> Published on Thursday, June 1, 2000 in the http://www.thecapitaltimes.com/ > Madison (WI) Capital Times > > Politics In Cities Across U.S. Take A Left Turn > > by John Nichols > > Madison is a two-party town. It is fair to say that the Democrats are in > the dominant position, with such party stalwarts as U.S. Rep. Tammy > Baldwin, state Rep. Mark Pocan, Mayor Sue Bauman and County Executive > Kathleen Falk occupying key partisan and nonpartisan positions. But there > is, as well, a scrappy second party in Madison, with members well > represented on the City Council, County Board and School Board. > > The second party is, of course, Progressive Dane -- the union-backed, > left-leaning group that over the past seven years has won dozens of > contests for local posts and established solid ties with Baldwin, Falk and > other non-PD officials. > > What of the Republicans? While the Grand Old Party's denizens sheepishly > occupy a handful of local posts, they are hardly major players outside the > confines of the Capitol Square. (It's worth noting that, in isthmus wards, > Green candidate Ralph Nader whipped Republican Bob Dole in 1996 > presidential voting. It's equally worth noting that Nader and his running > mate, Winona LaDuke, will do significantly better in those same wards this > year.) > > But Madison's just Madison, right? > > Wrong. > > The nontraditional politics of Wisconsin's capital city are mirrored in a > growing number of communities across the United States. In Iowa City, for > instance, Socialist Karen Kubby has just finished a decade-long stint on > the City Council. In Burlington, Vt., Progressive Party members and their > allies > hold the mayor's job, a number of local posts and four legislative seats. > In Arcata, Calif., Greens control the local government. The New Party is > the No. 2 party on the Missoula, Mont., City Council. In Boston, Rainbow > Coalition Party's Chuck Turner last fall became the first non-Democrat > elected to the City Council in two decades. And San Francisco Supervisor > Tom Ammiano almost got elected > mayor of that city last fall as a blunt, no-strings-attached progressive. > > Third-party and independent progressive politics are alive and well in > America. In the aftermath of the remarkable coalition-building that fueled > last fall's anti-WTO protests in Seattle, there is reason to believe that > this may be the ripest moment since the 1930s for a progressive political > blossoming in the United States. > > That's certainly the hope of the Independent Progressive Politics Network, > which begins its fifth National Independent Politics Summit here today. The > summit, which runs through Sunday on the UW campus (call 556-1232 for > details) brings together activists such as the always inspiring Baldemar > Velasquez of the Farm Labor Organizing Committee; academics such as > Lawrence Goodwin, author of > "The Populist Moment''; and successful independent pols such as Iowa City's > Kubby. > > South African poet Dennis Brutus, one of the wisest voices on the planet > regarding globalization and democracy in the developing world, is expected > to be present, as are LaDuke and Socialist Party presidential candidate > David McReynolds, whose long history of activism on peace and social > justice issues makes him a bridge between the Old Left, the New Left and > the even newer PS (Post-Seattle) Left. Singer Holly Near will join > Madison's excellent Vicki Guzman for a Barrymore Theatre benefit on behalf > of the Independent Progressive Politics Network Friday night. > > Underpinning the forums, seminars and workshops of the weekend will be a > new energy, which is grounded in the realization that independent > progressive politics is no longer a "from-the-sidelines'' activity. In > Madison and a growing number of communities, new parties of the left are > not just challenging the political process, they are displacing traditional > players and taking charge of that process. > > The American people are welcoming the change. Indeed, with the latest New > York Times/CBS Poll showing that 75 percent of Americans are dissatisfied > with the process that gave them Al Gore and George W. Bush as their prime > presidential choices, the electorate is signaling that the alternatives the > Independent Progressive Politics Network and its affiliates propose cannot > come fast enough. > > John Nichols is the editorial page editor of The Capital Times. > > =A9 2000 The Capital Times > > Green Party: http://www.greens.org/gpusa > State Association of Green Parties: http://www.greenparties.org > New Party: http://newparty.org/ > Independent Progressive Politics Network: http://www.ippn.org/ > Socialist Party USA: http://www.sp-usa.org/ > McReynolds-Hollis Campaign: http://www,votesocialist.org/ <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/">www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance�not soap-boxing�please! 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