Americans for Democratic Action
Encyclopedia
Americans for Democratic Action (ADA) is an American
political
organization advocating progressive policies
. ADA works for social and economic justice through lobbying, grassroots organizing, research and supporting progressive candidates.
(UDA). The UDA was formed by former members of the Socialist Party of America
and Committee to Defend America by Aiding the Allies
as well as labor union
leaders, liberal
politicians, theologians
, and others who were opposed to the pacifism
adopted by most left-wing political organizations in the late 1930s and early 1940s. It supported a strongly interventionist
, internationalist
foreign policy and a pro-union, liberal domestic policy. It was strongly anti-communists
as well. It undertook a major effort to support left-wing Democratic
members of Congress in 1946, but this effort was an overwhelming failure.
James Isaac Loeb (later an ambassador
and diplomat in the John F. Kennedy
administration), the UDA's executive director, advocated disbanding the UDA and forming a new, more broadly-based, mass-membership organization. The ADA was formed on January 4, 1947, and the UDA shuttered. ADA's leaders considered communism (especially as practiced in the Soviet Union
) to be both morally wrong and a threat to the United States.
Founding members included:
Over its 60-year history, ADA played a role in many major American movements—civil rights
, women's rights
, opposition to the Vietnam
and Iraq
wars—while supporting legislation that resulted from these movements.
vote on these issues. The annual ADA Voting Record gives each member a rating from 0, meaning complete disagreement with ADA policies, to 100, meaning complete agreement with ADA policies. A score of 0 is considered conservative
and a score 100 is considered liberal.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
political
Politics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
organization advocating progressive policies
Progressivism
Progressivism is an umbrella term for a political ideology advocating or favoring social, political, and economic reform or changes. Progressivism is often viewed by some conservatives, constitutionalists, and libertarians to be in opposition to conservative or reactionary ideologies.The...
. ADA works for social and economic justice through lobbying, grassroots organizing, research and supporting progressive candidates.
History
The ADA grew out of a predecessor group, the Union for Democratic ActionUnion for Democratic Action
The Union for Democratic Action was an American political organization advocating liberal policies and the preservation and extension of democratic values domestically and overseas...
(UDA). The UDA was formed by former members of the Socialist Party of America
Socialist Party of America
The Socialist Party of America was a multi-tendency democratic-socialist political party in the United States, formed in 1901 by a merger between the three-year-old Social Democratic Party of America and disaffected elements of the Socialist Labor Party which had split from the main organization...
and Committee to Defend America by Aiding the Allies
Committee to Defend America by Aiding the Allies
The Committee to Defend America by Aiding the Allies was an American political action group formed in May 1940.The group advocated American military materiel support for Britain as the best way to keep the United States out of the conflict then raging in Europe...
as well as labor union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
leaders, liberal
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
politicians, theologians
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
, and others who were opposed to the pacifism
Pacifism
Pacifism is the opposition to war and violence. The term "pacifism" was coined by the French peace campaignerÉmile Arnaud and adopted by other peace activists at the tenth Universal Peace Congress inGlasgow in 1901.- Definition :...
adopted by most left-wing political organizations in the late 1930s and early 1940s. It supported a strongly interventionist
Interventionism (politics)
Interventionism is a term for a policy of non-defensive activity undertaken by a nation-state, or other geo-political jurisdiction of a lesser or greater nature, to manipulate an economy or society...
, internationalist
Internationalism (politics)
Internationalism is a political movement which advocates a greater economic and political cooperation among nations for the theoretical benefit of all...
foreign policy and a pro-union, liberal domestic policy. It was strongly anti-communists
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
as well. It undertook a major effort to support left-wing Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
members of Congress in 1946, but this effort was an overwhelming failure.
James Isaac Loeb (later an ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
and diplomat in the John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
administration), the UDA's executive director, advocated disbanding the UDA and forming a new, more broadly-based, mass-membership organization. The ADA was formed on January 4, 1947, and the UDA shuttered. ADA's leaders considered communism (especially as practiced in the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
) to be both morally wrong and a threat to the United States.
Founding members included:
- Hubert HumphreyHubert HumphreyHubert Horatio Humphrey, Jr. , served under President Lyndon B. Johnson as the 38th Vice President of the United States. Humphrey twice served as a United States Senator from Minnesota, and served as Democratic Majority Whip. He was a founder of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party and...
- John Kenneth GalbraithJohn Kenneth GalbraithJohn Kenneth "Ken" Galbraith , OC was a Canadian-American economist. He was a Keynesian and an institutionalist, a leading proponent of 20th-century American liberalism...
- Joseph P. LashJoseph P. LashJoseph P. Lash was an American radical political activist, journalist, and author. A close friend of Eleanor Roosevelt, Lash won the Pulitzer Prize for Biography and the National Book Award in 1972 for Eleanor and Franklin, the first of two volumes he wrote about the former First Lady.-Early...
- Walter ReutherWalter ReutherWalter Philip Reuther was an American labor union leader, who made the United Automobile Workers a major force not only in the auto industry but also in the Democratic Party in the mid 20th century...
- Eleanor RooseveltEleanor RooseveltAnna Eleanor Roosevelt was the First Lady of the United States from 1933 to 1945. She supported the New Deal policies of her husband, distant cousin Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and became an advocate for civil rights. After her husband's death in 1945, Roosevelt continued to be an international...
- Arthur Schlesinger, Jr.Arthur Schlesinger, Jr.Arthur Meier Schlesinger, Jr. was an American historian and social critic whose work explored the American liberalism of political leaders including Franklin D. Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, and Robert F. Kennedy. A Pulitzer Prize winner, Schlesinger served as special assistant and "court historian"...
Over its 60-year history, ADA played a role in many major American movements—civil rights
Civil rights movement
The civil rights movement was a worldwide political movement for equality before the law occurring between approximately 1950 and 1980. In many situations it took the form of campaigns of civil resistance aimed at achieving change by nonviolent forms of resistance. In some situations it was...
, women's rights
Women's rights
Women's rights are entitlements and freedoms claimed for women and girls of all ages in many societies.In some places these rights are institutionalized or supported by law, local custom, and behaviour, whereas in others they may be ignored or suppressed...
, opposition to the Vietnam
Opposition to the Vietnam War
The movement against US involvment in the in Vietnam War began in the United States with demonstrations in 1964 and grew in strength in later years. The US became polarized between those who advocated continued involvement in Vietnam, and those who wanted peace. Peace movements consisted largely of...
and Iraq
Iraq war (disambiguation)
The Iraq War is a military campaign by a multinational force led by troops from the United States and the United Kingdom.Iraq War may also refer to:*Mesopotamian campaign *Anglo-Iraqi War *Iran–Iraq War *Gulf War...
wars—while supporting legislation that resulted from these movements.
Voting records
ADA is well known for its rankings of legislators. ADA members identify key policy issues, and ADA tracks how members of CongressUnited States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
vote on these issues. The annual ADA Voting Record gives each member a rating from 0, meaning complete disagreement with ADA policies, to 100, meaning complete agreement with ADA policies. A score of 0 is considered conservative
American conservatism
Conservatism in the United States has played an important role in American politics since the 1950s. Historian Gregory Schneider identifies several constants in American conservatism: respect for tradition, support of republicanism, preservation of "the rule of law and the Christian religion", and...
and a score 100 is considered liberal.