Ep 360 Larry Cohen on No Kings and Beyond: Tactics, Strategy, and Goals

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21d ago 1:13:47

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Episode 360 of RevolutionZ has Larry Cohen, former president of the 600,000 strong Communication Workers of America and current board chair of Our Revolution who has spent five decades organizing workers and pushing democratic reforms inside and outside the Democratic Party to assess No Kings and explore possible future directions for it and of resistance to Trump's fascist agenda. Larry emphasizes the need to organize across differences, to change the rules that block action, and to deliver material wins that build trust.
He reveals how the No Kings mobilization surged and what it will take to convert mass turnout into durable power. He names the real opponent—the oligarchy that spans billionaires, technocrats, and captured politicians—and shows how Senate procedures, a monarchic judiciary, and dark money in primaries stop popular policies from getting passed. Instead of living forever on defense, he talks offense: defund the oligarchs, fund the people. Cut bloated military spending, expand early childhood education, long-term care, and health coverage. Enforce bargaining rights so Starbucks and Amazon can’t stall contracts for years. Take concrete steps toward Medicare for All by lowering eligibility and slashing administrative waste.
But the discussion also addresses the prospects and methods of immediate organizing and protest. Youth, minority, and labor participation. A weekday No Kings. A trajectory from five-minute stoppages to national strikes. Campus feeder marches into No Kings outpourings. All to evidence and rebuild the muscle of collective action.

Larry explains from his own experiences at every level from precincts and union struggles to revealing conversations with Barack Obama the horrid flaws and important potentials of electoral activism. He describes how to engage without contempt union members who voted for Trump by focusing on efficacy and tangible gains. He discusses the difference between Trump getting many (horrible) things done. Action. And Democrats getting little to nothing done. Abdication. He points to Obama squandering electoral support and a supportive Senate and House with do-nothingism. And he digs into party reform: blocking dark and corporate money from primaries, enforcing endorsements of primary winners, building coalitions with unaffiliated voters where Democrats can’t win and more. Larry urges that the goal ishould be better delivery not better messaging. So this episode is about moving from protest to power.

What weekday action by No Kings would you like to join next, rally, march, civil disobedience, or what?

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Chapters

1. Guest Intro And Movement Context (00:00:00)

2. Why No Kings Grew And What It Means (00:01:04)

3. Youth, Campuses, And Organizing Gaps (00:04:15)

4. From Resistance To Strategy For Change (00:06:48)

5. Defining The Oligarchy And The Stakes (00:10:14)

6. Military Spending, Medicare For All, And Offense (00:13:20)

7. Democracy’s Blockages: Courts And Senate Rules (00:17:36)

8. Action Over Messaging And Missed Democratic Majorities (00:23:12)

9. Why Reforms Stalled: Money, Rules, And Leadership (00:28:24)

10. Could A Bernie-Led Coalition Change The Rules (00:34:48)

11. GOP Radicalization And Primary Money (00:40:12)

12. Labor Power, Weekday Actions, And Strikes (00:45:20)

13. Talking To Workers Who Back Trump (00:50:16)

14. Concrete Wins, Affordability, And Bargaining For All (00:55:28)

15. Party Reform To Block Dark Money (01:00:32)

16. Closing Thoughts And Next Steps (01:12:00)

369 episodes

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