Socialist Party of Florida
Encyclopedia
The Socialist Party of Florida (SPFL) is the Florida
state
chapter of the Socialist Party of the United States of America (SPUSA), a democratic socialist party
. The SPFL is the local organization of the members of the SPUSA who live in or claim legal residence in Florida.
(SPA) local in Florida was founded in Orlando on November 18, 1901, a few months after the national party was founded. The original Socialist Party of Florida was founded as a part of the SPA, July 14, 1902.
The Socialist Party of America
voted 73:34 to change its name to Social Democrats, USA in December of 1972. SPUSA was founded in 1973, after which the SPFL was founded on March 16, 1998.
SPFL is active around several main issues. Currently, the SPFL is involved in the anti-war movements
around Iraq
and Afghanistan
, working on behalf of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers
, and opposing the anti gay marriage amendment effort. In addition, the SPFL is working on bringing a lawsuit against the State of Florida over violations of minor parties' First Amendment
rights.
While the party is primarily an activist organization, it is also an official minor party in Florida, which enables it to field candidates for office. The SPFL has run candidates for President in 2000 (David McReynolds
) and 2004 (Walt Brown
). In 2006, the SPFL attempted to field a write-in candidate for governor, but failed to gain eligibility. SPFL member Brian Moore
was nominated to run for President in 2008
by the SP national convention. In 2010, SPFL member, David Maynard, was elected to the Hillsborough County Soil and Water Conservation Board.
The SPFL currently has locals in South Florida and the Tampa Bay Area
.
1906
1908
1910
1912
1916
1920
2008
Platform:
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
chapter of the Socialist Party of the United States of America (SPUSA), a democratic socialist party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
. The SPFL is the local organization of the members of the SPUSA who live in or claim legal residence in Florida.
History and political activity
The first Socialist Party of AmericaSocialist 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...
(SPA) local in Florida was founded in Orlando on November 18, 1901, a few months after the national party was founded. The original Socialist Party of Florida was founded as a part of the SPA, July 14, 1902.
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...
voted 73:34 to change its name to Social Democrats, USA in December of 1972. SPUSA was founded in 1973, after which the SPFL was founded on March 16, 1998.
SPFL is active around several main issues. Currently, the SPFL is involved in the anti-war movements
Peace movement
A peace movement is a social movement that seeks to achieve ideals such as the ending of a particular war , minimize inter-human violence in a particular place or type of situation, often linked to the goal of achieving world peace...
around Iraq
Opposition to the Iraq War
Significant opposition to the Iraq War occurred worldwide, both before and during the initial 2003 invasion of Iraq by the United States, United Kingdom, and smaller contingents from other nations, and throughout the subsequent occupation...
and Afghanistan
Opposition to the 2001 Afghanistan War
Opposition to the decade-long Afghanistan war stems from numerous factors - these include the view that the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan was illegal under international law and constituted an unjustified aggression, the view that the continued military presence constitutes a foreign military...
, working on behalf of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers
Coalition of Immokalee Workers
The Coalition of Immokalee Workers is a non-profit organization in Immokalee, Florida whose members are "largely Latino, Haitian, and Mayan Indian immigrants working in low-wage jobs throughout the state."Founded in 1993, the group has seen major success on several fronts...
, and opposing the anti gay marriage amendment effort. In addition, the SPFL is working on bringing a lawsuit against the State of Florida over violations of minor parties' First Amendment
First Amendment to the United States Constitution
The First Amendment to the United States Constitution is part of the Bill of Rights. The amendment prohibits the making of any law respecting an establishment of religion, impeding the free exercise of religion, abridging the freedom of speech, infringing on the freedom of the press, interfering...
rights.
While the party is primarily an activist organization, it is also an official minor party in Florida, which enables it to field candidates for office. The SPFL has run candidates for President in 2000 (David McReynolds
David McReynolds
David McReynolds is an American democratic socialist and pacifist activist who described himself as "a peace movement bureaucrat" during his 40-year career with Liberation magazine and the War Resisters League...
) and 2004 (Walt Brown
Walt Brown
Walter Frederick Brown is an American politician and was the presidential candidate of the Socialist Party USA in the 2004 elections. Brown became a socialist in 1948. He served as Democratic member of the Oregon State Senate from 1975 to 1987. Brown also served as a Socialist Party of Oregon...
). In 2006, the SPFL attempted to field a write-in candidate for governor, but failed to gain eligibility. SPFL member Brian Moore
Brian Moore (politician)
Brian Patrick Moore is an United States politician and founder of antiwar organization Nature Coast Coalition for Peace & Justice. He was the presidential nominee of the Socialist Party USA for the 2008 United States presidential election. He waged several campaigns for mayor and city council in...
was nominated to run for President in 2008
United States presidential election, 2008
The United States presidential election of 2008 was the 56th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on November 4, 2008. Democrat Barack Obama, then the junior United States Senator from Illinois, defeated Republican John McCain, the senior U.S. Senator from Arizona. Obama received 365...
by the SP national convention. In 2010, SPFL member, David Maynard, was elected to the Hillsborough County Soil and Water Conservation Board.
The SPFL currently has locals in South Florida and the Tampa Bay Area
Tampa Bay Area
The Tampa Bay Area is the region of west central Florida adjacent to Tampa Bay. Definitions of the region vary. It is often considered equivalent to the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater Metropolitan Statistical Area defined by the United States Census Bureau. The Census Bureau currently...
.
U.S. Representatives candidates
1904- 2nd District — W. B Wood
- 3rd District — George S. Smith
1906
- 1st District — C. C. Allen
- 3rd District — T. B. Meeker
1908
- 1st District — C. C. Allen
- 2nd District — A. N. Jackson
- 3rd District — C. N. Wood
1910
- 1st District — C. C. Allen
- 2nd District — Thomas W. Cox
- 3rd District — Eric Vonaxelson
1912
- 1st District — C. C. Allen]
- 2nd District — J. J. Collins]
- 3rd District — W. N. Lamberry]
- At-large — A. N. Jackson]
1916
- 1st District — Frank L. Sullivan
- 4th District — A. N. Jackson
1920
- 1st District — C. W. Smith
- 2nd District — W. L. Case
- 4th District — Earl Hunt
2008
- 20th District — Marc Luzietti
Logos
The Socialist Party of Florida currently has four official logos. The linked hands over the world is the official logo of the Socialist Party USA, while the red carnation is the former logo of the SPUSA. The use of both logos was approved by the State Executive Committee of the SPFL in July 2007. In May, 2008, the SEC approved the use of the Red Star Over Florida. In February, 2010, the SEC approved yet another new logo, based on the linked hands over the world and the red star over Florida.External links
Platform: