Political Action SP10

Economics -> American Capitalism and Social Justice Spring 10

Political Action is defined by the Merriam Webster Dictionary as a group formed (as by an industry or an issue-oriented organization) to raise and contribute money to the campaigns of candidates likely to advance the group's interests.<ref name="Merriam-Webster Web Dictionary">[1],Definition of Political Action.</ref>

Political Action Groups

Independent Progressive Politics Network

Background

In the spring of 1995 several organizations issued a call for a National Independent Politics Summit in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Over 220 people of different races and cultures, from over a hundred organizations, attended the first National Independent Politics Summit due to the immense call to arms and need to reform the Democratic Party.<ref name="IPPN History">[2],IPPN History. </ref>

Objectives

This summit was organized on the basis that corporations were gaining to much power and sway over the federal government. The Independent Progressive Politics Network (IPPN) is composed of organizations as well as individuals dedicated to a a national, non-sectarian, independent progressive political party, or an alliance of such parties, as an alternative to the corporate-controlled, Democratic/Republican system. IPPN's goal is that through unity they hope to accomplish an active opposition to racism, sexism, homophobia, economic class exploitation, age discrimination and all other forms of oppression and discrimination.<ref name="IPPN Mission Statement">[3],IPPN Mission Statement. </ref>

Action

IPPN operates under eleven principles of unity which are people's power, progressive unity, economic justice, economic democracy/worker's rights, political democracy, human rights for all people, equal justice, peace and anti-imperialism, sustainable environment, opposition to racism and sexism and support for diversity and equality, and political independence.<ref name="IPPN Principles of Unity">[4],IPPN Principles of Unity. </ref> IPPN goes into further detail about each one of these principle on their website [5] The overall function and purpose of IPPN according to their by laws are:<ref name="IPPN By Laws">[6], IPPN By Laws. </ref>

• to foster functional democracy throughout IPPN, its processes, procedures, and activities;
• to provide effective accountability of those entrusted with IPPN leadership;
• to be broadly representative of local, state, and national independent parties and party-supporting organizations, major progressive movements, and constituent groupings, including labor, women, people of color, small farmers, people with disabilities, youth, gays and lesbians, environmentalists, seniors, tenants, and homeless people;
• to act in solidarity with similar local and global movements for justice;
• to ensure significant leadership and involvement of people of color, women, youth, and workers in IPPN; and,
• to improve communication among party organizations, and to help coalesce independent political parties and party-supporting movements and initiatives.

These by laws were created by IPPN to ensure that every partner organization and individual member understand the purpose of IPPN as an organization and commit themselves to reforming the state of the Democratic Party for the majority in society.

Midwest Democracy Network

Midwest Democracy Network

Background

The Midwest Democracy Network, whose origins date back to 2005, was created to align advocates for political reform and to improve the democratic institutions in Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin. All the members of this Network are committed to the core democratic values of trust, fairness, choice, freedom, and knowledge in order to establish a healthy democracy.<ref name="Midwest Democracy Network Shared Values">[7], Midwest Democracy Network Shared Values. </ref>

Purpose

The Midwest Democracy Network was created to address the need and desire to:<ref name="Midwest Democracy Network Purpose">[8], Midwest Democracy Network Origins. </ref>

• Establish a collective voice based on strength in numbers for democracy reform across the Great Lakes region
• Create a regional focus on consistent reform themes to gain momentum for policy makers in other states
• Create a broad-based reform that provides an outlet for various organizations to partner together on specific projects and promote good governance in the region
• Establish communication and collaboration between reform groups to share policy ideas and strategic approaches across state lines
• Provide advantageous opportunities for Midwest advocates like cutting edge scholarship and legal research
• Create economies of scale in order to work collectively and regionally so that no one works alone in their respective states

Action

Every member and organization in the Network operates and engages in policy research and development, data collection and analysis, public and policymaker education, community organizing and coalition building, news media outreach, communications, and advocacy. By working together with participant organizations through the Network, they hope to accomplish advancement in work by improving communications among state-based advocates, identifying shared policy goals as well as setting benchmarks to measure progress, encouraging coordination and collaboration on selected projects and activities, and strengthening the policy research, development and advocacy skills of member groups as well as their institutional capabilities. <ref name="Midwest Democracy Network Actions">[9], Midwest Democracy Network How Do We Work. </ref> To achieve these goals, The Midwest Democracy Network focuses on:

• Setting a common agenda for democracy reform which reflects the member organizations' shared democratic values
• Promoting communication among partners and with national organizations by facilitating information among member organizations through quarterly meetings
• Developing opportunities for regional collaboration among member organizations
• Diversifying and expanding the reform movement to broaden and diversify the region’s reform community
• Building the capacity of our partners and identify the most pressing needs of the Network’s member organizations to provide assistance when there is a need <ref name="Midwest Democracy Network How Do We Work">[10], Midwest Democracy Network Programmatic Goals. </ref>

The Labor Party

Labor Party

Background

The Labor Party is a newly formed political party, it was founded in the summer of 1996 at a convention in Cleveland, Ohio with 1,400 delegates. The Labor Party is supported by numerous domestic and international unions representing over two million workers.<ref name="Labor Party Supporters">[11],The Labor Parties Supporters. </ref> Dissatisfied with both the Democratic and Republican parties, the Labor Party chose to make a break from the two traditional parties because they felt they only supported the interest of their respective corporations and did not have the interest of the working people in mind.<ref name="Labor Party Background">[12],The Labor Parties Background. </ref>

Beliefs

The Labor Party has formed as a party of working people, by working people, and for working people and they believe that both the Democratic and Republican parties have failed working people. The Labor party believes that the issues most important are trade, health care, and the rights to organize, bargain, and strike.<ref name="Labor Party Beliefs">[13],The Labor Parties Beliefs. </ref> At their founding convention in 1996, delegates form 46 states voted on and adapted a 16 point program for the labor party. <ref name="Beliefs of the Labor Party">[14],Labor Parties Beliefs. </ref> The program that was adopted is called the Call for Economic Justice. The 16 points are<ref name="16 Points of the Labor Party">[15],Labor Parties 16 Points. </ref>:

• Amend the Constitution to guarantee everyone a job at a living wage
• Pay laid-off workers two months severance for every year of service
• Restore worker rights to organize, bargain, and strike
• End bigotry: An injury to one is an injury to all
• Guarantee universal access to quality health care
• More time for family and community
• Protect our families
• Ensure everyone access to quality public education
• Stop corporate abuse of trade
• End corporate welfare as we know it
• Make the wealthy pay their fair share of taxes
• Revitalize the public sector
• End corporate domination of elections
• Build a just transition movement to protect jobs and the environment
• Enforce safety and health regulations with worker inspections
• Reclaiming the workplace: Job design, technology, and skill

Action

The Preamble to the Labor Party states, "We are the people who build and maintain the nation but rarely enjoy the fruits of our labor. We are the employed and the unemployed. We are the people who make the country run but have little say in running the country."<ref name="Labor Party Preamble">[16],The Labor Parties Preamble. </ref> The Capitalist system is rooted in inequality and based off of a hierarchical class system and private ownership of the means of production. The preamble to the Labor Party illustrates the inequalities and imperfections that exist when there is private ownership of the means of production.

Private ownership of the means of production leads to<ref name="Capitalist Power and Control">[Professor Barone, Class notes, February 11,2010],Ownership of the Means of Production. </ref> :

• Control Over
  • Factories, offices, farms
  • Raw materials
  • Plants, tools, equipment

• Legal Property to
  • Total Product (total revenue)
  • Distribution of the product(distribution of income)
  • Surplus Production (profit)
  • Control of the labor-process

The Labor Party ultimately is trying to grow as a political party to create more state parties through which they can run candidate on their own ballot line and intern gain national recognition to eventually enable them to support and run national candidates successfully. The labor party, like all political parties, would like to see their candidates elected into office. The labor party differs however in the platforms they support. The Labor party wants to see an end to corporate abuses and a beginning to more equitable division of profits.

• On September 26, 2006 the Labor Party formed the South Carolina Labor Party. This became the first state level Labor Party with the right to run candidates on their own ballot line. The goal of this party was to, "create a state party which from the very start represents the working class in all its diversity".<ref name="Labor Party Action">[17],The Labor Parties Action. </ref>

The New Party

Background

The New Party

The New Party was in existence from 1992 until 1998. They fought for a democratic revolution in the United States. The main purpose of the New Party was to make that revolution a reality. The New Party argued in favor of electoral fusion, a system in which multiple parties can endorse the same candidate in an election. <ref name="New Party Electoral Fusion>[18],The New Party Electoral Fusion. </ref>Electoral fusion is illegal in most states. In 1997, The New Party filed a law suit against election officials in Minnesota, Timmons v. Twin Cities, claiming that the anti-fusion policies violated their First and Fourteenth Amendments.<ref name="New Party Files Law Suit">[19],The New Party v. Minnesota. </ref> The Supreme Court rejected The New Parties claim that the anti-fusion laws violated their First and Third Amendments in a 6-3 vote. After the Timmons case, the New Parry faced a rapid decline and chapters began to crumble. By 1998 the New Party was non existent with leaders moving on to work with and found other political activism movements such as The Working Families Party. <ref name="New Party In Decline>[20],The New Party in Decline. </ref>

Beliefs

The New Party believes that all people are created equal and should have equal opportunities in all aspects of their life irrespective of race, gender, place of birth, or family inheritance.<ref name="New Party Beliefs">[21],The New Parties Beliefs. </ref>

Action

To support their beliefs in “equality, freedom, and prosperity”, the New Party advocates for the following principles<ref name="New Party Principles">[22],Principles of The New Party. </ref>:

• Full public financing of elections, free party competition, proportional representation, and universal voter registration
• The creation, defense, and support for democratic self-organization
• A sustainable economy based on responsible uses of the earth's resources
• A society in which every citizen takes their individual roles seriously
• The democratization of the banking and financial system
• A Bill of Rights for America's Children
• Community control and equal funding of public schools
• Social Reform
  • Full employment, a shorter work week, a guaranteed minimum income based off of the "social wage"
• A progressive tax system based on ability to pay
• Rebuilding cities and metropolitan regions using
  • Community led initiatives
  • Economic development
• A reduction in military spending
  • Only military spending that is essential to national defense is acceptable
  • End unilateral military intervention
• Communities that provide a safe environment to life, work, and study
• Mutually beneficial international trade with the goal of improving living standards
• "In all aspects of our economy and social life, an absolute bar to discrimination based on race, gender, age, country of origin, and sexual orientation and absolute security in reproductive rights, fundamental liberties, and privacy."

Project Vote

Project Vote Logo

Project Vote was started in 1982 and is part of Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN), which is a group of low/moderate income people that aims to organize and strengthen communities in the areas of social and economic justice.

Objectives

Project Vote is a voter mobilization non profit organization. According to their website[23], their main goals are to "empower, educate, and mobilize low-income, minority, youth, and other marginalized and under-represented voters."<ref name="Project Vote Mission">[24],Mission of Project Vote.</ref> This takes the form of the Project Vote attempting to get these groups to increase voter registration/participation as well as inform people of their rights as voters.

Action

Project Vote has utilized three main programs to accomplish their goals:

• Voter Registration Program- Works in partnership with ACORN to organize registration for voters. Project Vote has helped more than six million people register to vote, including over one million leading up to the 2008 presidential election.<ref name="Project Vote Voter Registration">[25], Project Vote Voter Registration Program.</ref>

• Election Administration Program- Through this program, Project Vote is trying to stop policies and bills that restrict voter access to polls and elections. This involves tracking a lot of bills in various areas of the country, as well as attempting to get past voter suppression schemes through strategies such as paperless registration or voting pre-registration, where children age 16-17 are registered to vote for when they turn 18.<ref name="Project Vote Election Administration Program">[26], Project Vote Election Administration Program.</ref>

• Public Agency Registration Program- This program works to expand on a provision of the Nation Voter Registration Act[27], which was enacted in 1993 to increase the number of registered voters. The provision that Project Vote works to increase is the provision that enables public assistance program (such as Food Stamps or Medicaid) clients to provide voter registration opportunities. Project Vote aids various states and social assistance programs in enforcing these programs. <ref name="Project Vote Public Agency Registration">[28], Project Vote Public Agency Registration.</ref>

FairVote (Formerly the Center for Voting and Democracy)

Background

FairVote, is a non-profit election reforming organization based in Maryland. It was founded in 1992 under the name the Center for Voting and Democracy, with the goal of getting more universal participation in elections, smarter balloting choices as well as a full representation in government of all citizens.

Objectives

FairVote supports the constitution protecting the right to vote, universal voter registration (as stated above), a national popular vote for president (all of a states electoral votes go to the candidate that gets the most votes), instant-runoff voting (candidates are ranked in terms of preference) and proportional representation.

Action

In order to accomplish its goals for reform as well as show its support for various types of reform, FairVote employs a variety of strategies. One strategy is informing people of reforms. FairVote implements their own reforms as well as supports higher profile election reforms. After a great deal of research, FairVote provides information to the public about the impact of voting systems on political representation and voter turnout. They also try to gain public support for their reforms by trying to sway media coverage in those reforms favor and getting FairVote's name known. This is done by getting FairVote employees recognized in various outlets of news media. Also, support for reforms is regulated by organizing conferences for other non-profits in the voting reform area.

Working Families Party

Background

The Working Families Party (WFP) was founded in New York in 1998. The WFP is composed of bus drivers in Queens, teachers in Buffalo, auto workers in Syracuse, tenants in Brooklyn, seniors in Rochester, students in Manhattan, home health care aides in Westchester and telephone workers in the Bronx. The general make up of the party are the unemployed, underemployed and the overworked.There are more than 60 community organizations and labor unions who have been affiliated with the Working Families Party and represents more than 1 million members.<ref name="Working Families Party History">[29],WFP History. </ref> Since its founding the WFP has moved into states like Connecticut in 2002 and Oregon, Delaware, South Carolina, and Vermont. The WFP is on the move and growing with new members every day.

Objectives

The Working Families Party is working towards a more equal opportunity world where the economy is in working condition for everyone. The WFP is fighting to regain the American Dream. The ultimate goals of the WFP are: <ref name="Working Families Party Issues">[30],WFP Issues. </ref>

• Paid sick days for all New Yorkers
• Affordable Housing
• Green Jobs and Green Homes
• Real Tax Solutions
• Clean Elections
• Education
• Equal Rights
• Good Jobs and Living Wages
• Healthcare for all
• Paid Family Leave
• Public Transportation
• Veterans and Military Families
• Bank Bailouts

Action

The Working Families Party instructs the working class to make a difference by taking action. One must vote, volunteer, contribute, tell a friend, join a WFP chapter, and take action to continue the fight for the working families in the US. The WFP asks that as a society we must hold our politicians responsible for their actions, rebuild our economy so that it works for everyone, and regain the American Dream.<ref name="Working Families Party Take Action">[31],WFP Take Action. </ref>

Alperovitz

America Beyond Capitalism

Alperovitz advocates the Pluralist Commonwealth model in his book America Beyond Capitalism: Reclaiming our Wealth our Liberty, and our Democracy. The Commonwealth model is based on four contentions:<ref name="Gar Alperovitz"> America Beyond Capitalism: Reclaiming our Wealth, our Liberty, and our Democracy, John Wiley & Sons, Inc, 2005. </ref>

1)In order to achieve greater equality in society we must develop new institutions that hold wealth on behalf of small and large publics.

2)We can only rebuild Democracy as a whole in this system by nurturing democracy in everyday life. This includes economic institutions that allow and sustain a greater stability of the local community life.

3)We must have radical decentralization on some form of regional units in order to achieve democracy on such a large scale with the US growing population.

4)The only way to achieve meaningful individual liberty in the modern era is to change the ownership of wealth and income flow in the US

The Political Actions Groups are on the path that Alperovitz has laid out for the general public. These Political Actions groups are trying to implement reforms that are geared towards equal opportunities for the working class citizens in society. They are taking action in their communities and among organizations and individuals who share similar ideals.These groups are leading the charge towards reclaiming the wealth, liberty, and democracy for the working class.

Alperovitz Videos:

1. 1[32]
2. 2[33]
3. 3[34]
4. 4[35]

Domhoff & Yates

Who Rules America?

G. William Domhoff argues in the opening four chapters in his text “Who Rules America?” that there is a corporate community that serves as a basis for a social upper class and that the combined corporate and social upper class has developed a policy planning network that favors their best interests. The policy planning network has lead to the creation of an opinion making network which makes it possible to dominate political parties and elections and intern to dominate government and policy. Making the corporate and social upper classes a power elite.<ref name="G. William Domhoff"> Who Rules America? Challenges to Corporate and Class Dominance, McGraw-Hill, 2009. </ref>

Each of these political action groups are working to counter balance and correct errors and social norms created by the power elite. These social norms tend to benefit only the power elite while taking advantage of the working people both in both politics and with in the corporate structure. Each of the political action groups is striving to form a more equal society and eliminate the enormous influence of the power elite.

Why Unions Mater

Yates is critical of unions from a pro-union/ pro-labor perspective. Unions are the only organizations that stand up for worker rights. Unions are a piece of the political activism puzzle but they do not make up the whole story. Many political action groups are comprised of unions but that is not always the case. Unions tend to run in similar belief circles as political action groups, generally speaking, both tend to support worker rights, freedoms, and safety in all aspects of their jobs and their lives.

Bowles, Edwards & Roosevelt

Understanding Capitalism

In Understanding Capitalism: Competition, Command and Change, by Samuel Bowles, Richard Edwards and Frank Roosevelt, the authors address the reasons they believe are wrong with capitalism. A large part of their argument revolves around inequality, both domestically and internationally. This ties directly into what Political Action groups are trying to alleviate. Although employment, gender and race inequality are the main examples of inequality that Bowles, Edwards and Roosevelt talk about, those inequalities are also addressed by the political action groups. Many want to decrease the advantage that the upper-class has over the lower, working class. For example, FairVote and Project Vote are both organizations that are working towards voting equality, and making the vote in national elections much more fully representative of the population. Political action groups such as the Midwest Democracy Network are also working towards a much healthier democracy, as advocated in Understanding Capitalism, by working to strengthen institutions based on freedom, fairness, choice and knowledge in the Midwest.

Social Justice?

The formation of social movements for social justice is not a new concept.

The goals of these political actions groups are consistent with the ideals of social justice. Each group is striving to provide for the underprivileged working class by providing them with equality on all levels. These groups are raising awareness to the gross inequality of wealth in our country and are taking a stand against the corporations that seem to have overwhelming control of our federal government.

References

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