Blocking Authoritarianism: Steps Nonprofits and Foundations Must Take | Nonprofit Quarterly | Civic News. Empowering Nonprofits. Advancing Justice.

"When we sat down with the organizers, one of my mentors asked them, "Who are the people that can pick up the phone, call the governor, and know that, nine times out of ten, he will do whatever they ask?" This may sound like a strange question to ask, but the reality-which too many don't know and too many in power don't want revealed-is that these people exist throughout our polity at the local, state, and national levels."

"They don't just exist. They dominate, control, manipulate, and exploit communities for their own benefit and profit. Be it gambling in Nevada, Big Tech in the Bay Area, oil and gas in Texas, or insurance in Connecticut, big players in these powerful industries are our local oligarchs. They get what they want regardless of which party is in power because both parties are beholden to them."

"Because to have any chance of getting elected officials to show fidelity to the people instead of the oligarchs and stop the nation's slide into racist authoritarianism, this is where it starts. Answering this question is the first step in building a power analysis based in reality instead of mythology. Until we are honest about who rules America, it is nearly impossible to build an effective movement of change capable of taking on the entrenched power dynamics that are destroying communities across the country."

In 2013, local Detroit organizers sought to protect essential community services during the city's bankruptcy. A mentor asked which people could call the governor and reliably get whatever they requested. Such powerful individuals exist at local, state, and national levels and dominate political outcomes. They control and exploit communities for profit across industries like gambling, Big Tech, oil and gas, and insurance. Both major parties answer to these local oligarchs, so elected officials rarely prioritize the people's interests. Building effective resistance requires an honest power analysis identifying who rules America and confronting entrenched power dynamics.

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