Liberals

Back in the 1970s, when “Progressives” called themselves “Liberals.” some activists who had come of age politically in the 1940s and 50s were involved in Independent politics. They had endured anti-Communist witch hunts, blacklisting, and red-baiting, their liberal attitudes often attacked by conservatives as bordering on treason.

The Chicago Democratic Party did it’s best to be non-ideological at the time and attracted a lot of folks who were racist and sexist. Those people were active in Democratic Party politics because they wanted the jobs and favors distributed by the local organization led by Mayor Richard J. Daley.

So, liberals (today’s Progressives) existed outside of the party and participated in the bi-partisan Independent political movement, led by the Independent Voters of Illinois (IVI) and the Independent Precinct Organization (IPO). Their primary enemy was the Chicago Democratic Party machine.

The Machine did take in a few liberals, though, so it could claim, when necessary, that the party was actually a pretty liberal outfit. One of those was 9th district U.S. Rep. Sidney Yates, one of the most liberal members of Congress.

In 1974, Sam Fried, one of the liberal activists, challenged Yates in the Democratic primary. He said his candidacy would make the Congressman “more liberal.” IVI and IPO supported Yates but didn’t have to do much for him because Fried didn’t have any resosurces to compete and his challenge was not viewed as serious. Yates won easily and beat Fried again in the 1976 primary.

In 1978, Morris Davidson emerged from that same group to run in a multi-candidate race as an Independent for State Representative in the general election.

State Rep. Woody Bowman, backed by Indepenents, had beaten the Machine for the second time in that year’s primary. Since his re-election was virtually assured in the heavily Democratic district, Davidson hoped to win a second seat for the Independents. Still, IVI and IPO backed Bowman, and Davidson lost.

Even Independents who went on to support Harold Washington, Barack Obama, and Bernie Sanders did not blindly back candidates just because they were “the most liberal.”

You can get more Chicago Political Stories at https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/994143