Why a New Political Party is Imperative --The Democrats Don’t Deliver and Critics Miss the Point 

Two Failures: The Democrats and Their Critics

Democrats dominate both Houses of Congress. But they can’t or won’t deliver to defend the life-critical needs of the overwhelming majority of the American people—as witness their feeble legislative efforts on health care, their failure to protect people from outrageous credit card interest rates (usury plain and simple), and their failure to deal decisively with despicable and on-going mortgage lending practices. The Democrats in Congress are in thrall to the moneyed interests, and most seem either happy about this or resigned to it – for after all, as they figure it, the money-system gets them re-elected. 

Critics of this depressing and dangerous situation are many. William Greider is one example of a man who powerfully scores these terrible failures. Yet he, along with most of his fellow critics of the system, miss the one thing that can change the system. This one thing is to deny the Congressmen their re-election. Our heroes in Congress are so zeroed in on getting re-elected that the threat of electoral opposition gives them the willies. Greider mentions, with wistful hopefulness, such oft-tried populist pressure group activity on specific issues plus independent candidacies here and there. But the politicians are used to pressure group tactics—they know how to play the pressure and lobbying game. As for candidates who are Independent, the moneyed politicians know that a lone independent candidate is usually not much of a threat; and that even if he or she wins, they are powerless in office—they sooner or later join the regular politicians in the money system or they quit in helpless frustration.

The desperate situation in Washington and in the country cries out for an independent electoral/political force, aka a new political party. It is the loss of their nice and fat jobs as office holders that sparks the fear and trembling of the politicians. A political party is a horse of a different color altogether from that of an Independent – a party sustains its candidates and helps them when in office. It is there on a continuing basis to push for policies, field more and more candidates and office holders, and provide the means whereby the muscle of the people is enabled to overcome the moneyed power structure. It is this, a new political/electoral force - a political party – that is feared above all. If the Greiders of the country and their avid readers could at last recognize the huge importance of a new political/electoral force – a political party— and act on that recognition, we might get somewhere in this country. The Green Party is available as a vehicle to accomplish a sea-change in the political system. Why don’t America’s intellectuals en masse turn to the Green Party?

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