Vermont Progressive Party
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The Vermont Progressive Party is perhaps the United States' most consistently successful current third party, although it is active in only one state. It originated with the independent campaign of Bernie Sanders for mayor of Burlington. Sanders, who has never been officially associated with the Progressive Party, was later elected to the United States Congress, where he still serves, as an independent (although he is a member of Democratic Socialists of America and generally accorded the privileges of a member of the Democratic caucus). A group of his supporters organized themselves as the Progressive Alliance to contest further elections. The Alliance succeeded in electing several members, including Terry Bouricious, to the Vermont State Legislature, and, after establishing a stable political base, formally became the Progressive Party. After picking up three new seats in the 2004 elections, it now has six representatives in the state House of Representatives, making it the only third party in the United States to have more than one state legislature seat, excluding states such as New York and South Carolina, which allow candidates to affiliate with more than one party (for example, leading to many Republican/Conservative or Democrat/Working Families members of the New York Legislature.)
According to an article in the Burlington Free Press on February 19, 2005 (the largest circulation newspaper in Vermont), the Vermont Progressive Party is on its way to becoming an officially recognized party. The House Rules Committee has recommended that the rules be made to recognize a third party in the House – in this case, the Progressive Party. The revision's adoption will be recommended to the full House. (Source: Burlington Free Press article "House committee OKs recognition of Progressives", February 19, 2005, page 5B.)
There have recently been pressures from Democrats officials to convince the Progressive Party not to run candidates to some election races in 2006 in exchange for support for Bernie Sanders in the federal Senate race. One of the party's top officials, Anthony Pollina, told the press he didn't intend to be influenced by such issues and one elected official, Rep. David Zuckerman, is exploring a run for Sanders' seat in Congress (Ross Sneyd, Progressives say no deals on 2006 elections, Associated Press, 5/12/2005).
A recent victory for the Progressives was their win in the Burlington mayoral election. Voters elected Bob Kiss, a member of the Vermont State House of Representatives since 2001, on March 7, 2006 over opponents Hinda Miller, Democrat, and Kevin Curley, Republican.
Principles
Template:Progressivism The center of this political party is social, economic, and environmental justice and sustainability while protecting minority and individual rights and oppurtunities. This would generally be considered to be to the political left of the Democratic Party.
Platform
Made of 14 points. First, in terms of agriculture, their goal is to protect family farmers and their land in order to be capable of dealing with global climate change.
Second, Civil Rights - state and local government should have affirmative action programs for full and equal access to jobs, housing, education, and public accommodations. There should be a "Zero Tolerance" policy against any form of discrimination or harassment. It is pro-choice, pro-ERA, and wants to expand First Amendment rights to the workplace in Vermont.
In terms of the criminal justice system it wants to focus on programs that keep people out of prison and from committing crimes in the first place. It is also anti-death penalty.
For the economy they want to promote unions, living wages, full employment, and locally owned businesses among other things like a $7.50 minimum wage.
Educational policies they support include mainstreaming special education children, changing which taxes fund K-12 schools, and increase funding for higher education.
Environmentally, they want to undo the damage already done, prevent more from occurring (i.e. enforce the limits for pollution runoff), and protect Act 250 which allows citizens input into how land is developed.
Families and Children, is the next portion of the party platform and calls for things such as affordable and good daycare, 12 weeks of maternity/paternity leave, and the ability of mothers to breastfeed.
In terms of government reform, they advocate for financial disclosure of candidates, instant runoff voting, and proportional representation in the legislature.
Healthcare should be universal and affordable for all. Support Affordable Housing. It encourages the development of personal privacy standards that guarantee how personally identifiable information is collected and distributed. In terms of taxes they support the fairness of taxes, changes in the level of taxation, and the awareness of the social impact of taxation.
In terms of transportation they support fixing the roads that exist before building new ones, support more mass transportation systems over roads, eliminate excessive trucking, that cars are a public health threat, and the need to "protect the livability of Vermont commuters."
Finally, in terms of Utilities any restructing should benefit citizens, no bailouts, promote local public power, promote renewables, efficiency, and conservation, close the Vermont Yankee plant without selling it, and strengthen the Certificate of Public Goods Process.