Is 38 Degrees connected to a political party?
Definitely not. We are not connected with any political parties, and are funded by donations from members. Our independence means that we can campaign on issues that we feel passionately about and that we decide on together. We are driven by issues and outcomes, and judge all politicians by the same standards.
The truth is that they are left of centre and only support positions that are compatible with that starting point. In a BBC-ish way they think this makes them independent.
Maybe from a European perspective the American Democrats seem quite middle of the road but 38 Degrees director Ben Brandzel is clearly a Democrat and not non-aligned as many Americans are. The tweet below asks people to donate to the Democrats.
In his Huffington post biog Brandzel describes himself as “progressive”. In the UK this means a leftie and definitely not New Labour, and encompasses the Green Party (where all the real left-wingers are now), non-Orange book LibDems and the Milibandite, deficit-denying Labour party. Ken Livingstone is happy to be called a progressive which gives you some kind of calibration.
Ben Brandzel is a leading international practitioner, trainer and writer in the field of progressive online organizing. Currently the Director of Incubation and International Programs at Citizen Engagement Lab, he's served as Advocacy Director for MoveOn.org and Director of New Media Campaigns and Fundraising for Barack Obama's Organizing for America. He's a founding board member and former Senior Campaigner at Avaaz.org and the Chief Founding Advisor for UK's 38 Degrees.org.uk. His writing has appeared in the American Prospect and The Nation magazines, amongst others. Ben is an avid biker and aspiring guitarist who lives in Berkeley and Washington DC.
He also identifies himself as a senior Democrat party organiser. He is a veteran of three presidential campaigns.
Brandzel is a senior Democrat operator and a most political of creatures.
Whatever 38 Degree is or isn’t it is political and ... dishonest.
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