Towards a Transformative Electoral Strategy

http://befreedom.co/toward-a-transformative-electoral-strategy/
Date Written:  2017-02-07
Publisher:  Be Freedom
Year Published:  2017
Resource Type:  Article
Cx Number:  CX21653

An essay on Electoral Strategy for the left in the United States.

Abstract: 
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Excerpt:

What is the existing strategy of labor and social movement activists for national electoral politics? How do progressive individuals and organizations that have their "eyes on the prize" relate to the electoral system? What do those that want to pursue particular issues, or aim higher for a more democratic system, do to further their political agendas?

Local and state situations vary so greatly that this preliminary discussion will look almost exclusively how we have engaged national electoral politics over the last half-century or so. History affords us a much-needed vantage point. Its time to summarize and imagine alternatives. This series of posts will look at contending approaches and propose a few ideas to move us in the direction of a transformative electoral strategy. The argument is toward a strategy, not just a candidate or a party.

A defacto electoral strategy has emerged over the last half-century and it includes three major related approaches: The lesser of two evils, non-voters, and protest voters.