I tend to focus on direct action over electoral politics, but of course one way to effect change is through the normal process of campaigning and voting. The problem in our two-party system is that the Democrats can generally count on progressive voters, if only through the fear that voting for an alternative candidate will aid the GOP.
However, we cannot be afraid to press our points and even exercise some political muscle.
Perhaps it's a dicey proposition to not support the Democratic nominee for President, but at the district level the danger is less and our efforts to chip away at the partisan duopoly can even be more successful.
So how about taking a page from the 50 State Strategy? Enter Full Court Press:
435 Democratic Primaries 2012*
It’s quite simple. We strongly believe in the following 5 points:
* WPA-style jobs program — create jobs by CREATING JOBS!
* Medicare available for all
* Repeal Hyde Amendment, vote no on any bill with Stupak or Nelson-like language
* Repeal DOMA, DADT, support gay marriage
* U.S. out of Iraq and Afghanistan
They reflect the needs and desires of the Democratic Party’s progressive base. The principles of you and me. And yet our officials ignore them, not just as individuals, but as a party, en masse. They try to blame individuals, if it weren’t for Stupak, if it weren’t for Nelson. Yet the Democrats in Congress — both House and Senate — have said yes to a version of the healthcare bill that includes either the Stupak or the Nelson amendments. They have said it is okay to throw women’s Right to Choose under the bus.
They vote funds for ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. They are not fighting for the federal government to actually create jobs by creating jobs. The Democratic Party has not repealed the Defense of Marriage Act or Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, when they have had the power to do so.
SO WE TAKE THESE POINTS TO THE POLITICIANS
In every congressional district with a Democratic incumbent, we ask her
or him whether she or he supports those points. In writing. All 5.
If they say yes, we support them. If they do not, or if it is not a
Democratic seat, we file in the Democratic congressional primary. We
get the signatures, we do the paperwork, we pay the filing fee, We run
on those points.
The bottom line is to have at least one FCP candidate on the primary ballot in every district.
They're also exploring possibly fielding candidates in 2010, but the short-term goal is to make Full Court Press a "household word" this year, then in 2011 recruit candidates and building the necessary campaign support structure for 2012.
Let's assert ourselves and no longer be dominated by "centrist" hegemony.
ntodd