The Green Party and Independent Progressive Political Strategy

Late last week, Jeff Roby at FDL sketched out a proposal for an independent-progressive revolt against the Democratic Party with the goal of creating an organizational structure capable of mounting serious challenges to the Democratic-Republican two-party state in future elections. He writes in part:

I think the times they are a’changing, and 3rd party politics needs a new look. Three changes: (1) having spent years in the wilderness, Democrats have elected a Democratic president and Congress, and it has turned to ashes in their mouths; (2) self-declared independents, amorphous, once marginal and still largely unorganized, have become the largest single bloc among American voters; (3) the teabagger movement has shaken us, both because they pose a real fascist threat, and because we sense that many of them are our sisters and brothers and would be with us now, if only we could have controlled our laughter at their silly signs and seen the valid fear and rage behind them at a government out of control.

The critical alliance is between independent progressives, and the left wing of the Democratic Party. . . . Central to the Full Court Press is building infrastructure. . . . . An question that keeps popping up in the discussions I’ve been having is how the Greens will relate to this, and how we may want to relate to the Greens. . . . Options:

(1) Go with the breakaway, the most mainstream elements of it. This is where the action will be, the chance to influence large numbers into something new. The Full Court Press, while taking no position, is well-positioned for this. (2) Go big into the Greens. This can take two forms: (2a) Assume that the Dem breakaway will dissipate itself despite all the hoopla, and dig in to build the Greens long-term. (2b) Go into the Greens with the intention of influencing them to back the breakaway. If I were going into the Greens, that would be my instinct. (3) There is also the option of sticking with the Democrats completely.