A New US People's Party?

[lpetrich]

The original one was the  People's Party (United States) in the late 19th cy.

The Ocala Demands laid out the Populist platform: collective bargaining, federal regulation of railroad rates, an expansionary monetary policy, and a Sub-Treasury Plan that required the establishment of federally controlled warehouses to aid farmers. Other Populist-endorsed measures included bimetallism, a graduated income tax, direct election of Senators, a shorter workweek, and the establishment of a postal savings system. These measures were collectively designed to curb the influence of corporate and financial interests and empower small farmers and laborers.

But recently, former NY-12 challenger Lauren Ashcraft teased us about something with her Twitter feed.

Lauren Ashcraft on Twitter: "Exciting announcement tomorrow! " / Twitter - Aug 20
She clarified.

This announcement is not an announcement about me running for anything right now lol. Love you all and I appreciate your support for my future camapaigning!

Please forgive me - it will be announced Monday then I can share
Timing is something out of my control but can not wait to share

Well... I’m learning a lot of lessons about pre-announcing exciting things lol. I hope you’ll all forgive me when I can finally say it, whenever that is (I won’t estimate it anymore)

Then on Aug 25, she made her announcement.
Lauren Ashcraft on Twitter: "ITS OFFICIAL! I can spill the beans on my “big announcement!” I’m going to speak at the @4aPeoplesParty convention!
I’m so honored and excited! Please all come and watch!" / Twitter
noting
Movement for a People’s Party on Twitter: "BREAKING: @mrdannyglover and @ChrisLynnHedges will speak at The People's Convention.
They will be joined by former Democratic congressional candidates.
More than 12,000 people have registered for what is becoming a watershed moment in American politics. https://t.co/ZMjN8vJl6N" / Twitter
noting
Danny Glover, Chris Hedges and former progressive Democratic Party candidates speak at People's Convention

Said Ashcraft: “Time and time again I have seen the Democratic Party leadership ignore the policies that the majority of Americans want and desperately need. By comparison, the People’s Party is the brand new party of truth-tellers, people who don’t pull their punches, people whose goal is to better the lives of everyday people.”

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Oh goody, the Green Party is... I mean the People's Party is here to help split the left-wing vote. Hopefully it'll shift the Democrats to the left like it didn't in 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, and 2016.

 

[lpetrich]

Homepage: MPP - The People's Party
currently promoting
The People's Convention on August 30, 2020

Join us on Sunday, August 30, from 4-7 pm Eastern Time for The People’s Convention.

The Convention will be digital and broadcast live to YouTube, Facebook and Twitter pages with millions of subscribers and followers. Sign up for more information and updates.

So one won't have be physically present in it.

Our vision is a major new progressive populist party that will deliver what regular people take for granted in so many other countries: single-payer health care, free public college, money out of politics, an infrastructure jobs program, a $15 minimum wage, financial regulations, and more.

...
When the pandemic hit, the Democrats and Republicans spent trillions of dollars bailing out Wall Street while leaving tens of millions of people unable to afford food and housing. Movement for a People’s Party, along with our partner organizations, led more than fifty rallies, on two different Saturdays in July, to let members of Congress know: “Do the right thing, help the people, or we will evict you from office!”

The Movement for a People’s Party continues to stand in solidarity with the communities whose pain and struggle have been deeply exacerbated these past few months.

 

[lpetrich]

Here are some of the participants in this virtual conference:

Dr. Cornel West
Professor of the Practice of Public Philosophy at Harvard University and Professor Emeritus at Princeton University. Author of 20 books and commentator on CNN. Bernie 2020 surrogate and co-host of the Tight Rope Podcast

Sen. Nina Turner
National co-chair of the Bernie Sanders 2020 presidential campaign. Host of the Hello Somebody Podcast. Former President of Our Revolution. Served Ohio in the state senate and Cleveland in the city council. Former professor of African American history

Marianne Williamson
Author, spiritual leader, activist, Democratic presidential candidate in 2020. Has written 13 books and multiple NYT bestsellers. Co-founder of the Peace Alliance.

Sen. Mike Gravel
Former U.S. Senator from Alaska. Democratic Presidential Candidate in 2020 and 2008. Read the Pentagon Papers into the public record. Founder of The National Citizens Initiative for Democracy, for direct democracy in America.

Danny Glover
Award-winning actor and activist. UNICEF Ambassador. Former Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Development Program. Recipient of multiple NAACP awards and Emmy nominations. Supporter of many unions, including postal unions. Bernie 2020 surrogate.

Chris Hedges
Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist, former foreign correspondent, Middle East Bureau Chief and Balkan Bureau Chief at the New York Times. Author of several best-selling books, writes for many national publications, and is host of the Emmy Award*–winning RT America show On Contact.

Jimmy Dore
Stand up comedian and Host of The Jimmy Dore Show. A leading U.S. media critic and host of several Comedy Central Specials. Author of the best seller, “Your Country Is Just Not That Into You.”

Ryan Knight
Activist, Medicare for All advocate, and host of the podcast “Amped Up with Ryan Knight.” Ryan has endorsed 35 down-ballot progressives in 2020 and is a leading national voice for the progressive movement

...
Isiah James
Former candidate for U.S. House in New York’s 9th Congressional District. Housing rights organizer and a criminal justice advocate. Combat veteran of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Lauren Ashcraft
Lauren Ashcraft is a former grassroots candidate for Congress in NY-12, steering committee member for the Justice For All Coalition, planner of the Women’s March on NYC, advocate for MMT, and a standup comedian.

 

[Harry Bosch]

Oh goody, the Green Party is... I mean the People's Party is here to help split the left-wing vote. Hopefully it'll shift the Democrats to the left like it didn't in 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, and 2016.

Yea, totally agree. If it weren't for the green party, we'd have a much more liberal court and ironically, a much better environment. Among other things. They are the republicans best friend...

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Homepage: MPP - The People's Party
currently promoting
The People's Convention on August 30, 2020

Join us on Sunday, August 30, from 4-7 pm Eastern Time for The People’s Convention.

The Convention will be digital and broadcast live to YouTube, Facebook and Twitter pages with millions of subscribers and followers. Sign up for more information and updates.

So one won't have be physically present in it.

Our vision is a major new progressive populist party that will deliver what regular people take for granted in so many other countries: single-payer health care, free public college, money out of politics, an infrastructure jobs program, a $15 minimum wage, financial regulations, and more.

...
When the pandemic hit, the Democrats and Republicans spent trillions of dollars bailing out Wall Street while leaving tens of millions of people unable to afford food and housing. Movement for a People’s Party, along with our partner organizations, led more than fifty rallies, on two different Saturdays in July, to let members of Congress know: “Do the right thing, help the people, or we will evict you from office!”

The Movement for a People’s Party continues to stand in solidarity with the communities whose pain and struggle have been deeply exacerbated these past few months.

So they start off by bullshitting? While the Dems and GOP did give away billions to 'small businesses' with Billion dollar plus caps on the Dow, they did write a check to every person. They did provide a substantial bonus payment for the unemployed and they put moratoriums on eviction and utility shut offs. The GOP has subsequently betrayed the nation, by not passing a bill in the Senate on a second relief package as this damn pandemic stumbles along like the Iraq occupation. The Democrats passed an extension in MAY.

These people want to help get progressives elected in the Democrat Party in districts where it is safe to do so, then do that and enact viable change, not try to go some stupid bullshit third party route that is pretty much doomed with the voting system we have in the US.

This is assuming we have elections after this November.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Oh goody, the Green Party is... I mean the People's Party is here to help split the left-wing vote. Hopefully it'll shift the Democrats to the left like it didn't in 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, and 2016.

Yea, totally agree. If it weren't for the green party, we'd have a much more liberal court and ironically, a much better environment. Among other things. They are the republicans best friend...

Who the heck knows what happens in the world if Gore is elected. 9/11 might never have happened, and that terrorists are escorted off the planes before they take off.

Hypothetical aside, all of the losing has shifted the Dems to the center/right, not the left. And some of these people don't get it. Our plan has worked the past 6 elections, what do we do? The same thing!

 

[lpetrich]

The case for a people's party - The People's Party

Polls show that the large majority of Americans are progressive and almost two out of three Americans are now calling for a major new party. The number is even greater among young people and poor people.

Why? We want what regular people take for granted in so many other countries: single payer health care, free public college, money out of politics, an infrastructure jobs program, a $15 minimum wage, financial regulations, and more. We deserve these good things. If other countries can deliver these things, we know the richest nation on earth can too.

What’s in the way is not our ability, it’s the oligarchs who are making so much money and building so much power from the current system. They don’t want things to change. The money has corrupted both major parties. The oligarchs have, as writer Teodrose Fikre put it, “turned America into a nation of Aspen for the rich and Appalachia for the poor and working class.”

Among its premises: "Corrupt political parties cannot be salvaged" -- referring to the two major political parties.

 

[Harry Bosch]

Oh goody, the Green Party is... I mean the People's Party is here to help split the left-wing vote. Hopefully it'll shift the Democrats to the left like it didn't in 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, and 2016.

Yea, totally agree. If it weren't for the green party, we'd have a much more liberal court and ironically, a much better environment. Among other things. They are the republicans best friend...

Who the heck knows what happens in the world if Gore is elected. 9/11 might never have happened, and that terrorists are escorted off the planes before they take off.

Hypothetical aside, all of the losing has shifted the Dems to the center/right, not the left. And some of these people don't get it. Our plan has worked the past 6 elections, what do we do? The same thing!

He wouldn't have prevented 9/11. But very unlikely that he would have invaded Iraq. But regardless. Actually though, I'd say that all our losing has shifted the party to the left. Sure Biden was the most right of the democratic candidates in 2020, but he's the most left of any democratic contender since Stevenson. He's well left of Bill and Hillary and Obama. If he loses to Trump, maybe it will demonstrate that we've moved too far left. I don't know. I know that any third party splits the democratic votes. And that weakens the left.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Who the heck knows what happens in the world if Gore is elected. 9/11 might never have happened, and that terrorists are escorted off the planes before they take off.

Hypothetical aside, all of the losing has shifted the Dems to the center/right, not the left. And some of these people don't get it. Our plan has worked the past 6 elections, what do we do? The same thing!

He wouldn't have prevented 9/11

Why not? We knew the terrorists were on the planes. Had any emphasis been put on the threat of terrorism, W could have had a shot. Clinton/Gore had an eye on terrorism and Richard Clarke was heavily involved in the administration. It is very possible the event is stopped. Of course, we wouldn't have known perfectly what would have been stopped.

But very unlikely that he would have invaded Iraq. But regardless. Actually though, I'd say that all our losing has shifted the party to the left. Sure Biden was the most right of the democratic candidates in 2020, but he's the most left of any democratic contender since Stevenson. He's well left of Bill and Hillary and Obama.

Is he? I'd say Obama was the most left, and he was a centrist.

If he loses to Trump, maybe it will demonstrate that we've moved too far left. I don't know.

Clinton didn't lose to Trump because she was "too far left" and Biden loses, it won't be because he was "too far left". It would be because America has lost its mind.

 

[lpetrich]

Our plan - The People's Party

So many of us realize Congress currently does the bidding of Wall Street, corporations and billionaires — no matter which party is in power. That’s left most of us behind. The result is all our hard work and sacrifice has made the rich much richer, but not ourselves. It’s not our energy or work ethic that’s the problem. It’s the system.

The elites have escaped justice for major financial crimes, and continue to lock into place an abusive unsustainable system threatening our lives and the planet. Things must change — dramatically, and fast.

Then mentioning FDR's 1944 Bill of Economic Rights.

Among the planned actions:

Partner with and endorse independent candidates to be leaders in forming a new party.

Attract stellar independents and pull progressive organizations and influencers out of the Democratic Party into a party that truly supports them.

Launch state parties in the most progressive and independent states.

Run inspiring candidates and build a bench of elected officials.

Network our state parties into a nationally viable people’s party.

From the looks of it, this party will run candidates in areas where the Democratic Party is the dominant party, areas where the Democratic primary winner is very likely to win the general election. That will keep this party from becoming a spoiler party.

Nothing on the strategy of running as a Democrat.

 

[Harry Bosch]

Our plan - The People's Party

So many of us realize Congress currently does the bidding of Wall Street, corporations and billionaires — no matter which party is in power. That’s left most of us behind. The result is all our hard work and sacrifice has made the rich much richer, but not ourselves. It’s not our energy or work ethic that’s the problem. It’s the system.

The elites have escaped justice for major financial crimes, and continue to lock into place an abusive unsustainable system threatening our lives and the planet. Things must change — dramatically, and fast.

Then mentioning FDR's 1944 Bill of Economic Rights.

Among the planned actions:

Partner with and endorse independent candidates to be leaders in forming a new party.

Attract stellar independents and pull progressive organizations and influencers out of the Democratic Party into a party that truly supports them.

Launch state parties in the most progressive and independent states.

Run inspiring candidates and build a bench of elected officials.

Network our state parties into a nationally viable people’s party.

From the looks of it, this party will run candidates in areas where the Democratic Party is the dominant party, areas where the Democratic primary winner is very likely to win the general election. That will keep this party from becoming a spoiler party.

Nothing on the strategy of running as a Democrat.

Yea, this is just brilliant strategy! Lauren Ashcraft rolls this out on August 20: what less than 90 days before the election! Wahoo! She's either being bankrolled by the right, or is dumber than shit.

 

[lpetrich]

This plan does not mention the Presidency, something that I find a relief. That's a big problem with both the Green and the Libertarian Parties - they focus only on the Presidency and not on any other races.

The plan's mention of "state parties" suggests that the party will focus on local and state races and possibly also Congressional ones.

Our platform - The People's Party - "This People’s Platform emerged from Bernie Sanders’ first presidential campaign platform. It was developed, voted on and adopted by our members in March of 2018. The final People’s Party platform will be developed and passed by members at the founding convention in 2021."

• An Economy That Works for Everyone: An Economic Bill of Rights, Strong Unions and Workplace Democracy, Modernize Our Infrastructure, A Fair Tax Code and Thriving Small Businesses, Rein-in Wall Street and Create Public Banks, Fair Trade
• Defend and Uphold True Democracy: Abolish Corruption and Restore Democracy, Secure and Transparent Elections, Defend Civil Liberties
• Respect Human Rights, Health, and Human Potential: Medicare for All, Free Public College and Quality Education, Comprehensive Immigration Reform, Respect Disability Rights
• Protect the Environment and Defend Biodiversity: Clean Energy and Environmental Protection, Animal Welfare, Sustainable Agriculture
• Stand for Equality and Justice: Restorative Justice, Racial Justice, Equal Rights for Women, LGBTQIA Equality, Honor Indigenous Rights
• Create a Peaceful Global Community Benefiting from Technology: A Collaborative and Peaceful Global Community, Promise and Peril of Accelerating Technology, Take Care of Veterans

 

[Harry Bosch]

This plan does not mention the Presidency, something that I find a relief. That's a big problem with both the Green and the Libertarian Parties - they focus only on the Presidency and not on any other races.

The plan's mention of "state parties" suggests that the party will focus on local and state races and possibly also Congressional ones.

Our platform - The People's Party - "This People’s Platform emerged from Bernie Sanders’ first presidential campaign platform. It was developed, voted on and adopted by our members in March of 2018. The final People’s Party platform will be developed and passed by members at the founding convention in 2021."

• An Economy That Works for Everyone: An Economic Bill of Rights, Strong Unions and Workplace Democracy, Modernize Our Infrastructure, A Fair Tax Code and Thriving Small Businesses, Rein-in Wall Street and Create Public Banks, Fair Trade
• Defend and Uphold True Democracy: Abolish Corruption and Restore Democracy, Secure and Transparent Elections, Defend Civil Liberties
• Respect Human Rights, Health, and Human Potential: Medicare for All, Free Public College and Quality Education, Comprehensive Immigration Reform, Respect Disability Rights
• Protect the Environment and Defend Biodiversity: Clean Energy and Environmental Protection, Animal Welfare, Sustainable Agriculture
• Stand for Equality and Justice: Restorative Justice, Racial Justice, Equal Rights for Women, LGBTQIA Equality, Honor Indigenous Rights
• Create a Peaceful Global Community Benefiting from Technology: A Collaborative and Peaceful Global Community, Promise and Peril of Accelerating Technology, Take Care of Veterans

Okay, I like it better that they arn't trying to throw the presidential election at least. Build it from the ground up. Cool. I don't have a lot of problems with the above. Not sure what "public banks" stands for. If you want the government to run out of money even faster, create a public bank! Free public education for all? I don't know about that. I think that we need to lower the barriers, make it cheaper and more affordable. But kids need to be vested to their education. Or else some will stay in college forever. There must be an economic incentive to going to college.

 

[lpetrich]

Oh goody, the Green Party is... I mean the People's Party is here to help split the left-wing vote. Hopefully it'll shift the Democrats to the left like it didn't in 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, and 2016.

Those Presidential elections? What I find interesting in what I've seen on that party's site is *lack* of mention of the Presidency. Instead, I find "Launch state parties in the most progressive and independent states."

Organizational structure - The People's Party

Self-organizing systems design

We’re using a decentralized and horizontal organizational structure known as self-organizing systems (SOS). It’s the organizing methodology that has allowed movements like Extinction Rebellion to achieve massive and rapid growth in just a matter of months (from an idea to hundreds of thousands around the world in a year).

Such decentralized organization is what one would need for relatively small-scale campaigns, like for local and state offices.

Community Agreements & Slack Workspace Guidelines - The People's Party - pretty much as one might expect: don't be nasty to each other, use Slack channels only for appropriate business, etc.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

From the looks of it, this party will run candidates in areas where the Democratic Party is the dominant party, areas where the Democratic primary winner is very likely to win the general election. That will keep this party from becoming a spoiler party.

The only districts where it'd be safe and not spoiling is if it is the top two primary winners are Democrats.

Nothing on the strategy of running as a Democrat.

Of course not, that'd require work, and admittedly, wedging your way into a massive political machine.

 

[lpetrich]

I decided to look at the election-related parts of the party's platform: Defend and Uphold True Democracy - The People's Party

In "Abolish Corruption and Restore Democracy", it has a lot of stuff about getting money out of politics, and in "Secure and Transparent Elections", lots of proposed improvements in what may be called administrative details, like automatic voter registration and early voting by mail. But it also some proposals that make important structural changes: "Switch from first-past-the-post to ranked choice voting, and from single-member districts to multi-member districts."

First-past-the-post is the usual system: each voter cast one vote and the candidate with the most votes is the winner. Very simple, but with big flaws. Like the spoiler effect.

Ranked choice: rank the candidates by preference order: first preference, second preference, etc. If your first preference doesn't win, then your second-preference vote will still count, and so on down the line. So one can vote Green, then Democrat, or else Libertarian, then Republican.

Multi-member districts make possible proportional representation: each party getting seats in proportion to how many votes it has received.

 

[lpetrich]

FAQ - The People's Party

"Why not reform the Democratic Party?"

The Democratic party does not operate democratically. A small number of party leaders, insiders, lobbyists, and superdelegates hold the decision making power. ...

Only a tiny percentage of progressive candidates are able to successfully navigate the obstacles created by the Party. Those who win then face immense pressure to conform to the will of the Party elites. History shows that new progressives quickly drop their progressive mandate in exchange for committee appointments, support for their bills, assistance fending-off well-funded primary opponents, reelection support from establishment politicians, path to higher office, reelection, and continued income.

That may be overly pessimistic, because some progressives have survived a long time in the system, like Bernie Sanders. But something that helps some of the newest progressives, like AOC, is not being dependent on the party or big donors for funding. That gives them much more independence.

 

[lpetrich]

More from the FAQ.

"Why not join the Green Party or another existing party?"

The FAQ's writers responded that a party's name can be an important part of its identity: "he Green Party’s name unfortunately leads many to view it as a niche environmental party that sidelines other pressing issues, like the cost of health care, housing and education."

Then it discussed how the Green Party has to spend a lot of effort in getting itself on the ballot in most states every four years. The FAQ file didn't state it, but that's a reference to getting a Presidential candidate on the ballot. If a party skips the Presidency, that difficulty goes away. The party will only need to be registered where it is active and sending out candidates.

MPP’s mission is different from existing independent parties. We’re building a coalition of community organizations, student groups, unions, progressive groups, and others that can unite for a major new party. Polls consistently show that a majority of Americans want a major new party but are not enthused by existing independent parties.

More than a hundred years of social science show that when progress stalls, it takes new parties and movements to shake things up and win.

...
It might seem intuitive to think that small parties that have been around for decades could grow and be more successful, but history indicates that it takes fresh new parties to captivate public imagination and succeed. New parties innovate, are more in sync with the historical moment, are technologically savvy, and inspire a sense of great possibility.

But the authors concede that one still needs a lot of more traditional expertise in campaigning.

We bring professional political and organizational knowledge and skills from having worked on Democratic Party campaigns before setting out to build a major new people’s party. We also have the networks to bring over others who remain in the establishment parties. The early Republican Party succeeded because it drew over a large number of former Whig voters, elected officials, party officials. Having recently come from the Democratic Party helps us understand, communicate, and bring over other people and groups from the Democratic Party. It also gives us the personal connections to bring over elected officials and professional campaigners to help set up the party and run winning campaigns.

But short of starting a new party, one can start a faction within an existing party, a party within a party. That's what the Tea Party did in the Republican Party, and that's what some parts of the Left are trying to do within the Democratic Party. "The Squad" is a mini-faction formed by four first-time Congresswomen, and those four seem like a very chummy bunch.

 

[Harry Bosch]

Why not? We knew the terrorists were on the planes. Had any emphasis been put on the threat of terrorism, W could have had a shot. Clinton/Gore had an eye on terrorism and Richard Clarke was heavily involved in the administration. It is very possible the event is stopped. Of course, we wouldn't have known perfectly what would have been stopped.

But very unlikely that he would have invaded Iraq. But regardless. Actually though, I'd say that all our losing has shifted the party to the left. Sure Biden was the most right of the democratic candidates in 2020, but he's the most left of any democratic contender since Stevenson. He's well left of Bill and Hillary and Obama.

Is he? I'd say Obama was the most left, and he was a centrist.

If he loses to Trump, maybe it will demonstrate that we've moved too far left. I don't know.

Clinton didn't lose to Trump because she was "too far left" and Biden loses, it won't be because he was "too far left". It would be because America has lost its mind.

You made some really good points regarding 9/11. Why do you think that Obama was most left? I've never saw Obama as a left winger. I always thought of him as a moderate. A little to the left of Clinton maybe. Certainly the republicans tried to protray Obama as a far leftie in order to scare the voters. But that's how they portray all democrats. Below is a good article:

https://www.vox.com/2019/12/20/2102...-bernie-sanders-elizabeth-warren-barack-obama

The 2020 democratic race was probably the most left group of contenders in democratic history. The party is clearly trending left. If that will be enough to fend off the 'upset and difficult to keep on the team" far left, we'll see!