Erik Loomis

not going to dominate their lives, but to do something concrete that leads to a bigger, broader set of social changes. What we need for that, though, is the organizing capacity and the leadership to make that happen. And that's not easy to do.

not going to dominate their lives, but to do something concrete that leads to a bigger, broader set of social changes. What we need for that, though, is the organizing capacity and the leadership to make that happen. And that's not easy to do.

That's the kind of infrastructure that has to take place in the organizing world first to be able to engage people who are not going to come out to a million meetings, but get them to do something.

That's the kind of infrastructure that has to take place in the organizing world first to be able to engage people who are not going to come out to a million meetings, but get them to do something.

Yeah, that's a really outstanding point. I mean, I think that so often in our world, our liberal left progressive worlds, how we want to define these terms today, we've often lost, I think, the first core tenet of organizing. You have to meet people where they're at, not where you're at. Right.

Yeah, that's a really outstanding point. I mean, I think that so often in our world, our liberal left progressive worlds, how we want to define these terms today, we've often lost, I think, the first core tenet of organizing. You have to meet people where they're at, not where you're at. Right.

And so if you're asked, is the revolution like people are not going to be there for that because they don't know what you're talking about. Right. That the idea. And you saw this a little bit with like, I mean, you know, say Occupy Wall Street. Right. Which is now quite 15 years ago and was a really important moment.

And so if you're asked, is the revolution like people are not going to be there for that because they don't know what you're talking about. Right. That the idea. And you saw this a little bit with like, I mean, you know, say Occupy Wall Street. Right. Which is now quite 15 years ago and was a really important moment.

in rebuilding progressive capacity to do anything at all after the long 90s and 2000s where people just weren't really on the streets. And it's a very important moment. But look, I mean, when it becomes about just occupying the space for a long, long time, people are not going to really see that connection, right?

in rebuilding progressive capacity to do anything at all after the long 90s and 2000s where people just weren't really on the streets. And it's a very important moment. But look, I mean, when it becomes about just occupying the space for a long, long time, people are not going to really see that connection, right?

And that begins to sort of... People start cleaving off of that at that moment in time. And I think you see this in a lot of other cases today where... organizers end up having kind of maximalist demands that don't seem realistic, right? The organizers themselves have to have discipline. And the United Farm Workers, let me tell you something about the UFW.

And that begins to sort of... People start cleaving off of that at that moment in time. And I think you see this in a lot of other cases today where... organizers end up having kind of maximalist demands that don't seem realistic, right? The organizers themselves have to have discipline. And the United Farm Workers, let me tell you something about the UFW.

You as a volunteer, you didn't have autonomy over your life. You couldn't choose when or how to engage. If you were working for Chavez, he was the boss and you knew it. And going against that meant you were out. discipline actually matters.

You as a volunteer, you didn't have autonomy over your life. You couldn't choose when or how to engage. If you were working for Chavez, he was the boss and you knew it. And going against that meant you were out. discipline actually matters.

And like today, I feel like we are, and then it includes much of the labor movement, all these like super hyper-powered individualists that do not submit to group discipline. And that actually is really critical to making change. It's kind of against the way a lot of us feel today. But you actually do have to have discipline.

And like today, I feel like we are, and then it includes much of the labor movement, all these like super hyper-powered individualists that do not submit to group discipline. And that actually is really critical to making change. It's kind of against the way a lot of us feel today. But you actually do have to have discipline.

And some of that discipline is we have to have, we have to decide first what our concrete goals are. We have to decide how we're going to get there, how to stay on messaging and how to get people to then support those goals. And when we win those goals, then we declare victory and move on to a next stage of organizing. We're not really at a lot of those points today.

And some of that discipline is we have to have, we have to decide first what our concrete goals are. We have to decide how we're going to get there, how to stay on messaging and how to get people to then support those goals. And when we win those goals, then we declare victory and move on to a next stage of organizing. We're not really at a lot of those points today.

And I think this is part of the larger problem in figuring out how to collectively respond to Trump.

And I think this is part of the larger problem in figuring out how to collectively respond to Trump.