While we're waiting around for that revolution, I think there are some things we can do to make democracy in America work for the Left.
Proportional Representation is a fine idea, but a couple things in U.S. culture work against its implementation on a national basis. 1) the polity of the national and even many local governments has much to do with geographical concerns and 2) PR depends on a politics centered on political parties rather than on individuals.
PR has a chance for adoption in some municipalities and states where one-party rule works against adequate representation and even people within the ruling party recognize that fact and dislike it.
Third parties in the U.S. do have some effect. They've traditionally churned out ideas that are later used by the Dems and Repubs in some altered, filtered form. PR would quicken that process by giving third parties some political power. But there are some current examples of third parties having an interesting effect on politics.
The state of Vermont, for example, has been sending Bernie Sanders, an avowed Socialist to be its lone representative in the House. The Democratic party has responded to his election by, well, almost intentionally fielding weak candidates to run against him. In return, Sanders lines up with the Dems in the House. I don't think there's any evidence that this fusion has corrupted Sanders's politics.
In the Third District of New Mexico, the Green party has drawn better than 15% in the last two congressinal elections and this has delivered the district to the Republicans. At some point, the Dems and Greens will have to cut a deal.
The only fringe group to expose the weaknesses of the primary system has been those LaRouchites in Illinois when they saddled Adlai Stevenson III with a LaRouche follower for Lt. Governor.
Organizied labor should follow the lead of environmental PACs by tossing money and supporters into Republican primaries. A pro-labor, pro-environment candidate could make for some swell chaos in a Republican primary, especially in states like California and Washington which have open primaries.
On the Democratic side, running candiates with leftist backing against moderate incumbents could be pretty threatening. In open seats, a group with 5,000 members in a congressional district would really have some weight in a primary-- and you wouldn't necessarily need a lot of money.
Just some thoughts.
James in Philly
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