In These Times

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• • 30 Jul 05
  • 7:30 pm

  I see the split positively. One of the biggest mistakes american labor ever did was the so called to two party solution. Rather than fight for a labor party of its own it decided its strategy would be to play the two corporate parties off of each other. The AFL-CIO played a central role in this policy. Most of labors money at present should go to organizing. Any electoral money should be clear and specific. Candidate A supports universal healthcare, living wage, fair trade, overturning anti union legislation etc. Labor refuses to endorse any candidate who will not stand on those …

  Posted to Labor Split a Mixed Bag

• • 31 Jul 05
  • 7:40 am

  The Democratic Party is not nor has ever been a labor party. Jane Doe, it sounds as if you'd like the same 2 party solution that got the AFL-CIO into the bind it is in know. Jane Doe, masses taking over party is never that simple. The religious right taking over the Republicans needed to give up any conception of ecomonic populism. Not a fair trade IMHO My point is labor should not support the demopublican party as a whole, but rather support candidates that will adhere to a clear and specific labor platform. Labor would not compete directly against the …

  Posted to Labor Split a Mixed Bag

• • 01 Aug 05
  • 10:59 pm

  It seems to me there are pleanty enough parties already. The task is to see what we can do to nurture them. The saddest moment of the 2004 election to me was having several thousands of voters cheering on Kerry. It was such a waste, so many good soul, wasted on someone who didn't stand for anything. What I think is needed is a system where there are multi-parties that do not directly compete with each other. A system where there are dual party affiliations for those candidates who really care about progressive issues. For such a system to be successful …

  Posted to Labor Split a Mixed Bag

• • 03 Aug 05
  • 4:48 pm

  A wonderful argument. We have a corupt system that discourages 3rd parties, as a result 3rd parties fail, so we should put our energy into the one party system. What this misses is the New Deal was a third party platform not the Dems. Roosevelt had no support from "liberals" in getting this passed in 1932, but it came from labor and the socialists. Here are few simple things that can be done; 1.States deal out electoral votes proportionally rather than winner take all. 2. Third parties do not have to fulfill greater requirements than the state sanctioned parties. 3. A …

  Posted to Labor Split a Mixed Bag

• • 03 Aug 05
  • 9:31 pm

  I am in full agreement. Thanks for the clarification.

  Posted to Labor Split a Mixed Bag