On Tuesday afternoon, the political organization No Labels published an open letter to approximately 3,000 state and county party chairs of the Democratic Party, calling for an end to what it viewed as an “anti-democracy campaign” against No Labels by the Democratic National Committee.
“We are lifelong Democrats and leaders of the No Labels movement, and we write to you with profound concern about the recent conduct of the Democratic National Committee,” the letter opened.
Former Missouri Governor Jay Nixon, former U.S. Senator from Connecticut Joe Lieberman, and former NAACP executive director Benjamin Chavis penned the open letter, titled “Defending the ‘Soul of the Nation.'” In it, these three No Labels leaders outlined several examples of what they felt were deliberate efforts by the Democratic National Committee to target No Labels and its ability to qualify for the 2024 presidential ballot.
Citing a CBS News story, the letter claimed that the Democratic National Committee had been sharing guidance with state and local party chairs, encouraging them to “denounce No Labels […] as a ‘threat to our democracy.'” The letter additionally called out the Utah Democratic Party executive director for sending correspondence to Democratic county chairs, referencing a September 26, 2023 email urging them to “stop” No Labels “NOW” before it could nominate a ticket and become “a runaway train.”
“We’re not naïve, and we don’t expect the Democratic National Committee or the Republican National Committee to welcome competition that threatens their power and influence,” the letter continued, “But as lifelong Democrats, we do expect the leaders of our party – which has always championed ballot access and voting rights – to refrain from blatantly antidemocratic behavior.”
The open letter further stated that No Labels would take “whatever steps are necessary to protect the rights of Americans” before urging local and state party chairs to write to the Democratic National Committee to “stand down and halt all action to restrict voter choices this or any other election.”
For the full text of the letter, readers of Independent Political Report can access it on the No Labels website at link.
If No Labels is so committed to “democracy,” why have they sued Arizona in federal court to keep the four No Labels Party voters who have filed to run for state and federal office on the ballot?
Joe Lieberman knows perfectly well that both major parties care more about power than democracy.
No Labels isn’t wrong here. I don’t know how the irony and blatant hypocrisy of the Democratic Party on this issue isn’t evident to everyone. On the one hand they’re saying we have to “Save democracy!” and on the other hand they’re saying that we have to undermine democracy and engage in clearly anti-democratic behavior in order to save democracy.
Insisting that voters have two and only two options on the ballot is entirely antithetical to “Democracy.” How someone can claim to be attempting to save democracy while simultaneously attempting to limit people’s choices at the ballot box and infringe on people’s democratic rights to run for office is beyond me.