Populist Reform of the Democratic Party
In reply to the discussion: Ready for Hillary? How About a Mass Populist Party Instead? [View all]merrily
(45,251 posts)It seems to me that the left always wants to start yet another new party, except no one can agree on the name or the platform. So either no new party starts or ten more parties start instead of one.
Look at this list of parties in the US. And even wiki, whose articles are updated within minutes after a death or other major event, says it can't keep the list current because there are just too many parties.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_political_parties_in_the_United_States
The most successful movements in my lifetime have been the DLC within the Democratic Party and the Tea Party within the Republican Party. Both drove the leadership of the nation rightward. Both were well funded, well organized movements.
The left of the left always seems to lack (1) ability to agree on one course of action (2) funds (3) organization and (4) sustained action.
IMO, the left of the left would serve itself better by organizing and funding a left of the left version of the DLC movement within the Democratic Party. I think the seeds of that already exist. Though it will be very hard and expensive, it will still be much easier and much cheaper than establishing a successful third party.