Socialists in the U.S. Congress
A list of seventy alleged American Socialist Party members has been winging its way around the internet.
Unfortunately, while most of those listed are indeed socialists, there is no such organization as the American Socialist Party. There is a small Socialist Party USA and the U.S.'s largest Marxist organization Democratic Socialists of America - which works largely inside the Democratic Party.
The list actually appears to be a membership roster of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.
This organization was formed in 1991 by openly socialist independent Congressman Bernie Sanders, the far left Institute for Policy Studies, and Democratic Socialists of America.
Because the Progressive Caucus was hosted for many years on the D.S.A. website, some have claimed that all Progressive Caucus membership D.S.A. membership are synonymous. That may possibly have been the case, in the early years, but I have seen no evidence that it still applies.
What is beyond doubt is that most Progressive Caucus members are indeed socialists. In a European country, most would be comfortable in either the Socialist, Communist or green parties.
Several current or former Progressive Caucus members appear to have been members of D.S.A. including Neil Abercrombie, Danny K. Davis, Ron Dellums, Jerry Nadler and Major Owens.
Some members like Barbara Lee and Luis Gutierrez have been involved in Marxist-Leninist parties.
Many others have ties to D.S.A., the Communist Party USA, Committees of Correspondence for Democracy and Socialism, the Institute for Policy Studies, or other far left groups.
Many also have maintained ties to Cuba, Venezuela, Saddam Hussein's Iraq or other anti U.S. regimes.
Prominent recent former members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus include Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Obama's Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis and Obama Transition Team member and former Democratic Party whip, David Bonior. Since leaving the house, David Bonior has formally joined D.S.A.
At more than 70 members, the Progressive Caucus is the most powerful bloc in the U.S. Congress, leading several powerful committees, including Judiciary (John Conyers) and until recently, Ways & Means (Charles Rangel).
It is also important to note that many far left Senators and Congressmen and NOT members of the Progressive Caucus - Senator Tom Harkin from Iowa and Congresswoman Mary Jo Kilroy (one time D.S.A. member) from Ohio being good examples.
If you follow the blue links on this page it will lead you to biographies of all those listed on this post, from our sister site KeyWiki - our online encyclopedia of the American left. The KeyWiki Congressional Progressive Caucus page also lists former members of the organization.
Many profiles are still only only "stubs", but some are comprehensive. We welcome contributions from readers to "flesh them out". We also welcome more volunteer KeyWiki editors and contributors. Contact details here
Check out the socialists in your Congress!
The current members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus are as follows:
Co-Chairs
Unfortunately, while most of those listed are indeed socialists, there is no such organization as the American Socialist Party. There is a small Socialist Party USA and the U.S.'s largest Marxist organization Democratic Socialists of America - which works largely inside the Democratic Party.
The list actually appears to be a membership roster of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.
This organization was formed in 1991 by openly socialist independent Congressman Bernie Sanders, the far left Institute for Policy Studies, and Democratic Socialists of America.
Because the Progressive Caucus was hosted for many years on the D.S.A. website, some have claimed that all Progressive Caucus membership D.S.A. membership are synonymous. That may possibly have been the case, in the early years, but I have seen no evidence that it still applies.
What is beyond doubt is that most Progressive Caucus members are indeed socialists. In a European country, most would be comfortable in either the Socialist, Communist or green parties.
Several current or former Progressive Caucus members appear to have been members of D.S.A. including Neil Abercrombie, Danny K. Davis, Ron Dellums, Jerry Nadler and Major Owens.
Some members like Barbara Lee and Luis Gutierrez have been involved in Marxist-Leninist parties.
Many others have ties to D.S.A., the Communist Party USA, Committees of Correspondence for Democracy and Socialism, the Institute for Policy Studies, or other far left groups.
Many also have maintained ties to Cuba, Venezuela, Saddam Hussein's Iraq or other anti U.S. regimes.
Prominent recent former members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus include Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Obama's Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis and Obama Transition Team member and former Democratic Party whip, David Bonior. Since leaving the house, David Bonior has formally joined D.S.A.
At more than 70 members, the Progressive Caucus is the most powerful bloc in the U.S. Congress, leading several powerful committees, including Judiciary (John Conyers) and until recently, Ways & Means (Charles Rangel).
It is also important to note that many far left Senators and Congressmen and NOT members of the Progressive Caucus - Senator Tom Harkin from Iowa and Congresswoman Mary Jo Kilroy (one time D.S.A. member) from Ohio being good examples.
If you follow the blue links on this page it will lead you to biographies of all those listed on this post, from our sister site KeyWiki - our online encyclopedia of the American left. The KeyWiki Congressional Progressive Caucus page also lists former members of the organization.
Many profiles are still only only "stubs", but some are comprehensive. We welcome contributions from readers to "flesh them out". We also welcome more volunteer KeyWiki editors and contributors. Contact details here
Check out the socialists in your Congress!
The current members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus are as follows:
Co-Chairs
- Raul Grijalva (AZ-07)
- Lynn Woolsey (CA-06)
- Diane Watson (CA-33)
- Keith Ellison (MN-05)
- Sheila Jackson-Lee (TX-18)
- Mazie Hirono (HI-02)
- Dennis Kucinich (OH-10)
- Donna Edwards (MD-04)
- Alan Grayson (FL-08)
- Bernie Sanders (VT)
- Tom Udall (NM)
- Roland Burris (IL)
- Tammy Baldwin (WI-02)
- Xavier Becerra (CA-31)
- Earl Blumenauer (OR-03)
- Robert Brady (PA-01)
- Corrine Brown (FL-03)
- Michael Capuano (MA-08)
- André Carson (IN-07)
- Donna Christensen (VI-AL)
- Yvette Clarke (NY-11)
- William (Lacy) Clay (MO-01)
- Emanuel Cleaver (MO-05)
- Steve Cohen (TN-09)
- John Conyers (MI-14)
- Elijah Cummings (MD-07)
- Danny Davis (IL-07)
- Peter DeFazio (OR-04)
- Rosa DeLauro (CT-03)
- Sam Farr (CA-17)
- Chaka Fattah (PA-02)
- Bob Filner (CA-51)
- Barney Frank (MA-04)
- Marcia Fudge (OH-11)
- Luis Gutierrez (IL-04)
- John Hall (NY-19)
- Phil Hare (IL-17)
- Alcee Hastings (FL-23)
- Maurice Hinchey (NY-22)
- Michael Honda (CA-15)
- Jesse Jackson Jr (IL-02)
- Eddie Bernice Johnson (TX-30)
- Hank Johnson (GA-04)
- Marcy Kaptur (OH-09)
- Carolyn Kilpatrick (MI-13)
- Barbara Lee (CA-09)
- John Lewis (GA-05)
- David Loebsack (IA-02)
- Ben Lujan (NM-3)
- Carolyn Maloney (NY-14)
- Edward Markey (MA-07)
- Jim McDermott (WA-07)
- James McGovern (MA-03)
- George Miller (CA-07)
- Gwen Moore (WI-04)
- Jim Moran (VA-08)
- Jerrold Nadler (NY-08)
- Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-AL)
- John Olver (MA-01)
- Frank Pallone (NJ-06)
- Ed Pastor (AZ-04)
- Donald Payne (NJ-10)
- Chellie Pingree (ME-01)
- Jared Polis (CO-02)
- Charles Rangel (NY-15)
- Laura Richardson (CA-37)
- Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA-34)
- Bobby Rush (IL-01)
- Linda Sanchez (CA-47)
- Jan Schakowsky (IL-09)
- José Serrano (NY-16)
- Louise Slaughter (NY-28)
- Pete Stark (CA-13)
- Bennie Thompson (MS-02)
- John Tierney (MA-06)
- Nydia Velazquez (NY-12)
- Maxine Waters (CA-35)
- Mel Watt (NC-12)
- Henry Waxman (CA-30)
- Peter Welch (VT-AL)
posted by Andy at
8/16/2010 10:05:00 AM
5 Comments:
I wonder how many on this list also have issues with ethics and taxes?
if we could get them in a room all together i would personally call alqueda and tell them there is a tea party convention going on in the room who has vowed to kill all terrorists. a guy can dream cant he?
we need a new house on unamerican activities now more than ever. senator mccarthy up in heaven is saying i told you so but you crucified me. i pray to god we win this war on treason.
While by far this blog was more comprehensive then most on the very same topic it failed to note that, in fact, the American Socialist Party does exist and only this early summer began putting up websites that have been under raps since 2009.
We have an interesting discussion going on at the following link:
http://www.surveymagnet.com/2010/06/would-socialism-be-horrible-for-the-united-states/
Come join the discussion.
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