Vote for the Socialist Labor Party!

Jesse Walker | May 13, 2008

No, not really. Besides the ideological problems, there's the small fact that it hasn't bothered to nominate a presidential candidate since 1976. But I must admit I admire one plank in its program:

The Socialist Labor platform called for abolishing the presidency, and party electors were instructed to vote "no president" in the comet-striking-earth chance that the SLP carried a state.

That's from Bill Kauffman's thoughtful review of Daniel J. Flynn's A Conservative History of the American Left. There's more to the article than entertaining asides about the presidential platforms of semi-syndicalist sects; read the whole thing here.

Comments

♪|5.13.08 @ 9:13AM|#

Then the house would simply select the president.

robc|5.13.08 @ 9:25AM|#

I assume the "comet-striking-earth" comment came from Kauffman and not from the actual platform. I would be impressed if they had noted the actual odds in the platform.

Guy Montag|5.13.08 @ 9:41AM|#

Wow, even more "Progressive" than CPUSA, voting Democrat since 1984.

Edward|5.13.08 @ 9:53AM|#

"...in the comet-striking-earth chance that the SLP carried a state."

The chance of the LP ever carrying a state is also of the comet-striking-earth variety, isn't it?

NeonCat|5.13.08 @ 10:07AM|#

Thank you, Jesse, that was a very interesting review.


@ Edward
re: LP party chances

That may well be true, but in this short and unhappy life one might as well tilt at a few windmills…

|5.13.08 @ 10:26AM|#

The Socialist Labor platform called for abolishing the presidency, and party electors were instructed to vote "no president" in the comet-striking-earth chance that the SLP carried a state.

Picking nits here. The probability of a comet striking earth is far greater than the SLP carrying a state. We losertarians have a better chance, and ours is ~0.0006%.

|5.13.08 @ 11:06AM|#

I'm reminded yet again of my favorite political candidate of all time: a guy in the state of Washington, who changed his legal name to "Absolutely Nobody" and ran for lieutenant governor.

The guy claimed that the office of lt. gov. was superfluous, and he promised to abolish it if elected.

Guy Montag|5.13.08 @ 11:17AM|#

The guy claimed that the office of lt. gov. was superfluous, and he promised to abolish it if elected.

Wow, that WA Constitution must be really easy to ammend. Better hope you guys don't elect a dictitorial-leaning person to that office!

|5.13.08 @ 11:31AM|#

The probability of a comet striking the Earth is 1.

</astropedant>

Gilbert Martin|5.13.08 @ 1:40PM|#

"Vote for the Socialist Labor Party!"

Or the Democrat party, since there is no practical difference between them.

Cool Cal|5.13.08 @ 2:24PM|#

They may go back on that platform when they see that people have suddenly started running amok, selling things and buying things, and owning property, and all that destructive nonsense.

|5.13.08 @ 3:06PM|#

Just about as stupid as I would expect from the Socialist Laborites.

To abolish the Presidency, you need to amend the Constitution, not throw the election to the House.

Paul|5.13.08 @ 5:23PM|#

The chance of the LP ever carrying a state is also of the comet-striking-earth variety, isn't it?

Mmmno, I'd say more large meteorite-striking-earth variety.

|5.13.08 @ 6:45PM|#

Wow, that WA Constitution must be really easy to ammend.

As a matter of fact i think it is either the first or second most amended state constitution in the US.

We are sort of the Italy of the US...except, you know, without the guys on the street corner with m-16s.

|5.13.08 @ 6:48PM|#

To abolish the Presidency, you need to amend the Constitution, not throw the election to the House.

I am pretty sure the socialists do not accept liberal ideas like a constitution...hell just look at the our socialist light party the DNC...they piss on it before they brush their teeth in the morning.

|5.13.08 @ 9:37PM|#

Why should they bother? Socialists can just vote Democrat.