As the polls close it's been another presidential election day in America

here on November 4th 1976. It's been a hard fought campaign set against the red white and blue backdrop of our nation's

bicentennial.

200 years of Americans in pursuit of happiness.

Well, sort of. In 1972, our last vote for president, it was all Nixon in a landslide,

only to watch the man resign in disgrace two years later.

Between Vietnam and the recession and inflation and OPEC gas lines, the public's

faith in its government has significantly eroded these last years, with voter

turnout down 10% over the past decade.

But one political party has somehow been emboldened by these dreary doldrums.

The Communist Party USA, founded back in 1919, has begun to gain some traction, calling for an

80% cut in defense spending, an end to Cold War policies, a 30-hour work week for the same

pay, independence for Puerto Rico, women's equality,

and the outlawing of racism.

As usual though, it might have seemed there were only two candidates in this race, Democratic Governor Jimmy Carter versus incumbent

Republican Gerald Ford. But on the ballot as well, there's Minnesota's Eugene McCarthy,

Lester Maddox, running for the independence, Roger McBride,

Libertarian, and perennial candidate for President Gus Hall for the Communist Party USA, who has

gardened 58,709 votes nationwide.07% of the electorate.

In this losing cause, Gus Hall frames the campaign as a victory.

Ours is not an election party.

An election is a continuation of our year-round work

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