left leaning groups WITHIN the Democratic Party ??

[welshTerrier2]

first, some housekeeping ... i'm supporting Kerry 100% ...

having said that, however, I find myself way to the left of the DNC/DLC ... i'm on board through the election but after that, I'm searching for a new home ...

I'm probably more of a socialist than anything else ... but, perhaps with the exception of local races, i can't see joining a party with no significant national impact ... if i'm going to work for a party, i want the results of that work to produce tangible results ... that may rule out the Socialists and the Greens ... i haven't decided this issue yet ...

having said that, i'm trying to identify and get some feedback on progressive organizations WITHIN the Democratic Party ... the two groups I've identified so far are:

Progressive Democrats of America (www.pdamerica.org/index.php): their website provides a nice "vision statement" but their blog seems very inactive ... it's not clear whether this organization is growing ...

Democracy for America (www.democracyforamerica.com): their website hosts a number of very active forums but their mission statement is hard to find and not overly specific ... it's also not clear how much control Howard Dean has over the organization's direction ... fwiw, i did not support Dean in the primaries ... is Kucinich also participating with this group? what exactly is their platform?

are there other groups one could join and participate in to move the post-election Democratic Party to the left?

any feedback would be helpful ...

[Davis_X_Machina]

1. Democratic Socialist of America

http://www.dsausa.org

Been a member since Michael Harrington started it...

[welshTerrier2]

10. sheesh .. did you ever give me a homework assignment

thanks for the link ... i just finished reading most of the website you provided ...

i was totally blown away ... for those who want more info on the DSA, check out this page that really explains in detail where they're coming from: http://www.dsausa.org/about/where.html

for two years now, i've been writing very similar things about taking back control from mega-corporations and the massively wealthy ... i've written over and over that capitalism and democracy cannot co-exist ... i found myself in almost total agreement with stuff i read on the DSA website ... it's really worth a read ...

the one question i have concerns about is their vision for internationalizing their movement ... specifically, they state: "Economic nationalism and other forms of chauvinism will doom any expanded anti-corporate agenda." How does this relate to the problems faced by American workers caused by outsourcing ... the issue seems to present two problems ... first, if we are to support a massive "leveling" of standards of living internationally, won't workers in the U.S. be hit even harder than they already have been by globalization processes such as the WTO ... and, how will DSA ever sell this idea to Americans ... what's its political viability ...

can anyone answer any of this ?? perhaps a new thread would be useful ...

[Kanary]

13. You're certainly not alone in your concern about corporations taking over:

http://www.ratical.org/corporations/Lincoln.html

"I see in the near future a crisis approaching that unnerves me and causes me to tremble for the safety of my country. . . . corporations have been enthroned and an era of corruption in high places will follow, and the money power of the country will endeavor to prolong its reign by working upon the prejudices of the people until all wealth is aggregated in a few hands and the Republic is destroyed."
-- U.S. President Abraham Lincoln, Nov. 21, 1864
(letter to Col. William F. Elkins)
Ref: The Lincoln Encyclopedia, Archer H. Shaw (Macmillan, 1950, NY

I *love* this quote!

Kanary

[welshTerrier2]

16. i just suggested you read these posts

but you arrived before i did ...

i've seen that Lincoln quote ... it's amazing how true the words are today ...

interestingly enough, i've been mulling around ideas for another thread that is also based on a Lincoln quote ... that one is: A house divided against itself cannot stand ... the theme of the thread, if i ever write it, will be to raise the question about whether the U.S. can survive with half the country aligned behind the Constitution and the other half aligned behind the bible ...

it's hard to imagine Lincoln as a republican, isn't it ???

[beyurslf]

2. I think the best way to help move the party where you want to see it go

is to do what the Republicans have been doing since the 1980's: get active locally, become a precinct committeeperson or captain (or whatever you call that position in your area), mobilize neighbors, be active in the county organization. If we start putting progressives in at the precinct level, we will start to take over the county organizations. As we do this, we will begin to recruit candidates who are more progressive. These candidates become the leaders in the future.

[NYCGirl]

3. That is exactly the mission of Howard Dean's Democracy for America.

mentioned above:

www.democracyforamerica.com

And while you're there. check out the Dean Dozens candidates (of which Barack Obama is one):

http://www.democracyforamerica.com/candidates/

[Comadreja]

4. Kucinich is involved with the PDA

Dean is DFA and Dennis is PDA.

[Kanary]

7. YESSS! This is the group that has my support, and my hope.

Love your banner. :hi:

Kanary

[Hippo_Tron]

5. I'm to the left of the DLC and Kerry but getting rid of Bush is #1

Additionally after the election I have no intention of leaving the party. While there are a large number of DLC/moderates in the party, I am very pleased that our senate caucus has progressives like Durbin, Corzine, Kennedy, Leahy, Dayton, Boxer, etc. After the election we need to try and win back congress. If then we have a democratic congress and a democratic white house and we aren't moving a good bit farther to the left, then I will be very concerned about the direction of the party.

[Kanary]

6. fer gawddessss sakes! What in the world does it take to satisfy ????

She said very clearly she supports and is voting for Kerry. What in the world more do you want????

In case you hadn't noticed, there is a growing split in the party, and if there is to be any hope at all, people are going to have to take it seriously.

Some people are more concerned about some very real problems, and they have my utmost respect. Having seen some of the ugly dismissals here at DU, which is MORE DAMAGING TO THE DEMS THAN THE GOP IS!, it's high time for people to realize there is much more at stake here, and turning a deaf ear to the reasonable thoughts of life-long Dems is NOT the way to strengthen the party.

For those who ae somehow threatened by those of us talking about what will be necessary after Nov 2, I suggest using the hide thread function, and save yourself some upset.

Kanary

[welshTerrier2]

8. She said very clearly she supports

well, just for the record, it's "he" ...

but thanks for the defense of my position ... it's appreciated ...

[Kanary]

11. Doggone those danged personal pronouns!

You'd think we'd have found a kewl way around them, after all these years. :hi:

You're very welcome. I've just seen a few too many crappy attacks on real Dems today.

It appears we're gonna be working in the same direction, come Nov 3. :toast:

Kanary

[welshTerrier2]

14. works for me ...

if you have time, check out the two posts above (in this thread) that talk about the Democratic Socialists of America ... very interesting website ...

btw, fwiw, i didn't perceive the post you responded to as an attack on me ... i thought the poster made some good points about existing "progressive" elements in the democratic party ...

well, each to her own ... :<)

[Hippo_Tron]

17. Sorry, I didn't exactly mean it that way...

I knew that she was supporting Kerry, my point was that I (personally) am just concerned about throwing out Bush right now. When November 3rd comes, well, more specifically mid next-year because I want to give Kerry a chance before I start criticizing, I will probably be thinking a little more about what direction the party is going in. But again, my view is that the best way to move the country to the left is to win back congress as well as the white house, since being a progressive democratic party does us no good if the GOP congress won't pass our agenda or something that even resembles it.

[Kanary]

9. Fantacizing the other day, I came up with a new Party.....

Getting back to the Constitution (yes, I've been listening to Sen. Byrd.... :) ) and the ideals this country was founded on, and getting rid of the cynicism and the rot at the core.

I want to call it "The New Patriot Party", as I am CONVINCED that those of us who are working to restore this country *ARE* patriots...... of the highest order! We've surrendered that territory to the liars and the crooks, and it's time to take it back.

I was telling my elderly European friend my idea, and he really liked it....... thought the name was great.

It's a fun fantasy for me, so no need to trample all over it, those who are the cynics here. :hi:

While I have a problem with *all* flags because of the "Big Blue Marble" thing that affected my generation, and the knowledge that this world has always had problems because of nationalism, I can see us reclaiming the flag for what it *should* be, and reveling in the study of the Constitution and the words and thoughts of the Founders.

OK, so maybe I'm also being affected by listening to Gore Vidal's "Inventing a Nation" on tape. :)

Kanary

[genius]

12. One club unanimously passed a resolution calling for the creation of a

progressive caucus within the California and National Democratic Parties. It was the Patrick Henry Democratic Club. A lot of former Kucinich people are part of that club.

[Kanary]

15. Aw, that's great! I *love* it!

"New Patriots", indeed!

Thanks for the uplift!

:toast:

Kanary

[sangh0]

18. I suggest People For the American Way group

They have a great website with lots of info about who funds teh vrwc