Forum Post: WSWS: Occupy UC Davis protesters adopt resolution calling for break with Democratic Party
Posted 12 years ago on Dec. 1, 2011, 6:13 p.m. EST by SandyEnglish
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World Socialist Web Site
Occupy UC Davis protesters adopt resolution calling for break with Democratic Party
On Tuesday evening, the general assembly of Occupy UC Davis passed a resolution denouncing the attack on Davis students, calling for a break with the Democratic Party and the construction of an independent social and political movement of the entire working class.
The resolution, the first of its kind adopted at an Occupy protest, lays out a clear political perspective to counter the growing attacks on protests against inequality in the United States. It comes a week and a half after the brutal pepper spraying of unarmed students protesting against rising tuition and inequality.
The attack on UC Davis students is part of a nationwide crackdown on Occupy demonstrators, organized by both Democrats and Republicans and overseen by the Obama administration. On Wednesday morning, police in Los Angeles and Philadelphia, both controlled by Democratic Party mayors, cleared out encampments. (See “Police attack Occupy camps in Los Angeles and Philadelphia, arresting 350”)
The resolution at Davis was adopted by about 70 students participating in the general assembly. It was presented by Eric Lee, a supporter of the International Students for Social Equality, and a member of a newly-formed committee established to mobilize broader support in the working class.
In addition to calling for a break with the Democratic Party and a turn to the working class, the resolution stresses the international character of the attack on workers and youth, and condemns the hypocritical posturing of American imperialism as a defender of democratic rights.
Read the resolution at:
Let's hope this sad occasion is an isolated instance. The Occupy movement has successfully driven a national conversation about wealth inequality that we've avoided having for decades. A call for a rejection of the two party system here can only result in marginalization and ultimately failure.
@ PacicficNWMark that is a very foolish thing to say. Both the parties are made up of us. The voters have the power to elect a candidate from an independent party and win. The idea that your vote would be wasted is propoganda to keep you in the two party system.
The Greeen Party does seem to have the platform that meets the values of the Occupation. With their foundation already built. Might be a thought. They have not tried to co-op the movement either. http://www.gp.org/committees/platform/2010/index.php
I have been saying we should do this from the beginning. Banks have given Obama and the Democratic party hundreds of thousands of dollars. If you are the President shouldn't your actions be your strategy for reelection. These recent actions by Democrats really shows who the represent, the 1%.
the idea of a labor party in america is great.
i'm not so sure how this works out in a practical sense. i've much respect for occupy uc davis, but this seems slightly out of bounds for everywhere. if there are democrats- or republicans, or greens, or libertarians, or the rent is too damn high'ers - who share the goals of #occupy is it necessary to alienate them?
again, with respect for #occupy u c davis - and they deserve our respect, we all saw how brave they are- perhaps on a local level, it suits their needs to distance themselves from one party. and yes, its true, #occupy doesn't want to get co-opted by one political party. but maybe its better to keep our options open, not to make enemies out of potential friends.
they're too corrupt to be our friends? i know that, but politics in this country is corruption. the only ones who benefit from denouncing the democratic party are the democrats. they can play ows is far left, gop is far right, we're in the reasonable in the center. the gop will swift boat the occupiers, the occupy/labor will demonize the gop.
i know they mean well, it may suit their needs today, and i have much respect for them, but i'm not sure this is good for occupy in every place at every time.
then again, on the other hand, in the uk it was the intellectuals and the unions working together that created the labour party.
We can come together with Dr. RonPaul as President.
We dont have to agree with everything that he stands for, because he is one vote and cannot act as King.. but at least with him we will have a Constitutional Convention and the voice of the people will be heard.
I mean, after all... who else stands with us!?
(That might actually get elected? You dont think that he can win hte republican primary? Register republican and vote for him and he will win.
Ron Lawl goes too far. If my choice is to get in someone who likes OWS, but sacrifice all regulation in the process (he is a libertarian after all), that isn't really a choice.
Also, I find it funny, but troublesome, that Ronpaul is word filtered here.
He wont be able to do it alone.. so all regulation wont be gotten rid of. We would have to include those views that want regulation.. but with RonPaul as President the regulations would be beneficial and teh banks would definitely have some serious regulations put on them.
Plus there would be some other serious reforms, including that which includes the military and its industrial complex..
and a restoration of civil liberties.
RonPaul is the right choice.. Right now.
,,,and I agree. It is sorta disturbing the seeming intent to silence Dr. Paul's views or whatever.
With RonPaul comes more power and influence of the Republican party, and the reason why Paul is on the Repub side IS because of his urge to deregulate. If he wasn't so big on deregulation I would trust him, he seems like a pretty cool politician. He is a repub though, and this is how it will go, "As president I maybe reform finance, even though my party doesn't like it. As president I definitely take away oversight on things like the environment, because my party likes that. Everything else we fail at." Unfortunately, he opens a bad door.
It's called the Green Party, and it's been around for a while...
Good! There should be more of this through out occupy.
I applaud the resolution of Occupy UC Davis concerning a CLEAN BREAK with the Democratic Party and the construction of an independent social and political movement of the entire working class.
I've been repeating on this forum for the last two months that the Obama administration is OWS' NO 1 ENEMY. But naturally, if a Reoublican were in power, it would be exactly the SAME.
So there is no way out of this except through a truly new and INDEPENDENT Movement, which will gradually win the hearts and minds of the American people. The 'Occuoy' Movement has already - in only two and a half months! - made great strides in that direction.
BTW, William I. Robinson, Professor of Sociology, Global Studies, and Latin American Studies, University of California at Santa Barbara, has just published the best article on the Worlwide Movement for Social Justice that I have ever read:
http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2011/11/20111130121556567265.html
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