January 2003
Dear Friends,
We have had a terrific history. Over the past fifty-eight years we have elected Presidents, Senators, and Congressmen who have represented and furthered the New York liberal tradition on the national stage. We have elected Governors, Attorneys-General, and Comptrollers who have made us proud to be called New Yorkers. We have elected Mayors, local representatives, and Judges who have contributed to our common good. We have never been afraid to face the future, and to work to make the world as it ought to be, not as it is.
However, this may be the last time that you can be addressed as a capital "L" liberal. As you know, our gubernatorial ticket did not receive the fifty-thousand votes necessary in the last election to maintain our status, under New York State election law, as an organized party with state wide ballot access.
Starting as of January 1 you may receive a voter registration form from your local Board of Elections asking you to select a new party registration. I say that you may receive this notice; it is not clear as to whether this provision can withstand a challenge being brought under Federal law by another of the parties losing ballot status. Even if their action is successful, however, it will not cure the loss of our automatic ballot access as a recognized political party. It will simply allow us to continue our voter registration as capital "L" Liberals. It will have no other effect.
Because of our loss our State Headquarters at 322 Eighth Avenue has been closed effective December 31. It is a truism that money is the mother-milk of (organized) politics; we no longer have the ability to raise the considerable amounts necessary to maintain the headquarters. The State Policy Committee, after several meetings, decided to face the inevitable and terminate those operations. Several individuals have volunteered to continue our operations closeout process as to reporting. However, this website will continue for at least a year.
As stated the State Policy Committee had several meetings to discuss both our immediate and long term future. In addition, I had also called a number of active Liberals around the state. The reactions, obviously, ranged the spectrum. Individuals and county organizations intend to pursue a variety of options. These include pro-actively joining other parties individually or en masse, retiring from the active pursuit of organized politics, or setting up county-based political associations to continue organized actions, albeit as independents, until our next opportunity-in four years- to resurrect the Party on a statewide organized basis.
The appropriate response is a choice driven by both local and individual circumstances. There is no single way; there is no perfect response. There was a general feeling that we ought to stay in touch as people decided what they would ultimately do.
The sense of the Policy Committee was that it is necessary, given our illustrious fifty-eight year history, to protect both our name and our symbol. To that effect individuals are preparing to incorporate an organization, tentatively called "Liberal Party Associates", to provide some trademark protection to both. This new entity will also allow individuals to remain connected as it intends to serve as a clearing-house for political news from across the state through our existing website.
Times change, but our commitment to an independent progressive agenda has never wavered. We will continue to be proud of what the Liberal Party has accomplished. We will continue to be proud to call ourselves Liberals, despite the loss of State recognition. Please stay in touch through this website or by clicking on the Contact Us link below.