Cindy Sheehan Makes the Case for Third Party and Independent Political Activism

Some excerpts from a lengthy interview with Cindy Sheehan published at the Socialist Alternative:

What was your personal experience with Democratic Party leaders when you emerged as a key figure in the antiwar movement in 2005? How did they respond to your demand to end the Iraq war after they took control of Congress in 2006?

I met with dozens of Democratic Senators (Obama, Clinton, Levin, Reid, Kerry, etc.) and House Reps (Pelosi, etc.), and they all told me: “Cindy, if you help us regain the majority in Congress, we will help you end the wars.” 

Well, after August of 2005 when anti-war sentiment and anti-Bush sentiment was at its peak, the Democrats used that energy precisely to regain slim majorities in both Houses. But what did they do with those majorities? Funded the wars, refused to hold the Bush crime syndicate accountable, passed the FISA Modernization Act and bankster bailouts, among other things.

After the first war supplemental was passed in May of 2007 (with organizations such as MoveOn.org cheerleading for the bill’s passage), I left the party for good.

To answer your question about how the Democratic Party responded to demands to end the wars—well, the wars are still raging, and now there is a Democratic Tyranny in the House, Senate, and Executive Branch.

You ran against Democratic Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi in 2008, beating the Republican, and winning an impressive 16% of the vote. Can you tell us about your experience as an independent antiwar candidate?

This answer to this question could fill a book, but it comes down to a few things: The federal electoral system, the way it is, cannot be beaten at its own game. The rules and regulations make it practically impossible for a third party/independent candidate to even get on the ballot, let alone run.

A candidate cannot get paid by the campaign unless he/she is an official candidate, and one can’t run for office and have a day job. So I went for about 10 months with very little income, and my one credit card got charged up to the max and is now in collection.

I thought that running against Pelosi would be a great way to expose the issues and the corruption of the “two” party system, but the media totally shut me out. It was one of the worst experiences of my life, but people around the country really stepped up to the plate and donated money and time, and we had a really honest, dedicated, principled campaign. I certainly can hold my head up high.

Do you think it’s time to build a political party independent from the Republicans and Democrats? Would you consider running for President to provide an independent left-wing, pro-worker alternative in the 2012 election?

I thought it was time long ago, but the mood of the country really seems anti-establishment now, but I see most of that energy being stolen by the right wing. Yes, if I am promised a professional campaign staff, and we get started immediately.

Read the whole thing.