Honesty Party Runs Sincere Campaign

All politicians dishonest? Not me, city council candidate Brian Feigenbaum has told Cambridge voters in recent weeks. In fact, sincerity is such a theme of Feigenbaum's campaign that he's running as the standard-bearer for a new coalition--the "Honesty Party."

Less than six months old, the Honesty Party is spreading leaflets and making speeches to aid Feigenbaum, 26, in his council campaign. With a party membership of 12, the Honesty ticket has focused on anti-militarism, the provision of community health care and childcare, and housing controls.

"We deal with basic issues that affect everyone," Feigenbaum said yesterday, adding, "We need to articulate the radical social change viewpoint in local elections."

The party is not aligned with traditional or national coalitions; members stress they are anti-communist and anti-socialist. Although Feigenbaum has been endorsed by the Cambridge Tenants' Convention, he did not seek any endorsement from the two major factions of Cambridge politics, the Cambridge Civic Association (CCA) or the Independents.

Feigenbaum called such factionalism "silly," and said there are other issues more important than the ones which concern the CCA or Independents.

Party members remain optimistic about their ability to attract votes. Feigenbaum's chances to win a council seat depend on "word of mouth," he said, adding, "The reception to our ideas has been great. We've made over 100 contacts in the area."

"The Honesty Party represents the traditional non-voter in Cambridge--people tired of the system," Feigenbaum, a 1980 graduate of Boston University Law School, said.

Other party members include former Clamshell Alliance activists and current members of the Cambridge-based Food for Free Committee.

The Honesty Party has "given a younger and more unusual look to the campaign," Feigenbaum said, adding, "There aren't any other freaks running for city council."