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Should socialists and progressives work to move the Democratic Party to the left or focus on building a new party?Read More »Le Parti est Nous! Let’s Take It Back!

The Sussex County Democrats had their Caucus on March 27th, and they overwhelmingly elected Jane Hovington as their new chair, reportedly shocking establishment Dems.

Jane had the support of progressives, because she opposes the death penalty, takes criminal justice reform seriously, and has a long history as a leader in the NAACP, among other things. And as an added bonus, she is the first African American woman to hold the position.

I know getting Jane and her team elected took a lot of hard work, so I send heartfelt congratulations to everyone who supported the transition to new leadership, especially all the new people Jane’s candidacy mobilized. Here’s the official press release:Read More »In Upset Victory, Sussex County Democrats Elect New Leadership

Is a cop’s life worth more than a firefighter’s? Is it worth more than a nurse’s? Than a little kid’s? Than a young mother’s? Than somebody’s grandmother’s? Than a homeless person’s?Read More »No Death Penalty, No Law Enforcement Loophole!

It troubles me deeply when I hear people say that undocumented people should be deported because “they broke the law and there must be consequences.” We need to remember the importance of proportionality.

First of all, you can’t criminalize human nature.

When you take on a leadership role in an organization, you generally become attached to it, hoping for its continued success, even after you step down. That is how I feel about the Sussex County Democrats, having served as chair of the 14RD Committee for 4 years, and sitting on the County executive committee because of that role.

Consequently, I’ve been asking myself these questions: Democrats had a registration advantage in Sussex County in 2014 (49,865 v. 49,615) and only a slight disadvantage in 2016 (57,522 v. 59,907), so why can’t Democrats get elected in Sussex? Why did every single Democrat lose in 2014 and 2016, except for the one Trump supporters love? Is the County just hopeless, best written off as a lost cause?Read More »Advice for Sussex Dems from a Former RD Chair

For those who are wondering about the significance of wearing a safety pin, I embrace it for 3 reasons.

1) It signals people that if they are being harassed, I am a safe person, willing to stand up for them. I will do whatever I can to stop bullying. 

2) It makes a public statement of opposition to racism, nativism, misogyny, xenophobia, and homophobia. I will fight to protect the rights and human dignity of all people. 

3) It symbolically puts me in solidary with the global justice movement for progressive change. I will remember that if people in much direr situations than I can fight for justice, I can too. Read More »Why Are People Wearing Safety Pins?

We suffered a body blow Tuesday. That’s for sure. We may be down, but we are not out. Time to regain our composure, struggle to our feet, and begin anew our struggle for a better world. The political revolution must continue!Read More »Claire Snyder-Hall: 7 Things Progressives Need to Do Now and in the Long-term

My mother recently went into assisted living, and I was tasked with sorting through my dad’s old papers. I came across the speech he gave right before the Iraq War. Here it is.

Lee Snyder, Anti-War Rally, Bradenton, FL, October 26, 2002

I come to this platform today rather depressed, because our Congress has just passed a resolution granting the president the power to start a war at his own discretion.Read More »Daughter of a Anti-War Activist

Coming out is not something you do once. It is an ongoing process. This is especially true, I think, if you don’t look stereotypically gay.Read More »Happy Coming Out Day!