A New US People's Party?

[Harry Bosch]

The spoiler effect? Yes, the Greens were likely spoilers in the 2000 and 2016 Presidential races.

Let me explain what I think this really means.

People like Nader, the Green party, and Sanders helped get presidents like Bush and Trump elected.

That gave the USA things like 9/11
Afghanistan
The invasion of Iraq
Massive federal deficits
The recession of 2008

Heightened ethnic divisions
Increased federal deficits
C19 disaster
Jan 6 insurgency
Erosion of public trust in USA institutions

That's what we got from such efforts, for starters. I see no rational reason to think that this new political effort will be better.


Frankly, were I an evil billionaire, I'd strongly support The People's Party. People like them are better at getting taxes cut and corporate welfare spent than Hillary Clinton ever thought about being.
Tom

Well, the People's Party and other looney fringe third parties get most of their campaign funding from wealthy conservatives! But I don't equate Sanders with the green party and Nader. Nader deliberately wanted to throw the election for the republicans. He wanted to crash the system, devastate the dems, then have the democratic party come crawling back to him. Sanders tried to work within the democratic party. He's trying to build a coalition that shares his agenda within the democratic party. I'm to the right of Sanders, but I have no problem with this. Due to the system, the democratic party must be the big tent party. It's not fair, but our side must have millions of more votes than republicans in order to win. His support of Clinton in 2016 was a little luke warm in the beginning. But i understand. He had lost a grueling race. I blame the loss of the supreme court and the the rise of the trumpsters to our crazy election system and the Green party. And if you read statements made by the People's Party, they only condemn the meanie democrats. They never critique Trump and all bat shit insane policies.

 

[Swammerdami]

The sad part is, The People's party may very well siphon off Democratic Votes and Independent votes guaranteeing a GOP win. The best bet might be to run as a Democratic caucus. This tactic has been a bust since Ralph Nader and the Green party.

Imagine (Warning: It will make you want to cry) how HUGELY different history would have played out if Nader hadn't run in 2000.

Gore would have undoubtedly won and promoted a Green agenda. (Ironically Gore was far more pro-Green than the Green Party's Nader.) 9/11 might not have happened. (There were already intelligence pointers to it, which Bush rejected since his guiding "principle" was simply to do the opposite of whatever Clinton recommended.) But even if the terrorist attack went through, the U.S. response would have been far less stupid and greed-driven than under Cheney-Rove. The Cheney-Rove Administration also abetted the Wall St. excesses which led to the 2008 credit crisis. The changes to American history we would have seen had Nader not run would have been tremendous.

A Republican would have been elected in 2004 or 2008, but probably Romney, much more competent and less corrupt than Cheney-Rove. Even John McCain would have been an improvement on the dolts from Texas. Obama's election, if it occurred at all, would have been delayed. Without the racist backlash from a Black in the Big Job, Trump would never have a chance.

So yes. Nader's candidacy came at gargantuan cost to America and the world. Let's snip any thoughts of a repeat in the bud.

 

[rousseau]

So yes. Nader's candidacy came at gargantuan cost to America and the world. Let's snip any thoughts of a repeat in the bud.

The road to hell is paved with good intentions.

 

[lpetrich]

Considering the sheer difference between both the Democratic and Republican parties today and their yesteryears, I don't get why the party name matters. Just jump on the main tickets and fight. It's not like either of the major parties are anything like what they once were. The Democratic party will be the Green Party in the 2050s for all we know. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Ask Brand New Congress about that.

Back in 2018, BNC succeeded in recruiting 30 candidates to run on a Bernie-Sanders-like platform. Of them, 28 ran as Democrats, 1 as an Independent, and 1 as a Republican.

The Independent: Marc Whitmire - Ballotpedia - TN-02, 2018

• Tim Burchett (R) 172,856 - 65.9%
• Renee Hoyos (D) 86,668 - 33.1%
• Greg Samples (I) 967 - 0.4%
• Jeffrey Grunau (I) 657 - 0.3%
• Marc Whitmire (I) 637 - 0.2%
• Keith LaTorre (I) 349 - 0.1%

The Republican: Robb Ryerse - Ballotpedia - AR-03, 2018
He was defeated in the Republican Primary by Steve Womack, 84.2% - 15.8%

In the general election, the vote was Steve Womack (R) 64.7% - Joshua Mahony (D) 32.6% - Michael Kalagias (L) 2.6% - Other/write-in 0.1%


Some members of Brand New Congress didn't like that tactic, and in early 2017, they split off and formed the Justice Democrats, focusing on the Democratic Party. But for 2020, and so far for 2022, BNC is all-Democratic.

 

[Harry Bosch]

The sad part is, The People's party may very well siphon off Democratic Votes and Independent votes guaranteeing a GOP win. The best bet might be to run as a Democratic caucus. This tactic has been a bust since Ralph Nader and the Green party.

Imagine (Warning: It will make you want to cry) how HUGELY different history would have played out if Nader hadn't run in 2000.

Gore would have undoubtedly won and promoted a Green agenda. (Ironically Gore was far more pro-Green than the Green Party's Nader.) 9/11 might not have happened. (There were already intelligence pointers to it, which Bush rejected since his guiding "principle" was simply to do the opposite of whatever Clinton recommended.) But even if the terrorist attack went through, the U.S. response would have been far less stupid and greed-driven than under Cheney-Rove. The Cheney-Rove Administration also abetted the Wall St. excesses which led to the 2008 credit crisis. The changes to American history we would have seen had Nader not run would have been tremendous.

A Republican would have been elected in 2004 or 2008, but probably Romney, much more competent and less corrupt than Cheney-Rove. Even John McCain would have been an improvement on the dolts from Texas. Obama's election, if it occurred at all, would have been delayed. Without the racist backlash from a Black in the Big Job, Trump would never have a chance.

So yes. Nader's candidacy came at gargantuan cost to America and the world. Let's snip any thoughts of a repeat in the bud.

Yes, Nader's legacy is very bad for us. It also condemned an entire generation to live under a very conservative supreme court. It's very ironic as Nader is an attorney and understands the impact of the law on everyday life.

 

[lpetrich]

The People's Party | Free Of Corporate Money -  Movement for a People's Party

The latest news: The Florida People’s Party Announces Ballot Access, Begins Voter Registration Drive - The People's Party

Jlorida is the first state party to achieve ballot access and official party status with the People’s Party. The People’s Party is currently working to achieve ballot access in every state across the country, noting Florida as a milestone toward a major new party free of corporate money.

Voters in Florida can now register to cast their vote as a Florida People’s Party registered voter. State Chair Victor Nieto noted that the Florida People’s Party will be ramping up efforts toward voter registration drives and future candidates in the Sunshine State.

Thus joining California, Colorado, Maine, Ohio, and Oregon, and beating them in ballot access.

 

[lpetrich]

The party's main recent effort has been to organize chapters in states. The Florida People’s Party Announces Ballot Access, Begins Voter Registration Drive - The People's Party

But I found nothing in general, no list of state chapters with the status of each.

But under "Organize", I found Nominations Now Open For People’s Party Candidates 2022

"The first round of People’s Party campaigns will help us build a strong volunteer base and campaign infrastructure that can carry over to future races. It will be a guiding light for campaigns beyond the midterms. While we are focused on electing a slate of federal candidates, nominations are also open for state and local candidates."

One can apply to run or else nominate a candidate. This is a departure from Brand New Congress and Justice Democrats, which both support only nominating a candidate, because they think that it will help screen out egomaniacs.

The People’s Party is opening nominations for its first generation of candidates. The national People's Party, in collaboration with our state chapters, will be supporting a diverse and dynamic slate of about a dozen congressional candidates in the 2022 midterm elections. These future representatives will help us blaze a trail for races at every level of government and shape the movement to give a real voice and choice to the voters of America. We're looking for candidates with a history of activism, organizing, and service to their communities. People who have lived the profound injustices that the corporate parties have imposed on our country. Future representatives with strong ties to their communities, who will fight hard for their constituents and the transformative change and policies embodied in the People's Platform. We look forward to making lasting change together.

Seems like they want to support Congressional, state, and local candidates.

But no further announcements, like candidates announcing that they are running as People's Party ones.

 

[Lumpenproletariat]

What's the point of a new "Third Party" which only duplicates what has been done by dozens of already-existing "Third Parties"?

If we need another "Third Party" it should be one that offers something different than the many already-existing "third parties" competing with each other and canceling out each other.

 

[Harry Bosch]

What's the point of a new "Third Party" which only duplicates what has been done by dozens of already-existing "Third Parties"?

If we need another "Third Party" it should be one that offers something different than the many already-existing "third parties" competing with each other and canceling out each other.

Well, the democratic tent is far larger and diverse than the republican tent. Republicans are simply motivated by the supreme court, guns, lower taxes, religion and Trump. If you're a republican and you favor these issues, you're in. The dem party is far more diverse. But it's also far easier to split and demoralize the democratic vote. And that's the purpose of the America's Party, Green Party and etc: split the dem vote, create confusion and doubt, lower the democratic turnout. And it works. Third parties hurt dems far more than republicans. As long as dems are so stupid, third party efforts will continue.

 

[lpetrich]

Trouple in this party.

Lisa Pfeffer on Twitter: "It looks like @paulajean2020 put in her two weeks notice with @PeoplesParty_US.
“If I wanted to be abused, deal w/ infighting & blindly follow a “leader,” I would have stayed with the Democrats..”
This is what @MppPetitioners & other former volunteers have tried to warn about. (pic link)" / Twitter
With a screencap of PJS:

Before you add me to this witch hunt I'll let you know that I gave my two weeks notice to end my contract today. If wanted to be abused, deal with infighting and blindy follow a "leader," I would have stayed with the Democrats and kissed Joe Manchin's ass.

PJS ran against Joe Manchin in 2018 and lost - her run was documented in "Knock Down The House".
The post said (edited) so it was from somewhere other than Twitter.

Lisa Pfeffer on Twitter: "The @PeoplesParty_US also removed four long term volunteers part of the National Coordinators Circle (NCC/CC).
Even the MPP loyalists eventually get the boot. Crazy to think about.
@PeoplesParty_US is getting more authoritarian while pretending to be "progressive" & "populist." (pix link)" / Twitter

For investigating the organization, the few with integrity were kicked off of the board.

This organization has no integrity! Save yourself time and your money.

Paula Jean Swearengin on Twitter: "After several questions, I will confirm @peoplesparty_US is purging staff, board members & volunteers with open serious grievances against Nick Brana. This is happening after months of retaliation. Obviously I withdraw my support." / Twitter

When asked to elaborate,
Paula Jean Swearengin on Twitter: "@JosephJewell13 @PeoplesParty_US That is the only thing I can speak about right now but this is a new development." / Twitter

Creating a People’s Party – Without MPP – People’s Party of Washington

About the Movement for a People's Party (MPP),

They promised democracy, transparency and to include volunteers’ input and participation.

MPP Leadership has exhibited a constant and continual disregard for its own rules and promises.

They unequivocally failed, even after repeated pleas over the years by hundreds of volunteers, to honor their rules and promises. Instead, many volunteers were ignored or banned from participating.

MPP spent resources and energy on the national level instead of creating parties in each state.

State parties would be necessary for a strong national party.

Current and former MPP volunteers have created the United People’s Assembly (UPA) to build a new major party of the people. Currently, the UPA has representatives from many states who are actively working to create democratic and transparent People’s Parties in states that will be united by a national People’s Party.

 

[Elixir]

Oh Goodie.
Let's all run out and join the "Refuse to Learn from History" Party.

 

[lpetrich]

Update on Creation of National People’s Party – United People’s Assembly (UPA) - Nov 2021, three months ago

The aim of this Assembly is to democratically craft UPA bylaws, a charter, and an interim platform that may also serve as templates to expedite the formation of People’s Parties in all US states.

...
So far, the UPA has made significant progress. The UPA has established its mandate, community agreements, and delegate structure. Members are currently drafting bylaws and an interim national platform.

The UPA still doesn't have its own site, as far as I can tell.

Abbey on Twitter: "The PP sounds every bit as toxic as I had imagined. (link)" / Twitter
noting
Statement from the Virginia People's Party leadership committees
"To: The People’s Party Coordinator’s Circle and National Organizing Committee
From: Members of the Virginia State Central Committee and State Executive Committee"

After noting all the preventable deaths from COVID-19, and noting that vaccine mandates can be a difficult issue,

Nuanced policy discussions are not what we have experienced in the national People’s Party Slack workspace over the past several months. The workspace has been overrun by trolling from antivaccine activists and conspiracy theorists who have made it impossible to have a reasoned and nuanced discussion about not only vaccine policy, but also other health interventions such as masks and social distancing. Those of us who have tried to inject scientific information or debunk misinformation have been shouted down and harassed repeatedly, occasionally by state People’s Party leaders and members of the national People’s Party leadership.

This harassment has been a growing issue over the past several months. The management of the national party has not only chosen to allow this harassment to continue unabated, but now multiple members of the Coordinator’s Circle have voiced agreement with the anti-mandate/ anti-health-intervention views of the antivaccine activists within the party. This has included statements this week in support of the Canadian “Freedom Convoy” - an astroturfed movement organized by well-known white supremacists and far-right separatists that has been condemned by labor organizations and First Nations leaders.

We can not in good conscience continue to provide support to an organization whose leadership is choosing to side with antivaccine activists and white supremacists. We and other volunteers have provided ample warnings about the infiltration of right-wing/antivaccine ideology within the party, and these warnings have gone unheeded.

Then some party leaders stating that they are reluctantly resigning.

 

[skepticalbip]

What's the point of a new "Third Party" which only duplicates what has been done by dozens of already-existing "Third Parties"?

If we need another "Third Party" it should be one that offers something different than the many already-existing "third parties" competing with each other and canceling out each other.

Well, the democratic tent is far larger and diverse than the republican tent. Republicans are simply motivated by the supreme court, guns, lower taxes, religion and Trump. If you're a republican and you favor these issues, you're in. The dem party is far more diverse. But it's also far easier to split and demoralize the democratic vote. And that's the purpose of the America's Party, Green Party and etc: split the dem vote, create confusion and doubt, lower the democratic turnout. And it works. Third parties hurt dems far more than republicans. As long as dems are so stupid, third party efforts will continue.

That looks like you see political parties as sports teams that people need to support no matter what. The Democrat party has a wide spectrum of political beliefs from "Blue-Dog" to "Progressive" to "Socialist". There is no reason that a "Blue-Dog" would reasonably vote for a "Progressive" or a "Progressive" would reasonably vote for a "Blue-Dog" since the two hold ideals diametrically opposed to each other. In fact, the ideals of "Blue-Dog" Democrats is much more in line with the Republican party than the more extreme arms of the Democrat party.

 

[Elixir]

In fact, the ideals of "Blue-Dog" Democrats is much more in line with the Republican party than the more extreme arms of the Democrat party.

The reason the blue dog might vote for a progressive, emerges when you ask whether the “left wing of the Republican Party” holds ideals closer to those of Democrats.

 

[Harry Bosch]

What's the point of a new "Third Party" which only duplicates what has been done by dozens of already-existing "Third Parties"?

If we need another "Third Party" it should be one that offers something different than the many already-existing "third parties" competing with each other and canceling out each other.

Well, the democratic tent is far larger and diverse than the republican tent. Republicans are simply motivated by the supreme court, guns, lower taxes, religion and Trump. If you're a republican and you favor these issues, you're in. The dem party is far more diverse. But it's also far easier to split and demoralize the democratic vote. And that's the purpose of the America's Party, Green Party and etc: split the dem vote, create confusion and doubt, lower the democratic turnout. And it works. Third parties hurt dems far more than republicans. As long as dems are so stupid, third party efforts will continue.

That looks like you see political parties as sports teams that people need to support no matter what. The Democrat party has a wide spectrum of political beliefs from "Blue-Dog" to "Progressive" to "Socialist". There is no reason that a "Blue-Dog" would reasonably vote for a "Progressive" or a "Progressive" would reasonably vote for a "Blue-Dog" since the two hold ideals diametrically opposed to each other. In fact, the ideals of "Blue-Dog" Democrats is much more in line with the Republican party than the more extreme arms of the Democrat party.

I would say that the blue dog democrats probably belonged to republican party 20 years ago or so. But not anymore. I should be voting republican. I'm very pro business, anti tax (although favor strong safety net), pro police, pro law and order and etc. However, I first started drifting from the republican party due to then turning away from science. I could have easily voted for McCain. But I liked Obama. Trump is a different matter. He's a traitor. He tried to steal the vote. He continues to try to steal the vote. I'm not sure, but at least 50% of the republican party supports Trump. I'm stunned that anyone would support him. I'd 10 times rather vote for Bernie than any republican today. I'm sorry. But I value democracy. I want my vote to count. I want my neighbor's vote to count (and I disagree with him 95% of the time). And it's really not a difficult decision.

 

[lpetrich]

Lauren Ashcraft アッシュクラフト on Twitter: "Besides the terrible takes on January 6 and vaccines, there’s this: (link)" / Twitter
noting
EXCLUSIVE: Movement for a People's Party National Chair Nick Brana Was Under Investigation for Alleged Sexual Harassment

Multiple sources familiar with Movement for a People’s Party [MPP], which over the years has attempted to build a third party that can run local and federal candidates, told Status Coup News that Nick Brana, MPP’s national chair, has been under internal investigation since December 2021 after a female subordinate that Brana had, at one point, had a romantic relationship with made accusations of sexual harassment against him.

Multiple sources told Status Coup the female who made the accusation will be going public herself.

Lauren Ashcraft アッシュクラフト on Twitter: "I honestly regret lending my voice to their first convention and feel discouraged from doing so for other orgs in the future. This is how people get dissuaded from supporting new, grassroots causes." / Twitter

Lauren Ashcraft アッシュクラフト on Twitter: "I forgot I was following @PeoplesParty_US but just took care of that.

I dream of a multi-party system in the USA where two corporate parties don’t dominate the entire political conversation, but #PeoplesParty has proven to me that they are NOT the solution to that problem." / Twitter
Proportional representation will make that possible.

In Lauren Ashcraft's signature: asshukurafuto in katakana characters. She ran for NY-12 in 2020, against incumbent Carolyn Maloney and challenger Suraj Patel.

 

[lpetrich]

11 MAR 2022:
Gadfly: The Arrival & Fall of the Movement for a People's Party on Apple Podcasts

Hey, y'all. The Movement for a People's Party (MPP) was founded by Nick Brana as an attempt to woo Bernie Sanders into leading a third party and fully replace the Democrats by 2020. Since it's creation in 2017, accusations of mismanagement, toxicity, racism, and sexual harassment have come to light.

Special thanks to all of the former members who talked with us. You're all amazing humans and we hope we do your experiences justice.

Some recent stuff from the MPP:
Disband NATO To End The War In Ukraine - The People's Party
"The People’s Party holds that all wars are waged to enrich the wealthy and impoverish the poor." Even purely defensive ones?

Then arguing that the Russia-Ukraine War was a response to Western encirclement of Russia.

Codify Abortion Rights And Civil Liberties In Federal Law - The People's Party
"It’s outrageous that our elected government has not written civil liberties as basic as these into law over the last several decades, allowing a court to take them from us instead."
A very mainstream position on the Left.

The People’s Party Is Suing Florida For Ballot Access - The People's Party

That’s what the People’s Party is facing in Florida, where, despite having achieved ballot access last fall, the secretary of state is using an unconstitutional Florida law to bar us from running candidates. In the spring of 2021, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and the Republican state legislature passed a law that requires that, in order to run with a party, a candidate must have been affiliated with that party for more than a year, which is impossible for candidates in newly-formed parties like ours. So the law discriminates against newly-formed parties and the rights of voters to form new parties.

...
As Richard Winger of Ballot Access News reported, “the only two other states that ever blocked a new party from running any candidates in its first year of qualified existence were Nevada and Oklahoma, but the laws of both those states, as applied to new parties, were struck down long ago. The Independent American Party of Nevada won its case in the State Supreme Court in 1975, and the Libertarian Party of Oklahoma won its case in U.S. District Court in 1980.”

 

[lpetrich]

Jimmy Dore Is Considering Running For President. He Could Win. - The People's Party

Seems like yet another left-leaning spoiler candidate, a candidate like Ralph Nader and Jill Stein.

He had his show in The Young Turks network for a while, but then split up with them.

He has recently promoted ivermectin as a cure for COVID-19 and expressed skepticism about COVID-19 vaccines. He also came up with "Force the Vote", making the re-election of Nancy Pelosi as House Speaker contingent on doing a floor vote for a Medicare for All bill. AOC didn't think that that was a very good strategy, and JD objected rather vehemently to her skepticism.

Nezuko's Antifa Anti-Russian Federation on Twitter: "@LegionSocialist @PeepsPowertothe @jimmy_dore Why all the hate on the Squad, constantly about women? He never attacks Bernie with that fervor, it seems to only be women of color getting his ire in this way.
Or the whole Ana Kasparian "nice news skirt" debacle." / Twitter

AK is in TYT, and that's not likely to make the TYT people think well of him.


Thinking more broadly, that sort of strategy is what the Green Party has been doing for years, making itself the party of vanity Presidential runs.