Parties on the Left, Movements on the Right: What's an Independent to DO?

Is the Tea Party a party or a movement or just a funding arm of right-wing Republicans? Is the Working Families Party independent or just an appendage of the NYC Democratic Party well-oiled but failing political machinery? And what's the difference between the New York City Organizations of the Independence Party and the State Independence Party of New York? Study up -- if you're independent, you need to know!


TEA PARTY

• Where Is ''tea Party'' Heading? Leaves Are Unclear (NY Times)
• Tea Party Nation: Of Palin, Progressives, New Deal, and party politics (LA Conservative Examiner, Edmund Jenks)

WORKING FAMILIES PARTY

• Bertha Lewis Departs From WFP, Perjury Charges Possible Against Rose Treasurer In Staten Island Case (By Edward-Isaac Dovere, City Hall News)
• Working Families Party will use its power to stir things up (BY DAN CANTOR, Daily News)

NEW YORK INDEPENDENCE PARTY (NYC and State)

• Independence Party big promises change after 'secret deal' with Mike (David Seifman, Inside City Hall, NY Post)
• Political Action: GOP could come back in 2010 Queens races (By William Lewis, Your Nabe Queens) Honigsfeld also referred to the three Queens Republicans who were elected to the City Council in November. They all had Independence Party endorsements, which contributed to their election success. She said, “We are dedicated to the restructuring of the political system. Independents do not want partisan politics.”