My Platform

So I might run as a Socialist in my state's elections next year. Problem is, the people here believe Socialism = Big Gubmint because the Democrats have fucking ruined it due to fallacy of association and all that, so it'll be a tough challenge to change this attitude but I'm willing to try. Here goes:

- Anti-taxation or at least very reduced
- Promote workplace democracy/co-ops
- Reform the unions
- Run a campaign financed entirely by myself/donations
- Throw in some social democracy to make it palatable for the normies who are afraid of the "S" word

InB4

Other urls found in this thread:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sewer_Socialism
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Vienna
twitter.com/SFWRedditImages

why not tax capitalists?

sounds ok, but its worthless if you create actual policies and laws in order to carry out them

...

Run a campaign for "None of the Above."

I don't believe you.

I mean, what are you running for? Governor? State legislature?

State legislature and go from there. I want to establish some kind of base, start small first, and such.

lowering taxes + co-ops is a good platform for an entryist

Anti-War on Drugs
Pro-Gun
Anti-Super PAC

Adopting these will make you a lot more relatable and popular with normies, since these are issues and stances that most Americans are A: aware of; and B: agree with.

Promoting unions and funding worker co-op projects is good though
Which state?

Are you going to come out as a socialist from the get-go or try to ease in to it with some social democracy first?

Being anti-drug war is a little risky right now if OP's just starting imo. I think it would be better to try to talk about "mass incarceration" instead.
But pushing a pro-gun platform is a great idea.

The first question in defeating propaganda should be whether or not there is a robust system of open debate in your state. In many states the League of Women Voters for instance is still a respectable organization for holding open debates. In others they've completely sold out and bar 3rd party candidates from them. If you're going to be barred from debates and a platform to explain your actual views then that's a steep barrier you need to consider how to overcome.

Really dumb. You should be against regressive taxation schemes like sales tax and property tax and explain to people exactly why.

I'd rather not say right now. I'm trying to keep it sort of a secret here. It's on the East Coast though, that's all I'd like to say.

Yes, from the get-go. I feel like the people here would appreciate me being upfront so they know what they're getting. Like I said, I'm trying to salvage/re-brand the term "Socialist" and I think that would be the best way. I'll think about it, I mean I really was hoping for some social democracy. This is still a really new idea, I'll work with it.

Also weed legalization is becoming more and more accepted here, but I'll be careful on the drug issue.

Did not consider this, much appreciated comrade!

A good idea, thank you!

Here come dat pro-gun, pro-weed, pro-tax reduction, (actually) pro-worker, anti-big government Socialist.

Doesn't really roll off the tongue but that's what I'm going for, fams.

Sounds like a very good platform OP, I can see young conservashits seeing the appeal but my concern would be that the tinfoil hat brigades encouraged would immedietly assume youre just trying to infiltrate and then grab muh guns when you of course inevitably replace the tobacco shops with gulags just like Red Dawn told us. What state you in? What kind of resources do you have to realistically run?

Try to get people to come to socialism of their own accord. Makes people more committed and convinced. Heavy handed theory just makes people groan.

Are you a member of any party?

This tbh

This. Take a strongly pro 2A stance OP.

if he does that he should promise to invest in housing, education, recycling etc

Municipal Socialism.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sewer_Socialism
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Vienna

Blanket tax reduction is not a solid position. You should be against regressive tax policies like sales tax and property tax but for progressive taxation like income tax, capital gains, etc. Reduce taxes across the board and you're just telling people you're an accelerationist shithead who wants to make their lives worse in the hope that they'll fight back.

A friendly response from a libertarian who's okay with Trump's election so far.
Not sure how you'd fund a social safety net without taxes but I won't complain either. Government authority is all rooted in violence and taxation is just a shakedown for being alive so go for it.

I don't have any problem with that as long as membership is voluntary and not a condition of employment. And if you're concerned about right-to-work free-riders let them work for the wage they want and let the union work for the wage they negotiate.

I assume this means you'd try to steer them away from some of the intimidation tactics they've become infamous for and get them back to issues of workplace safety and job training then go for it.

I hope you have deep pockets even if you're running for city council because it really does take a lot of money to make voters aware of you and encourage them to get to the polls. It's also very difficult to raise significant capital for politics through Patreon, Kickstarter or any of the other crowd-funding sites.

Social democracy is actually a very specific set of ideas that aims to promote socialist values within an otherwise free and open capitalist democracy and should not be confused with Democratic Socialism which advocates for the collective ownership of the means of production with some democratic elements applied to the management of those means of production and the society as a whole.

In conclusion if you're thinking of running then run because we need more 3rd party candidates but know that it's a lot of hard work for not a whole lot of authority and at the local level ideology is less important than your ability to allocate money to fix broken street lights.

What state? What position?

This is a great idea

Oh, wow, a capitalist thins he's a socialist because he doesn't know the difference and bourg-
Fuck

Hey OP, I'm also considering a run for state leg in 2018. I'm a socialist but my state is very anti-worker so I plan to just run on a basic pro-worker platform as a Democrat.

Basic outline of my platform looks like this:

I've some other ideas but those are the most "progressive," most of my other ideas are very typical "liberal" policies such as abortion access, etc. I'm obv also pro-gun. Since I live in a conservative district I'll probably frame my policies as pro-worker and pro-small business so as not to alienate too many potential voters.

Any critiques?

...

Half your platform is just "release criminal darkies from prison/into your neighborhood"

Sounds like a winner to me.

Private prisons are mostly an overblown myth, they have only 6% state prisoners and 16% federal prisoners

You would give the vote back to convicted rapists, murders, pedos, and kidnappers? I can appreciate giving them a fair job, considering the recidivism rate, but they gave up their vote when they attacked other citizens.

What are you even talking about this time, Holla Forums?

spooky a/f tbh
there is no reason not to give every member of society the ability to vote, it is the most efficient process

You don't even understand what society is, they chose not to be a part of society when they broke its main covenants.

Did the Soviets give the Nazi's a right to vote just because they were in their territory?

Oh no did they break the NAP? Shit you're right we better stop them ASAP.
There is no danger to it, they do not represent a large enough portion of the population for their votes to massively effect an issue that would otherwise not be contested by the regular citizenry. It is a silly fear based on morals rather than considering the reality of democratic voting.

You keep using those words, but you don't even know what they mean

user, might I ask you what political stance you hold? Because I'm getting the feeling you're coming from a unique angle based on the godwin's law last post.

Exactly. Age is just a number. Love is love.

Real talk, I hate to shit on ideas like this but after working for a state legislator's office I can't help but feel you're out of your depth.

1. Someone else already asked this, but how deep are your pockets exactly? Do you know what goes into fundraising, and how to go about it?

2. This is a follow up question, but are you aware of just how much time goes into running for office? This sort of assumes that if you are just capable of up and running for office you're some kind of rich dude who can afford giving all of his time to meeting constituents, raising funds as well as making all sorts of public and private appearances at a ridiculous number of events.

3. Have you talked with the established political establishment in your city? If you haven't at least made dialogue, be aware most of the other candidates have at least talked. Its all networking and connections in politics especially the local as I'm gathering you're "running" in. If you're an outsider no stops will be pulled to playing dirty with you, and be aware it isn't just an idle threat. They can ruin you professionally and personally.

Like, its a grand idea. I have always wanted to do it myself. I'm a goddamn veteran, sociable as fuck and a great speaker. I've got the best background (poor group home kid), best story. But I'M POOR AS FUCK. And I need to work to eat. Can't just hop on campaign and hope I get elected. That's the same situation the other ten million good idea fairies who wishes they could run for office find themselves in. And the area I work in churns out a bunch of these fringe candidates who find themselves just another name in a ballot alongside real contenders who blow them out of the water no matter how well-intentioned they are.

I say this half sarcastically, but good luck. I guess actually working in the political system (which is I'm sure a rare thing on this board) has jaded the fuck outta me.

As a follow up to this, there is no substitution for the revolution.

60 year old male kid diddlers can teach preschoolers just as well as anyone

Unless running as a Democrat is the only way you can be heard in a debate, you should really get the fuck away from them.

The single most important piece of advice on running for office is that first-time candidates almost never win. The first time is usually about building up name recognition.