IN THE BEGINNING
The clarity, candor, policy depth and people-consciousness of Stevenson’s speeches stunned him and ignited his boyhood interest in politics; an interest bolstered by reading Dos Passos; listening to Norman Thomas; following the development of America’s unions and their powerful, visible leadership and keeping up with the liberal writers and thinkers…Howard Fast, Upton Sinclair, Sinclair Lewis, Max Lerner.. .the Paul Krugmans of their day.
So the college freshman, disappointed by Stevenson’s fall to Eisenhower, but inspired nonetheless, wanted to get active in politics…but where was he to go. The lines of willing campaign workers at the Democratic Party’s district offices in Brooklyn were long and filled with college grads, law school students, young lawyers with hope and friends of friends of friends.
And so, still too young to vote but old enough to stuff envelopes and ring apartment house doorbells, he joined the Liberal Party. Justice, freedom, equal opportunity for all. Union leaders, academics, intellectuals, businessmen, working people. No lines, no waiting lists. The very ground floor of the Liberal Party’s grassroots activities were his to pick and choose. And less than four years later, he would become the State Chairman of the Young Liberals.
A NEW BEGINNING
Today the Liberal Party begins a new generation of life and activity…fully recognizing that the game has changed radically…as political parties are little more than brand name labels. Yet they are still part of the rules of the game and there is absolutely no reason why they can’t really mean something to the hearts and minds of Americans. There has to be a will to mean something. And this Liberal Party has that will. What we need is you and everyone who cares enough about the future of our country, our state, our cities and suburbs.
We will have a candidate for Governor in November who will return us to full political party and ballot status after eight years as a non-ballot party.
The Liberal Party was a formal, fully recognized party for 63 years and will return to that status after the November election. We will be supporting a candidate who will receive far more than 50,000 votes in the election and we want to be ready to move forward with county organizations, elected State and State Executive Committee members and an involvement in every community in New York City and across the State.
The door is open to everyone who wants a say…who wants to be involved…who wants to bring back an America in which people not money talks…people not just money make things happen.
This is the ground floor and it is waiting for you.
We want people who care enough about making equal opportunities for all really exist.
If that’s you, let us know now.
Will a gubernatorial candidate be fielded?
“We will have a candidate for Governor in November who will return us to full political party and ballot status after eight years as a non-ballot party.”
Who? So far, that seems a closely held secret.