I am very familiar with PDA... my experience with this group in Minnesota has been that they follow pretty much obediently along the Democratic Party leadership's line when push comes to shove. I haven't seen any interest on their part to go beyond the Democratic Party in organizing some kind of alternative.
I would note some things that I find of great concern with PDA...
1. John Conyers often speaks for PDA... Conyers and his wife--- a member of the Detroit City Council now forced from office--- have been involved in a corporate bribery scandal for quite some time... she has already--- finally--- admitted her criminal wrong-doing and it is widely believed that John Conyers backed away from Bush/Cheney impeachment after Karl Rove threatened to send him to prison for a long time.Nancy Pelosi threatened Conyers similarly and he withdrew support for single-payer. PDA should have disassociated itself from Conyers as soon as his involvement in this bribery scandal became known.
2. PDA has endorsed a very reactionary piece of legislation being pushed as "single-payer" in Minnesota when this legislation's intent is to saddle working people with monthly payments of around $750.00; this is not single-payer... plus, the worst part of this legislation, first called single-payer and now called "The Minnesota Health Act" is that it takes the burden of healthcare from business and places the burden of healthcare costs on the backs of working people... as far as I am aware, this legislation is opposed by all unions in Minnesota, has no support from civil rights organizations or any of the progressive community and flies in direct opposition to the single-payer universal healthcare resolution passed by 72% of the MNDFL State Convention delegates in 2006.
In fact, members of PDA engaged in a long-running and vicious red-baiting campaign against me personally as I traveled across Minnesota visiting all 87 counties pushing for single-payer as a first step towards socialized healthcare. I don't call this kind of red-baiting "progressive." Not one single member of the little PDA group here in Minnesota which is lilly-white would support this resolution which I authored; nor have they supported the resolution in support of affirmative action we are trying to bring to the upcoming state convention so that support for affirmative action would become part of the MNDFL's "Action Agenda"--- at present, no state agencies or departments or federal agencies or departments are enforcing affirmative action on the massive public works projects going on here in Minnesota in spite of unemployment rates ranging from 60% to 85% on thev 11 Indian Reservations and PDA has refused to call on Obama and Congress to enforce affirmative action where these stimulus funds under the guise of the "American Recovery and Reinvestment Act" are being allocated.
3. PDA held a national legislative conference at the very time the savage and barbaric Israeli carnage was taking place in Gaza Strip and the Congresspeople addressing their conference actually supported the shameful resolutions in support of the Israeli killing machine. We had to wage a massive call in campaign to individuals participating until on the final day the issue was raised by only a couple people in their questions and comments. This was at a time people were calling on Obama to end his silence and speak out.
PDA has not "held Obama's feet to any fire" as they promised they would do in supporting him. To the contrary, they have repeatedly let him off the hook time and time again.
I am not opposed to PDA... they can do what they want with their organization which is funded largely by Hollywood movie stars whose commitment is to the Democratic Party.
We need a party committed to solving the problems of the American people.
PDA has supported Obama's so-called "peace in Iraq" which is nothing but an occupation taking place using mercenaries for which the American people will pay the increased costs of up two 18 times more for these mercenaries than for U.S. troops to do Wall Street's same dirty work.
I have personally repeatedly asked PDA to support our campaign for recognition of the rights of casino workers employed in the smoke-filled operations of the Indian Gaming Industry now employing over two-million workers at poverty wages and without any rights under state or federal labor laws. And, to add insult to injury, PDA in Minnesota has refused to condemn the fact that not one single Native American Indian sits among our more than 200 state legislators or our federal congressional delegations.
I don't discourage anyone from becoming involved in PDA... on the other hand, I don't see PDA as being any substitute or reliable ally in these struggles for reforms and for the kind of alternative we need to the Democratic Party---it goes without saying the Republicans need to be defeated.
Plus, PDA--- in my opinion--- suffers very serious delusions that progressives can actually somehow take over the Democratic Party... a party wholly and completely owned by Wall Street. Not even during the days of massive struggles on the part of the American people during the 1930's or in the 1960's while the anti-Vietnam War and civil rights movement were at an all time high could progressives take control of the Democratic Party... progressives were able to nominate George McGovern and reactionary union leaders along with the Wall Street interests withdrew all support from George McGovern with many even going so far as to support Richard Nixon.
Because PDA has such delusions and illusions of taking over the Democratic Party does not mean the rest of us have to suffer and muddle along behind these Dumb Donkeys.
Our Organizing Committees also have an "inside/outside" policy in the way we work... we push forward issues aimed at solving our problems and the problems of the working class as a whole inside the Democratic Party fully aware that a primary focus of our work has to be in pushing for independence from the Democratic Party. We are willing to work with PDA where ever our concerns are mutual... as is the case with any and all other organizations and individual activists.
That PDA and its leaders like Tim Carpenter, Tom Hayden and these other "Progressives for Obama" do not support the rights of casino workers tells me most of what I need to know about PDA.
Alan L. Maki
Director of Organizing,
Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council
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