People's Party (United States, 2017)

Last updated

People's Party
Leader Nick Brana
FoundedNovember 9, 2017;6 years ago (2017-11-09) [1]
Preceded byDraft Bernie for a People's Party
Student wing Students for a People's Party [2]
Ideology
Political position Syncretic [13]
Website
peoplesparty.org

The People's Party (formerly the Movement for a People's Party, MPP) is a syncretic political organization in the United States aimed at "forming a major new political party free of corporate money and influence." [14]

Contents

Initially a progressive [lower-alpha 1] political organization, Nick Brana formed the party after the 2016 presidential election as a successor to the "Draft Bernie for a People's Party" group. Bernie Sanders declined to be the People's Party's figurehead, instead seeking the presidential nomination in the 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries. In the 2024 United States presidential election, the party will have ballot access in Florida.

History

In 2017, Nick Brana founded the Movement for a People's Party (MPP) out of the "Draft Bernie for a People's Party" group, [1] which had failed to gain Bernie Sanders's support. [15] [16] Brana had worked on Sanders's 2016 presidential campaign as the National Political Outreach Coordinator. [17]

In September 2017, the group gave an invitation with 50,000 signatures to Sanders to lead the creation of the People's Party, [18] which Sanders ignored. [19]

In August 2020, the organization held a virtual People's Convention [20] [21] that was viewed by 400,000 people on various platforms. [17] [21] Speakers included former Democratic Party 2020 presidential election candidate Marianne Williamson, former Harvard University professor and philosopher Cornel West, Sanders 2020 co-chair Nina Turner, former Minnesota governor Jesse Ventura, comedian/political commentator/satirist Jimmy Dore, journalist Chris Hedges and podcaster Ryan Knight. [21] The convention's purpose was to "vote on forming a major new political party free of corporate money and influence," [20] a measure that was approved by 99% of those viewing the convention online. [21] While many speakers expressed distaste for the candidates in the 2020 presidential election, the party did not contest the election. [21] Brana said that their goal was "to form a party beginning in 2021, to run in the midterms in 2022 and, perhaps, to run a presidential candidate in 2024." [22]

In December 2020, the first People's Party state organization was registered in Maine. [23] [24] According to Michael Sylvester, the party will focus on pushing congressional officials into supporting a floor vote for Medicare for All. [23]

In September 2021, the People's Party gained ballot access in Florida, the first state where it has done so. [25] [26]

In February 2022, Brana was accused of sexual harassment by Zana Day, former MPP executive director, [27] which was corroborated by coworker Paula Jean Swearengin. [28] Brana denied these claims, calling them "false and politically motivated," and accused other MPP board members of a "liberal takeover attempt." [29] As a result, he forced out several MPP board members. [27]

Before the 2022 United States midterm elections, the People's Party announced that it was "aiming to run a dozen or more federal races, including a seat or two in the U.S. Senate." [30] The party, ultimately, did not run any candidates in the 2022 elections.[ citation needed ]

On June 5, 2023, Cornel West announced his candidacy for president with the People's Party, becoming the first person to run for office under the People's Party banner. [27] Due to the party's controversies and lack of ballot access, West was challenged and criticized by some progressive activists for associating himself with the group. [31] Some progressives called for West to work instead with the Green Party, which has ran presidential candidates for decades and has much larger ballot access. [32] At the same time, some Democrats feared that, without ranked-choice voting, a West third-party run might be a "spoiler", diverting swing state votes from the presumptive front-runner, Joe Biden, in favor of the 2024 Republican nominee. [33] On June 14, West announced that he was instead seeking the endorsement of the Green Party. [34] West later changed his affiliation once again to independent. [35] Later in 2023, Brana began working for Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s presidential campaign. [36]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ The People's Party ideology has been disputed, with some commentators describing it as influenced by a variety of ideologies and views such as right-wing populism and vaccine hesitancy. [5] [8] [10] [12] [7]

Related Research Articles

Third party, or minor party, is a term used in the United States' two-party system for political parties other than the Republican and Democratic parties.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bernie Sanders</span> American politician and activist (born 1941)

Bernard Sanders is an American politician and activist who is the senior United States senator from Vermont. Sanders is the longest-serving independent in U.S. congressional history but has a close relationship with the Democratic Party, having caucused with House and Senate Democrats for most of his congressional career and sought the party's presidential nomination in 2016 and 2020, coming second in both campaigns. He is often seen as a leader of the U.S. progressive movement.

The Vermont Progressive Party, formerly the Progressive Coalition and Independent Coalition, is a political party in the United States that is active in Vermont. It is the third-largest political party in Vermont behind the Democratic and Republican parties. As of 2023, the party has one member in the Vermont Senate and five members in the Vermont House of Representatives, as well as several more affiliated legislators who caucus with the Democratic Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cornel West</span> American philosopher and political activist (born 1953)

Cornel Ronald West is an American philosopher, theologian, political activist, social critic, actor, and public intellectual. The grandson of a Baptist minister, West's primary philosophy focuses on the roles of race, gender, and class struggle in American society. A socialist, West draws intellectual contributions from multiple traditions, including Christianity, the black church, democratic socialism, left-wing populism, neopragmatism, and transcendentalism. Among his most influential books are Race Matters (1993) and Democracy Matters (2004).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Working Families Party</span> Political party in the United States

The Working Families Party (WFP) is a left-wing minor political party in the United States, founded in New York in 1998. There are active chapters in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Green Mountain Peace and Justice Party</span> Political party in Vermont, US

The Green Mountain Peace and Justice Party (GMPJP), known as the Liberty Union Party(LUP) until 2021, is a political party active in the U.S. state of Vermont. It is a self-proclaimed "non-violent socialist party".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cenk Uygur</span> Turkish-American online news show host (born 1970)

Cenk Kadir Uygur is a Turkish-born American politician, political commentator, media host and a former presidential candidate. He is the co-creator of The Young Turks, a left-wing, progressive, sociopolitical news and commentary program.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Green Party of California</span> California affiliate of the Green Party

The Green Party of California (GPCA) is a California political party. The party is led by a coordinating committee, and decisions are ultimately made by general assemblies. The GPCA is affiliated with the Green Party of the United States (GPUS).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Socialist Alternative (United States)</span> Political party in United States

Socialist Alternative is a Trotskyist political party in the United States. It describes itself as a Marxist organization, and a revolutionary party fighting for a democratic socialist economy. Unlike reformist progressive groups, it argues that capitalism is fundamentally incapable of serving the interests of the majority of people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oregon Progressive Party</span> Minor political party in the United States

The Oregon Progressive Party (OPP) is a political party in the U.S. state of Oregon. Originally called the Oregon Peace Party, it was accepted as the sixth minor statewide political party in Oregon on August 22, 2008. This allowed the party to nominate Ralph Nader as its candidate in the 2008 U.S. presidential election. In September 2009, the party changed its name to the Oregon Progressive Party, to "more accurately reflects the party's positions" on issues besides peace, including "social justice, consumer advocacy, environmental protection, and worker's rights."

Peter Daou is a Lebanese-American political activist, musician, and author. A former member of the Democratic Party and advisor to Hillary Clinton's 2008 campaign, Daou served as the campaign manager for Marianne Williamson's presidential campaign in the 2024 Democratic primaries for the month of April 2023, before joining the Independent presidential campaign of Cornel West as campaign manager in September 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joseph Kishore</span> American Trotskyist writer (born 1980)

Joseph Kishore is an American Marxist and writer who has been active in the Trotskyist movement since 1999. He is the National Secretary of the Socialist Equality Party (SEP) and a writer for the World Socialist Web Site.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Justice Party (United States)</span> Political party in United States

The Justice Party is a political party in the United States. It was organized in November 2011 by a group of political activists including former mayor of Salt Lake City Rocky Anderson as an alternative to what they saw as a duopoly of the two major political parties. One of the major goals of the Justice Party is removing corporate domination and other concentrated wealth from politics. In 2012, the Justice Party nominated Rocky Anderson for president and Luis J. Rodriguez for vice president. The Justice Party endorsed Bernie Sanders during the primary election in 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Democratic Socialists of America</span> American political organization

The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) is a multi-tendency, democratic socialist political organization in the United States. After the Socialist Party of America (SPA) transformed into Social Democrats, USA, Michael Harrington formed the Democratic Socialist Organizing Committee (DSOC). The DSOC later merged with the New American Movement (NAM) to form the DSA. The organization is headquartered in New York City and has about 80,000 members. It leads organizing and protest campaigns, and has members in the House of Representatives, state legislatures, and other local offices.

Brand New Congress was an American political action committee with the mission to elect hundreds of new progressive congressional representatives in line with the campaign's political platform.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Our Revolution</span> American progressive 501(c)(4) political organization

Our Revolution is an American progressive political action organization spun out of Senator Bernie Sanders's 2016 presidential campaign to continue its work. The organization's mission is to educate voters about issues, get people involved in the political process, and work to organize and elect progressive candidates. Our Revolution is also the title of a book by Sanders released in November 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kyle Kulinski</span> American political commentator (b. 1988)

Kyle Edward Kulinski is an American political commentator and media host. Kulinski is the host and producer of The Kyle Kulinski Show on his YouTube channel Secular Talk and is a co-host with his wife Krystal Ball on the progressive podcast Krystal Kyle & Friends.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paula Jean Swearengin</span> American activist and politician

Paula Jean Swearengin is an American activist and politician who was the Democratic nominee in the 2020 U.S. Senate election in West Virginia, and a candidate in the Democratic primary for the state's other Senate seat in 2018. Her 2018 campaign was one of four campaigns featured in the 2019 documentary Knock Down the House.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cornel West 2024 presidential campaign</span> United States electoral campaign

Cornel West, a philosopher, academic, and political activist, announced his campaign on June 5, 2023, in the 2024 US presidential elections as a People's Party candidate via a video on Twitter where he called for "truth and justice" and pledged to use the presidency to accomplish that.

References

  1. 1 2 Ehrle, Carol (November 9, 2017). "Draft Bernie Launches 'Movement for a People's Party' Amid Explosive DNC Rigging Revelations and Record Support for a Major New Party". Draft Bernie For a People's Party (Press release). Washington, D.C. Archived from the original on November 9, 2020. Retrieved November 30, 2020.
  2. ↑ "Students for a People's Party". Movement for a People's Party. August 15, 2020. Archived from the original on February 28, 2021. Retrieved March 16, 2021.
  3. ↑ "The Case For A New Major People's Party In America". Movement for a People's Party . Archived from the original on May 13, 2023. Retrieved May 24, 2023.
  4. ↑ Chrobak, John (March 6, 2023). "The Anti-War Coalition Visits Washington". Illiberalism Studies Program. George Washington University. Retrieved August 31, 2023.
  5. 1 2 3 Jenkins, Colin (June 10, 2023). "Cornel West, the Pitfalls of Bourgeois Politics, and Forging a New Future Among the Rubble". Hampton Institute. Retrieved July 27, 2023. There are also questions regarding the new People's Party itself, which has faced criticisms about its ineffective organizing and willingness to include right-wing populists in a big-tent effort to focus on common struggles.
  6. ↑ "Our Platform". Movement for a People's Party. August 14, 2020. Archived from the original on December 5, 2020. Retrieved December 3, 2020.
  7. 1 2 3 Heer, Jeet. "Cornel West Is the Right Man in the Wrong Party". The Nation. Retrieved August 31, 2023. He responded, "The People's Party has had some issues with regard to leadership that are definitely antithetical to progressivism." Aside from the scandal with Brana, Higgins called attention to the MPP's ties to the podcaster Jimmy Dore, who has a history of controversial views such as whitewashing the far-right Boogaloo Boys and promoting vaccine skepticism.
  8. 1 2 Schwartz, Rafi (June 19, 2023). "What is The People's Party that launched Cornel West's presidential campaign?". The Week. Retrieved July 27, 2023. "Cornel West linked up with a political group known for anti-vaccine members and extreme right-wing associates[.] [....] Cooper also drew attention to the group's "Rage Against The War Machine" event in Washington DC this past February. The event, co-sponsored with the Libertarian Party, billed itself as a "rally against US funding for the Ukraine war," and featured a host of fringe political figures including conservative media figure Jackson Hinkle and Helga Zepp-LaRouche, widow of — and torchbearer — for Lyndon LaRouche's "cultlike" extremist right-wing movement.
  9. ↑ Crosse, Jacob; Kishore, Joseph (February 20, 2023). "The "Rage Against the War Machine" rally: A reactionary political freak show". World Socialist Web Site. Retrieved August 31, 2023. The rally, which was moderated by Angela McArdle of the Libertarian Party and Nick Brana of the "People's Party," was sold as an opportunity by the organizers and the speakers to "bring together" the "left and the right" to oppose war. In fact, there was no left-wing perspective; the political direction was provided entirely by the right.
  10. 1 2 La Botz, Dan (June 12, 2023). "Cornel West for President? What Does the Left Think? Part 1". New Politics. Retrieved July 27, 2023. The People's Party maintains its progressive program, but it has taken some stands and suffered some internal conflicts that call its ideals into question. The PP recently made a move to the right... This is what is sometimes called a "red-brown" alliance, nominally leftist parties joining with rightist parties....
  11. ↑ Scott, Cam (February 22, 2023). "Broad front or false front?". Canadian Dimension. Retrieved August 31, 2023. The latter, properly known as the Movement for a People's Party, originates from a failed petition for Bernie Sanders to break with the Democratic Party, and promises to build a major populist movement, neither left nor right, in the United States. ... Both the People's Party and CPI propose versions of MAGA-with-Medicare.
  12. 1 2 Douglas, Artemis (February 2, 2021). "The 3rd Party Resurgence". Real Progressives. Retrieved August 31, 2023. The MPP has used Twitter to admit, several times, they do not want to be a left party, they want to conform to red-state voters, and they plan to use (unprincipled) populism to win elections.
  13. ↑ [5] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [7]
  14. ↑ "The People's Party | Free Of Corporate Money". August 24, 2020. Archived from the original on August 17, 2020. Retrieved August 23, 2022.
  15. ↑ Crosse, Jacob; Kishore, Joseph (September 7, 2020). "The Movement for a People's Party: No program, no principles, no future". World Socialist Web Site. Archived from the original on November 30, 2020. Retrieved November 30, 2020.
  16. ↑ Haltiwanger, John (September 27, 2017). "Americans are desperate for a third major political party in the Trump era". Newsweek. Archived from the original on September 18, 2020. Retrieved August 21, 2020.
  17. 1 2 Roque, Lucas (October 13, 2020). "Over Politics? Hold Up, the People's Party Wants You". YR Media. Archived from the original on October 18, 2020. Retrieved October 18, 2020.
  18. ↑ Sainato, Michael (August 22, 2017). "Progressives to Serve Bernie Sanders With Petition to Start New Party". Observer . Archived from the original on January 26, 2021. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
  19. ↑ Zipp, Ricky (September 11, 2017). "Draft Bernie Sanders movement plows on without the senator". USA Today . Archived from the original on April 14, 2021. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
  20. 1 2 Otterbein, Holly. "Marianne Williamson is back — to talk about forming a third party". POLITICO. Archived from the original on January 16, 2021. Retrieved August 21, 2020.
  21. 1 2 3 4 5 Griffiths, Shawn (August 31, 2020). "More Than 400,000 Tune In to 'People's Convention'; Overwhelmingly Vote to Form New Party". Independent Voter News. Archived from the original on September 25, 2020. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
  22. ↑ Weigel, David (September 8, 2020). "The Trailer: It's not 2016 for third-party candidates". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on September 9, 2020. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
  23. 1 2 Collins, Steve (December 30, 2020). "Maine People's Party plans to start enrolling members this week". Lewiston Sun Journal. Archived from the original on December 30, 2020. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  24. ↑ "Maine Becomes First State To Register The People's Party!". Movement for a People's Party. December 1, 2020. Archived from the original on January 18, 2021. Retrieved March 16, 2021.
  25. ↑ Garcia, Justin (October 8, 2021). "'The People's Party' gains ballot access in Florida and aims to challenge corporate politics". Archived from the original on October 9, 2021. Retrieved October 13, 2021.
  26. ↑ "Political Parties - Division of Elections - Florida Department of State". Archived from the original on October 6, 2021. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  27. 1 2 3 Thakker, Prem (June 5, 2023). "Cornel West Announces Presidential Bid ... as a People's Party Candidate". The New Republic. Archived from the original on June 5, 2023.
  28. ↑ ""It Did Scare Me": Assault, Harassment Allegations Against MPP Head Nick Brana". Eoin Higgins. July 13, 2022. Archived from the original on July 13, 2022.
  29. ↑ Brana, Nick (February 23, 2022). "People's Party Blocks Liberal Takeover Attempt". Movement for a People's Party. Archived from the original on December 7, 2022.
  30. ↑ "We're looking for a new kind of representation!". Movement for a People's Party. April 23, 2021. Archived from the original on May 7, 2021.
  31. ↑ Cornel West: Running for President, Ending Ukraine War & Taking on 'Corporate Duopoly' of Dems & GOP , retrieved June 13, 2023
  32. ↑ Heer, Jeet (June 12, 2023). "Cornel West Is the Right Man in the Wrong Party". ISSN   0027-8378 . Retrieved June 13, 2023.
  33. ↑ Otterbein, Holly (June 10, 2023). "Why some Dems fear Cornel West presents a unique challenge for Joe Biden". POLITICO. Retrieved June 13, 2023.
  34. ↑ Gans, Jared (June 14, 2023). "Cornel West seeking Green Party nomination for presidential run". The Hill .
  35. ↑ Gibson, Brittany (October 5, 2023). "Cornel West leaves the Green Party in favor of an independent bid". Politico .
  36. ↑ "Live Team Coverage of RFK's Historic Announcement". Robert F. Kennedy Jr. 2024 presidential campaign . October 9, 2023. Retrieved April 10, 2024. Join us for LIVE Team Coverage from the Maverick News team of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.'s historic announcement from Independence Mall in Philadelphia. Nick Brana and Tyler Nixon will be reporting on the ground in Philly, and our anchor team of Rick Walker and Lori Spencer bring you commentary and analysis before and after Mr. Kennedy's speech.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.