Statement On Reviving the SD USA / SP

Statements for a Revived SD USA / SP

Social Democracy comprises humanity's boldest experiment -- an attempt
to organize society of collective justice and individual freedom where
everyone gets food, shelter, health care, education, and the ability to
actualize his or herself. In other words to achieve a truly civil
society.To this end:

WE SUPPORT THE AMERICAN LABOR MOVEMENT. Working men and women,
organized in their trade unions, can be the most important force for
progressive social change. We support an open democratic and
self-critical labor movement.

WE SUPPORT VIGOROUS DEMOCRACY HERE IN THE US AND ABROAD:
Social democracy can only exist in a climate of strong democratic
institutions. We support strong voting rights, public campaign finance
and equal access to media for all candidates. We look to strengthen
the longest most successful democratic experiment in world history, the
USA.

WE SUPPORT THE SOCIALIST INTERNATIONAL as the society of like minded
parties and activists. We stand with the Labour Party of Britain, the
Social Democratic Party of Germany, the French Socialist Party, and
labor parties across the world. We look to SI members in government for
guidance in effective and just government. SD USA has adopted the SI
Declaration of Principles and Ethical Charter and uses the Party of European
Socialists (the SI working group in the European Parliament) as its pragmatic basis.

WE EMBRACE THE LIBERATORY POTENTIAL OF RELIGION --
The world's sacred texts provide some of the strongest support for
the dignity of labor, the need for social fairness and the ability of humanity
to achieve its highest aspirations. SD USA embraces religious faith not as an
"interest group" within a larger movement, but as fundamental to the
creation of a better world.

WE OPPOSE TOTALITARIANISM IN ITS SECULAR AND RELIGIOUS FORMS.
Communism is a horrible, destructive parody of socialism."Communism"
is the most dangerous enemy of democracy and free Labor in the world.
We rejoice in the collapse of the Soviet Union.With the formerly enslaved
nations now joining the society of democracy. SD USA proudly opposes
Communist totalitarianism and opposes religious extremism arising in
many religious traditions,especially in the Islamic world.

WE DEFEND ISRAEL.The State of Israel is not a product of "racism" or
"imperialism". It is a democratic society. Its Labour movement is lead
by Social Democrats. During thefirst decades of its existence,
it was founded and governed by a Social Democratic Labour party.
We are unconditional advocates of Israel's right to exist, and that
our support does not depend on it being "nice" in order
to deserve our defense. But we are not uncritical. We support Israeli democratic
ideals and those who work for them. We support a just resolution for the
Palestinians that grants their legitimate national aspirations without fatally
compromising the legitimate security concerns of
the Jewish State.

WE, IN GENERAL,WORK WITHIN THE TWO PARTY SYSTEM IN THE
UNITED STATES.
The realities of American politics make running independent Socialist
candidates for public office frequently a gesture in futility. We
ally ourselves with the pro-labor forces of the Democratic Party and
work to strengthen Social Democratic ideals in the DP. When
appropriate individual locals may run third party candidates,or
fusion candidates The SD USA is willing to experiment with
different democratic processes on the
local level.

WE STAND FOR SOCIAL DEMOCRACY AND EMBRACE
THE HISTORY OF SOCIAL DEMOCRATS, USA
We fight for the extension of democracy into all aspects of our society.
This means means not a government-dominated, but a democratic,
non-sexist, un-racist, welfare state with a mixed economy in which the
people and democratically-responsible representatives will have the
maximum feasible influence in setting economic priorities.

Social Democrats USA (SD USA) is the successor to the Socialist Party (SP)
whose past and present leaders include Labor, civil rights, and
humanitarian leaders, such as Eugene V. Debs, Victor Berger,
Kate Richards O'Hare, Mother Jones, Helen Keller A. Philip Randolph,
Upton Sinclair, Carl Sandburg Reinhold Niebhur, Darlington Hoopes,
Samuel H.Friedman, Max Shachtman, Rob Tucker, David McReyonlds,
Frank Zeidler, Michael Harrington, Tom Kahn, Bayard Rustin,
James Burnett, Donnie Slaiman, and Penn Kemble.

We fully embrace the different streams of the S.P.and SD USA's history.
We welcome a wide range of Social Democrats/Democratic Socialists
from Third Way to the members of The Democratic Socialists of
America and Socialist Party of the United States of America
who share our commitment to Democratic Socialism.

We think America needs a stronger voice for our kind of program. We are
not for everybody. Maybe we are for you.


By Craig Miller, acting chair of the Committee To Revive the Social Democrats, USA / SP based on the writing of James Burnett