After Defeating Democrats, Will Ohio Unionists Form a New Labor Party?

[Omaha Steve]

X post in GD & Socialist-Progressive


And this DU post from 2011: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x1812319






http://inthesetimes.com/working/entry/17227/defeat_democrats_independent_labor_party_ohio_lorain_county_unionists




Three independent city council members backed by unions won city council seats in Lorain, Ohio. What's next? (angelfire.com/mi2/LorainOhio/)


The relationship between the American labor movement and the Democratic Party has long been fairly predictable. For the better part of a century, labor has depended on the Democrats for favorable policy, and the Democrats have depended on labor for votes. Few from either side of the bargain anticipate an immediate future where that arrangement will be upset.

So when rumblings started coming out of Ohio late last year about breaking with the Democrats, many in the labor movement were startled. Last November, in the small county of Lorain, Ohio, local labor leaders who were intimately wedded to the Democratic establishment broke rank and supported three independent pro-labor candidates in county elections, all of whom won.

The act of rebellion in a union-dense county gained national attention as a story of labor flexing its muscles—and winning—against a Democratic establishment drifting rightward.

Considering Lorain along with the election of Seattle City Council member Kshama Sawant, the first socialist in decades to be elected to public office in a major American city, Jennifer Roesch wrote for Jacobin after last year’s elections that “for the first time since 2000, there is a space opening up in mainstream politics to the left of the Democratic Party.”

FULL story at link.

[yallerdawg]

1. If the Democratic Party doesn't serve the people...

then the people have virtually no representation.

Noam Chomsky recently mentioned the disjoint between legislation and representation. Polls show 70% of Americans do not have their issues promoted by our elected government. The government serves the 10% who have the money to lobby and catch their ear. They only need us to get just one more vote than the other candidate, if there is another, then ignore us until elections roll around again.

Workers and unions are well aware of the lack of representation. What do we do if neither party represents our interests?

[Sherman A1]

2. Sometimes

one needs to throw an elbow... This might just help a few in the Democratic Party reacquaint themselves with the needs of the people.

[CatholicEdHead]

3. Historically Labor Parties have not done well

They can carry one election on a regional/state level but those gains have historically been rolled back 2-4yrs later in the next cycle or two.