CA Dem Party Has No More Progressive Caucus - Guess Why
California Democratic Party May Dump Its Progressive Caucus for Proposing a Primary Challenge to Obama
By David
Swanson
August 12, 2011
http://warisacrime.org/content/california-democratic-party-may-dump-its-progressive-caucus-proposing-primary-challenge-obam
On July 30th the Progressive Caucus of the California Democratic Party passed a resolution proposing that a primary challenge be offered to Obama next year. The Progressive Caucus's certification expired at the same time, and while other caucuses were routinely recertified that day by the state party, the Progressive Caucus (I'm told by its chair, Karen Bernal) would not have been, had a vote been held. So the recertification was tabled, and the Progressive Caucus is in limbo. It no longer exists, but it may yet continue existing.
I asked Karen Bernal about the resolution and the response to it on Sunday. Here's that audio: mp3.
Here's the resolution:
RESOLUTION in SUPPORT of a POSSIBLE 2012
DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY CHALLENGE
Passed July 30,
2011
Anaheim, CA
WHEREAS, the Progressive Caucus of the California Democratic Party recognizes the challenge presented by President Obama’s negotiating away Democratic Party principles to extremist Republicans, we are challenged by President Obama in the following ways:
• His
unilateral closed-door budget offer to slash Social
Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, which endangers the New
Deal and War on Poverty safety nets.
• His
determination to escalate U.S. militarism through illegal
secret CIA drone attacks and unauthorized wars.
• His
willingness to extend the Bush tax cuts for millionaires and
bail out big banks without ending the foreclosure crisis
that displaces American working families.
• His
insistence on pushing a health insurance bill which enriches
private insurance companies while ignoring growing support
for single-payer health care or robust public
options.
• His continuance of President Bush’s
assault on civil liberties with an extension of the
repressive Patriot Act.
• His failure to restore due
process, including the protection of whistleblowers and
habeas corpus.
• His numerous failures to adhere to
international law.
• The continuing practice of
nationwide FBI raids of anti-war progressive
protestors.
• His decision to increase the arrests and
deportations of undocumented workers.
• His
facilitation of the privatizing of the public sphere, which
includes education and housing, among others.
• His
disregard of his promises to the Labor movement.
• His
failure to adequately protect the environment and adequately
address climate change.
WHEREAS, the Progressive Caucus of the California Democratic Party recognizes the historical significance of the Eugene McCarthy/Robert F. Kennedy anti-war challenge to President Lyndon Johnson. The challenge followed President Johnson’s decision to escalate U.S. military involvement in Vietnam, betraying his campaign promise to end a war that polarized America. Similarly, we recognize the danger and betrayal that the current “Grand Bargain” represents to the legacy of Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s signature gift to all Americans, Social Security and the New Deal, a point of pride for all Democrats.
WHEREAS, the Progressive Caucus of the California Democratic Party is committed to the understanding that an interest in a 2012 Democratic presidential primary challenge will not interfere with President Obama’s ability to govern and not limit his ability to do so in ways that include invoking Constitutional options, we recognize that this will, in fact, raise debate on important issues without risking the ability to mobilize and energize the base of the Democratic Party to elect a triumphant leader to counter the far-right agenda.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, to make our views heard, the Progressive Caucus of the California Democratic Party will begin the process of contacting other Democratic organizations, Democratic Party members and public organizations that share our views on the issues and which seek to alter the course of history by exploring other steps to effect a necessary change, including a possible primary challenge to President Obama.
PS: You can help primary Obama here: http://stophoping.org
David Swanson is the author of "War Is A Lie"
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