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Communist party in the United States From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL) is a communist political party in the United States. PSL formed in 2004, when its members split from the Workers World Party.
Party for Socialism and Liberation | |
---|---|
Leader | Central Committee[1] |
Founded | June 18, 2004[1] |
Split from | Workers World Party |
Headquarters | |
Newspaper | Liberation News |
Ideology | |
Political position | Far-left |
International affiliation | International Peoples' Assembly[5] |
Colors | Red |
Members in elected offices | 0 |
Website | |
www | |
PSL describes itself as a revolutionary socialist party, as the party believes that only a revolution can end capitalism and establish socialism.[6][7] PSL pursues this goal by participating in local protests, running candidates in elections, and conducting political education.
Notable members include Claudia de la Cruz, Eugene Puryear, Gloria La Riva, Jodi Dean, and Michael Prysner.
PSL does not release membership numbers.[8] In 2022, PSL said it had an 'organized presence' in "over 100 cities".[9][better source needed]
PSL is a democratic centralist party, which means that "all members, including those who disagree, are duty bound to publicly defend and carry out" all PSL decisions.[10] PSL's highest body is its Party Congress, held every 2 to 3 years, which selects its Central Committee leadership.[10] The PSL Central Committee can appoint up to 40% of Congress delegates.[10][better source needed]
PSL is a founding member of the ANSWER Coalition.[11][12] ANSWER's National Coordinator is Brian Becker,[13] a PSL co-founder who said "we do a great deal of work through" ANSWER.[14]
PSL leadership are closely involved with BreakThrough News (BTN). BTN anchors include Brian Becker and Eugene Puryear, PSL's 2008 and 2016 vice-presidential candidate.[15] BTN's secretary is Claudia De la Cruz.[15] BTN works closely with Tricontinental Institute for Social Research and has often hosted Tricontinental founder Vijay Prashad.[15]
PSL leadership are closely involved with The People's Forum, an event space in NYC. Claudia De la Cruz sits on the board, and Neville Singham funds the organization.[15]
PSL was formed in June 2004[7][1] when the San Francisco branch of the Marcyite[16][better source needed] Workers World Party left the organization. The San Francisco branch, alongside other members, announced that "the Workers World Party leadership is no longer capable of fulfilling [the] mission" of building socialism.[3] PSL co-founders included Richard Becker,[3] Brian Becker,[15] Gloria La Riva,[3] and Eugene Puryear.[15]
In 2020, at least five PSL members were arrested during protests against the Aurora police department for the killing of Elijah McClain.[17][18]
On October 8, 2023, PSL Central Committee member Eugene Puryear helped organize a rally in support of Palestine in Times Square,[19][better source needed] in which he stated: "[T]here was some sort of rave or desert party where they were having a great time, until the resistance came in electrified hang gliders and took at least several dozen hipsters, and I'm sure they're doing very fine despite what the New York Post says."[20]
PSL identifies as a Marxist-Leninist party.[3] Other socialists have labelled PSL as Marxist-Leninist,[2][4] Marcyite,[21][better source needed] and campist.[22]
PSL describes its primary goal as the revolutionary overthrow of capitalism and the institution of state socialism as a transitionary stage toward a communist society, stating that "humanity today has only two choices: an increasingly destructive capitalism, or socialism".[6]
PSL strongly supports LGBT rights in the United States.[23]
PSL defends the Soviet Union's suppression of the Hungarian Revolution of 1956.[24]
PSL supports the Communist Party of China,[7][23] criticizing only its capitalist economic reforms.[24] PSL argues that "militant political defense of the Chinese government" is necessary to stave off "counterrevolution, imperialist intervention and dismemberment".[25][23] PSL defends China's human rights records,[7] and strongly denies that the People's Liberation Army massacred student protestors in the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre.[23][26][24] PSL denies that China has suppressed democracy in Hong Kong.[27][28]
PSL supports Kim Jong-un.[23][24] PSL describes North Korea as "one of the few top-to-bottom, actually-existing, alternatives to the global capitalist system".[29] PSL supports North Korea's nuclear weapons program.[7][29][30] PSL rejects criticism of North Korea's human rights record,[31] which it calls "thinly veiled justification for U.S. aggression toward North Korea",[32] and argues that "conditions in North Korea are vastly better than those in other developing countries".[32]
PSL supported the 2014 Russian annexation of Crimea.[33][34] PSL did not support the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, but did place blame for the invasion on NATO and the United States.[27] In its statement, PSL highlighted the "plight of ethnic Russians [...] in the Donbas", Russia's "legitimate security concerns", and NATO's "provocative behavior".[35]
PSL opposes US intervention in the Syrian Civil War, and has generally been supportive of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and Russian military efforts in Syria.[33][36][37][38][24] PSL denies that the Syrian government used chemical weapons.[39][36]
PSL has fielded electoral candidates for local, state, and federal offices. PSL candidates usually run as independent candidates or as third party candidates, such as with the Peace and Freedom Party or the Green Party.[citation needed]
No PSL candidate has yet won an election.
Year | Presidential candidate | Vice presidential candidate | Popular votes | % | Electoral votes | Result | Ballot access | Notes | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2024 | Claudia de la Cruz | Karina Garcia | T.B.D | T.B.D | T.B.D | T.B.D | 220 / 538 |
The Peace and Freedom Party also nominated de la Cruz.[lower-alpha 1] | [40][41] |
2020 | Gloria La Riva | Sunil Freeman[lower-alpha 2] | 86,239 | 0 | Lost | 195 / 538 |
The Peace and Freedom Party also nominated La Riva.[lower-alpha 3] | [45][46][47][48] | |
2016 | Gloria La Riva | Eugene Puryear | 74,027 | 0 | Lost | 112 / 538 |
The Peace and Freedom Party also nominated La Riva, with Dennis Banks as her running mate.[lower-alpha 4] | [49] | |
2012 | Peta Lindsay | Yari Osorio | 7,791 | 0 | Lost | 146 / 538 |
[50] | ||
2008 | Gloria La Riva | Eugene Puryear | 6,818 | 0 | Lost | 137 / 538 |
[51] |
Year | Candidate | Chamber | State | District | Votes | % | Result | Notes | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2022 | José Cortés | House | California | CA-51 | 3,327 | Lost | ran as Peace and Freedom Party candidate; did not advance to top-two general | [52]ref>"Socialist candidate running for Darrell Issa's Congress seat". Liberation News. Party for Socialism and Liberation. January 10, 2018.</ref> | |
2020 | José Cortés | House | California | CA-50 | 1,821 | Lost | ran as Peace and Freedom Party candidate; did not advance to top-two general | [53][54] | |
2018 | Jordan Mills | House | California | CA-49 | 233 | Lost | ran as Peace and Freedom Party candidate; did not advance to top-two general | [55][56] | |
2014 | Frank Lara | House | California | CA-12 | 2,107 | Lost | ran as Peace and Freedom Party candidate; did not advance to top-two general | [57][58] | |
2010 | Gloria La Riva | House | California | CA-8 | 5,161 | Lost | ran as Peace and Freedom Party candidate | [59] | |
2008 | Nathalie Hrizi | House | California | CA-12 | 5,793 | Lost | ran as Peace and Freedom Party candidate; did not advance to top-two general | [60][61] | |
2008 | Michael Prysner | House | Florida | FL-22 | 6 | Lost | ran as write-in candidate | [62][63][51] |
Year | Candidate | Office | State | District | Votes | % | Result | Notes | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2022 | Nathalie Hrizi | Insurance Commissioner | California | At-Large | 189,289 | Lost | ran as Peace and Freedom Party candidate | [64] | |
2022 | Meghann Adams | State Treasurer | California | At-Large | 242,234 | Lost | ran as Peace and Freedom Party candidate | [65] | |
2018 | Gloria La Riva | Governor | California | At-Large | 19,075 | Lost | ran as Peace and Freedom Party candidate | [66] | |
2018 | Nathalie Hrizi | Insurance Commissioner | California | At-Large | 309,399 | Lost | ran as Peace and Freedom Party candidate | [67] | |
2014 | Nathalie Hrizi | Insurance Commissioner | California | At-Large | 212,991 | Lost | ran as Peace and Freedom Party candidate | [68] | |
2010 | Carlos Alvarez | Governor | California | At-Large | 92,856 | Lost | ran as Peace and Freedom Party candidate | [69][70] | |
2010 | Marylou Cabral | Secretary of State | California | At-Large | 164,450 | Lost | ran as Peace and Freedom Party candidate | [70] |
Year | Candidate | Office | State | District | Votes | % | Result | Notes | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2024 | Kevin Martinez | State Assembly | California | 6 | 1,861 | Lost | ran as Peace and Freedom Party candidate | [71] | |
2022 | Noah Leininger | State House | Indiana | 90 | 259 | Lost | ran as write-in candidate | [72] | |
2021 | Ernesto Huerta | State Senate | California | 30 | 1,565 | Lost | ran as Peace and Freedom Party candidate | [73] | |
2017 | John Prysner | State Assembly | California | 51 | 232 | Lost | ran as Peace and Freedom Party candidate | [74][75] | |
2010 | Corey Ansel | State House | Ohio | 22 | 716 | Lost | ran as Green Party candidate | [76] | |
2008 | Heather Benno | State House | Illinois | 40 | 2,276 | Lost | ran as Green Party candidate | [77] | |
2008 | John Beacham | State House | Illinois | 14 | 4,745 | Lost | ran as Green Party candidate | [77] | |
2008 | Lucilla Esguerra | State Assembly | California | 48 | 11,173 | Lost | ran as Peace and Freedom Party candidate | [78] |
Year | Candidate | Office | City | District | Votes | % | Result | Notes | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2024 | Eduardo "Lalo" Vargas | City Council | Los Angeles | 14 | 1,638 | Lost | non-partisan election | [79] | |
2023 | Ana Santoyo | City Council | Chicago | 45 | 895 | Lost | non-partisan election | [80][81] | |
2021 | Colin Dodson | City Council | Urbana | 2 | 57 | Lost | ran as Party for Socialism and Liberation candidate | [82][83] | |
2021 | Cathy Rojas | Mayor | New York | At-Large | 27,982 | Lost | ran as Party for Socialism and Liberation candidate | [84][85] | |
2014 | Eugene Puryear | City Council | Washington D.C. | At-Large | 12,525 | Lost | ran as D.C. Statehood Green Party candidate | [86] | |
2014 | John Beacham | City Council | Chicago | 49 | 0 | Lost | withdrawn from ballot due to insufficient nominating petition signatures[87] | [88][89] | |
2010 | Stevie Merino | Mayor | Long Beach | At-Large | 5,057 | Lost | non-partisan election | [90] | |
2009 | Carlos Alvarez | Mayor | Los Angeles | At-Large | 3,047 | Lost | non-partisan election | [91] | |
2009 | Francisca Villar | Mayor | New York | At-Large | 3,517 | Lost | ran as Party for Socialism and Liberation candidate | [92] | |
2008 | Stephen Hinze | Board of Supervisors | Los Angeles | 5 | 29,875 | Lost | non-partisan election | [93] | |
2008 | Marylou Cabral[lower-alpha 5] | Board of Supervisors | Los Angeles | 4 | 23,703 | Lost | non-partisan election | [94] | |
2008 | Amanda Todd | City Council | Sioux Falls | Lost | [95] | ||||
2008 | Sergio Farias | City Council | San Juan Capistrano | 1,133 | Lost | [96][97] | |||
2008 | Crystal Kim | Council | Washington, D.C. | At-Large | 0 | Lost | write-in, votes not tabulated | [98][99] |
PSL does not publicize its party constitution.
Name | Date | Location | Report | Program | Constitution |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fifth Party Congress | July 2022 | no public report | Program | Constitution, 5th ed | |
Fourth Party Congress | August 2019 | no public report | Program | ||
Third Party Congress | April 1–3, 2016 | San Francisco, CA | Convention report | Program | |
Second Party Congress | February 2013 | no public report | Program | ||
First Party Congress | February 13–15, 2010 | Los Angeles, CA | Convention report | Program | |
Third National Convention | June 2007 | no public report | no public program | ||
Second National Convention | February 18–20, 2006 | San Francisco, CA | Convention report | no public program | |
First National Convention | 2005 | no public report | Program | ||
Founding Convention | June 18–20, 2004 | San Francisco, CA | Convention report | Founding statement |
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