[WB-Discuss] Once again on organization-Where i stand Part1

[PHWernick at aol.com]

Once Again on Organization-Where I Stand-PAT 1

Firstly, hearty congratulations and  well deserved praise to Wendy and Aram 
for their work in putting together the event for December 4. I think everyone 
at the  GRP meeting was impressed with the lineup of groups and speakers and 
plans for artistic performances and refreshments.The flyer was excellent and 
deserves much praise and I look forward to what promises to be an educational 
evening.

It was also nice to see my old acquaintance Tony Palomba,who offered some 
thoughts regarding the discussion of electoral work.To paraphrase one of Tony's 
points, he felt that it was important for progressives to be working to defeat 
Bush in the upcoming presidential race,though he mentioned the "D" word only 
in passing.

I sort of just carried forward his thinking,which mirrors mine, and mentioned 
that "D" word for what it is: Democratic, Democratic Party, voting for 
Democrats.That is the logical extension of what Tony stated.If the impetus is to 
defeat Bush at all costs, this would seem to negate a Green Party candidate on 
the national level, except for so-called safe states and would mean voting for 
and supporting  the Democratic candidate as the lesser of two evils, since IRV 
voting is not in place. 

My long -held opinion has been that the Green Party and here in Massachusetts 
the Green-Rainbow Party  both ignore the Democratic Party at their peril.On 
the national level, many prominent Greens are debating the question of 
supporting a Democratic Party presidential candidate,especially in the absence of a 
declared Nader run. On the state level, it may depend on retaining ballot status 
as a party,so there are competing issues. In the last analysis, Greens will 
vote their personal conscience when they step into the voting booth. 

National Green politics intersects local Watertown politics and on this I 
would disagree with brother Tony. On the national level, some progresssive and 
democratic voters see the Greens as spoilers and blame Nader for tossing the 
election to Bush. This DOES translate to the local level and savvy voters in 
local elections may turn against Green candidates,with a carryover of the spoiler 
label.

I'm a member of the SEIU,Service Employees International Union, which has 
just voted to endorse Dean. Of course, the rank and file does not always follow 
the leadership and members are free to vote as they see fit. But on the whole, 
it will be difficult to convince SEIU and AFSCME members,1million strong, to 
support a national Green Party candidate.

Locally, SEIU members may also support democrats,seeing the Green candidates 
as local spoilers.It may be possible to turn around this label on the local 
level, but it requires a vastly different attitude towards the Democrats than is 
currently held by the GRP.Instead of viewing democrats as enemies, it's time 
we saw them as allies.GRP needs to go where the progressive voters are, and 
this means the democratic party.This might mean a presence in the democratic 
party,supporting a democratic party candidate,or enlisting democratic party 
supporters.The mechanics are not as important as overall orientation.

Tony and Aram and  others have mentioned enlisting the unenrolled and 
non-voting and such a strategy does not have to be in opposition to courting liberal 
democratic voters.Because that is what any progressive third party needs to 
do-win over to its side allies in the community, in the professions, in the 
trade unions,and from other sectors of society that ordinarily see their interests 
as represented by the Democratic Party. 

Nobody can predict the future with a crystal ball.I can only go on the basis 
of past efforts which has meant that attempts to build a third party from 
scratch have not worked.Examples of this have been the peace and Freedom Party and 
the Citizens Party as well as the Progressive Party.Alex once mentioned that 
there are thousands of tenants in Watertown,people who do not usually vote.I 
completely agree with an approach that is partially oriented towards enlisting 
support from the unenrolled and non-voting public, such as tenants,except that 
such strategy is too risky to undertake as the only option.

What is needed is a multi-pronged approach,involving democratic party 
activists, progressive activists who do not vote, liberal democrats,as well as the 
unenrolled and non-voting.This approach leaves open many doors to long time 
political activists as well as newcomers.

This approach means that the GRP as we know it,with a small group, will be 
transforned from its present status. I am agnostic at this point as to whether 
the GRP should try an electoral run in Watertown.It all depends on what basis 
this is done. If it is attempted with a narrow,radical, aproach focusing on 
foreign policy, little may come of such work.If it is attempted,enlisting the 
support of liberal democrats and appealing to a wide stratum of the Watertown 
population, it may succeed.

Were the GRP and GRP in Watertown to function on the basis of having members 
in solid agreement with a clearly defined program, it would be simple to offer 
up the candidate with the most time as a PARTY candidate.Absent this type of 
agreement,it may more or less be an individual decision to run, with the party 
tagging along. I am not in favor of such an approach but if an articulate 
candidate can be found, and a minimum program agreed upon, an electoral campaign 
can be the opportunity to reach out to others and transform the party from 
what it is now.Many people crave the opportunity to be involved in a significant 
political party that can help humanely transform their own community as well 
as having a window to the larger world.The success of the GRP will depend on 
its ability to attract individuals from across the democratic spectrum and not 
strictly along ideological lines.

Local runs at office need to enlist political operatives such as Tony with 
prior experience, though this does not negate input from all in a learning 
experience.In addition, any candidate needs to focus on town  and state issues such 
as housing, municipal services,taxes, and education. Over the summer Alex 
invited us to a town forum on housing and  I was struck by the large attendance 
of a mostly middle class electorate  with seemingly ordinary middle class 
concerns and bread and butter issues that affect their pocketbooks.This was no 
granola crunching crowd.I came with shorts and sandals and a T shirt, but despite 
the stifling summer heat,most of my neighbors were dressed to the nines.A 
small cultural commentary, but one that presages huge cultural and political gaps 
between the GRP and ordinary working people.At one time Tony Lorenzen out in 
Worcester used to talk about this issue. 

The bottom line is that if the GRP seeks to run for office based on notions 
of Imperialism, the war in Iraq, or troubles in the middle east such as the 
ongoing war between Israel/Palestine, it will probably fail. This does not mean 
that Watertown citizens are not intelligent and are not capable of 
understanding worldly issues.It does not negate the introduction of such issues in a 
campaign perhaps in a small way  as part of a larger program.
To be continued















 

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