by DSA’s National Convention is fast approaching: August 1 – 8, 2021. A major issue facing DSA is how it relates to the Democratic Party and its strategy for independent working-class politics. The last DSA National Convention in 2019 passed a resolution committing DSA to the goal of working toward building a new working-class party. In our view, this includes a “dirty break” strategy.
We need to build a powerful base and that can include running on the Democratic Party ticket, if tactically necessary. However, if we do not also take the necessary steps to break free of one of history’s most enthusiastic capitalist and imperialist parties, we run the serious risk of just reinforcing the existing power of the Democratic Party over labor and other social movements. This would allow them—once again—to funnel our energy into “lesser evilism.”
That’s why we are asking you to support the following three resolutions. They propose DSA starting a campaign for a Democratic Socialist Party, identify potential races to run independently from the Democratic Party (without ruling out running in other races on the Democratic Party ballot line), and a resolution urging all DSA candidates, regardless of the ballot line they are running on, to promote a socialist political message.
Please read below for more details and sign here to make sure we can present these resolutions to the floor of the 2021 DSA National Convention. We want to spread these resolutions far and wide to have an impact in the pre-convention discussions. Please sign as soon as you can! And please share these resolutions with other DSA members and ask them to also co-sign.
Please also watch and share this panel discussion hosted by several DSA caucuses regarding DSA’s relationship to the Democratic Party and independent working-class politics: “Putting the Break in the Dirty Break: DSA, the Democrats & Independent Working Class Politics” on March 27, 2021.
Sign your support and find links to each resolution here.
- Campaign for a Democratic Socialist Party
Read the full resolution here.
This resolution reaffirms DSA’s goal to build toward forming an independent working-class party. As AOC said, “We don’t have a left party in the United States. The Democratic Party is not a left party. The Democratic Party is a center, or a center-conservative, party.” As a step in this direction, this resolution would create a campaign for a Democratic Socialist Party focused on growing the DSA to 150,000 members and providing political education on the need for our own party.
- Running 10 Independent Candidates in 2022
Read the full resolution here.
This resolution asks the DSA National Political Committee to identify the 10 most promising 2022 races around the country where it is possible and effective to run DSA candidates independently from the Democratic Party ballot line (in addition to other races where DSA candidates do run on the Democratic ballot line). DSA would promote these 10 independent candidacies nationally, and the National Political Committee and the National Electoral Committee would ask DSA members elected to public office to endorse and promote these candidates.
- DSA Candidates’ Political Message about the Democratic Party
Read the full resolution here.
This resolution urges all DSA candidates to clearly promote a consistent socialist message about the big-business character of the Democratic Party, regardless of which ballot line they are running on (Democratic, independent, or third party). The resolution spells out key aspects of that message, including: DSA candidates clearly publicizing their affiliation with DSA, clearly differentiating themselves from corporate or centrist Democrats, and campaigning to build up working-class organizations. While not a hard rule, it would help move DSA candidates politically toward a more consistent, cohesive, socialist message in their campaigns regardless of which ballot line they tactically decide to run on.
If you support any or all of these resolutions, please sign here so we can present them to the Convention. It’ll only take a minute!
