I was recently thinking of running for office within my locality. I would probably have to run under the purview of the Democratic party purely because of the outreach and funding. However, I despise the Democratic Party and have felt we need to do away with it due to it's radioactive nature (especially within my y'all queda red territory). In my eyes now there are no good politicians as there are no good cops. I feel as though working within the systems rules has become cyclical. We have to work with what we are given because it is all we have, democrats get elected, nothing drastically changes, rinse and repeat. Each local position is restrained in ehat they can do.
I had went to this town hall meeting where ex democrat representatives were speaking (our currently elected republican representatives are not holding town halls so these ex-representatives stepped up to listen to people's concerns) about a month ago and spoke my piece about organizing and making sure your neighbors are ok. I also spoke on organizing a general strike. That seemed to resonate with a lot of people. I had many people come up to me after and tell me I should run for office immediately. Especially because of how young I am. Though I am conflicted.
I feel as though we needed to create a new party, but now we don't have time for that type of organization. Climate change is a real threat that isn't talked about and engaged with as much as it needs to be. Time is running out. I feel as though now is the time to build up grassroots mutual aid movements to make people less reliant on the systems in place (growing food, talking to neighbors and making sure they are ok, etc.) However, there is still some part of me that is screaming these positions are important only because of the potential opponents that can take the reigns instead.
So my question is comrades, do we keep working within the cyclical bounds of the system, do we ditch it and focus on your community, do we do both?
Thank you for your time.
The power of an individual politician is very small, especially if you're known for betraying your party. It's much better to join with a good party and make ground through party building than it is to get into office and then be crippled by having no party to support you. Entryism largely doesn't work.
Eh. While that is true if you want to change an established party, it isn't true if you want improve society somewhat. As an elected-official at any level, you have more power and influence then a citizen, and no matter how little power you have, your presence in the body politic means that you have access to others in that body. There are plenty of things that a government does that require it's elected members to agree to do. As one of those members you have leverage that can be used to help make good things happen, or to soften the bad things that happen, and these are opportunities you don't have if you aren't a part of that system.
Plus you can absolutely "party build" while being an elected official.
The system is deliberately designed to prevent radical change from within. If you do not toe the party line of the DNC or GOP, you are punished. Rather than trying to engage as a rogue agent, it is better to join a committed party and practice Democratic Centralism. A unified force is far stronger than scattered and directionless force, even if said force is done of good will.
If you aren't in office your "committed party" may as well be a d&d group, you'd have more fun while accomplishing exactly the same thing.
Most Socialist parties focus more on labor organizing and protesting than getting into office, because the system itself is designed against radical change. PSL is a revolutionary party, as an example, though it also fronts candidates for office.
But again, nothing is precluding an elected official from also organizing.
The most an elected Socialist could do is barely cripple the position, they don't have the power to change the system. It is much better to actually focus all of that effort on organizing, including pushing candidates the party chooses if they do so.