Is this an antidote for a world which is going to hell?
If we are looking at only the mainstream media, we would see the world is going to hell. Tariffs on, tariffs off. Peace with Iran; attack Iran. Annex Greenland; annex Canada; annex Venezuela. Kleptocrats abound. Foolish people in high places. Geopolitical norms thrown out the window. New $250 bills.
The Next System Project
Since 2014, I have been a not-so-active member of The Next System Project. This think-tank displays all sorts of socioeconomic projects built by grass roots leaders. These projects do not get much attention from the media. I like these stories. More action and less talk. Good things are happening despite the circus of politics.
We can create the kind of society-and world-we'd like now and for future generations
Every few years, I approach Next System’s managers about including me as a speaker for Tiered Democratic Governance (TDG) After all, the TDG is a possible next system, right? Well, until the TDG movement gains some grass roots support, there is no reason for this institution to give any attention to an echo chamber of one. And no, The Next System Project has not reported on a project as ambitious as the TDG. It is, more or less, working within the current system(s).
From Next Systems to Working Families Party
In my last Next Systems seminar, I (as on online listener) was introduced to The Working Families Party (WFP). While I pride myself with being somewhat up to date on American federal politics, this was my first encounter with this political movement.
A quick look at the WFP website revealed two things. First the WFP has been around since 1998. Second, the WFP is a bona fide movement with many members and activities. The website had many fresh webpages, using 2026 as a date.
From my brief foray, WFP is not a true political party. It does not field candidates in the elections. Rather it is a political organization that is trying to bend the will of the Democratic Party.
The primary objective of the WFP is to endorse progressive-minded candidates inside the Democratic Party. With such an endorsement, the candidate has a better chance of winning the primary, the internal Democratic Party election. And later, an endorsement from Working Families Party in the general election should not cause any political harm to these candidates.
The WFP website has a list of about 200 current candidates it is endorsing for 2026 in the national and state elections. If a progressive-minded voter wants to vote progressively, it need only go to the WFP website to find out those Democrats who have a progressive agenda. No need for progressive voters to do intensive research.
I have no doubts that the WFP will pull their endorsement if a winning candidate fails the progressive movement later.
It seems to me that progressive thinkers on Medium should be attracted to aims and goals of the WFP. The WFP could use more members to increase its voting block, which could shake up the power brokers in the Democratic Party. By supporting the WFP, the Medium writers would leverage their influence, helping to move the USA into a more progressive agenda. And these writers could still write their progressive articles and post them on Medium.
When I do a Medium search for “Working Families Party,” I find a few articles related to the WFP. But looking at the dates, it seemed these articles come around only every six months or so.
My search also showed that, in 2018, WFP set up its own Medium pub. It was trying to promote its ideals to the Medium audience. Then it stopped publishing. Methinks the WFP was not finding much of an audience. So it moved its limited time and energy somewhere else.
Because I have only read the WFP website and its Wiki article, there might be something incongruous with the WFP I have not yet encountered. Maybe there are good reasons for progressive writers not to support the WFP. But I don’t think so.
With my limited understanding of psychology, I have a hypothesis why Working Families Party and the progressive Medium writers are not working together. But maybe it’s better point out that the various demographics that constitute MAGA (natural conservatives, white supremacists, Christian nationalists, 2nd Amendment supporters, kleptocrats, and maybe a few others) have learned how to politically unite — and look where the USA is today.
Further Analysis
I think WFP understands how the US Green Party siphons 1% of votes away from the Democratic Party each election, which cause a few more Republican wins. If the WFP wants more progressive people in government, the WFP cannot afford to split the vote.
In the WFP website, I did not find any mention of the popular changes to the American system. No electoral college reform. No proportional representation. No rank-choice ballots. The WFP is focused on its progressive agenda, not really caring which individuals implement that agenda.
Maybe the back rooms of the WFP have bigger plans for the future. For now, it is outwardly working within the current system, using whatever influence it has to force the Democratic Party to nominate progressive candidates.
If ranked-choice voting is allowed, the WFP could enter American politics without splitting the Democrat vote. It could become a viable political party, allying with the Democratic Party to trade their #2 votes.
While this would be an improvement, the WFP would be subject to the 12 Limitations of Western Democracy. When these 12 limitations take hold, the party will struggle to maintain its former altruistic political agenda as ambitious WFP members clamber for higher positions in the party.
But we should also be asking: “Will the Democratic Party share political power with the WFP?” Methinks not. It wants the WFP as a vassal party.
As my lukewarm fans know, my TDG is about a major system change. We need to remove all political parties. We need to reduce the size of our electoral districts, putting many more people into governance. We need to teach voters how to vote for good character and capacity for governance. We need to develop our consultation decision making skills. WFP does not seem to be doing any of the TDG agenda, so I cannot endorse this political movement.
But I like the WFP spirit and its challenge to the current system.
If the many political writers on Medium cannot support the TDG, I see their next best alternative is to support the WFP. But remaining independent from the WFP means the common mission is less likely to succeed. The progressive movement in the USA needs a mechanism to coalesce. And WFP is a political mechanism that is already “out there” and working for average Americans.
And some day, the WFP just might be a real political party.
Published on Medium 2026
How Government Bloat Divides Us
Book Review: The End of Eternity
