-----Original Message-----
From: ferma001 [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: Tuesday, March 27, 2001 1:41 PM
To: Mpls Issues
Subject: Re: [Mpls] Political parties
Hate to be icky picky on this notion, but do not the Constitutions of both
the DFL & Repub Partys spell out what they are, definitionally speaking.
Perhaps, some long time keeper of party trivia might put up the respective
clauses from the constitutions & bylaws.
Not nearly as much as you might expect. For example:
From the Charter of the Democratic Party of the United States: "We,
the Democrats of the United States of America, united in common purpose,
hereby rededicate ourselves to the principles which have historically
sustained our Party. Recognizing that the vitality of the Nation's
political institutions has been the foundation of its enduring strength, we
acknowledge that a political party which wishes to lead must listen to those
it would lead, a party which asks for the people's trust must prove that it
trusts the people and a party which hopes to call forth the best the Nation
can achieve must embody the best of the Nation's heritage and traditions.
"What we seek for our Nation, we hope for all people: individual
freedom in the framework of a just society, political freedom in the
framework of meaningful participation by all citizens. Bound by the United
States Constitution, aware that a party must be responsive to be worthy of
responsibility, we pledge ourselves to open, honest endeavor and to the
conduct of public affairs in a manner worthy of a society of free people.
"Under God, and for these ends and upon these principles, we do
establish and adopt this Charter of the Democratic Party of the United
States of America."
From the Constitution of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Party: "We, the members of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, in the State
Convention assembled, in order to organize and perpetuate a representative,
effective and responsible party organization in the State of Minnesota,
affiliate with, and advance the interests of the Democratic Party
nationally, sustain and advance principles of liberal democracy, and uphold
human and civil rights, and constitutional government do establish this
Constitution."
I could not find the corresponding Republican documents online, but
I suspect that they are equally broad and general, and I would be surprised
if there is anything in the "definition" of Republican that excludes me (a
Democrat) any more than anything in the Democratic Party's "definition"
quoted above necessarily excludes a conservative Republican. What defines a
political party at any given moment, ideologically speaking, is its
platform, its candidates' agendas, its public officeholders' policies, and
its delegates' and members' priorities--none of which are set in stone, any
of which can change from election to election, and which may differ from
jurisdiction to jurisdiction.
BRM
Brian Melendez
St. Anthony West (Ward 3)
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