This original article in the October 7 issue of City Journal explains why the Working Families Party is now the best-organized political party in New York city, even out-organizing the Democratic Party. Thanks to Jack Dean for the link.
This original article in the October 7 issue of City Journal explains why the Working Families Party is now the best-organized political party in New York city, even out-organizing the Democratic Party. Thanks to Jack Dean for the link.
The Working Families Party needs to change its name to: Progressive Party, USA.
In California, there is no Working Families Party; neither is there a Progressive Party. At least, neither of those two Parties has ballot access. Why are they not putting more effort into the Golden State?
And hopefully use Teddy Roosevelt and the Bull Moose as icons …………….. Don Lake
Dream on. As the article makes clear, the WFP isn’t leaving the Democrats, so much as it is a reestablishment of a mini-Democratic Party by municipal unions and ACORN.
“Locally, the Democrats are in dramatic decline. In a contested Democratic primary—and in New York City, most contested elections outside of the mayoralty are in Democratic primaries—the WFP has become much more than an alternate ballot-line option. It’s now the only machine in town. Being shut out of the mayor’s office for the past 16 years has stemmed the flow of patronage that Democrats long directed to their political clubs, once the source of Democratic strength. Except for a few anomalies, the clubs have mostly faded away, displaced in part by the rise of the mini-machines that come with each gerrymandered city council seat or state legislative slot. Shorn of its patronage hires and campaign workers, the Democratic Party has lost touch with the grass roots at the same time that the public-sector unions now have, in the WFP, an operation that can represent them without making the compromises necessary to attract a broader coalition…
Like 1199’s Dennis Rivera, the sophisticated Cantor—a man of sectarian orientation but mainstream tactics and ambitions—understands that “the Democrats and Republicans are basically media operations, not on-the-ground organizations.†The unions, not the Democrats, have the troops. By endorsing Democrats in the primaries and then delivering voters to the polls, Cantor saw that he could exercise considerable influence over the party’s nominees.”
This WFP looks like the old Democratic machine: old wine, new bottle. They certainly aren’t going to align with any national party other than the Democrats.
In thr article thry explain the WFP put 350 people on the street for $100 ea. As an elected official of the NY Independence Party I could put many more on the street, at no cost, with a phone call.