PROGRESSIVE INDEPENDENT PARTY LAUNCHES A PETITION TO UNIFY SUPPORT BEHIND BERNIE SANDERS

May 4, 2016 by

TRUTHDIG

  Bernie Sanders speaking in Arizona. (via Flickr)

The American two-party system is being scrutinized and criticized more than ever during this election campaign, and many say the reason is Bernie Sanders—an independent senator now running for president as a Democrat but whose chances at snagging the party’s nomination are increasingly slim.

But as the Democratic-Republican binary continues to dominate U.S. elections, how can truly independent voices break through? That’s the problem that the Progressive Independent Party, or PIP, is trying to solve. The new party, also listed as the “Honorary Bernie Sanders Party” on Facebook, is trying to bypass the delegate math and unfair campaign spending that so often determines the next American president. The founder, Araquel Bloss, writes on the party’s website that it is time to create a “long-term, truly viable third party.”

 


Image via Facebook

The PIP’s mission statement adds:

The Progressive Independent Party, like Senator Bernie Sanders, knows that a fundamental change in our political system will not happen overnight or alone. That is why we are calling on people to join us in order to mandate this change. Not through simple rhetoric or a single campaign, but through a concerted effort on local, state, and national levels who share our vision and our ideals. This is a people-based movement— first and foremost. We need your voices, your hearts, your minds, and your convictions.

A PIP petition is “asking the Green Party of the United States, the Democratic Socialists of America, the Progressive Democrats of America, and the Sanders campaign and supporters to join forces to create a unified voting block to propel Bernie Sanders into the White House and to create THE LARGEST progressive voting block the United States have ever seen.”

According to Bloss, the party already has a strategy team, structure committee and over 300 volunteers. The creation of a leftist coalition party reflects growing angst amongst many progressive voters in the United States, and a party like PIP might give many voters the choice they have been desperately wanting.

—Posted by Emma Niles

18 Comments

  1. lucy taylor

    WE NEED BERNIE RIGHT AND SIMPLE NO QUESTION WE NEED BERNIE PRESIDENT NOT HILLARY

  2. Leslie Swift

    WA state ballots for May 23 allow us to vote in the primary for Bernie or Hillary or (gasp) one or another Republican. To do so, voters must take an oath to designate themselves as Democratic or Repub & swearing we will not campaign for another party. I don’t like it having to take that oath, but I’m voting Democratic & my choice is Bernie & I don’t want to jeopardize even my one vote on the record.

  3. Mary

    Where do you sign up?!

  4. Leah

    Lets do this!!

  5. Fausto Lopez

    We agree if you guarantee Bernie Sanders will be the President in 2016

  6. Chrystie Cannon

    I,m in!

  7. Alice Leuchtag

    I’m in favor of these progressive political groups, along with Bernie supporters, coming together into one organization if Bernie is denied the Democratic nomination; but I think it would be wise if they were to unite under the banner of the Green Party. I believe that the Green Party is the largest of the independent progressive parties, is already on the ballot in over 35 states and is eligible for Federal matching funds. It is a growing dynamic party and with the additional hundreds of thousands of new and mostly young members it would present a realistic chance to build a powerful political force to continue the momentum of our political revolution.

  8. Judy Miller

    I’m afraid with the corruption in the democratic party, thirds it’s the only chance we will have to make Bernie Sanders our president.

  9. Cat Sides

    Change the name to UNITED PROGRESSIVE PARTY. There is already an American Independent Party and there may be confusion. Many people prefer the new party name to be UNITED PROGRESSIVE PARTY.

  10. Cat Sides

    This is a reason why you should avoid a name with the word “Independent.” There WILL be lots of confusion!!!! http://ktla.com/2016/04/18/up-to-500k-californians-may-be-blocked-from-voting-in-june-primary/

  11. Eliana McKee

    I so support this! Lets do it!

  12. Barbara McCulloch

    There are 3 political parties. Left populist who want a better world for all. Centrists who want to get richer and more powerful and wear a D or R for the hell of it. Right populist who want to be left alone. As a progressive, I would work my heart out for Bernie in this new party. Can you imagine the excitement if he declared rightfully mid-June that the DNC has excluded us and we are going to take the majority away from trump and the dnc.
    Idealistic? perhaps not.

  13. Gear Mentation

    Awesome. #BernieOrBust

  14. Sounds like a righteous cause with a great goal!

  15. Progressive Socialist Party is much better. There is no confusion. There are hundreds of large groups that would support this concept. Occupy Democrats, and many others who are currently supporting Bernie on social media. We need to get NINA TURNER on board that woman can articulate the Sanders platform with such energy, spirit and common sense…

  16. Jaime Lopez

    great idea, best to not sliver ourselves up, we can unite.

  17. Great idea, but how will you get on the ballot in all 50 states and U.S.possesions before November?

Leave a Reply to Barbara McCulloch Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *