First Published: People’s Tribune, Vol. 3, No. 16, July 15, 1976.
Transcription, Editing and Markup: Paul Saba
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Six months ago the Communist Labor Party began a signature-gathering campaign to get on the ballot in the state of Michigan, in order to run General Baker for the State House of Representatives from the 9th District. Under existing Michigan law, it was only necessary to gather 17,500 signatures of registered voters to secure a place on the ballot.
The CLP began a vigorous campaign to collect the required number of signatures; our intention was to bring the cause of the working class into the state legislature, and to provide a forum for socialism. Neither of the major parties speaks for the interests of the working class. To fill this need, the CLP set out in earnest to gather signatures and meet the legal requirement.
As the CLP canvassed the streets and factories, gathering signatures, the capitalists and their political henchmen in Lansing realized that the workers of Michigan were supporting the CLP. With barely a week before the deadline, when the CLP had already gathered over 30,000 signatures, twice the legal requirement, the state legislature of Michigan enacted Michigan Public Act 94. At the last minute, they changed the law!
Declaring that signatures were not enough, Public Act 94 demands that in order to appear on the ballot in November, the CLP must also get 5000 votes in the August 3 primary. This means that on August 3, 5000 people have to give up their right to vote for candidates of other parties for other offices, in order to vote for the Communist Labor Party although we are only running one candidate for one office.
The right to vote is the basis of US democracy. In order to put the Communist Labor Party on the ballot, Michigan voters must forego voting for primary selection of candidates for all other state offices. In order to vote for General Baker in November, the workers of Michigan have been forced to forego their participation in other primary races.
Never before in the history of this country have the people been forced to vote for a party, and not for candidates. This open assault by the state legislature bears testimony to their hatred of the working class and its party.
The CLP calls on the progressive people of Michigan and throughout the country to register your disgust with the treachery and double-dealing of the capitalists and their political puppets. We urge you to register your support for the Communist Labor Party and the struggle for socialism. Write your elected representatives, send letters and resolutions of support, and most of all, send contributions. The court battle against Public Act 94, the primary campaign, and the long haul until November are costly. The bourgeois politicians have the banks behind them. The CLP has the working class—every nickel, dime and dollar from the workers and progressives of this country help bring us a step closer toward our goal.
We call on the voters of Michigan, and our supporters throughout the country, to show the cynical politicians in Lansing that they can’t stop us now! With unity of action, and a party to lead, the working class is invincible.