge on the council that leads her party. The party does not even have an executive office.

More lies and lies from GMac. Taking the Trump playbook of repeating everything till you Hope it becomes believable.

Sawant's current husband is an employee of Socialist Alternative and takes home tens of thousands of dollars a year in pay.  He is currently receiving a paycheck for his work on the Sawant campaign.  If Sawant gives SocAlt $25,000 and then SocAlt gives her husband $25,000 then yes she is paying herself.

So you are moving the goalpost and saying that they aren’t apart of SAlts leadership

But it's a silly point anyway because it's not like Socialist Alternative is some charity.  It's an organization that exists almost entirely to support Sawant.  It is her entire life and livelihood.  It is her sole interest and the entirety of her social group.  All that money she "donates" to Socialist Alternative gets spent promoting her image and helping her maintain political power.  Not to mention that a lot of the money she "donates" is actually mandatory tithing because Socialist Alternative is a weird f---ing cult and you get kicked out if you don't give them oodles of cash.

I’m almost sure that’s not all that they do. I’m pretty sure they have chapters in several states that run candidates, support unions through solidarity campaigns and financing of strike funds, and anti-war and anti-fascist protests. Then there’s the electoral work the DSA and Democrats assign them to though.

This “tithing”, lol, are called dues. So far I have not heard SAlt bankrupting their members or treating them terribly, and this is standard practice on all labor parties. On dues, if they are structured the same way as 1930s CPUSA or the modern PSL, it’s most likely a gradual dues bracket with discounts and exceptions for students and the unemployed. This grassroots funding makes the organization beholden to its members.

Her "donating" her salary to Socialist Alternative is basically the same thing as Michael Bloomberg "donating" $100MM to his own presidential campaign.  If Bloomberg had tried to claim that he was donating to "social justice causes" by labeling his own campaign as a "social justice cause" he would have been laughed out of the room.  But because it's your communist queen pulling this stunt, you have to defend her, even though deep down you know it sounds dumb af.

No, it’s perfectly correct because the organization does do all these things on their already shoe-string budget, made worse by the pandemic.

If maintaining her office is so important to her that she decides to spend her own money out-of-pocket to pay teenagers to stand around in red shirts waving signs and harassing people who walk by all day, that's her right, be my guest.  I wouldn't have a problem with it.  But she never misses an opportunity to be dishonest.  So instead she labels that as "donating my salary to social justice causes" and expects to be applauded for it.  It's just one of 100,000 different things Sawant does that's sleazy and obnoxious and I'm so sick of it all.

The work of SAlt in just Washington brought along a minimum wage increase, work towards affordable housing and actually solving the homeless crisis— and have given the nonwhite, small business, and working population in Seattle a real voice and representative in city hall.

Of course your sick of it, you hate any sort of thing that threatens your status and don’t want to share the table fairly with the oppressed in our society.

You know, if we were talking about FTP or the RCP you could have the excuse of muh Stalinism, but not here on a social democratic Party who likes to be edgy in calling their opponents tankies and supporting every single rebellion in all socialist states. Love of god this is weak sauce.

[PSOL]

So you are moving the goalpost and saying that they aren’t apart of SAlts leadership

How am I moving the goalposts?  I said that "donating to Socialist Alternative is just donating to herself."  Both she and her husband profit substantially from Socialist Alternative activities.  Sawant is clearly the #1 beneficiary of all SocAlt spending.  Her husband literally draws his paycheck from her "donations."

You said her “and her husband” are SAlt, as in they were leadership. Clearly that was incorrect and now you are moving the goalpost

Both Kshama and her husband, who the latter works in the electoral division in the party long before getting married, at longtime members and party officials in the party along with any other job they both might have. SAlt is dispersed nationwide across the country, and in the upper brass there’s limited amount of social contacts for them to make.

So far there’s been no investigation into this precisely because the Feds won’t find anything, because most parties have strict measures to prevent embezzlement of funds. Her husband’s paycheck from the party comes from other sources from his work, and unless there’s credible evidence of wrongdoing this is all conspiracy horse••••

I’m almost sure that’s not all that they do. I’m pretty sure they have chapters in several states that run candidates, support unions through solidarity campaigns and financing of strike funds, and anti-war and anti-fascist protests. Then there’s the electoral work the DSA and Democrats assign them to though.

What % of Socialist Alternative's campaign funds goes towards these hopeless no-name candidates, and what % goes towards keeping Sawant in power in D3?  The only other place they've even come relatively close is the Minneapolis City Council, and it's been 4 years since they tried there.  Their website doesn't mention any other political campaigns or candidates other than Sawant.

I've never seen any evidence of them "financing strike funds" or doing anything for unions, anti-war, anti-fash, etc. other than marching and raising signs (which are really just a means to try and recruit for the cult).  If they do these kinds of things, they don't talk about it at all.  My neighborhood is absolutely blanketed with Socialist Alternative media, and it's 100% promoting Sawant and her issues or attacking her many enemies.

Well they are active in aiding the Minneapolis United for Health Control by guiding their chapters to fund and protest for rent control with them and all other [url=https://mpls4rentcontrol.org/]organizations

To maintain maximum unity in the face of a City Council which was already waffling, Minneapolis United for Rent Control shared Home to Stay’s call to action, which called on the City Council to vote yes on both “charter amendments.”

MINNEAPOLIS UNITED FOR RENT CONTROL IS ENDORSED BY NUMEROUS ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING:
THE HARRISON NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, SOCIALIST ALTERNATIVE, THE MINNESOTA NURSES ASSOCIATION (MNA), AMALGAMATED TRANSIT UNION LOCAL 1005 (ATU 1005), CORCORAN NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATION, CENTRO DE TRABAJADORES UNIDOS EN LUCHA (CTUL), MINNESOTA ASSOCIATION OF PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYEES (MAPE), MINNEAPOLIS FEDERATION OF TEACHERS AND EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS (MFT 59), UNITE HERE LOCAL 17, CAIR-MN, THE RESTAURANT OPPORTUNITIES CENTER – MN, BLACK VISIONS, RECLAIM THE BLOCK, CEDAR RIVERSIDE COMMUNITY COUNCIL, SEWARD NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP, AYADA LEADS, TWIN CITIES DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS OF AMERICA (TC-DSA), SHILOH TEMPLE INTERNATIONAL MINISTRIES, THE MINNESOTA STATE BAPTIST CONVENTION, AND NUMEROUS OTHER FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS.

In Philadelphia, aside from aiding the DSA and Green Party’s campaigns, which amount to them aiding canvassing and helping organizing rallies, they also are involved in the fight against police brutality with other community groups. That’s not counting the individual actions for other progressive causes that individual chapters do, of which would be insane for me to list them out.

Like during 1/6, SAlt primarily gets members organized through their website or social media. Any notification of a protest going on then isn’t just for news purposes but a calling for members and entire chapters to attend.

Also, with stronger labor links than the DSA, I would not be surprised that they are involved heavily in the labor organizing EWOC. Given that SAlt’s memo is entryism, one of the main things they do is not take credit for their involvement in the greater organization to not take away momentum so as to not get purged.

Also,
Here is them helping the joint SAlt—DSA effort for city council. I would not be surprised that the candidate was a SAlt member, not like it matters given SAlt is effectively a unique faction in the DSA at this point.

The work of SAlt in just Washington brought along a minimum wage increase

Dear God am I so f---ing tired of this myth.  Kshama Sawant and Socialist Alternative didn't do a damn thing for the $15 minimum wage.  Go look up the Wikipedia article for the Seattle $15 wage and you'll find zero mentions of Kshama Sawant or Socialist Alternative.  All they did was show up at the very end of the movement to have a few Socialist Alternative events where they waved "Fight for $15" banners, and then Sawant took credit for the entire thing, and for some reason people decided to believe her.

Well no s•••, the Union leaders agitating for this for years don’t mention their political affiliation nor does Wikipedia have a fair method of sourcing party websites as in-itself news organizations. And no, SAlt did help in this by the massive canvassing campaign they did that finally did it in. Her election made it a reform or lose elections moment among the wider Democratic Party in Seattle. This is pure historical revisionism to say that her power and threat among Democrats haven’t pushed them left locally and in rhetoric, just as it’s effects have been seen nationally.

work towards affordable housing and actually solving the homeless crisis— and have given the nonwhite, small business, and working population in Seattle a real voice and representative in city hall

She literally hasn't done any of this.  She's not anybody's representative.  It's impossible to speak to her or get her to care about local issues.  You call Sawant's office and you're redirected to a Socialist Alternative propagandist who tries to tell you your local issues don't matter and what really matters are the broad, global political issues she's allegedly fighting for.  The only thing she ever does for the district is seek out disgruntled tenants so she can hold events targeting their landlords for harassment and vandalism and then take credit for any good thing the landlord does.  Whenever there's public comment at city hall she packs the room with her own supporters so she's literally preventing anyone else from having a voice.  And don't get me started on how much mutual hostility and hatred there is between her and 95% of small businesses in D3 (really everyone except Squirrel Chops).

It continues to astound me how much you enjoy lecturing me about all the good Sawant has done for my neighborhood and how much we all love her.  I live here.  It's a very small district.  You can walk from one side of it to the other in half an hour.  I can probably list every single small business in D3.  But please do continue sitting up there in Illinois telling me all about how wrong my lived experience is and what a clueless idiot I am about my own district and my own representative.

[/quote]
Going to her office in person is apparently different, given the connections across immigrant groups and labor SAlt and she has. This is further evident by the endorsement list against the recall and the policies pushed by SAlt, being endorsed by community leaders and small businesses as listed in the endorsement page. Your miasma on focusing on reactionary elements of the local Seattle elite is not my problem.

Housing is a human right and landlords should not exist, but this is another conversation.

[PSOL]

Results in the 3rd Council District:

49.93% Harrell
49.85% Gonzalez

56.75% NTK
42.46% Davison

67.99% Mosqueda
31.57% Wilson

55.33% Oliver
44.52% Nelson

Right now the recall is slightly favored, but the massive connections and grassroots ties to the community will be put to the test and will perform amicably. What many don’t realize is that Kshama Sawant is more moderate than NTK and on the same par as the other candidates.

Amazon and the suburban elite will pour a hefty fortune in attacks on Sawant’s character, so she needs to have some finesse in responding to the non-sequiters her way.

[PSOL]

I think Sawant was able to successfully frame the 2019 election as a referendum on Amazon and big money (at least somewhat) and people who weren't big fans of her were willing to hold their nose and vote for her as a way of expressing discontent with the amount Amazon donated to the city council positions. I don't think this is going to work in her favor this time around, and the pro-Sawant crowd hasn't done themselves any favors with some of their more aggressive tactics. While calling it the "right-wing recall" may sway some people, I think people have had enough, and that she goes down by between 5 and 10%.

They were able to do so because it is the truth, the billionaires and other elite, but mainly the billionaires are the ones against her

https://mobile.twitter.com/Kshama_SC/status/1466069761805021189

This isn’t a matter of “tactics” dragging her down, indeed SAlt plays the game by an already biased rule set that I’ve explained here and in the third party thread beforehand, but of the core base of her support getting squeezed by the pandemic and it’s wider effects draining their livelihoods. A more exhausted and bankrupt group of supporters can’t chip in or do party work as well as what the elite class can pay with money and utilize already existing infrastructure—employer associations, lobbyists, the corporate media, even the government itself through setting the date separate from the rest of the election as a ploy to hope more transient and precarious people won’t show up to vote twice— to bring her down pound for pound.

[PSOL]

I can't stand that they are labeling it as a 'right-wing recall'. It has pulled from folks across the spectrum, including many progressives. Feels like a misstep in my mind and one that could backfire for the Sawant campaign as they essentially make the claim 'either you are with us or you are right-wing'.

Well the donors to the campaign and the rhetoric coming from the Washington Times does make it seem lopsided in that direction.

What this proves is that in recalls and in other elections, Democrats will accept the support of the progressives and socialists within and outside the party to help mainstream candidates, but in any situation outside of that then Democratic leadership would rather support republicans than support even progressive Democrats. This was evident in Buffalo, and it is evident in Seattle for the DA race and this recall.