A Viable Third Party
As I said some time back, we may just be waiting for someone to come up with a good third party name for it to get off the ground. It looks like it is here: The Progressive Independent Party.
From the website:
We are on the brink of a very big movement, the “political revolution” as Bernie Sanders calls it, and one which we are preparing for; right here, right now. And although there are no guarantees which way the wind may blow by the time of the general election, we all know “in our bones” it’s time to take our government back, it’s time to finally have a vibrant, exciting, VIABLE third party in this country, a place where many of us who feel disenfranchised; Progressives, Greens, Democratic Socialists, Independents, and frustrated Democrats and Republicans alike, can feel empowered in the promise of democracy in our county.
From Bernie Sanders Just Paved The Way For The Largest Progressive Coalition In History:
That platform is now being picked up by the Progressive Independent Party, and their popularity is growing because of it. PIP has currently garnered over 40,000 followers, 15,000 signatures and a quarter-million combined social media reach weekly! Those are astonishing numbers for a grassroots party founded only four months ago without large donor funding or any mainstream media presence. Over 1,500 volunteers have already signed up all across the nation to help further PIP’s unifying cause. Large, grassroots organizations have also signed on to support PIP, including Demand Universal Health Care, Black Lives Matter, and the Justice Party with others expected to join following the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia July 25th-28th.
...
PIP’s purpose is to build upon the movement Bernie started, uniting the progressive factions to create a truly competitive and viable third party for many elections to come. On July 24th, the day before the convention begins, PIP is coordinating rallies in Salt Lake City, Utah and Albany, New York to raise support and awareness of the party’s objectives. In addition to having a visible presence during the convention, they will compile a PIP endorsement list of candidates running for office this November. This list, curated by a dedicated team of PIP volunteers, will include good, progressive candidates regardless of political affiliation, further demonstrating the organization’s willingness to unite beyond partisanship. By 2018, they plan to have PIP candidates on the ballot for national office as well as a viable presidential candidate in 2020. This is precisely the type of grassroots organizing Bernie Sanders was calling for when he told us to stand and fight against the corrupting moneyed interests that dominate politics.
[emphasis in original]
It would be worth reading the entire article and visiting the website. Bringing together the individual grassroots groups together under one umbrella is a huge factor in getting a new progressive party started and in making it a viable challenger to the established one-party system we currently enjoy *cough*.
Comments
It already has a name. It's called The Green Party
And membership is soaring along with donations. You might want to check them out.
I agree this is the only viable
alternative for now,they have an infrastructure and are ready to go.
Plus Green is a known brand
People already sort of know what they are about. That is gold in the modern world.
We can’t save the world by playing by the rules, because the rules have to be changed.
- Greta Thunberg
The only problem with the "Known Brand"
(FTR I joined the Green Party recently myself)
The only problem I see with the Green Party is twofold, one, many people are predisposed against them because of their more radical elements (not that they are that radical by my opinion by and large) and the potential for infighting as while our agendas align more than they don't we run the risk of being considered "Interlopers".
I am 100% behind building and supporting the green party but I love the idea of a a new progressive party as well. We will need to build a coallition to fight against the two right wing parties that we currently are stuck with so I don't see the creation of new party as a bad thing.
I agree for the 2016 cycle we need to support the greens completely but we also need to be working on a new party that comes with no preconceived notions.
Really like the name too, "Independent" in the title may go a long way towards bringing in those that currently are not affiliated with either party as well as making it abundantly clear that it is indeed independent, both of the two parties and from corporate interests.
I support this 100% and will be checking them out.
"I used to vote Republican & Democrat, I also used to shit my pants. Eventually I got smart enough to stop doing both things." -Me
For this November,
the Green Party is the only otpion. For the mid-terms, I think the Greens need a face-life and rebranding. I sort of like Socialist Democratic Party. People will recognize it and tie it directly to Bernie - no explanations needed. It would be his platform, including less war.
"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon
Why not just the Progressive Party?
Keep it simple, like Republican, Democratic, Libertarian
We could refer to ourselves as Progs. We'd inherit our own music genre and a lot of great aspirational music.
And if Hillary gets elected, we could sing:
Adding Independent on it, yes it's to try to get "independents" but if they join, then they aren't independent anymore.
I expect it will be some combination of the Greens, plus PIP, plus whatever Bernie officially creates melding into one.
But it should be one word. Green, Progressive, Socialist, Whig--OK, not Whig
In my third party dreams, I've long wanted to have the "American Party". Then all of it's members would be Americans and those who opposed us would be Un-American.
If the Republicans insist on dropping the 'ic' and having a Democrat party because they don't like the implication that the opposing party is un-Democratic, think what the American party will do to them.
____________________________________________________________________________
"I'm not interested in preserving the status quo; I want to overthrow it. "
-Niccolo Machiavelli
"Sorry Hillary"
-TheJerry
Clever! The American party! If you don't join us, you're
un-American! Ha!
I like the Pootie Party. Or Puddy. Or Putty. What's more purrgressive and independent than cats?
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I too like "American" party! Who can say they aren't American?
Ha! It also reminds me of "The Human Fund" for any Seinfeld alums. Perhaps it should be called The Human Party.
I actually don't like Progressive party, but only because Progressive, like Liberal, has been turned into a dirty word. I strongly believe there are many on the right who are not idealogues, but believe the GOP will look out for their economic interests better. That it is patently false doesn't change that belief. And maybe they have a point, as the Democratic Party is no better at taking care of the 99%. If we had a more generic name for the party, we could win those people, too, and have a clear majority. It needs to be a party of the 99% - both right and left.
I like the People's Party, too, for that reason.
New Progressive Party
There was already a Progressive Party in the past. New Progressive Party says it all, yet doesn't imply "socialism", which many people (wrongly) equate with communism because they are ill-informed. I think that in the main, we are progressives, as is Bernie.
Not sure that PIP will work right now
But would love to see parties eventually coalesce into a party of parties. Views that may often times differ, but there being actual discussion on those differences and a goal of working together.
People Party.
Been there, done that
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People%27s_Party_(United_States)
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Both "Democratic" and "Republican" were recycles
from the original "Democratic-Republican Party". So don't worry so much about originality.
There is no justice. There can be no peace.
Actions speak louder than words, but words matter
Interesting
"PIP has currently garnered over 40,000 followers, 15,000 signatures and a quarter-million combined social media reach weekly! Those are astonishing numbers for a grassroots party founded only four months ago ..."
Those are real world, notable actions, and you would think Independents and Progressives would be supportive and enthusiastic. But what I've learned from the Internet is humans are contrary; whatever anybody says on the Internet, out of the billions of possible responses, the first responses will usually be some variation of, "Wrong/Won't work."
Many comments point out existing or previous parties (which have existing baggage):
the Green Party - existing structure, (but existing baggage is the perception as a wussy, crunchy granola loser)
People's Party/Progressive party - the People's Party was a noble attempt in 1896 that I have just studied extensively, (because all this has happened before,) they actually promoted cooperatives and repudiated capitalism:
Everything humans do gets boiled down to a bumper sticker, (this comment right here might as well be "War and Peace," and the response will of course be, "Wrong/Won't work.")
In the end, humans will call a People's Party or a Progressive Party by the initials, "Pee Pee," which is not good.
PIP is good, Green Pee Pee is bad.
Sometimes I think the entire reason for the Internet, GreyWolf
is to give people a place to reflexively say "Wrong! Won't work! Fake! Photoshopped!"
I also think the Left is generally defeatist, with good reason, but we need to get over that. Nothing is ever gained by not trying.
"Nothing is ever gained by not trying."
I agree, that is why I find the PIP effort comendable.
(And disheartening that the "Wrong! Won't work!" crowd is, yet again, winning the day.)
Edit: (i meant to remark) i find it remarkable that you actually capitalized the proper noun 'Internet'
PIP has a lot of positive connotations
My first thought was regarding the character Pip in Dickens' Great Expectations, a tale of moral regeneration and the triumph of good over evil
Does this description of the novel's Miss Havisham remind you of a particular situation?
My second thought was a Progressive Independent would be initialized as PI, the infinite number.
PS. I wasn't going to respond to any comments in this thread becasue of the Wrong/Won't work attitude that I hear so often here as well as other places. However, I, obviously, did so anyway. = )
I would recommend that people study some of what is termed Great Literature as it teaches one to listen and reflect as well as to think outside of the box...three traits that are underrepresented and undervalued in our current world.
We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.--Aristotle
If there is no struggle there is no progress.--Frederick Douglass