> On Feb 8, 2016, at 1:00 PM, raghu <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> On Mon, Feb 8, 2016 at 11:33 AM, Marv Gandall <[email protected]> wrote:
> > Well, maybe. These half-hearted Democrats would be prime material for the
> > formation of a viable third party as the economic crisis drives them to the
> > left. But the much greater threat they perceive to their historic gains and
> > present welfare from the Republicans will more likely keep them voting
> > Democratic even if the party establishment forces a Clinton nomination down
> > their collective throat.
>
> I don't understand this weird obsession with the party label. If Bernie is
> unable to win in a Democratic primary which involves the left 40% of the US,
> then what chance would he have in a general election? Surely the latter is
> rigged at least as much as the former is.
>
> So why is it important that a good Leftist should contest as a third party
> candidate in the general election - where he is likely to be completely
> ignored, instead of doing what Bernie is doing right now to very good effect?
Bernie is certainly doing what he is doing right now to very good effect. I was
making an observation about the prospects for a third party if he is denied the
nomination, not proposing it as a strategy. Whatever Louis, Carrol, Shane and
others may think or hope, urban workers, women, blacks, Hispanics, students,
environmentalists, gays, etc. will continue to vote Democratic as long as they
see that party providing the only possibility for defending their gains in the
legislative, regulatory, and judicial arenas from Republican attack.
Even those liberal Democrats who are more sympathetic to the Green Party
platform, as we saw in the Nader campaign, will still stick with their party
for this reason and even denounce a third party seen as paving the way for
Republicans to win elections.
A third party will have to begin consistently electing representatives at the
state and local levels before it is regarded as a serious alternative, and it
won't become a serious alternative until a frustrated Democratic rank-and-file,
drawn from the unions and social movements, begin to join it large numbers. I
suggested this is still a very unlikely outcome despite the remarkable
groundswell of support for Sanders who will join them in supporting Clinton
against the Republican candidate should she get the nomination.
_______________________________________________
pen-l mailing list
[email protected]
https://lists.csuchico.edu/mailman/listinfo/pen-l
