The People's Convention?

A People's Convention is being held virtually on Sunday, August 30, after the major party conventions, to start a movement for a new party for the people. Oh . . . someone's offering an alternative to the Democrats and Republicans now?

Too little, too late.

As I recall, I was calling for a new party to replace the then-worthless Democrats in early 2017, after Hillary Clinton had her rear end handed to her in the presidential election and the Democrats only had congressional minorities in Washington and few legislative majorities in the states.  They were at death's door, as the Whigs had been in 1852.  There were many disaffected Democrats and unaffiliated progressives who were ready to start a new party like the disaffected Whigs, the Free-Soilers, and anti-slavery Democrats had been in the 1850s to form a new Republican Party and use the period in advance of the next presidential election to build up steam.  Instead, progressives did . . . nothing.  They never called a convention.  They never attempted to do the hard work it takes to build a  new party over time; they preferred to take the easy way out by encouraging Bernie Sanders to run for President as a Democrat again.  All they did to change the Democratic Party was get the Squad elected to U.S. House seats in districts so safely Democratic the voters would have voted for rusted-out Toyotas if they had Ds next to their names on the ballot.  

Reform the Democratic Party from within?  Even Lincoln, a Whig in 1855, realized that reforming an established party is a fool's errand, which is why he was a Republican in 1856.  And the Republican presidential candidate in 1860.  And he won.

So I don't want to hear any more about a People's Convention, which will feature, among others, comedian Jimmy Dore, failed politician Nina Turner, and Professor Cornel West.  Where were these people in January 2017?  Why didn't they call a convention then?  I wouldn't buy a used car from any of them.

Least of all a rusted-out Toyota.