That’s the non-electoralism argument yes. Which is basically where I am (not because of this book. I’ve been here for years. Probably since like 2008 when Obama literally lied to my face. Definitely since 2016 when the DNC subverted any notion of a democratic process)

There’s some argument which I can’t fully dismiss though for electoralism. There’s a bunch of ideas obviously surrounding it, but I imagine if collations of “normal people” were banded together and successfully elected people let’s say like AOC or Omar and then those reps said “I will only represent the true interests of the people” basically and then did it. That means vocally voting against Israel money, all DoD spending, any cuts to social programs, etc. you get the idea. Just do it every time and then tell their constituents and the country, to whatever degree they can, what they did and why. The theory then is this resistance to the status quo would grow. Seeing a minority of technically unsuccessful but highly principled politicians always voting exactly how they promised, never compromising, without inspire new runners and shame incumbents. Eventually you get a majority or sizable part of the minority and can force concessions at which point a land slide of support comes and the nation goes full socdem and ground is laid for even further socialism.

So that’s my best case idea. Now how do you do literally any of that when even the “best” politicians we can get, I’d say those are currently Omar and Tlaib at the federal level, aren’t really meaningfully on path? I dunno. How do you overcome AIPAC money and the might of every politician who is bought coming down on a small group? Again, don’t know. I mean I have thoughts, but I don’t think it’s plausible.

This also all ignores the giant elephant in the room of “how would the MIC react to legitimate pushback?” Arguably, debatably, Kennedy was killed for even the slight suggestion of destroying the CIA after they embarrassed him with the bay of pigs. So, you know, who knows on that front.