Comments on: A New Political Party Is Needed

By: magistre

magistre — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 21:01:38 +0000

The big problem is a common “entrentchment” in most state election laws. If you are Democrat or Republican all you need on your petition as a candidate is like “5″ signatures; however, if you are an Independent you need “5 billion” signatures. In other words, any attempt at competitors for the “D’s” or the “R’s” is all but stifled. “Free Market” for the Economy but Fascism for Politics.

By: bozhidar bob balkas

bozhidar bob balkas — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 00:13:45 +0000

establishing the second party in US (remember, uncle sam cannot be split in two) is better than having a movement.
but since nationalism is dying or already dead along w. god(s), we need a second party in all capitalistic lands.
i say this because it appears to me that we have a twoparty planetary system of governance.
we live on a tiny, ever getting poorer, orb w. a socialist and plutocratic party.
so we have a planetary socialist party. hang onto it for dear life. it’s much weaker econo-military-diplomatically than the World Plutocratic Party.
can we make it as strong or stronger than the PP? but first, is it as monolithic/united as i see it?
i think it is united like never before. the second party on world scene may be callled “Peasant Party” or “Serving Serfs” and thus be also a PP or SS?
or it cld be also called SSS: serfs serving (uncle) sam. thnx.
ok i got a bit silly after all that serious stuff i just wrote. but i do oft get stupidity attacks.

By: rosemarie jackowski

rosemarie jackowski — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 21:22:39 +0000

We don’t need another political party. We need to get over the cult of Parties. We need more candidates who are Independent. It is the whole idea of political machines that got us where we are now. We need to expose the corruption of the Party System. In every race that I watched – local, State, and national there was a direct correlation between the money in the campaign fund and the number of votes gotten. We need to think in terms of issues – not Parties or personalities.

By: Garrett

Garrett — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 18:05:21 +0000

It’s tempting to believe the various “third” party people can unite behind a handful of issues like those mentioned in the article. And, thus, form a viable new party. It’s tempting to believe my vote for McKinney actually meant something.

But I have to agree with Doug and Max. There’s no hope for the political system. We…actually, I better not speak for others. *I* need to take direct action.

By: Jeremy Wells

Jeremy Wells — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 04:56:10 +0000

Not another “third”party but a new socialist second party this has the involvement and interest of the organized labor movement and unorganized working people.
Both capitalist Democratic and Republican parties support corporate agendas for supporting unending wars for profit, where corporations pay no taxes, where living wage jobs disappear overseas, etc. Obama supports a corporate profit privatized health system, not single-payer which is essential for a universal sustainable health system.
The capitalist economy, even in best of times, has never been able to support the economic needs of all working people. The system nationally and globally is broken and, like Humpty Dumpty, “all the kings men cannot put Humpty back together again.”
Nationalize (socialize) Wall Street, the banking and financial system as it is forever corrupt! Nationalize the energy industry (oil, nuclear, coal, gas, electricity,etc.) and take it out of the hands of the oil profiteers and manage it to fill the needs of the people.
Obama transition points to more war and repression
14 November 2008
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2008/nov2008/pers-n14.shtml

(Read WSWS World Socialist Web Site http://www.wsws.org
redesigned web site with graphics and audio/video clips.)

By: Max Shields

Max Shields — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 19:07:24 +0000

Doug, I agree. The turnout for this election with it’s billion dollar marketing campaign didn’t do any better than 2004.

Maybe more African American voters but on net it was a wash.

If you mean by streets actually getting out and building than I’m with you; if you mean joining a parade (protesters) I’m busy.

The political system is dead. Third Parties just become part of the dead system. I support progressive alternative voices, but that doesn’t mean I believe that by electing them we’re actually accomplishing anything.

The political parties of any stripe are a conundrum. It is not a party, as much as the concepualizing and action which is important. “We” want different candidates, but we want them to be like the smooth talking groomed ones the duopoly puts forth.

So, easy to piss and moan.

By: Doug Rogers

Doug Rogers — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 17:40:56 +0000

Certainly the third party left needs to be re-evaluating itself after these results. But I don’t think you can say that they should just go away and let someone else have turn. There is no one else. Their efforts should be re-evaluated and strengthened not dismissed.

Personally I think we should turn off the computers more. These left-wing chat sites are becoming an intellectual ghetto. The current atmosphere is very difficult for third parties with everyone watching TV and generally doing what they are told. I intend to be out in the streets in my own community more.

By: Eric Patton

Eric Patton — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 09:49:31 +0000

A new political party would only mean anything if it were pareconish. Since, if it’s created, it won’t be (it will be coordinatorist, like everything else the left does), it will be valueless … except to people like doctors, lawyers, managers, and engineers — the backbone of the current U.S. left.

By: JN

JN — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 08:00:07 +0000

What “corporate & other special interests on the LEFT” use money to corrupt your political system? The main problem with US politics is that there is virtually no organised left at all at the national level. The very fact that someone like Obama can be presented as radical demonstrates how narrow & far to the right ‘mainstream’ politics is in the US. What NEEDS to be done is to BUILD strong, organised & radical movements that represent a genuine alternative, not just “patching up the capitalist order.” You want to know where reformism leads, look at the British Labour party or the German SPD. What is needed is a party that will openly argue that capitalism is morally & rationally unjustifiable, & moreover that it is literally unsustainable. A mass based SOCIALIST party (with or without the name). Now more than ever.

ORGANISE! ACT! ESCALATE!
END THE WARS!
END CAPITALISM & IMPERIALISM!

PS: By ‘Socialism’ I do not mean the betrayal of Socialism (Stalinism, etc)

By: Don Hawkins

Don Hawkins — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 21:34:58 +0000

“It’s hard to say what’s going to happen,” Crowley said. “The very fact that you have this nonglacial [warming] atmosphere with polar ice caps [still present], presents a bizarre scenario.

“I don’t know that we have a comparable analogy for it in the geologic record.” National Geographic

The reason is we are putting CO 2 into the atmosphere 10 thousand times faster than the natural rate as far back as we can measure. Bizarre scenario is a good way to look at how so far we have tried to fix this economy. With what more people are now starting to understand is coming this fix so far is academic it will not work. For the people at the top of the food chain it is not to hard to understand why they think this way. We need a new way of thinking because again I will say it has to be a total focus working together and unless that happen’s I guess there will still be people on the top of the food chain for awhile just not as much food. What’s this new administration now thinking no real progress until 2010 because of the economy sorry that’s not reason or wisdom but just more talk and listening to people who are not using there mind. I could have written that in a different way.

By: Phil

Phil — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 20:43:42 +0000

I’d personally never support any party called Patriotic, and United and National are sterile overused terms that don’t convey any hint of what said party’s goal would be. Why not something meaningful, like Progressive?