While answering another post this idea dawned on me. THIRD PARTY UNIFICATION!!! I know it’s easier said than done but….
Several third parties in the U.S. support progressive and populist policies. Uniting them requires identifying common ground and building a coalition that prioritizes working-class interests over partisan divides.
Third Parties Supporting Progressive Populism
1. The Green Party – Advocates for universal healthcare (Medicare for All), a living wage, workers’ rights, environmental justice, and breaking corporate influence in politics.
2. The People’s Party – Founded on Bernie Sanders-style populism, pushing for single-payer healthcare, student debt cancellation, and anti-corporate policies.
3. The Forward Party – While more centrist, it emphasizes election reform, ranked-choice voting, and reducing corporate influence—issues that could align with progressive populism.
4. Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) (Not a Party, But Influential) – Focuses on Medicare for All, labor rights, housing justice, and taxing the wealthy.
5. The Working Families Party (WFP) – A hybrid between a third party and a Democratic movement, fighting for fair wages, progressive taxation, and social programs.
6. Libertarian Populists (Certain Factions of the Libertarian Party) – Some anti-establishment libertarians support ending corporate welfare, decentralizing power, and fighting political corruption, creating potential overlaps.
How to Unite These Groups
1. Find Common Ground
• Economic Justice: Focus on fair wages, healthcare, and ending corporate influence rather than divisive social issues.
• Election & Democracy Reform: Ranked-choice voting, ending gerrymandering, and getting money out of politics benefit all.
• Workers’ Rights & Small Business Protections: Unions and independent businesses both suffer from corporate monopolies.
2. Coalition Building & Cross-Endorsements
• Encourage candidates to run on multiple party lines (fusion voting where possible).
• Form issue-based alliances rather than party-based ones. Example: A Medicare for All coalition including Greens, WFP, and DSA members.
3. National & Local Coordination
• Organize progressive populist conventions with leaders from these groups to discuss shared goals.
• Support grassroots, state-level candidates rather than focusing solely on national elections.
4. Leverage Media & Social Movements
• Create independent media networks that amplify populist voices outside of corporate news.
• Use social media, podcasts, and public town halls to spread unifying messages.
5. Strategic Electoral Action
• Pressure major parties: If they refuse to adopt these policies, run strong third-party candidates to challenge them.
• Use ballot initiatives: Direct democracy measures (Medicare for All, living wages) can unify different factions around policy instead of party loyalty.