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Patrick Walker is co-founder of Revolt Against Plutocracy (RAP) and the Bernie or Bust movement it spawned. Before that, he cut his activist teeth with the anti-fracking and Occupy Scranton PA movements. No longer with RAP, he wields his pen and his activist network to wage holy war for climate justice. Hoping to help build a counterculture of revolt, he also writes quirky, highly literate song lyrics for the rising indie band God's Comics. A happily married man for over 10 years, Patrick has lost his beloved wife Ginger to colon cancer. He resides with his ineffably charming Sheltie dog Jasmine in East Amherst, NY.
OpEd News Member for 606 week(s) and 6 day(s)
150 Articles, 7 Quick Links, 2150 Comments, 0 Diaries, 10 Series, 0 Polls
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Monday, December 29, 2014
Will Progressives Look a Gift Pope in the Mouth? Pope Francis, with an upcoming encyclical on climate change, is a godsend to progressives and climate activists alike. And his shift in the Catholic Church's moral emphasis toward the "social gospel" dovetails splendidly with Democrats' "Warren wing" shift away from identity politics and back to the economic justice emphasis of the New Deal. Savvy progressives must now seek to mend fences with Francis's HUGE flock.
Monday, December 29, 2014Will Progressives Look a Gift Pope in the Mouth? Pope Francis, with an upcoming encyclical on climate change, is a godsend to progressives and climate activists alike. And his shift in the Catholic Church's moral emphasis toward the "social gospel" dovetails splendidly with Democrats' "Warren wing" shift away from identity politics and back to the economic justice emphasis of the New Deal. Savvy progressives must now seek to mend fences with Francis's HUGE flock.
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Monday, December 22, 2014
Pitchforks against Plutocracy: Needed Radicalism for the Mainstream As a preliminary to building the Pitchforks against Plutocracy movement I've been sketching, I here offer a list of 16 talking points about the prospective movement. They're best seen as a rhetorical strategy to radicalize a rather "white bread" mainstream about the political EMERGENCY our nation--and world--are facing. An emergency caused, at its root, by plutocratic rule.
Monday, December 22, 2014Pitchforks against Plutocracy: Needed Radicalism for the Mainstream As a preliminary to building the Pitchforks against Plutocracy movement I've been sketching, I here offer a list of 16 talking points about the prospective movement. They're best seen as a rhetorical strategy to radicalize a rather "white bread" mainstream about the political EMERGENCY our nation--and world--are facing. An emergency caused, at its root, by plutocratic rule.
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Saturday, December 13, 2014
Pitchforks against Plutocracy: CONSCIOUSLY Waging the Class War to Win Here it is, folks: my FULL rationale for building a peaceful but aggressive "Pitchforks against Plutocracy" movement--a COMPREHENSIVE quest to win the class war, whose uniqueness lies in pursuing REALISTIC "brainiac" electoral strategies (and protest and civil disobedience at need). A group smart and flexible enough to draw inspiration from BOTH anti-Christian democrat Thomas Paine AND genius Christian democrat Blaise Pascal.
Saturday, December 13, 2014Pitchforks against Plutocracy: CONSCIOUSLY Waging the Class War to Win Here it is, folks: my FULL rationale for building a peaceful but aggressive "Pitchforks against Plutocracy" movement--a COMPREHENSIVE quest to win the class war, whose uniqueness lies in pursuing REALISTIC "brainiac" electoral strategies (and protest and civil disobedience at need). A group smart and flexible enough to draw inspiration from BOTH anti-Christian democrat Thomas Paine AND genius Christian democrat Blaise Pascal.
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Friday, December 5, 2014
Blue or Green Pitchforks?--It's All Up to Liz Warren An IMPORTANT article, sketching the prospect of a populist "Pitchfork Movement" that brings plutocracy to its knees. But above all, this article sketches that movement's relationship to Liz Warren, provisionally trusting her to live up to the high cause she's publicly embraced, but ready in a heartbeat to cast her off as a Judas if her only role is to save Democrats' undeserved credibility.
Friday, December 5, 2014Blue or Green Pitchforks?--It's All Up to Liz Warren An IMPORTANT article, sketching the prospect of a populist "Pitchfork Movement" that brings plutocracy to its knees. But above all, this article sketches that movement's relationship to Liz Warren, provisionally trusting her to live up to the high cause she's publicly embraced, but ready in a heartbeat to cast her off as a Judas if her only role is to save Democrats' undeserved credibility.
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Monday, December 1, 2014
Leftists, Awake! Warren's Our WEDGE to "Permanent Revolution" As a potential first woman president preaching a subversive economic message, Elizabeth Warren offers a historic opportunity to the Left--perhaps our wedge to fomenting "permanent revolution." Since economics is the key to everything, this is a case of trusting NOT the messenger, but the latent subversiveness of the message. If Leftists fail to seize this historic opportunity, we richly deserve our "Born to Lose" tattoo.
Monday, December 1, 2014Leftists, Awake! Warren's Our WEDGE to "Permanent Revolution" As a potential first woman president preaching a subversive economic message, Elizabeth Warren offers a historic opportunity to the Left--perhaps our wedge to fomenting "permanent revolution." Since economics is the key to everything, this is a case of trusting NOT the messenger, but the latent subversiveness of the message. If Leftists fail to seize this historic opportunity, we richly deserve our "Born to Lose" tattoo.
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Tuesday, November 25, 2014
"Bold Progressive" Masochists Kiss Hillary's Shiny Boot Though focusing on a question of political principle, this article is, in its own way, a striking piece of INVESTIGATIVE journalism. Written in reaction to an e-mail from the Progressive Change Campaign Committee (aka "Bold Progressives"), it exposes the masochistic contradiction at the core of "progressive" politics: proclaiming marital fidelity to Liz Warren's principles, while secretly enthralled to "dominatrix" Clinton.
Tuesday, November 25, 2014"Bold Progressive" Masochists Kiss Hillary's Shiny Boot Though focusing on a question of political principle, this article is, in its own way, a striking piece of INVESTIGATIVE journalism. Written in reaction to an e-mail from the Progressive Change Campaign Committee (aka "Bold Progressives"), it exposes the masochistic contradiction at the core of "progressive" politics: proclaiming marital fidelity to Liz Warren's principles, while secretly enthralled to "dominatrix" Clinton.
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Tuesday, November 18, 2014
Rejecting Clinton for Warren Is Climate's ONLY Hope With this article, I officially drop my push for Sanders as president in favor of Elizabeth Warren, who's now dropped hints she might run. While Bernie remains as deserving as ever, any political realist knows that Warren, as Democrats' rising superstar--and potential first woman president to boot--is far more electable. This article logically argues why Naomi Klein's followers URGENTLY need to demand Warren's candidacy.
Tuesday, November 18, 2014Rejecting Clinton for Warren Is Climate's ONLY Hope With this article, I officially drop my push for Sanders as president in favor of Elizabeth Warren, who's now dropped hints she might run. While Bernie remains as deserving as ever, any political realist knows that Warren, as Democrats' rising superstar--and potential first woman president to boot--is far more electable. This article logically argues why Naomi Klein's followers URGENTLY need to demand Warren's candidacy.
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Thursday, October 30, 2014
Life Beyond Bullsh*t: Of Bernie and Blackmail As noted in the previous piece in this OEN series ("Democrats' Deadly Electoral Disease: Deep State Bullshit"), bullsh*t is now the chief component of U.S. political discourse. Specifically, bullsh*t policies and policy talk dictated--to BOTH parties--by our sinister shadow government, the Deep State. With our climate crisis menacing human survival, "it's time to take the bullsh*t by the horns"-- by a BLACKMAIL pledge.
Series: Bernie's Donkeys: Rebranding Democrats as Sanders' Party (3 Articles, 5165 views)
Thursday, October 30, 2014Life Beyond Bullsh*t: Of Bernie and Blackmail As noted in the previous piece in this OEN series ("Democrats' Deadly Electoral Disease: Deep State Bullshit"), bullsh*t is now the chief component of U.S. political discourse. Specifically, bullsh*t policies and policy talk dictated--to BOTH parties--by our sinister shadow government, the Deep State. With our climate crisis menacing human survival, "it's time to take the bullsh*t by the horns"-- by a BLACKMAIL pledge.
Series: Bernie's Donkeys: Rebranding Democrats as Sanders' Party (3 Articles, 5165 views)
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Monday, October 20, 2014
Democrats' Deadly Electoral Disease: "Deep State Bullshit" I NEVER expected my previous OEN article, "THIS Changes Everything: Bernie as Dems' New FDR," to parent a whole SERIES. But some brainstorming--fueled by warm reader response--soon evolved a full-blown political strategy. My sunshiny "Bernie as Dems' new FDR" vision was the motivational WHY; the rest of my series is the strategic HOW. Here, I diagnose "what's rotten in Demmark"--the daunting party hurdle Bernie must clear.
Series: Bernie's Donkeys: Rebranding Democrats as Sanders' Party (3 Articles, 5165 views)
Monday, October 20, 2014Democrats' Deadly Electoral Disease: "Deep State Bullshit" I NEVER expected my previous OEN article, "THIS Changes Everything: Bernie as Dems' New FDR," to parent a whole SERIES. But some brainstorming--fueled by warm reader response--soon evolved a full-blown political strategy. My sunshiny "Bernie as Dems' new FDR" vision was the motivational WHY; the rest of my series is the strategic HOW. Here, I diagnose "what's rotten in Demmark"--the daunting party hurdle Bernie must clear.
Series: Bernie's Donkeys: Rebranding Democrats as Sanders' Party (3 Articles, 5165 views)
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Monday, October 13, 2014
THIS Changes Everything: Bernie as Dems' New FDR As Naomi Klein memorably demonstrates in "This Changes Everything," a better world--or global apocalypse--IS truly possible. But the price of that better world is a RADICAL transformation of our societies and economy. I here propose a political roadmap to the beginnings of that better world: Democrats--led by Bernie Sanders, their new FDR-- seizing overthrow of Citizens United as their "killer" 2016 issue.
Series: Bernie's Donkeys: Rebranding Democrats as Sanders' Party (3 Articles, 5165 views)
Monday, October 13, 2014THIS Changes Everything: Bernie as Dems' New FDR As Naomi Klein memorably demonstrates in "This Changes Everything," a better world--or global apocalypse--IS truly possible. But the price of that better world is a RADICAL transformation of our societies and economy. I here propose a political roadmap to the beginnings of that better world: Democrats--led by Bernie Sanders, their new FDR-- seizing overthrow of Citizens United as their "killer" 2016 issue.
Series: Bernie's Donkeys: Rebranding Democrats as Sanders' Party (3 Articles, 5165 views)
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Wednesday, October 1, 2014
A Killer Progressive Strategy: "Primary-Only Democrats" Due to climate change, the very fate of human civilization depends on progressives gaining control of government. A daunting task in U.S. politics, since progressives are represented scarcely at all. Here's a RADICAL strategy proposal for increasing progressive power that I, for one, have never heard anyone else suggest.
Wednesday, October 1, 2014A Killer Progressive Strategy: "Primary-Only Democrats" Due to climate change, the very fate of human civilization depends on progressives gaining control of government. A daunting task in U.S. politics, since progressives are represented scarcely at all. Here's a RADICAL strategy proposal for increasing progressive power that I, for one, have never heard anyone else suggest.
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Friday, July 25, 2014
Citizens United: NOT about Speech, but Its Perversion--Propaganda Here's a truly novel--and perhaps more deeply penetrating--critique of Citizens United. My RADICAL argument focuses not on the Court's confused notions that corporations are people or that dollars equal speech, but on the debased NATURE of the speech those dollars go to buy. That "speech" is mass PROPAGANDA, and the twentieth century's worst horrors should have taught us how incompatible such "speech" is with frail democracy.
Friday, July 25, 2014Citizens United: NOT about Speech, but Its Perversion--Propaganda Here's a truly novel--and perhaps more deeply penetrating--critique of Citizens United. My RADICAL argument focuses not on the Court's confused notions that corporations are people or that dollars equal speech, but on the debased NATURE of the speech those dollars go to buy. That "speech" is mass PROPAGANDA, and the twentieth century's worst horrors should have taught us how incompatible such "speech" is with frail democracy.
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Friday, July 11, 2014
With a Planet to Save, Let's Elect a Uterus! Martin Luther King's REAL dream--which our pols and press conspire to make us forget--is that ALL people should be judged not by the color of their skin, but the content of their character. Liberals' failure to apply King's true vision to Barack Obama was an EPIC fail and, given his Biblical universalism, he would presumably wish us to apply the same "character" standard to Hillary Clinton. But will we just "vote uterus"?
Friday, July 11, 2014With a Planet to Save, Let's Elect a Uterus! Martin Luther King's REAL dream--which our pols and press conspire to make us forget--is that ALL people should be judged not by the color of their skin, but the content of their character. Liberals' failure to apply King's true vision to Barack Obama was an EPIC fail and, given his Biblical universalism, he would presumably wish us to apply the same "character" standard to Hillary Clinton. But will we just "vote uterus"?
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Wednesday, July 2, 2014
Police State Populism: The Absurd Lipstick on Hillary's Capitalist Pig Despite focusing on Hillary Clinton, this article IMPORTANTLY follows up my attempt to build an Occupy for Bernie movement. Indirectly, it's a near-manifesto for that movement, sharpening its focus to not merely electing Bernie Sanders, but to making his outspoken candidacy the ideal pretext for popular revolt against the lethal hypocrisy of U.S. public discourse. As embodied by Hillary--who merits a lipsticked-pig mascot.
Wednesday, July 2, 2014Police State Populism: The Absurd Lipstick on Hillary's Capitalist Pig Despite focusing on Hillary Clinton, this article IMPORTANTLY follows up my attempt to build an Occupy for Bernie movement. Indirectly, it's a near-manifesto for that movement, sharpening its focus to not merely electing Bernie Sanders, but to making his outspoken candidacy the ideal pretext for popular revolt against the lethal hypocrisy of U.S. public discourse. As embodied by Hillary--who merits a lipsticked-pig mascot.
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Saturday, June 7, 2014
"Occupy for Bernie" Could Literally Rewrite History Here's an article of grandiose ambitions; it seeks to create--at least on paper, until grassroots supporters make it REAL--a much-needed reincarnation of Occupy Wall Street from thin air. Read here how "Occupy for Bernie" is not only Occupy's best way forward--but the key to a corrective rewrite of history totally vindicating the movement. And exposing the illegitimacy of the police state that crushed it.
Saturday, June 7, 2014"Occupy for Bernie" Could Literally Rewrite History Here's an article of grandiose ambitions; it seeks to create--at least on paper, until grassroots supporters make it REAL--a much-needed reincarnation of Occupy Wall Street from thin air. Read here how "Occupy for Bernie" is not only Occupy's best way forward--but the key to a corrective rewrite of history totally vindicating the movement. And exposing the illegitimacy of the police state that crushed it.
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Monday, June 2, 2014
The Left's Dangerous, Self-Defeating Lie: Democrats = Republicans The political left has, in recent years, compiled a regrettable history of shooting itself in the foot. If we wish to end that pattern and strategize successfully, we must see reality as it is--and above all, avoid basing our strategy on LIES, like saying "Democrats are the same as Republicans." While FAR from perfect, they're simply NOT, and failing to see this may stymie strategic exploitation of REAL fissures among Dems.
Monday, June 2, 2014The Left's Dangerous, Self-Defeating Lie: Democrats = Republicans The political left has, in recent years, compiled a regrettable history of shooting itself in the foot. If we wish to end that pattern and strategize successfully, we must see reality as it is--and above all, avoid basing our strategy on LIES, like saying "Democrats are the same as Republicans." While FAR from perfect, they're simply NOT, and failing to see this may stymie strategic exploitation of REAL fissures among Dems.
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Wednesday, May 28, 2014
"Lesser of Two Evils" Voting: Progressives' Most URGENT Debate No strategic question seems more urgent for progressives than the validity and usefulness of "lesser of two evils" voting. I here attempt a badly needed honest appraisal of the LOTE question--and arrive at a novel solution involving BOTH LOTE voting and peaceful street revolt. And I drop a hint--to be pursued in future articles--about the nature and aims of that revolt. CLUE: It's called "Occupy for Bernie."
Wednesday, May 28, 2014"Lesser of Two Evils" Voting: Progressives' Most URGENT Debate No strategic question seems more urgent for progressives than the validity and usefulness of "lesser of two evils" voting. I here attempt a badly needed honest appraisal of the LOTE question--and arrive at a novel solution involving BOTH LOTE voting and peaceful street revolt. And I drop a hint--to be pursued in future articles--about the nature and aims of that revolt. CLUE: It's called "Occupy for Bernie."
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Tuesday, May 20, 2014
Thom Hartmann's Insane Political Strategy: Whitewashing Cancerous Democrats Today's Russians frequently say Marx was right in everything he said about capitalism, and wrong in everything he said about communism. Thom Hartmann's recent popular OpEdNews article is similar: penetratingly insightful in everything it says about Republicans, but MISLEADINGLY IRRESPONSIBLE in everything it OMITS to say about Democrats. I here seek to correct his DANGEROUS imbalance.
Tuesday, May 20, 2014Thom Hartmann's Insane Political Strategy: Whitewashing Cancerous Democrats Today's Russians frequently say Marx was right in everything he said about capitalism, and wrong in everything he said about communism. Thom Hartmann's recent popular OpEdNews article is similar: penetratingly insightful in everything it says about Republicans, but MISLEADINGLY IRRESPONSIBLE in everything it OMITS to say about Democrats. I here seek to correct his DANGEROUS imbalance.
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Wednesday, May 14, 2014
Republicans' Unconscious Ideology: God Is a Sadistic Prick Here I explore the possible basis of Republicans' heartless social ideology--that behind their social and political beliefs is a God not of Jesus but of the Protestant ethic, who is NOT a loving Father, but a sadistic Cosmic Prick. And therefore unworthy of worship. If the Left took religion seriously enough to question the religious validity of Republicans' God, we might undermine the harsh ideology this God supports.
Wednesday, May 14, 2014Republicans' Unconscious Ideology: God Is a Sadistic Prick Here I explore the possible basis of Republicans' heartless social ideology--that behind their social and political beliefs is a God not of Jesus but of the Protestant ethic, who is NOT a loving Father, but a sadistic Cosmic Prick. And therefore unworthy of worship. If the Left took religion seriously enough to question the religious validity of Republicans' God, we might undermine the harsh ideology this God supports.
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Sunday, May 11, 2014
Piketty, Meet Orwell: Why Modern Oligarchy MUST Turn Fascist Though an essay of ideas, this op-ed is really NEWS. I'm the first writer I know of to publicly argue that Orwell is the other side of Piketty--that only logical conclusion to the encroaching global oligarchy Piketty portrays is Orwell's nightmare vision of "a boot stamping on a human face forever." It's all a question of legitimacy--and sadly, our U.S. oligarchy retains enough supporters to carry out its fascist designs.
Sunday, May 11, 2014Piketty, Meet Orwell: Why Modern Oligarchy MUST Turn Fascist Though an essay of ideas, this op-ed is really NEWS. I'm the first writer I know of to publicly argue that Orwell is the other side of Piketty--that only logical conclusion to the encroaching global oligarchy Piketty portrays is Orwell's nightmare vision of "a boot stamping on a human face forever." It's all a question of legitimacy--and sadly, our U.S. oligarchy retains enough supporters to carry out its fascist designs.
