Socialist Party USA

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Socialist Party USA
ChairmanAndrea Pason
Billy Wharton
FoundedJanuary 1, 1973 (January 1, 1973)
Preceded bySocialist Party of America
Headquarters339 Lafayette St. Suite #303
New York, NY 10012
Youth wingYoung People's Socialist League
Membership1,000 [1] (2010)
IdeologyDemocratic socialism
International affiliationNone
ColorsRed
Political positionFiscal: Left-wing
Social: Left-wing
Seats in the Senate
0 / 100
Seats in the House
0 / 435
Governorships
0 / 50
State Upper Houses
0 / 1,921
State Lower Houses
0 / 5,410
Website
http://socialistparty-usa.org/

The Socialist Party USA (SPUSA or SOC) is a multi-tendency democratic socialist political party in the United States. The party states that it is the rightful continuation or successor to the tradition of the Socialist Party of America (founded in 1901), which had previously adopted the name Socialist Party USA in 1962.[2]

The party is officially committed to left-wing democratic socialist ideas. The Socialist Party USA, along with its predecessors, has been met with varying support. Some attribute this to the party having to compete with the financial dominance of the two major parties, as well as the limitations of the United States' legislatively[3][4] and judicially[5] entrenched two-party system.

The party is opposed to both capitalism and "authoritarian Communism" and supports a democratic socialist solution of bringing big business under public ownership and democratic workers' self-management, rather than indirectly accountable bureaucratic control.[6] The Party advocates independent electoral action aimed at promoting socialist alternatives and categorically opposes the candidates of the two major parties. Its youth affiliate is the Young People's Socialist League (YPSL).

History

See also: Socialist movement in the United States and Socialist Party of America

In 1958, the Trotskyist Independent Socialist League led by Max Shachtman dissolved to join the Socialist Party of America. Shachtman, whose politics had changed since his days as a Trotskyist leader,[7] argued both for militant opposition to Soviet-style communism[8] and that the Socialist Party should work within the Democratic Party. By 1972 Shachtman's Unity Caucus had taken control of the Socialist Party and blocked a resolution opposing the Vietnam War. In the 1972 presidential election, Shachtman's caucus initially backed hawkish Cold Warrior Senator Henry "Scoop" Jackson, then adopted AFL-CIO President George Meany's position of neutrality between the two candidates nominated by the major parties.[9]

File:Zeidler-frank-1960.jpg
Frank Zeidler, the Socialist Party's first national chair and candidate for the office of the President

In response, two groups broke off: the Coalition Caucus led by Michael Harrington supported antiwar Democrat George McGovern and went on to form the Democratic Socialist Organizing Committee (later becoming the Democratic Socialists of America),[10] while the left-wing Debs Caucus backed People's Party anti-war candidate Benjamin Spock. The Debs Caucus formed the Union for Democratic Socialism, which officially reconstituted the Socialist Party USA in 1973,[11] when the Shachtmanites who remained in the Socialist Party re-named their organization Social Democrats USA.[12] Numerous local and state branches of the old Socialist Party, including the Party's Wisconsin, California, Illinois, New York City, Philadelphia, and Washington D.C. organizations, participated in the reconstitution of the Socialist Party USA.[10]

After its founding, the party promoted itself as the legitimate heir of the Socialist Party of America.[13] Former Mayor of Milwaukee, Frank Zeidler, was elected the first national chairperson of the party. Zeidler also helped re-organizing the party structure during its early years. He was later nominated as the party's candidacy for the presidential office, with Zeidler believing the party would be able to collaborate with other socialist parties nationwide to spread the message of socialism.[14]

The party has surprised the American media in some elections in recent decades. In 1992, Socialist Iowa City Councilwoman Karen Kubby won her re-election with the highest vote totals in the Iowa City Council's history, and was continually re-elected until retiring from the Council in 2000.[15] In 2000 Socialist Wendell Harris received 19% of the vote for Mayor of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.[16] In 2008, Socialist Jon Osbourne pulled in 22% of the vote for Rhode Island's 34th District State Senate seat, while listed on the ballot under the Socialist Party USA label.[17] During the 2010 United States Senate elections Dan La Botz of the Socialist Party of Ohio received 25,368 (0.68%) votes in Ohio, amounting to one of the highest vote totals received in the Party's modern history for a candidate listed under the SP ballot label.[18]

Membership

According to the party's first chairman, Frank Zeidler, the party had around 500 members nationwide in 1975.[14] The Socialist Party experienced substantial growth during the late 1970s and early to mid-1980s, expanding from only around 600 dues-paying members to around 1,700.[19] In 2008, the WMNF claimed that the party had around 3,000 paying members.[20] However, in 2010 a CommonDreams article suggested that the organization had only 1,000 members with party members claiming it to be an increase in the amount of members.[1]

Ideology

Positions

While some SP members favor a more gradual approach to socialism, most others envision a more sweeping or revolutionary transformation of society from capitalist to socialist through the decisive victory of the working class in the class struggle.[6] Some SP members also advocate revolutionary nonviolence or pacifism, while some consider armed struggle a possible necessity. The Party's Statement of Principles rejects equating socialism with a "welfare state" and calls for democratic social revolution from below.[6] The party is strongly committed to principles of socialist feminism and strives to further embody such commitment in its organizational structure. Its national constitution requires gender parity among its national co-chairs and co-vice chairs, its national committee members and alternates, and seated members of its branch- and region-elected delegations to the Party's biennial national conventions.[6][21][22] The Socialist Party also rejected the new healthcare reform law of 2010 approved by the Obama administration, with SP National Co-Chair Billy Wharton claiming it to be "a corporate restructuring of the health insurance industry created to protect the profit margins of private insurance companies".[23]

During his campaign, the Socialist Party candidate for president, Brian Moore, was very vocal against the idea that Barack Obama was a socialist of any kind.[24] He further commented on the issue, saying it was "misleading of the Republicans" to spread that message.[25] In a later statement about Obama's policies, Wharton called Obama's 2010 State of the Union Address a "public relations ploy". He concluded with; "The time for slick public relations campaigns has ended - the time for building our grassroots movements is more urgent than ever. The Socialist Party USA stands ready to join in such a political revitalization".[26]

International affairs

The Party's National Action Committee condemned the Israeli actions during the Gaza War. The party demands that the Federal government of the United States cease providing military aid to the State of Israel as a precondition for peace. The party also seeks to begin an immediate withdrawal of American troops from Iraq and Afghanistan.[27] During the 2008 election, the Socialist Party continued to place a strong emphasis on its full-scale opposition U.S. wars abroad, with Brian Moore, the presidential candidate, claiming the war was destroying small communities throughout the country. He also criticized what he called "pressure on the local governments" by the Bush administration.[28] The Socialist Party of Connecticut denounced Obama's troop surge in Afghanistan, claiming that the president was throwing away much needed resources the country needed to get pulled out of the financial crisis. After denouncing him, the state affiliate organized a protest in front of the federal building in Hartford.[29]

Government

SP candidates, such as 2009 New Jersey gubernatorial candidate Greg Pason have also emphasized immediate public service demands, such as socializing the U.S. health care system, a steeply graduated income tax, universal rent control, and the elimination of all educational debts and tuition fees.[30] In 1997, Pason called auto insurance "a regressive tax against working people".[31] Moore was also vocal of his support for public healthcare and socialized medicine.[32] Moore believes that capitalism is a system based on both exploitation and selfishness, which operates to serve the interests of corporations and the ruling class, at the expense of workers and the poor. During his presidential campaign he claimed that the lack of available remedy to collapsing economic conditions stems from the capitalist system's foundation upon "greed", and advocated its replacement with a new system founded upon economic democracy through social ownership and worker-control of our reigning industrial and financial institutions.[24]

Presidential tickets

See also: United States presidential nominating convention § Prohibition and socialist parties
Year Results Candidates Ballot
access 		Notes
†
Votes Percent for President for Vice President
1976 6,038 0.1% Frank Zeidler J. Quinn Brisben 13 [33][34]
1980 6,898 0.01% David McReynolds Diane Drufenbrock 10 [35][36]
1984[‡] 72,161 0.08% Sonia Johnson Richard Walton 19 [37][38]
1988 3,882 0.0% Willa Kenoyer Ron Ehrenreich 11 [39][40]
1992 3,057 0.0% J. Quinn Brisben Barbara Garson [41]
1996 4,764 0.0% Mary Cal Hollis Eric Chester 5 [42][43]
2000 5,602 0.01% David McReynolds Mary Cal Hollis 7 [44][45]
2004 10,822 0.01% Walt Brown Mary Alice Herbert 8 [46][47]
2008 6,581 0.01% Brian Moore Stewart Alexander 8 [48][49]

† In each line the first note refers to candidates and results, the second (if any) to ballot access
(the number of state and district ballots, out of 51, on which the Socialist Party candidates appeared)
‡ ^ Endorsed the Citizens Party's candidates in 1984.

See also

Part of a series on
Socialism
Development
Ideas
Models
Variants
People
Organizations
Related topics
Lists
  • List of democratic socialist parties and organizations
  • List of elected socialist mayors in the United States
  • Brian Moore presidential campaign, 2008

    • State affiliates:

    Notes

    1. ^ a b Kenning, Chris (March 1, 2010). "Socialists Get Newfound Attention as 'Red-Baiting' Draws Interest From Youth". CommonDreams. Retrieved March 24, 2010.
    2. ^ "Proceedings, National Convention". The Online Books Page. Retrieved February 25, 2010.
    3. ^ Winger, Richard. "Institutional Obstacles to a Multiparty System," in Multiparty Politics in America, Paul S. Herrnson and John C. Green, eds. (Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 1997)
    4. ^ Ansolabehere, Stephen and Gerber, Alan. "The Effects of Filing Fees and Petition Requirements on U.S. House Elections," Legislative Studies Quarterly 21 no. 2 (1996)
    5. ^ Fitts, Michael A. "Back to the Future: Enduring Dilemmas Revealed in the Supreme Court's Treatment of Political Parties", in The U.S. Supreme Court and the Electoral Process (2nd ed.) David K. Ryden, ed. Washington: Georgetown University Press, 2002 ISBN 9780878408863 pp. 103-105 and passim
    6. ^ a b c d "Socialist Party USA: Statement of Principles". Socialist Party USA. Retrieved February 25, 2010.
    7. ^ 2008, pp. 63.
    8. ^ Beichman, Arnold (July 28, 2002). "Communism to anti-communism in lives of two rival editors". The Washington Times. Goliath.ecnext.com. Retrieved February 7, 2010.
    9. ^ Heilbrunn, Jacob (February 1, 2008). "They Knew They Were Right: The Rise of The Neocons". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 7, 2010.
    10. ^ a b Busky 2000, pp. 164.
    11. ^ Busky 2000, pp. 165.
    12. ^ "Socialist Party Now the Social Democrats, U.S.A." The New York Times. December 31, 1972. Retrieved February 8, 2010.(Pay-fee for article)
    13. ^ "Socialists Pick '76 candidate". St. Petersburg Times. September 3, 1975. Retrieved February 8, 2010.
    14. ^ a b "Socialists pick ex-mayor for presidency". The Modesto Bee. September 2, 1975. Retrieved February 8, 2010.
    15. ^ Lowenstein, Adam (May 26, 1999). "Kubby won't run again for City Council". The Gazette. Retrieved February 7, 2010.
    16. ^ "Norquist, Watts Win Mayoral Primary Election in Milwaukee" St. Paul Pioneer Press February 16, 2000; p. 2B
    17. ^ "2008 General Election Results - Senator in General Assembly District 34". State of Rhode Island: Board of Election. Retrieved February 25, 2010.
    18. ^ "State of Ohio 2010 General Election November 2, 2010 Unofficial Results". Ohio Secretary of State. November 2, 2010. Retrieved November 6, 2010.
    19. ^ Herbst, Moira (May 22, 2009). "Socialism? Hardly, Say Socialists". Business Week. Retrieved February 7, 2010.
    20. ^ Kinane, Sean (June 13, 2008). "Brian Moore – Socialist Party USA Presidential Candidate". WMNF. Retrieved February 7, 2010.
    21. ^ "2010-2011 Platform". Socialist Party USA. Retrieved February 25, 2010.
    22. ^ "Constitution of the Socialist Party USA". Socialist Party USA. Retrieved June 5, 2010.
    23. ^ Mcauliff, Michael (March 22, 2010). "Tea Party Head Spinner: Socialists Oppose Health Bill". New York Daily News. Retrieved March 28, 2010.
    24. ^ a b Harrington, Elizabeth (October 29, 2008). "Socialist Party Candidate Visits U. Tampa". CBS News. Retrieved February 7, 2010.
    25. ^ "Socialist Moore: Obama's not a socialist". Independent Political Report. October 25, 2008. Retrieved February 7, 2010.
    26. ^ Altimari, Daniela (January 28, 2010). "Socialist Party response to Obama's state of the union speech". Hartford Courant. Retrieved February 7, 2010.
    27. ^ "End the Massacre in Gaza – No Solution Through Violence". Indybay.org. January 1, 2009. Retrieved February 7, 2010.
    28. ^ Jackson, Tom (September 4, 2007). "Likeable Guy Brandishes Loony Ideas". The Tampa Tribune.
    29. ^ Altimari, Daniela (December 1, 2009). "If Obama's a socialist, his comrades aren't happy". Hartford Courant.
    30. ^ "Voter Guide / Other third-party candidates for governor". The Press of Atlantic City. November 1, 2009. Retrieved February 7, 2010.
    31. ^ Preston, Jennifer (September 14, 1997). "On Politics; Hearing From the Seven Who Are Seldom Heard". The Press of Atlantic City. Retrieved February 7, 2010.
    32. ^ Kinane, Sean (June 13, 2008). "Brian Moore – Socialist Party USA Presidential Candidate". WMNF. Retrieved October 30, 2009.
    33. ^ "1976 Presidential General Election Results". US Election Atlas.org. Retrieved February 7, 2010.
    34. ^ 1991, pp. 150.
    35. ^ "1980 Presidential General Election Results". US Election Atlas.org. Retrieved February 7, 2010.
    36. ^ Smallwood 1983, pp. 56.
    37. ^ "1984 Presidential General Election Results". US Election Atlas.org. Retrieved February 7, 2010.
    38. ^ "United States Court of Appeals, District of Columbia Circuit. - 829 F.2d 157". Justia.com. Retrieved February 13, 2010.
    39. ^ "1988 Presidential General Election Results". US Election Atlas.org. Retrieved February 7, 2010.
    40. ^ Freeman 2008, pp. 96.
    41. ^ "1992 Presidential General Election Results". US Election Atlas.org. Retrieved February 7, 2010.
    42. ^ "1996 Presidential General Election Results". US Election Atlas.org. Retrieved February 7, 2010.
    43. ^ "President - U.S. - 1996". US Election Atlas.org. Retrieved February 7, 2010.
    44. ^ "2000 Presidential General Election Results". US Election Atlas.org. Retrieved February 7, 2010.
    45. ^ Winger, Richard. "President - U.S. - 2000". Ballot Access News. Retrieved February 13, 2010.
    46. ^ "2004 Presidential General Election Results". US Election Atlas.org. Retrieved February 7, 2010.
    47. ^ Richardson, Darcy G. (October 14, 2004). "The Other Progressive Candidate: The Lonely Crusade of Walt Brown". CounterPunch. Retrieved February 13, 2010.
    48. ^ "2008 Presidential General Election Results". US Election Atlas.org. Retrieved February 7, 2010.
    49. ^ Richardson, Darcy (November 2, 2008). "Socialist Candidate Names Prospective Cabinet". OpEdNews. Retrieved February 13, 2010.

    References

    External links


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